Many people that are trying to watch their weight feel that they need to eliminate certain foods from their diet. One of the first foods that most people “ban” is red meat – and it’s no wonder – red meat has gotten a pretty bad rap over the past few years. The problem with that is, red meat offers many nutritional benefits, vitamins, and minerals that can be beneficial to your health – and your diet. The trick is to pick the right “cuts” of meat, and to vary the cooking methods used to make red meat as healthy as possible. This seared beef is cooked quickly over high heat, which eliminates the need to add a lot of excess fats and oils. So tonight, give your chicken breasts and fish fillets the night off, and try this savory asian-inspired beef dish instead!

1 pound lean beef flank steak, London broil, or top round

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger

2 cups broccoli, cut into large chunks

1 medium red onion, halved and sliced

3 tablespoons black bean sauce

1/2 cup stir fry sauce

1/2 red bell pepper, julienned (optional, for garnish)

instant brown rice or soba noodles (optional, for serving)

Slice the beef across the grain into thin strips and sprinkle lightly with salt and black pepper. In a wok or large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the beef, garlic, and ginger and stir fry for 5 to 6 minutes, until beef is browned. Remove everything from the skillet and set aside.

Add 1 tablespoon water to the wok and add the broccoli and onion. Stir an cook for 2 minutes, then reduce heat to medium, add another 2 tablespoons water to the wok, cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the black bean sauce, stir fry sauce, reserved beef, and red pepper (if using) to the wok. Cook and stir for 1 to 3 minutes, or until heated through. Serve over rice or noodles if desired.

Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 289 calories, 6 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 14 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 0 g sugar, 27 g protein, 732 mg sodium, 28 mg cholesterol.

A classic, Russian culinary masterpiece revamped into a low calorie, low fat, and delicious dinner. The Portobello mushrooms called for in this recipe have an unbeatable meaty texture that makes them well worth the few extra cents they will cost you to make this dish. However, if you can’t find Portobellos, another type of mushroom will work just fine.

This low calorie rendition of this traditional dish will “blow you away” with it’s rich, creamy, full-bodied flavor. Unlike it’s “traditional” counterpart, this meal eliminates the heavy cream and butter (therefore eliminating a bunch of unnecessary fat and calories) – but the taste won’t let you down! Family members and dinner guests, alike, will NEVER suspect that is a healthy dish.

1 pound boneless beef top sirloin steak

1 large onion, cut lengthwise and thinly sliced

1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt

1/2 cup fat free sour cream

3 tablespoons chopped chives, divided

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon ketchup

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon olive oil

6 ounces portobello (or button, cremini, or baby bella) mushrooms, sliced

3-1/2 cups wide whole wheat noodles (or egg noodle, if you prefer)

Cook the pasta according to the package directions; while pasta cooks, start the beef.

Cut the beef into strips or chunks and set aside.

Spray a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and place it over low heat; once warm add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes (or until tender). Remove the onion from the skillet and set aside.

Combine the yogurt, sour cream, 2 tablespoons chives, flour, ketchup, mustard, salt and pepper in small bowl; set aside.
Heat the teaspoon of oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and mushrooms and cook (stirring very frequently) for 3 to 4 minutes or until beef is lightly browned; return the onion to skillet with the beef and mushroom and reduce the heat to low. Stir the yogurt mixture into the skillet until well blended and slightly thickened (about 2 minutes). Serve over the noodles, sprinkled with the remaining tablespoon of chives.

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Makes 4 servings. Per Serving: 246 calories, 6 g total fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 22 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 0 g added sugar, 22 g protein, 206 mg sodium, 62 mg cholesterol

Salisbury steak is a quick and easy dinner that has a hearty, homecooked taste.

Many people hold the misconception that salisbury steak originated as a “poor man’s steak”, made by families that could not afford decent cuts of meat, and therefore used “scraps” instead. In actuality, it uses a rather high grade, fairly expensive cut of lean ground meat, and it was named for Dr. James H. Salisbury, one of the first “known” nutritionists. Dr. Salisbury thought that everyone would be healthier if they ate very lean cuts of meat in VERY large quantities and avoided carbohydrates entirely (basically, he was the original “Atkin’s diet” of the early 19th Century!!) .

Salisbury steak is still very popular in the South, where it is traditionally served with gravy and grilled onions, and it remains a common staple of public school lunches and frozen dinners.

Served simply with seasoned steamed veggies, oven baked fries, or light mac and cheese, Salisbury steak is a fast, comforting, satisfying dinner.

1 pound extra lean ground turkey ground beef (try for 93% – 97% lean)

3 tablespoons seasoned dry bread crumbs

1 egg white

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 medium red onion, chopped

8 ounces fresh sliced mushrooms (buying the presliced packages from the produce section is a huge time saver!)

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1 tablespoon flour

1 cup fat-free reduced-sodium beef broth

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or parsley (optional)

Combine the ground meat, bread crumbs, egg white, salt and pepper and mix together well. Shape the mixture into 4 patties (about 1/2 thick each).

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and coat well with cooking spray; add the patties to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes per side (or until no longer pink in the center). Remove the patties from the skillet and set them aside.

Re-coat the same skillet with a little more cooking spray and add the chopped onion. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the mushrooms and the dried thyme and cook for 3 more minutes (still stirring occasionally). Sprinkle the flour over the onion/mushroom mixture and and stir for 30 seconds; add the broth and bring the mixture to a boil. After the skillet comes to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes (or until the onions and mushrooms are tender and the sauce has thickened a little). With the heat still at a simmer, return the patties to skillet for about 1 -3 minutes to heat through. Serve with sprinkled with fresh thyme or parsley, if desired.

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Makes 4 servings. Per Serving: 253 calories, 9 g total fat, 2.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 9 g carbohydrates, 4.5 g fiber, 0 g added sugar, 28 g protein, 382 mg sodium(this will vary depending on how much sodium is in your broth), 49 mg cholesterol

This recipe is slightly higher in calories and fat than what you would expect in a “light” recipe – but it is mostly due to the use of the avocado (which means the little extra calories and fats are the “good” kind.) Even when you are attempting to “slim down”, you need to remember to eat a healthy, balanced diet – and that includes healthy fats. Our bodies need fat to carry out a variety of important functions. Trimming all fat from your diet is extremely detrimental to your health (especially in the case of the fats found in avocado, fish, olives, olive oil, and nuts.)

This delicious and refreshing summer taco recipe is well worth indulging in – and the nutritional benefits that it offers far outweigh the minimal calorie increase.

1 1/2 pounds top sirloin steaks

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

12 small (about 6 inches diameter) whole wheat or corn tortillas

1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded lettuce

1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves

1 lime, cut into wedges (for serving)

Avocado Lime Salsa (see recipe below)

fat free sour cream (optional)

To Make the Salsa:
1 small cucumber peeled, seeded and grated or finely minced

2 large avocados, cut into chunks

4 plum tomatoes, diced

1 small red onion, finely diced

juice from 2 whole large limes

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 jalapeno chiles, chopped

Place the avocado in a medium sized bowl and mash well with a fork. Add the tomato, cucumber, onion, lime juice and salt and mix well; add the jalapeno chiles and stir gently.

To Make the Tacos:

In a small bowl stir together chili powder, garlic, salt and cayenne pepper. Rub this mixture on both sides of the steaks, then grill or broil steaks for 5 to 6 minutes on each side (for medium rare, longer if you like it more well done). Remove the steaks from the grill and let them sit for 10 to 15 minutes before carving them into thin slices (about 1 inch thick strips).

Warm the tortillas by placing them between 2 slightly dampened paper towels and microwaving them for 45 seconds.

Evenly distribute the steak strips between the tortillas. Top each with the shredded lettuce and the cilantro leaves, and then a generous topping of the avocado salsa. Serve with the lime wedges on the side.

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Makes 4 Servings (3 tacos each). Per Serving (including salsa): 377 calories, 13 g total fat, 2.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 38 g carbohydrates, 9 g fiber, 0 g added sugar, 22 g protein, 132 mg sodium, 103 mg cholesterol

Thai beef salad, also known as yam neua, is an extremely popular Thai recipe. As of matter of fact, when most people speak of this dish, they say “there are as many yam neua recipes out there as there are Thai cooks”. Well here is one more!! I have incorporated all of the “classic” ingredients in a Thai beef salad – only with less fat and much less oil. Some people choose to add fish sauce to their dressing, but I think that it tastes equally delicious without it.

1 pound lean london broil or flank steak

3 tablespoons lime juice, divided

3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

3 tablespoons canola oil

2 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger

1 1/4 teaspoons red curry paste or chili-garlic sauce

1 head lettuce, torn (boston and romaine work well – or substitute baby spinach and arugula)

3 shallots (or 2 small red onions), thinly sliced

1/2 cup cilantro leaves, rinsed and dried

1 cup basil leaves, sliced into ribbons

2 small cucumbers, sliced into half moons

2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges

Put the meat in a small dish or resealable plastic bag; in a medium bowl combine 1 tablespoon of the lime juice, soy sauce, canola oil, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and red curry paste. Pour half of this marinade mixture over the meat.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice, and cover tightly (or seal, if using a bag). Place the meat in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (or overnight, if you want to do the prep the evening before) and turn it occasionally if you can. Reserve the rest of the marinade mixture in the fridge as well (you will use it as the dressing for the salad).

When ready to cook the meat, spray a grill pan with cooking spray and place it over medium-high heat. Grill the steak until medium-rare (about 5 minutes per side) or longer if you want it more well done. Remove the meat from the grill and let it rest until it comes to room temperature, then slice it thinly (against the grain).

Combine the lettuce, shallot, cilantro, basil, cucumber, tomato, and beef in a large bowl; add the reserved dressing and toss well to coat.

Divide salad among 4 plates.

Makes 4 servings. Per Serving: 334 calories, 11 g total fat, 4 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 12 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 3 g added sugar, 33 g protein , 340 mg sodium, 51 mg cholesterol

They say that “good things come in small packages” – and I think that they must have been referring to these filling, savory, meaty, cheesy stuffed peppers!!

Weighing in at only 211 calories, these stuffed peppers are so comforting, satisfying and delicious that you will feel as though you are indulging in something “naughty”. It’s hard to believe that something that tastes so decadent can actually be good for you!

Because these peppers have such a deep, rich, and intense flavor, I like to serve them with a simple tomato and onion salad, a light mixed green salad, a nice loaf of whole wheat bread, or a small side of pasta with just a touch of sauce. But, as always, feel free to experiment with this recipe and decide how you like them best.

1 pound lean ground beef or ground chicken

4 large green or red bell peppers, cut in half lengthwise

1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained very well

2 medium zucchini, finely chopped (or even grated)

1 large red onion, minced

1/2 cup brown rice, quinoa, or bulgur

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

Black pepper, to taste

2 (14.5 ounce) cans of low-sodium stewed tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup low fat shredded cheese (mozzarella, cheddar, feta – whichever you prefer)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly mist a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

In a large bowl combine the ground meat, spinach, zucchini, onion, rice, egg, oregano, salt and pepper and mix until everything is well combined. Arrange the cut pepper halves in the dish and fill each pepper half with the filling mixture, then pour the tomatoes over the top and sprinkle with the cheese.

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then uncover the dish and bake until completely cooked (the peppers should be tender – this usually takes about 25 minutes longer once you uncover the dish.

Makes 4 Servings. Per serving (1 whole pepper): 211 calories, 4.5 g fat, less than 2 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 17 g carbohydrates, 7 g fiber, 0 g added sugar, 22 g protein, 240 mg sodium, 14 mg cholesterol

It’s Friday, and I was so excited to kick off the weekend by grilling outside…. until it started raining!! Now they say that the weather is going to be gorgeous here the remainder of the weekend, but I didn’t want to have to wait until tomorrow night to have the nice, thick, juicy steaks that I bought today. So I made them inside on a stove top grill pan instead – and they were still delicious.

In the summer I prefer to serve my steak with seasonal veggies like corn, potatoes, broccoli, asparagus, green beans, etc. In the winter, it’s delicious with hearty root veggies like carrots, parsnips, beets, and sweet potatoes.

Serve it however you prefer – because everyone loves a good steak, you pretty much come out on top no matter what you serve it with!!

4 ( 8 ounces each) New York strip, or sirloin steaks

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups broccoli florets

1 package frozen corn, thawed and drained

1 pound red bliss or new potatoes (cut into fairly small chunks or strips)

1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped (or 1 1/2 teaspoon dried)

Season the steaks with 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the steaks to the skillet (if your skillet is not large enough, don’t overcrowd it, just cook the steaks in two batches). Cook the steaks about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare ( longer if you like your steak more well done). Transfer the steaks to a plate and cover them loosely with foil.

Reduce the heat to medium-low; add the potatoes to the skillet and cook for 5-6 minutes, then add the broccoli and corn and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Season the vegetables with the tarragon and the remaining salt and pepper. Serve alongside the steaks.

Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 289 calories, 8 g total fat, 3 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 23 g carbohydrates, 6 g fiber, 0 g added sugar, 29 g protein, 247 mg sodium, 43 mg cholesterol

These flavorful tortillas are a breeze to throw together and will be ready in no time. The easy tropical salsa can double as a great low-fat dip for baked tortilla chips, or a as a topping for quesadillas. If you are not a fan of fruit salsas, just use your favorite homemade or store bought salsa in it’s place. These fajitas are filling enough to stand alone for lunch, but if you are serving them for dinner, pair them with a side of traditional rice and beans for a delicious Mexican meal. And with the calories you’ll save by making this healthy version, you can keep the fiesta going by treating yourself to an ice cold margarita!! YUM!!

4 whole wheat tortillas

1 pound flank steak, cut into thin strips

1 tomato, chopped into large chunks

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

1 green or red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce or liquid smoke (optional)

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon dried ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 large mango chopped

1 plum tomato, chopped

1 cup thinly sliced red onion plus 2 tablespoons chopped red onion

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

2 tablespoons lime juice

Combine the mango, plum tomato, chopped onion, cilantro, and 1 tablespoon of the lime juice in a medium sized bowl; toss well to mix and set aside.

Combine the steak, chili powder, coriander and oregano in another bowl; turn the meat to coat it with the spices.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the steak, sliced onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, and worcestershire. Cook stirring occasionally, for about 6 minutes. Add the tomato chunks, and cook until the steak is done to taste (about 1 more minute for medium-rare, longer if you like your steak more well done). Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice.

Mound 1/4 of the beef mixture in a strip down the center of each tortilla; fold the bottom “flap” up over the filling, and then fold the two side over. Serve with the mango salsa on the side.

Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 289 calories, 4 g total fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, o g trans fat, 24 g carbohydrates, 13 g fiber, 0 g added sugar, 31 g protein, 451 mg sodium, 42 mg cholesterol.

Pastitso is another great casserole dish. I’ve often heard it referred to as the Greek version of lasagna, but after having tried it, I think people call it that because that is about as close a description as they can get. Pastitso is actually a dish consisting of layers of elbow macaroni, parmesan cheese and a spicy meat filling all held together with a rich cream sauce. Pastitso takes its name from the Italian word “pasticcio”, meaning hodgepodge; I guess this is in reference to the muddle of ingredients the dish contains. Whatever the meaning, Pastitso is a perfect casserole dish for a family meal or casual dinner party. I have significantly reduced the amount of cholesterol normally found in this fabulous Greek dish, by replacing the eggs with an egg substitute.

8 ounces whole wheat elbow macaroni

1/2 cup cholesterol free egg substitute (you can find these cartons in ALL supermarkets, usually right near the eggs)

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 pound lean ground lamb, beef or turkey (lamb is the traditional meat used)

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 garlic clove, minced

1 (8 ounce) can ‘no salt added’ tomato sauce

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons unsalted butter or margarine

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups skim milk

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Cook the pasta according to the package directions (omitting the salt called for). Drain and transfer to a medium bowl; stir in the egg substitute and nutmeg.

Lightly spray the bottom of a 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray and spread the pasta mixture over the bottom of the dish. set aside

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the lamb, onion and garlic in a large skillet over medium heat until lamb is no longer pink. stir in the tomato sauce, oregano, pepper and cinnamon. Reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes, then spread over pasta in dish.

melt the butter or margarine in the skillet. Add the flour and stir constantly for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk, still stirring constantly, until thickened (about 5 minutes). Spread over meat mixture in the dish; sprinkle the top with parmesan cheese and bake for 35 minutes.

Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 280 calories, 5 g total fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 33 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 0 g added sugar, 21 g protein, 266 mg sodium, 28 mg cholesterol

This delicious oriental stir-fry allows you to keep the red meat in your diet while still being figure friendly. This recipe has quite a few steps, but it still comes together fairly quickly. It is easy enough to make on a week night, instead of calling to order Chinese takeout. I’m sorry to have to tell you, though – it doesn’t come with a fortune cookie. But after trying this low-fat, low-calorie stir-fry, I can already see that the future looks pretty darn tasty!!

1 pound boneless top round steak, cut into strips

1 large onion, chopped

1 large green pepper and 1 large red pepper, sliced lengthwise into strips

1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced thin

1/2 to 1 pound snow peas, ends trimmed

1 can water chestnuts, rinsed and drained

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon each dried marjoram, and dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 cup low sodium beef broth

1/2 cup dry white wine (or chicken broth, or even more beef broth, if you prefer)

1/2 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce (or tamari)

2 teaspoons cornstarch blended with 2 tablespoons cold water

Coat a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat for just a few seconds before adding the steak. Stir-fry the steak for just about 1 minute, then remove from the skillet and transfer to a plate; cover to keep warm. Add the onion and peppers to the skillet and stir fry for 1-2 minutes; add the snow peas, mushrooms, marjoram, thyme, and black pepper. Stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes.

Raise the heat to high and stir in the wine; boil, uncovered, for 1 minute. Add the beef broth and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 3 – 4 minutes.

Blend in the soy sauce and cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture has thickened (about 2 minutes). Return the beef to the skillet and cook for one additional minute until everything is heated through.

Serve over very thin whole wheat noodles or brown rice.

Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 192 calories, 8 g total fat, less than 1 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 8 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 0 g added sugar, 22 g protein, 54 mg sodium(depends on soy-sauce used), 49 mg cholesterol.