Sandy's Kitchen: mbeef

Showing posts with label mbeef. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mbeef. Show all posts
This recipe reminds me a lot like lasagna, except without the pasta. I feel like I am cheating when I eat this because it is really THAT good. Enjoy this healthier version packed with veggies! It can easily be doubled or tripled if you need more servings!


Italian Ground Beef Squash Casserole

Ingredients:
2.5 oz 93% lean ground beef, cooked (1/2 Lean)
1/4 cup 2% reduced fat mozzarella cheese, shredded (1/4 Lean)
1/4 cup part skim ricotta cheese (1/4 Lean)
1/4 cup approved marinara sauce such as Rao's (1 Green)
1/2 cup sliced zucchini (1 Green)
1/2 cup sliced yellow squash (1 Green)
1/4 tsp garlic powder (1/2 Condiment)
1/8 tsp salt (1/2 Condiment)
1/2 tsp dried basil (1/4 Condiment)
1/2 tsp dried oregano (1/2 Condiment)
1 tbsp reduced fat parmesan cheese (1/2 Condiment)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a casserole dish with pam and set aside. Brown ground meat and measure out 2.5 oz cooked. Reserve any extra ground meat for another dish.
Combine marinara sauce, garlic powder, salt, basil, and oregano until well blended. Pour sauce over ground meat and stir until combined.
Layer zucchini and yellow squash at the bottom of the casserole dish. Pour ground beef mixture over squash. Spread ricotta cheese over the meat mixture and then add the mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the top. Bake for 25 minutes.

 1 Serving
Per Serving:
1 Lean, 3 Greens, 2.25 Condiments

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Craving Mexican food? This will be sure to satisfy your craving! It definitely screams pure comfort food! This Taco Bake has a pre baked crust made with cream cheese and Mexican style cheese. Then the crust is topped with seasoned taco meat and a sprinkle of more cheese! Because this makes 8 servings, portion them out in individual containers and freeze them for later! When you are ready to eat chow down, leave it in the fridge overnight and heat it up the next day! Enjoy!


Taco Bake

Ingredients:
Crust
1/2 cup reduced fat cream cheese, softened (8 Condiments)
1/4 cup eggbeaters (1/8 Leans)
5 tbsp Fat free half and half  (5 Condiments)
1/2 teaspoon taco seasoning (1 Condiment)
2 cups reduced fat Mexican cheese blend, shredded (2 Leans)

Topping
35 oz 93% lean ground beef, uncooked ~ 24 oz cooked (4 and 7/8 Leans)
5 teaspoons taco seasoning (10 Condiments)
1 cup tomato puree (4 Greens)
4 ounces chopped green chilies (1 Green)
1 cup reduced fat Mexican cheese blend, shredded (1 Lean)

Directions:
For the crust, beat the cream cheese and egg beaters until smooth. Add the half and half and taco seasoning. Grease a 9"x13" baking dish; spread the shredded Mexican cheese over the bottom. Pour the cream cheese mixture over  the shredded cheese as evenly as possible. Bake at 375ºF, 25-30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before adding the topping.

For the topping, brown the  ground beef; drain fat. Stir in taco seasoning, tomato sauce and chilies. Spread over the crust. Top with 1 cup Mexican cheese. Reduce oven to 350ºF and bake another 20 minutes or so until hot and bubbly.
Serve with your favorite veggies!

Makes 8 servings
Each serving provides 
1 Lean, 3 Condiments, and 1/3 of a Green per serving

 Serve with 2 and 2/3 of your favorite Greens such as 1 and 2/3 cup lettuce and 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes.

Click Here to Print

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This is another one of those dishes that is perfect for grilling season. Yum!


I love the vibrant colors of the veggies! Green peppers, red peppers, yellow squash and two cherry tomatoes for the end of the kebabs!


Ready to eat right off the stick! Yum!

Spicy Beef and Vegetable Kabobs

Ingredients:
1 tbsp beef bouillon granules (3 Condiments)
2 tablespoons water
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 Condiments)
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (2 Condiments)
1/2 tsp chili powder (1 Condiment)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper (1 Condiment)
21 oz lean beef sirloin, raw (all visible fat removed), cut into 1/2-inch cubes - should yield 15 oz cooked (3 Leans)
4 1/2 cups Veggies (9 Greens)
10 wooden skewers, soaked in water for 1 hour

Directions:
Dissolve bouillon in water. Stir in the garlic, cayenne pepper, chili powder, and black pepper. Toss the meat in the marinade, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. After 2 hours, I added the veggies to the meat and marinated another 2 hours (optional).
Preheat the grill using high heat or use the broiler on high. Skewer the beef cubes and vegetables, using 6 to 8 pieces per skewer. I added more. You can also skewer just the meat and serve with cooked and grated cauliflower. Grill the skewers, turning frequently, until the beef has turned light pink, 12 to 15 minutes.

3 Servings with each serving yielding 5 oz cooked beef, 1 1/2 cups veggies and 3 Condiments


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It is a beautiful Sunday morning here. I couldn't ask for a better day. It is such a beautiful Spring day. Spring has got to be my favorite season when flowers are beginning to bloom, trees are getting their leaves back and everything just seems so alive! Not to mention the temperature is perfect! Right now I am visiting family for the weekend and it is such a struggle to stay on plan when I am out of town. I am constantly tempted by all the great food here and all the good old fashioned home cooking. Nothing beats your mom's cooking right? Well, I have virtually no will power when I come here so I must admit I managed to fall off the wagon on Friday. No surprise to me since this isn't the first time this has happened. I love visiting my family, but I am so easily tempted to not make smart choices or the best choices. I do very well when I am at home alone where I have no bad foods in the house that would sabotage my diet. That is something I just have to work on. There is always going to be temptation around me, especially when hubby gets back, so I need to learn how to deal with being strong. I know I can do it. I have no idea how much I gained over the weekend, but I need to face the scale tomorrow. (Please be kind to me scale!) It is not the end of the world that I went off plan, but I realize I must get back in gear and get focused again. I am human. I know I have to accept the fact that I will have to lose the additional weight I gained, but that is okay. I am ready to re-start and that is all that matters :)

Today, I decided I will cook dinner for my family and it would be something on plan. I decided on a cola-braised pot roast created by Emeril Lagasse. His recipes are usually quite tasty so I had no doubt it would be hit. As always, I made a few adaptions but it still turned out very good. Normally when I make a pot roast, I just add beef broth and season with a few spices. This time I wanted to try a different twist by adding coca-cola. You might think it turned out overly sweet, but it didn't. It really didn't taste like coke was an ingredient at all. The gravy had a subtle sweet taste which made it taste really good, but the meat wasn't sweet at all. Everyone loved it so I am happy it turned out to be a crowd pleaser even for those not on Medifast. I ate my roast with cooked, grated cauliflower that resembled rice and they had mashed potatoes. It was a delicious meal! I wanted to add that Emeril's original recipe states to cook the beef in a dutch oven inside the oven at 325 degrees for about 3 and a half hours. Keep in mind that this is for 4 and a half pounds of meat. If using a smaller portion of meat like what I used, then you will have to cook it less than what is stated. Probably 2 hours. I didn't do it this way. I just cooked it on the stove like I always do. It may work in a slow cooker as well, but I have never tried this recipe that way so I can't tell you if it turns out good or not. If you use the slow cooker, skip the olive oil. Be sure to get rid of the fat on the meat before weighing it so that you get the most accurate amount of lean meat which is 5 oz per serving. I hope you enjoy the recipe!


My husband sent me a few more photos today. I love when I get photos from him. It is always such a nice surprise when I do get them because I don't expect them. I am just so happy he has the time to send them. I love him sooooo much!


Another photo...


And one more!


Cola-Braised Pot Roast

Ingredients:
1 lb 12 oz pounds boneless chuck roast - yields 20 oz cooked (4 Lean)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (3 Condiments)
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (1-1/2 Condiments)
1/2 tsp garlic powder (1 Condiment)
1/2 tsp dried rosemary leaves (1/2 Condiment)
1 cup low-sodium canned beef broth (1 Condiment) 
6 ounces Coke Zero
2 teaspoons tomato paste (2 Condiments) 

Directions:
Combine salt, pepper, garlic powder and rosemary. Season the roast well on all sides with the spice combination. Spray a non-stick pan with cooking spray and heat over high heat. Add the roast and cook until brown on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the roast and set aside. Add the beef stock and cola to the pan and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits. Add the tomato paste and stir to blend. Add the roast back to the pan. The liquid should be about 1/2 way up the sides of the roast. Cover the frying pan with a lid. Bring the liquid to a boil. Continue cooking the roast over low heat (enough to still have a slight boil) for about 3 hours. Turn the roast over every hour, adding extra water if necessary to keep the liquid level at about 1/3 up the sides of the roast. Roast is done when the meat is fork-tender. Mine was done in about 3 hours. When the meat is fork-tender, remove the roast from the oven and carefully transfer the roast to a serving platter. Cover loosely to keep warm. Skim the fat from gravy and serve with pot roast.

4 Servings with 1 Lean and 2.25 Condiments per Serving


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I got a few photos from hubby the other day. I love getting photos from him and I thought I would share a few of them with you. Here is one photo. He looks so small compared to that humongous truck!


And here is another pic of my handsome husband!


I am so happy he took time to take some photos for me. I miss and love him so much and we all wish for time to go by sooner so he can be home with us again! Please say a prayer to keep all the soldiers safe and for their quick return home !

Now you know I usually have a recipe to share with you guys so I will hop to it! This recipe is a change from making regular taco salads or taco burgers. Make the taco meat mixture into meatballs! Worked out pretty well. Serve with salsa or ranch dressing mixed with Frank's hot wing sauce. Enjoy!

**Update**
I made these again with the cheese in the middle and it was soooo much better than leaving it out. The cheese melted inside the meatball and added more flavor to the meat.


Taco Meatballs and Cheese Appetizers

Ingredients:
16 oz 95 to 97% ground beef - yields 12 oz cooked (2 Leaner Leans)
1/4 cup egg beaters (1/8 Lean)
1 tbsp taco seasoning mix (6 Condiments)
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (1/4 Condiment)
3.5 oz Kraft 2% Cheddar and Monterey Jack Cheese Cubes 6 g Fat and 90 Calories (7/8 Lean)

Dip:
1/4 cup sour cream (2 Healthy Fats)
2 tbsp salsa (2 Condiments)

Directions:
Combine ground beef, egg beaters, cilantro, and taco seasoning mix in a large bowl. Form meatballs and place meatballs on a baking sheet sprayed with Pam. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or until done. Let meatballs cool.
Combine sour cream and salsa and set aside.
Divide the meatballs and cheese cubes into 3 equal portions. Serve each portion with 2 tbsp of sour cream salsa dip.

3 servings
1 Leaner Lean, 2.75 Condiments and 1 Healthy Fat per Serving

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With only two main ingredients of soy sauce and Stevia, not including the meat and veggies, it is as simple as it is going to get. I was rather surprised at how good this dish turned out considering the lack of ingredients. I was almost nervous to try it LOL. I stuck my finger in the sauce and had to taste it first. Boy was it hot! As a precaution, don't stick your finger in the sauce after it was boiling for 5 minutes. :) I loved the sweet and salty taste of the sauce. Yum! What a combination! The flavors blend really well. I was thinking... what no garlic... no red pepper... no extra spices? But it worked. If I could add anything extra it would be garlic, but alas I had reached my limit for the day. I have to tell you the original recipe called for 1/4 cup of oil! Gasp! I know! Talk about a heart attack waiting to happen! We definitely know that isn't on plan. To be honest, I really didn't miss it. I actually left out the 1 tsp of sesame oil I was originally going to add and it did not break the dish. I used a really good non-stick skillet (thank you Emeril!) and the beef created enough liquid so that it didn't stick to the pan. If you would like to add the oil, be my guest. It will only count as 1/2 a healthy fat extra that day. We all know that we have sneaked in a few extra condiments or a little of this or that in once or twice before right? LOL. I know I am guilty of doing that, but not this time! I kept it OP. Yay! Keep in mind that you do not have to have cauliflower "rice" with this. I just added it because I usually like to eat "rice" with my stir frys and this was no exception. What can I expect, growing up eating rice almost every day. My mom always jokes around and says she could never do Medifast because she could never give up her rice. You can always add more broccoli instead or other veggies. I also added some adaptions towards the end of the recipe in case you wanted chicken or shrimp instead. So in the end, all was not lost. I found my simple "go to" Beef and Broccoli stir fry. Enjoy this scrumptious dish and don't forget to serve it with that yummy sauce!


Simple Beef with Broccoli Stir Fry

Ingredients:
14 oz raw beef round steak, cut into strips - you want 10 oz cooked  (2 Leans)
3 tbsp lite soy sauce (3 Condiments)
1 Stevia Packet (1 Condiment)
1/2 cup beef broth (1/2 Condiment)
1 clove garlic, minced (1 Condiment)
1/4 tsp ground ginger (1/2 Condiment)
1 cup broccoli florets (2 Greens)
2 cups cooked, grated cauliflower (4 Greens)

Directions:
Toss steak with soy sauce and let sit 15 minutes.
Lightly spray a non-stick pan with cooking spray. Over medium/high heat stir fry beef for about 5 minutes or until browned. Remove from pan. Add broccoli, broth, Stevia, garlic and ginger. Cover and cook 5 minutes or until broccoli is just starting to turn tender, stirring occasionally.
Add beef back in and warm thoroughly. Serve over grated, cooked cauliflower.

2 Servings
1 Lean, 3 Greens and 3 Condiments per Serving


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This is a pretty easy recipe and most of you probably already know how to make a taco salad but this is how I make it so that I stay on plan with Medifast. This just happens to be one of my favorite salads to make, especially since I love tacos! I don't even miss the taco shells. Another variation you could do with the leftover taco meat is make a cauliflower pizza crust, add 2 tbsp salsa over the top, spread your taco meat, and then add some Mexican cheese. There you go... a Mexican Pizza! This would be two servings though. Very yummy too! Enjoy!


Taco Salad

Ingredients:
6.5 oz of 95 to 97%  lean ground beef - should yield 4.5 oz cooked (3/4 Leaner Lean)
1 1/2 tsp low sodium taco seasoning mix (3 Condiments)
2 tbsp water
2 cups lettuce, chopped (2 Green)
1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped (1 Green)
1 oz or 1/4 cup 2% reduced fat Mexican Cheese (1/4 Lean)
2 tbsp Hidden Valley Light Ranch Dressing (1 Healthy Fat)

Directions:
Brown ground turkey in a skillet. Drain the fat and return to the pan. Stir in the water and taco seasoning mix. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Serve meat over lettuce and tomatoes. Sprinkle with cheese and add the salad dressing. Enjoy!

1 Lean, 3 Greens, 3 Condiments and 1 Healthy Fat

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