steak

By now, you know that I am a HUGE fan of the Weight Watchers Five Ingredient 15 Minute Recipes cookbooks. I have been buying them and cooking out of them since the summer of 2011, when I got introduced to them during my trip to Cape Cod.

These cookbooks are published quarterly, and always have the best ideas for quick healthy recipes. I’ve made SO MANY recipes that I’ve shared here on NTTC including: Asiago-Crusted Pork Chops, BBQ Baked Potatoes, Orange Beef and Broccoli, and many many more you can see here.

Today, I am sharing one of the BEST ones I’ve made. What makes it so great? It doesn’t even come close to tasting like “healthy food,” and for some reason, I’ve always thought that steaks were off limits when I’m eating healthy. Oh, how wrong I’ve been.

Lean cuts of beef can ABSOLUTELY be included in a healthy diet, and frankly… it should! We all crave variety in our meals. Eating the same protein every single day gets boring… add in some beef, specifically this beef tenderloin. You won’t be sorry!

Beef Tenderloin with Mushroom Gravy

From Weight Watchers Five Ingredient 15-Minute Recipes – Winter 2013

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

4 (4-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks, trimmed

1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. salt

Cooking Spray

1/2 cup minced shallots

1 (8-ounce) package baby portabello mushrooms, sliced

1 (1.25-ounce) packet mushroom and herb gravy

1 cup water

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet to medium high heat. Add steaks and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove steaks from pan and keep warm.

3. Coat pan with cooking spray, and add shallots and mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes.

4. While the mushrooms and shallots are cooking, empty gravy mix and water into a small bowl. Use a whisk to combine well.

5. After vegetables have cooked for 5 minutes, add gravy mixture to the pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook one minute.

6. Spoon gravy over tenderloin and ENJOY with a friend. I had my friend Robin over for dinner on Saturday night, and we paired this yummy steak with fresh steamed green beans, garlicky mashed potatoes (recipe to follow soon!) and a lovely glass of red wine.

My plate was the green one, with MUCH less mushrooms… and Robin’s is the below with the extra mushrooms. It’s nice to have a friend around who will eat the mushrooms.

Per 1 steak and 1/4 cup gravy:

CAL 242; FAT 8.7g; PROT 28g; CARB 10.8g; FIB 1.1g; SOD 216mg; WW Points Plus 6

Popchip-Topped Taco Soup

Pumpkin Spice Cake Ball Turkeys

Asian Cole Slaw with Ginger Peanut Dressing

This is another recipe from my trip to the Cape a few weeks back. Another yummy recipe that Beth found in our new favorite cookbook. Slowly but surely, I’m getting this posted up for you guys!

And, I’m learning about Jenny Craig exchanges… so soon I’ll be able to give you my best guess at exchanges on these recipes! Woo hoo! Until then… feast your eyes on this tasty dish!

Italian Pinwheel Steaks

From Weight Watchers: Five Ingredient 15 Minute Recipes

PointsPlus Value per Serving: 7

INGREDIENTS

1/4 tsp. salt

2 (8-oz) skirt steaks

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup (4-oz) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil

1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shredded

2 cups fresh spinach

Cooking spray

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Place steaks between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound to 1/16-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper.

3. Place cream cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and Parmigiano-Reggiano in a blender of food processor; process until blended. Spread 1/2 of cheese mixture on each steak.

4. Top with spinach. Roll up steaks; secure with wooden picks. Cut each roll in half crosswise.

5. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add rolls to pan; cook 6 to 7 minutes or until browned, turning frequently.

6. Place pan in the oven. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. YIELD: 4 servings (serving size: 1 pinwheel of steak)