Grilled Flank Steak with Grilled Tomato Bruschetta

Love this entire recipe made on the grill!

Serves 6 ( 7 points +)

Steak:

• 1-1/2 lbs. flank steak
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp.pepper

Bruschetta:

• 6 oz. French bread baguette
• 1 pint grape tomatoes
• 1 T. olive oil
• 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp. crushed garlic
• 2 T. chopped, fresh basil

Heat grill to medium-high heat
For steak, combine olive oil with spices and rub over both sides of steak. Grill until desired doneness. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.

For bruschetta, string tomatoes on skewers. Grill about 3 minutes per side or until lightly charred and soft.
Slice bread into 12 ( 1/2 oz.) pieces. Spray one side of bread with nonstick spray and place with the sprayed side down on the grill. Grill until golden and crisp. Watch carefully, because this will only take a couple of minutes.

Place olive oil, balsamic, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl; whisk to combine. Add tomatoes and smash lightly with a potato masher. Stir to combine. Sprinkle with basil and stir gently.

Place tomato mixture on grilled bread slices.

Enjoy!

Flank Steak with Creamy Lemon Sauce

Easy and quick~ you will love this recipe! It is perfect for summertime grilling! I made this recipe with an orzo and black bean salad, fruit salad, and green lettuce salad.

Serves 4 ( 3 oz. steak and about 3T. sauce = 4 points+)

• 1 ( 1 lb. ) flank steak
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 c. fat-free sour cream
• 1 T. light mayonnaise
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. grated lemon rind
• 1 T. fresh lemon juice
• 2 T. chopped, fresh cilantro
• 1 T. chopped, fresh parsley

Preheat grill. Sprinkle steak with salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes per side or until desired doneness. Remove and let stand 5 minutes. Slice thinly against the grain.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients. Serve sauce with steak.

Grilled Asian Flank Steak with Mango Salad

The marinade for the this steak is outstanding! I also like the fact that you only need to marinate the steak for 15-30 minutes! The salad was the perfect accompaniment to this "Thai" style meal.

serves 8 ( 3 oz. steak with salad = 6 points +)

Marinade:

• 1/4 c. chopped cilantro
• 1 T. sugar
• 1 T. crushed ginger
• 1 T. crushed garlic
• 1 T. oyster sauce or fish sauce
• 1 T. low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 ( 2 lb. ) flank steak

Salad:

• 3 T. lime juice
• 2 T. water
• 1 T. reduced-fat peanut butter
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 6 c. shredded Romaine lettuce
• 2 c. shredded cabbage
• 1/2 c. chopped cilantro
• 1/4 c. sliced green onions
• 1 mango, peeled and diced

Preheat grill to medium-high heat

Combine marinade ingredients in a large ziplock bag. Add steak and turn to coat. Marinate 15-30 minutes.
Remove steak from marinade. Place on grill. Drizzle with any remaining marinade from the bag. Grill 5 minutes on each side or until desired doneness. Let stand 5 minutes. Slice thinly across the grain.

For salad, combine lime juice, water, peanut butter and crushed red pepper flakes in a large bowl. Add Romaine, cabbage, cilantro and green onions. Toss to coat. Add mango and toss gently.

adapted from "Cooking Light"

Maple and Soy Glazed Flank Steak

The marinating time on this recipe is fairly short, making this a good weeknight choice.

serves 4 ( 5 points +)

• 1 ( 1 lb.) flank steak
• 1/4 c. less-sodium soy sauce
• 3 T. sugar free maple syrup ( I used Log Cabin)
• 2 T. dry sherry or white wine
• 2 tsp. dark sesame oil
• 1 tsp. Sriracha ( Asian hot chile sauce)
• 1/8 tsp. black pepper

Preheat broiler. Pierce steak gently on both sides. Combine steak and remaining ingredients in a shallow dish; turn to coat. Marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes, turning occasionally.

Remove steak from marinade and reserve marinade. Place steak on a broiler pan coated with nonstick spray. Pour reserved marinade in a small saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring well. Cook about 3 minutes or until thick and syrupy.

Brush steak with half of glaze; broil 5 minutes. Turn steak over, and brush with remaining glaze; broil 5 minutes or until desired doneness. Place steak on a cutting board; let stand 5 minutes. Cut diagonally across grain into thin slices.

adapted from "Cooking Light"

Mini Philly Cheeseburgers

serves 8 ( 4 points + each)

• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1 c. chopped onion
• 1 c. chopped bell pepper ( I used 1/2 c. red and 1/2 c. green)
• 1/2 c. sliced, fresh mushrooms
• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• salt and pepper to taste
• 12 oz. 93% lean ground beef 
• 1/4 c. shredded part-skim mozzarella
• 8 ( 1 oz. ) slider buns

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onions, peppers and mushrooms and cook until tender.
Transfer onion mixture to a large bowl. Add ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Form into 8 patties.
Heat grill pan or frying pan over high heat. Spray with nonstick spray. Cook burgers 3 minutes, flip and top with cheese. Cook an additional 2-3 minutes or until done.
Serve on buns. ( toast buns if desired)

adapted from "Cooking Light"

Seared Steak with Red Wine, Onions and Mushrooms

This recipe was delicious and could easily rival any restaurant! My camera is acting up and so this picture is not the best quality. I will have to make this recipe again and get a better picture.

serves 6 ( 6 points +)

• 1-1/2 lbs. lean sirloin or strip steak
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 T. canola oil
• 1 c. sliced onion
• 8 oz. sliced, fresh mushrooms
• 1 tsp. chopped, fresh rosemary
• 2 tsp. flour
• 3/4 c. red wine
• 1 T. butter

Heat a large cast iron or heavy skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and swirl to coat. Sprinkle steak with salt and pepper. Cook, browning on both sides, until desired doneness. Remove steak from pan.
Spray pan with nonstick spray if needed. Add onions, mushrooms and rosemary. Cook until tender. Stir in 2 tsp. flour. Stir in red wine and cook until thickened ( about 1 minute). Stir in butter until melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Slice steak thinly against the grain. Serve onion mixture over steak.

adapted from "Cooking Light"

English Cottage Pie

A homey, comfort food type of meal that makes great use of leftover mashed potatoes. Keep this one in mind after Thanksgiving!

serves 6 ( 8 points +)

• 1 T. flour
• 1 T. butter, softened
• 1-1/2 c. chopped onion
• 1/2 c. chopped
• carrot
• 1 ( 8 oz) package fresh sliced mushrooms
• 1 lb. lean ground beef ( 90-93% lean)
• 2 T. tomato paste
• 1 c. fat-free beef broth
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 c. chopped, fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 T. fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3 c. leftover mashed potatoes
• 3/4 c. reduced fat cheddar cheese, divided
• paprika

Preheat oven to 350 and spray a 2 quart glass baking dish with nonstick spray.

Combine flour and butter; stir well. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking psray. Add onion and carrot; saute 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes or until browned. Remove vegetables from skillet. Add beef to pan and cook until broned, stirring to crumble. Stir in tomato past and cook 3 minutes. Stir in broth and pepper. Return bevetables to pan and bring to a simmer. Stir in parsley, theym and salt. Add flour mixture and stir until thickened. ( about 1 minute)
Spoon meat mixture into baking dish. Spread evening. Combine potatoes and half of the cheese. Spread potato mixture over meat mixture. Top with remaining cheese. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake 20 minutes or until bubbly.

adapted from "Cooking Light"

Hungarian Goulash

I have not made a Hungarian Goulash recipe in years, but after being in Europe last year and tasting the authentic thing, I wanted to try to duplicate it. I tested this out on my German father, whose grandmother was a chef in Europe. He loved it. I hope you do too!

serves 8 ( 6 points +) add extra points for noodles

• 2 T. canola oil, divided
• 2 c. sliced onion
• 2-1/4 lb. lean sirloin, cubed
• 2 T. Hungarian sweet paprika
• 2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 2 tsp. crushed garlic
• 1 ( 28 oz) can whole tomatoes, drained
• 1/2 c. red wine
• 8 T. fat-free sour cream
• egg noodles ( optional)

Heat 1 T. oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan. Add onion and cook until tender. Remove onion. 
Place beef in a bowl with salt, pepper and paprika. Toss to coat.
Add remaining 1 T. oil to pot. Add beef and brown. Stir in tomatoes, garlic and wine. Return onions to pot. Cover and simmer on low for 2- 2 1/2 hours or until meat is very tender and sauce has cooked down a bit. Serve over noodles if desired and top with 1 T. sour cream.

Italian Meatballs

My grandmother was the BEST cook in the world and ever since she passed away, I have not been a fan of meatballs. No matter which recipe I tried or no matter who made them, they could not come close to grandma's.... until now. This recipe was surprisingly easy, since you do not have to brown them.  The meatballs do have to simmer on low in a pot of sauce for 3 hours, so allot plenty of time.  This recipe made 26-28 meatballs and they were devoured in about 5 minutes... not a trace left! Try them out and let me know what you think!

Makes 26-28 meatballs ( each meatball = 2 points+)

• 2 lbs. lean ground beef ( 93% lean)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 c. skim milk
• 1 c. seasoned Italian bread crumbs
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. oregano
• 2 tsp. dried parsley
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl by hand. Roll meatballs about 2- 2-1/2 inch in diameter to make 26-28 meatballs.
Drop meatballs into a large sauce pot of heated marinara sauce. Simmer for about 3 hours. Stir the bottom of the pot about every half hour.

adapted from "Food.com"

Grilled Sirloin with Mango Salsa

I was in the mood for a tropical type meal tonight and this sirloin with fresh mango salsa fit the bill. I served this along with a coconut-ginger Jasmine rice, corn on the cob and a green salad. Yum!

serves 4 ( 4 points +)

• 1 mango, chopped
• 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 T. red onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 T. lime juice
• 1 lb. lean sirloin
• salt and pepper to taste

Combine mango with next 4 ingredients ( through lime juice). Add salt to taste. Set aside.

Sprinkle sirloin with salt and pepper and grill to desired doneness. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.

Serve salsa over sirloin.

Grilled Tuscan Sirloin and Potatoes with Lemon

Oh the fresh flavors of Italian cooking! This recipe is perfect for summertime grilling. This recipe made enough for 8 people and believe me, there was not a scrap left! The steak is marinated for several hours, so leave enough time in your day for preparation!

Serves 8 ( 8 points +)

• 2 lbs. sirloin steak
• 4 T. olive oil, divided
• 2 T. crushed garlic
• 2 T. lemon rind, grated
• 8-10 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 lemons
• salt and pepper
• 2 lbs. medium-sized red potatoes

Place 2 T. olive oil, garlic and lemon rind in a large gallon sized ziplock bag. Add steak and make sure that marinade covers both sides of steaks. Refrigerate for 4 hours. Remove steak from marinade, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, place potatoes in a pot of water, bring to a boil for about 15 minutes or until somewhat tender, but not too tender. Remove from water. Cool enough to handle and slice into 1/4 inch rounds. 

Place potatoes in a bowl and toss with 2 T. olive oil.

Slice lemons into 8 slices.

Grill steaks to desired doneness. Remove and let stand 10 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.
Carefully place potatoes on grill rack and grill for a couple minutes per side or until done. Remove and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Grill lemons for about 2 minutes per side. Serve steak with potatoes and lemon slices.

Caprese Burgers

Ahh! The fresh taste of summer...burgers on the grill with fresh tomatoes and basil from the garden! This Italian-inspired burger will leave you with fond memories of warm, summer evenings!

serves 6 ( 9 points +)

• 1-1/2 lbs. ground sirloin
• salt, pepper, oregano and garlic powder to taste
• 6 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced thin
• 2 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
• fresh basil leaves
• 6 low-calorie buns ( 2 points +)

Combine sirloin with spices and form into 6 patties. Grill until desired doneness. Add cheese and cook until melted.  Place burger on bottom half of bun. Top with tomato and basil.

Steak Braciole Roll

Braciole is a flank steak stuffed and rolled. In this case, it is stuffed with prosciutto, provolone and parmesan cheese! This dish is easy to make, but looks and tastes gourmet! This steak would go perfectly with a green salad, a small side of pasta or some potatoes.

serves 6 ( 8 points +)

• 1-1/2 lbs. flank steak
• 4 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto
• 6 slices Sargento reduced fat provolone cheese
• 1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 T. olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 2 T. chopped, fresh, flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

To cut open steak, place in front of you with the grain of the meat running vertically. Using a sharp knife, Start at a long end and make an incision into the center of the steak. Keep cutting until you are about 1/4 inch from the opposite side. Open steak and lay flat.

Top meat with prosciutto, then Provolone, then Parmesan. Roll up, jelly-roll fashion and secure with toothpicks or tie about every 2 inches with kitchen twine.

Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, Sprinkle steak with salt and pepper. Add oil to the pan. Add steak to the pan and sear well on one side ( about 8 -10 minutes). Turn steak over. Immediately place the pan in the oven and cook an additional 10-15 minutes or until desired doneness.

Let stand 5 minutes before removing toothpicks and slicing.

Beef Tenderloin with a Cherry Red Wine Sauce

Here is another dish ( one among many) that I tried out for our fourth of July celebration this year. Cherries are in season right now and the color made this dish very festive. It was full of flavor and was enjoyed by all. I think this would be great for any holiday meal.

serves 12 ( 6 points +)

• 3-1/4 lb. beef tenderloin, trimmed
• salt and pepper
• 2 T. olive oil
• 1/2 c. finely chopped red onion
• 2 c. cherries, halved and pitted
• 1-1/2 c. red wine
• 2 T. butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper. Cut beef into thirds. Heat oil in a large cast iron or oven-proof skillet. Sear on one side. Turn beef and place pan in an oven heated to 425. Cook until meat registers 135 degrees for medium rare. ( about 30-40 minutes). Remove beef from pan and let stand 10 minutes. Slice thinly.

Meanwhile, heat the skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until tender. Add cherries and cook 1 minute. Add red wine and cook until mixture begins to thicken. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in butter. Serve cherry sauce with beef.

Bourbon Barbecue Burger

July is the perfect month for grilling out and what better to grill than the all-American burger?

serves 6 ( 9 points +)

• 6 fully cooked bacon slices ( such as Oscar Mayer)
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 2 c. thinly sliced red onion
• 4 T. bourbon, divided
• 1 T. balsamic vinegar
• salt
• 1/2 c. ketchup
• 1 T. Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp. honey
• 2 tsp. Tabasco or hot pepper sauce
• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tsp. paprika
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. onion powder
• 1-1/2 lbs. ground sirloin
• 6 slices tomato
• 6 reduced fat buns ( 2 points each)

Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Remove from pan. Add oil and onion to pan. Cook until onion is browned and very tender. Add 2 T. bourbon, vinegar and 1/4 tsp. salt. Cook until liquid almost evaporates. Remove mixture from pan and cool 5 minutes.

Combine remaining 2 T. bourbon, ketchup and next 7 ingredients ( through onion powder) in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Coarsely chop 1/2 c. onion mixture and stir into beef. Divide beef into 6 equal portions, shaping into a patty. Sprinkle patties with salt. Cook 4 minutes per side or until done.
Spread each top and bottom of bun with 1 T. sauce. Place patties on bottom halves, top with 1 tomato slice and remaining onion mixture. Top each serving with 1 bacon slice and top half of bun.

adapted from "Cooking Light"

Beef Tenderloin with Mustard and Herbs

This was my first time grilling a beef tenderloin. It was delicious and cooked fairly quickly! Keep an eye on it and turn about every 5 minutes.


serves 10 ( 5 points +)

• 1 ( 2-1/2 lb. beef tenderloin)
• salt and pepper
• 1/3 c. finely chopped parsley
• 2 T. chopped fresh thyme
• 3 T. Dijon mustard

Prepare grill. Lightly coat meat with nonstick spray. Season with salt and pepper. Place beef on grill over medium heat. Grill until a thermometer reads 140 degrees or until desired doneness. Let beef stand 10 minutes. 
Sprinkle parsley and time onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Brush mustard evenly over beef. Place beef in herb mixture on plastic wrap and roll to coat. Slice thinly.

adapted from "Cooking Light"

Grilled Steak with Baby Arugula and Parmesan Salad

The lemon in this dressing, combined with the shaved Parmesan really make the arugula shine!

serves 4 ( 5 points +)

• 1 lb. lean sirloin steak
• 2 tsp. chopped, fresh thyme
• salt and pepper
• 2 lemons, halved
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 5 oz. baby arugula
• 1/4 c. ( 1 oz) shaved, fresh Parmesan cheese

Heat a cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Spray with nonstick spray. Rub thyme, salt and pepper over both sides of steak. Grill 4-5 minutes per side or until desired doneness. Remove and let stand 5 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.

 For dressing, place lemon halves, cut side down on skillet. Cook for 2 minutes. Remove and squeeze juices into a small bowl. Add olive oil, Dijon and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk well. 

Place arugula in a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over the top and toss to coat. Divide arugula evenly among 4 plates. Top with steak and shaved Parmesan.

Steak Sandwich with Arugula and Fresh Herb Topping

This fast, filling sandwich can be made in about 15 minutes. The topping is similar to a pesto sauce, but with less oil and without nuts. Our family loved the flavor combinations in this recipe.

serves 4 ( 11 points +)

• 1 lb. flank steak
• 2 T. olive oil, divided
• salt and pepper
• 1 ( 12 oz) French bread baguette
• 1-1/2 c. arugula, divided
• 1/2 c. fresh, flat-leaf parsley
• 2 T. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 T. fresh lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 plum tomatoes

Preheat broiler to high.
Heat a large nonstick cast iron or grill pan over medium-high heat. Rub steak evenly with 1-1/2 tsp. olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add steak to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired doneness. Remove from pan; let stand 5 minutes. Slice thinly against the grain.

Cut bread in quarters, crosswise, then split open Hollow out tops and bottom of bread, leaving 1/2 inch shell.. Place bread, cut sides up, on a baking sheet or broiler pan. Broil for 1-1/2 - 2 minutes or until toasted.

Place 1-1/2 T. oil, 1/2 c. arugula, parsley and remaining ingredients, though garlic into a food processor. Process until smooth. Spread parsley mixture over bread. Layer bread with remaining arugula, steak and tomato. Cover with top halves of bread.

adapted from "Cooking Light"

Spice Rubbed Flank Steak with Avocado Salsa

Fresh tasting and full of a symphony of flavors, this recipe is sure to please!

serves 4 ( 5 points +)
Salsa:

• 1/4 c. finely chopped red onion
• 1/4 c. chopped, fresh cilantro
• 2 T. lime juice
• 1/2 c. chopped avocado
• salt to taste

Steak:

• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 c. fat-free beef broth
• 1 lb. flank steak

For steak, combine spices in a small bowl, rub over both sides of steak. 
Heat a large cast iron or nonstick skillet coated with nonstick spray over medium-high heat. Cook steak 4 minutes, flip. Cook 2 minutes, then add beef broth. Cook until desired doneness. Let stand 5 minutes, Slice thinly against the grain.

For salsa, combine ingredients together in a medium bowl. Serve over sliced steak.

Sirloin in Red Wine Sauce

While looking for a recipe for a special dinner for my parents' anniversary, I came across this one in a "Cooking Light" magazine. I adapted it slightly for the amount of people I was serving. It was a real treat and at 4 points +, it was thoroughly enjoyed!

Serves 8 ( 4 points +)

• 1 T. canola oil, Divided
• 2 ( 1 lb. sirloin steaks)
• salt and pepper
• 3 T. finely chopped onion
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 c. red wine
• 1/2 c. fat-free beef broth
• 1-1/2 tsp. butter
• 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

In a large nonstick skillet or cast iron pan, heat oil.  Season steaks with salt and pepper. Add steaks to pan and cook 3-4 minutes per side or until desired doneness. Remove and let stand 5 minutes. Slice thinly against the grain.
Meanwhile, add onion and thyme to pan and cook until tender. Stir in red wine; cook until liquid almost evaporates ( 2-3 minutes). Add broth to pan and cook 3 minutes or until mixture is reduced by half. Remove from heat. Stir in butter, mustard and salt and pepper to taste. Pour red wine sauce over steak.