Sandy's Kitchen: Beef

Showing posts with label Beef. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Beef. Show all posts
This one has comfort food written all over it! I love stuffed cabbages, but they can be a little time consuming to make and this recipe was way more easier to prepare! No stuffing required! Ground beef, tomatoes and cabbage always make a wonderful combination and will be great served on a cool or cold day.

The 1/8 tsp of cinnamon left just a hint of cinnamon flavor, which is just the way I like it. You can always leave it out if you don't care for cinnamon in your meats. Cook the ground beef and chop the cabbage the night before and you can have this recipe made in less than 30 minutes. Definitely a keeper!


Brown your lean ground beef and weigh out 25 oz cooked.


Add chopped cabbage to the 25 oz of cooked ground beef.


Then add the diced tomatoes, vinegar and water.


Next add the spices.


Stir until combined, bring to a boil, and then cook over low heat for about 30 minutes.

Divide into 5 equal portions. This is a great meal to freeze for later!


Unstuffed Cabbage Roll

Ingredients:
25 oz 93% lean ground beef, cooked (5 Leans)
1/2 tsp onion powder (1 Condiment)
1/2 tsp garlic powder (1 Condiment)
4 cups cabbage, chopped (8 Greens)
2 (14.5 oz each) cans Great Value Italian diced tomatoes (7 Greens)
1 tbsp. cider vinegar (1/4 Condiment)
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon (1/4 Condiment)
1/2 tsp ground black pepper (1 Condiment)
1 tsp sea salt (4 Condiments)
1 packet stevia - optional (1 Condiment)
1/2 cup water

Directions:
Combine cooked ground beef with cabbage, diced tomatoes, vinegar and water over medium high heat.

Add  garlic powder, onion powder, cinnamon, black pepper, salt and sweetener. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until cabbage is tender. Divide into 5 equal portions.

5 Servings with 
1 Lean, 3 Greens, 2 Condiments per serving

Click Here to Print


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One of my favorite meals to enjoy during the Fall and Winter is chili! It isn't cold here in the desert yet, but it is never too early to make chili! This one sure did hit the spot! Pure comfort food!


With the addition of diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, green peppers and spices... this chili has quickly become a favorite of mine. What is great about this recipe is that it uses the crock pot. Now who doesn't like their crock pot? If you don't have one, I urge you to get one!


To save time... I cook the ground beef the night before. I like to cook the green peppers with the ground beef, but you can always throw the green peppers in the crock pot with all the other ingredients. They will soften up in the crock pot.


This is halfway through the cooking process. Mmmmm the house smells sooooo good! A yummy bowl of chili waiting for me by the end of the day!


Crock Pot Chili

Ingredients:
25 oz cooked 93% lean ground beef (5 Leans)
2 cans (14.5 oz each) Great Value Italian diced tomatoes (7 Greens)
1/2 cup Hunts tomato sauce (2 Greens)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup green peppers, diced (1 Green)
1/2 tsp garlic powder (1 Condiment)
1 tbsp + 1 tsp chili powder (8 Condiments)
1 tsp cumin (1 Condiment)
1/2 tsp black pepper (1 Condiment)
3/4 tsp salt (3 Condiments)
1 packet splenda or stevia - optional (1 Condiment)

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a crock pot.
Cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours.

5 Servings (about 1 1/2 cups) with 
1 Lean, 2 Greens (need 1 more Green per serving), and 3 Condiments

You can also cook this on the stove. Bring to a gentle boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 30 min.

Want to add cheese? Use 20 oz cooked 93% lean ground beef instead of 25 ounces. Divide 1 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese among the 5 servings about 0.8 ounces per bowl. 

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I wanted to share this wonderful recipe my husband and I simply can not get enough of! I love pad thai and it is my absolute favorite Thai dish. My mom would make it for us quite often, but now I live so far away from her that I had to learn to make it myself! I still do not make it quite like her no matter how many times I try because it seems momma always makes it better, but this recipe came out really good!

You might have realized that this pad thai recipe isn't made with the traditional rice stick noodles. Instead, it is made with spaghetti squash. Spaghetti squash makes a wonderful substitute for pasta or noodles and keeps the dish low carb. It has a slight sweetened crunch to it, but it works well for this Asian meal. I love spaghetti squash and my hips love it too! This recipe is definitely a keeper! Enjoy!


An update on my Diet Bets! I am proud to say that I am still holding strong! I hope to have a decent weigh in on Saturday for the Diet Bet challenge that I am currently doing... so stay tuned! I admit, at this point I would be happy with any loss this week because I know I will eventually get to my goal weight. In the past, this would have never come out of mouth because I expected a loss every week. I mean come on... I want results and I want it NOW! It is time to be realistic and accept what my body CAN or will eventually do whether it takes a little more time than I originally hoped for. In other words, we need to cut our bodies some slack!

Hoping all our weigh-ins will be Happy Weigh -ins!


Beef Pad Thai (Spaghetti Squash)

 Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups spaghetti squash, cooked (7 Greens)
1 cup red or green cabbage, shredded (2 Greens)
 18 ounces John Soules Beef Steak Strips * (3 Leaner)
1/4 cup reduced sodium beef broth (1/4 Condiment)
1/4 cup Bell Plantation Powdered Peanut Butter (2 Optional Snacks)
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar (1/4 Condiment)
2 tbsp light soy sauce (2 Condiments)
1/8 tsp red cayenne pepper (1/4 Condiment)
1/4 tsp ground ginger (1/2 Condiment) 
1/2 tsp garlic powder (1 Condiment)

 Garnishes:
1 oz dry roasted peanuts, chopped (3 Healthy Fats)
2 tbsp fresh Cilantro, chopped

 Directions:
Poke holes on all sides of the spaghetti squash with a metal skewer or a fork. Place a paper towel in microwave and place squash on top of paper towel. Microwave in increments of 3 minutes until flesh starts to get soft. I had a medium sized squash and microwaved for about 10 minutes. Let cool. Cut squash in half, lengthwise. Scoop the seeds and the middle strands out with a spoon and discard. Next, scrape the inside of the squash with a fork all the way to the skin. Set aside 3 1/2 cups of spaghetti squash and reserve the rest for another use.

 Place thawed beef steak strips into skillet over medium high heat. Cook for 4 to 6 min, turning several times. Set aside.

 To make the sauce, combine beef broth, powdered Peanut Butter, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, red cayenne pepper, ground ginger, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Set aside.

 To a large skillet, add 3 1/2 cups spaghetti squash, cabbage, and sauce. Heat over medium heat for about 5 minutes.

 Divide among 3 plates/bowls and top each dish with 6 oz of beef, 1/3 oz chopped peanuts, and cilantro. Toss to combine.

 Makes 3 Servings
Each serving provides
1 Leaner, 3 Greens, 1 1/2 Condiments, 1 Healthy Fat, and 2/3 Optional Snack

* Although beef is typically a Lean option requiring 5 ounces with no additional healthy fats needed, Nutrition Support stated 6 ounces of John Soules beef strips counted as a Leaner option requiring 1 Healthy Fat based on the current nutrition information. Cooked chicken breast would also make a great substitute.


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Day 2 is complete with the infamous headache, but nothing that a little Tylenol couldn't fix. I actually felt pretty good today minus the headache of course. I wasn't suffering from any hunger pains that I sometimes endured during times of re-starting the Medifast plan. Thank goodness! I did experience a little tiredness but I am not sure if it is because of the restart or because I just found out my thyroid levels or a tad bit higher than what they should be. Hopefully the trip to the doctors next week for increased dose in meds will alleviate that problem. I am still feeling positive about this time around and I am so happy I have you guys to share this experience with. Thanks so much for all your support through comments on my blog, emails or through my Sandy's Kitchen Medifast page. They truly mean so much to me and they are greatly appreciated!

This weekend has been very hectic for me and I needed an easy recipe that I could throw together into the slow cooker. This one is perfect! I mean... come on... 3 ingredients! It doesn't get any easier than that! Two seasoning packets of brown gravy mix and Italian salad dressing mix combined with a bit of water makes a flavorful gravy for this roast. If you notice in the photo, I didn't add any gravy to the beef because I was making the roast into a salad. It is delicious that way too! What is best about this dish is that it is very family friendly. Serve it with some mashed cauliflower. I promise you won't even miss the potatoes! Enjoy!


Two Packet Beef Roast from the Slow Cooker

Ingredients:
3 lbs beef round eye (7 Leans)
1 packet Medifast gravy mix (12 Condiments)
1 packet Good Seasons Italian Salad Dressing Mix (8 Condiments)
1 cup water

Directions:
Trill all fat from roast. Place roast in slow cooker. Combine two seasoning packets with water and stir until combined. Pour over roast in slow cooker. I usually flip the meat halfway through (about 4 hours), but this is optional. Cook on LOW for about 8 hours or until meat is cooked. Enjoy!

7 servings with 1 Lean, 2.8 Condiments and No Healthy Fats Required


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I love shepherd's pie, but my traditional recipe is loaded with carbs! I swapped out the usual mashed potato topping for mashed cauliflower and melted cheese. I also added more veggies to the ground beef mixture. I used french style green beans, but yellow squash and zucchini are also great choices. It turned out amazing! I am so glad I have an extra serving for tomorrow!


Shepherd's Pie

  Ingredients:
7.5 oz cooked 93% lean ground beef (1 1/2 Leans)
 1 tbsp + 1 tsp McCormick less sodium brown gravy mix (4 Condiments)
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups (7.14 oz) canned french style green beans, drained 
or cooked from frozen (3 Greens)
1/4 tsp salt (1 Condiment)
1/8 tsp black pepper (1/4 Condiment)
1/4 tsp garlic powder (1/2 Condiment)
1 1/2 cups (9.51 oz) cooked from frozen cauliflower, 
mashed (3 Greens)
1/2 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese (1/2 Lean)

 Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
Follow the cooking directions on the back of the package if using frozen green beans. If using canned green beans, drain liquid. Measure out 1 1/2 cups or 7.14 oz for the recipe and set aside the rest for another day.
Combine cooked ground beef, gravy mix, water, and green beans in a medium skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 to 10 minutes. Spread ground beef and green bean mixture on the bottom of a small casserole dish. 
Add salt, pepper, and garlic powder to mashed cauliflower then spread over the ground beef and green bean mixture. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until cheese has melted.

Makes 2 Servings
Each serving provides
1 Lean, 3 Greens, and 3 Condiments

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The Super Bowl is coming up so I wanted to try something different. Everyone knows that you never eat anything healthy while watching the Super Bowl! You are suppose to have all this meat and ooey gooey cheese! Okay maybe not everyone agrees with me on that one, but this would make an awesome dish for the game! What's best about this dish is that hubby gives it two thumbs up!


Anyways, this makes 4 servings so you will have to cut that sucker into 4 pieces and share with someone. Make that 3 someones! But that's okay because they will love you for sharing once they try this dish. You will also have to add 2 more servings of greens and you still have 2 other condiments left over to spice them up if you like! Feel free to add more veggies or change up the spices. Make this YOUR pizza!


This is the whole enchilada! Oops, I meant pizza! I cooked it in a pie plate but for a thinner crust, I may try cooking it on a pizza pan instead. The pie plate made it more like a casserole because the meat layer was thicker. Enjoy this yummy dish! 

No Dough Meat Crust Pizza

 Ingredients:
9 oz 93% lean ground beef, cooked (2 Leans with the 1 oz of turkey pepperoni)
2 cups shredded reduced fat mozzarella cheese,  divided (2 Leans)
1/4 tsp salt (1 Condiment)
1/4 tsp garlic powder (1/2 Condiment)
1/4 tsp onion powder (1/2 Condiment)
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning (1 Condiment)
1 tbsp grated reduced fat parmesan cheese (1/2 Condiment)
1 cup Great Value Italian Diced Tomatoes - must be 5g of carbs or less per 1/2 cup or you can use 1/2 cup Rao's Marinara Sauce (2 Greens)
1/4 cup red bell peppers (1/2 Green)
1/4 cup green bell peppers (1/2 Green)
1/2 cup zucchini, chopped (1 Green)
1 oz turkey pepperoni slices ~ subtract 1 oz from Lean

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place ground beef in a mixing bowl and mix with 1 cup of mozzarella. Add salt, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning and parmesan cheese until combined. Spread the mixture into a circle on a round pizza pan or use a round baking dish. 

I placed the diced tomatoes in a small chopper and blended until the sauce was smooth. Top the meat mixture with the blended tomatoes. Top with 1 cup mozzarella, red peppers, green peppers, zucchini, and turkey pepperoni. Bake for about 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and browned.

Makes 4 Servings
Each serving provides
 1 Lean, 1 Green, and 1 Condiment per Serving
(Still need 2 Greens per serving)

Click Here to Print

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No need for take out! Try this yummy classic dish made with tender beef and fresh veggies in a savory sauce! Serve this stir fry with cauliflower rice for a yummy lean and green meal!


Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

Ingredients:
14 oz flank or boneless sirloin steak, cut into strips, raw weight (2 Leans)
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp McCormick lower sodium brown gravy mix (3 Condiments)
2 tbsp lite soy sauce (2 Condiments)
1/4 tsp garlic powder (1/2 Condiment)
1/4 tsp black pepper (1/2 Condiment)
1 cup broccoli florets (2 Greens)
1/2 cup green bell peppers, sliced (1 Green)
1/2 cup red bell peppers, sliced (1 Green)
1 cup grated cauliflower, cooked (2 Greens)

Directions:
Combine gravy mix, soy sauce, garlic powder, black pepper, and water in a small bowl. Set aside.

Spray a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add steak; cook and stir 3 to 4 minutes or until desired doneness. Do not over cook.

Stir in broccoli, peppers, and gravy mixture. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 5 to 8 minutes or until broccoli is tender crisp. Serve each portion with 1/2 cup grated cauliflower.

2 Servings

Per Serving:
1 Lean, 3 Greens, and 3 Condiments per Serving

Click Here to Print

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Here is a simple pot roast recipe I use from time to time.


Simple Pot Roast
Ingredients:
2 lbs 10 oz chuck roast (6 Leans)
1 tsp kosher salt (4 Condiments)
1/2 tsp pepper (1 Condiment)
1/2 tsp garlic powder (1 Condiment)
1 tsp Italian seasoning (2 Condiments)
2 cups beef broth or 1 can  (2 Condiments)

Directions:
Remove all visible fat from roast. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and garlic powder on all sides of roast. Place roast in slow cooker. Pour beef broth over roast and sprinkle Italian seasoning over the top. Cover and cook on low 8 to 9 hours.

6 servings with 
1 Lean and 1.6 Condiments per Serving

Click Here to Print


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We all have tried numerous crockpot recipes, but my favorite recipe has tons of sodium and just isn't on plan. It is the three seasoning packet pot roast, which includes Italian dry dressing mix, ranch dressing mix and brown gravy mix. Boy is it ever good! This one is still really good and the splice blend had a nice combination of spices. The roast was tender and there was plenty of liquid to cook this roast. I just shredded the meat and mixed it in my salad. The recipe below is originally from the Medifast Cook Book. I decided to leave out the veggies and make it into a salad instead. Enjoy!


Spiced Crock Pot Beef Roast

Ingredients:
2 1/2 lbs (40 oz) raw, boneless beef chuck clod roast (should yield six 5 oz cooked servings)
6 cups (1 1/4 lbs) whole mushrooms, trimmed
3 cups (7 to 8 large stalks), celery, roughly diced
3 cups green beans, trimmed
2 cups (12 to 14) scallions, roughly chopped

Crockpot Spice Blend:
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
4 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp dry mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced

Directions:
Trim all visible fat from roast. Rub black pepper and garlic onto roast; place in crockpot. Make several small slits in top of roast. In a small bowl, combine remaining spice blend ingredients; pour over meat. Cover; cook on low 6 to 8 hours or  on high 4 to 5 hours. Add vegetables during last 30 to 60 minutes of roasting.

6 Servings with 
1 Lean, 3 Greens and 3 Condiments


Click Here to Print


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This is a really quick and easy recipe to throw together that only requires a few ingredients. I love recipes like these, don't you? It kind of reminds me of chili so this would be perfect for those cold days coming up real soon. 

If you aren't in the mood for Mexican, change it up to Italian. Just change the rotel tomatoes to Italian diced tomatoes, skip the salsa, use 1 tsp Mrs. Dash Italian Medley Seasoning instead of the taco seasoning mix, and sprinkle 1 tbsp of grated parmesan cheese on top. Enjoy!


Mexican Beef and Zucchini Skillet

 Ingredients:
5 oz ground beef (93%), cooked (1 Lean)
1/2 cup rotel tomatoes with some of the liquid (1 Green)
1 cup raw zucchini, chopped (2 Greens)
2 tbsp salsa (2 Condiments)
1/2 tsp taco seasoning mix (1 Condiment)

 Directions:
Combine ground beef, rotel tomatoes, zucchini, salsa, and taco seasoning mix in a medium skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until zucchini is tender, about 5 minutes.

1 Serving with 
1 Lean, 3 Greens, and 3 Condiments per serving

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Hubby and I both enjoyed this dish because this Mexican style meatloaf was a change from our traditional meatloaf. I topped it with salsa and cheese. Yum, yum, yum!  I will definitely make this recipe again!


Mexican Style Meatloaf

 Ingredients:
2 lbs 93% lean ground beef (4 1/3 Lean)
2 eggs, beaten (2/3 Lean)
1 tbsp taco seasoning (6 Condiments)
1/2 tsp salt (2 Condiments)
1/2 tsp black pepper (1 Condiment)
2 cans Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies, well drained (5 Greens)
1/2 cup bell pepper ~ any color, chopped (1 Green)
1/2 cup 2% Mexican style cheese, shredded (1/2 lean)

 Topping:
1/2 cup salsa (8 Condiments)
1/2 cup 2% Mexican style cheese, shredded (1/2 Lean)

 Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 375° F. 
In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, beaten eggs, taco seasoning, salt, pepper, drained Rotel tomatoes, bell peppers and 1/2 cup of cheese until combined. Shape into two loaves on a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Bake for 50 minutes.

 Top each loaf with 1/4 cup salsa and 1/4 cup of cheese. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and meatloaves are done (165 degrees F). Divide each loaf into 3 servings (total of 6 servings between both loaves).

 6 Servings
Per Serving: 1 Lean, 1 Green, and 3 Condiments
(still need 2 Greens per serving such as 1 cup cauliflower rice)

 Freeze the other loaf for later, but don't add the topping of salsa and cheese. Let the loaf cool completely. Wrap well in foil and place in a sealed plastic freezer bag. Store up to 6 months. When ready to eat, thaw the night before in the fridge. Remove from wrappings and bake an additional 20 to 30 min than what the recipe states (110 to 120 min) until the loaf reaches 165 degrees F in the center. Top the loaf with 1/4 cup salsa and 1/4 cup cheese and bake an additional 10 min or until cheese has melted. Don't forget to write the date and reheating directions on the package.

Click Here to Print
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