15

Beef and Lamb Entrées

Who says gravies have to be made with milk? This hearty recipe takes a little time to prepare but is so worth it!

Place steak on large cutting board. Cover with plastic wrap. Pound with side of meat mallet into large rectangle. Season to taste with salt and cayenne pepper. Refrigerate until ready to stuff.
In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add rice. Reduce heat and cover. Allow to simmer for about 20 minutes or until tender. Drain well. Place rice in a medium bowl and set aside.
Squeeze thawed spinach dry. Season spinach with salt and pepper. Remove steak from refrigerator. Using spatula, spread spinach in a flat layer about 4" wide across center of steak.
Add ½ teaspoon basil and egg to rice, mixing well. Spoon rice mixture on top of spinach. Spread evenly with spatula. Add salt, pepper, and remaining basil to shredded carrots; mix well. Spoon carrot mixture over rice, patting evenly.
Bring both ends of steak over filling, overlapping slightly. Secure with wooden picks. Place onion slices, carrot slices, and celery slices in bottom of large Dutch oven. Place rolled steak in pot, seam side down. Pour tomato juice around the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil.
Cover, reduce heat, and simmer about 2 hours or until meat is tender, basting occasionally with pan drippings. Place meat on a large serving platter. Mix cornstarch and cold water in a small screw top jar. Pour over pan drippings. Cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring frequently. Serve immediately.

Serves 8

Calories: 328.88

Fat: 8.05 grams

Saturated Fat: 2.78 grams

Carbohydrates: 21.11 grams

Calcium: 145.54 mg

Lactose: 0.01 grams

2 pounds round steak

Salt and cayenne pepper to taste

2 cups water

½ cup long-grain rice, uncooked

2 10-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 egg, lightly beaten

4 large carrots,

3 shredded and

1 sliced

1 medium onion, sliced

1 stalk celery, sliced

1½ cups tomato juice

2 tablespoons cornstarch

¼ cup cold water

Beef Teriyaki

A good beef teriyaki recipe can be used in a variety of ways and doesn' always have to be served over rice. Toss the beef with a variety of freshly steamed veggies.

Cut slightly frozen beef into ⅛″ thick strips.
In a medium bowl, mix soy sauce, sherry, sugar, ginger, and garlic powder. Stir in meat. Allow to marinate for 15 minutes.
Thread beef on skewers. Preheat broiler or prepare grill.
Broil 4" from heat for 2 minutes on each side or until done as desired. Serve on hot cooked rice.

Rice Spells “Variety”!

There are so many different varieties of rice. Be experimental with your rice choices. Read the labels and familiarize yourself with the nutritional values of rice, then take them home and cook with them to see which ones you like the best.

Serves 4

Calories: 166.48

Fat: 4.27 grams

Saturated Fat: 1.49 grams

Carbohydrates: 1.39 grams

Calcium: 6.19 mg

Lactose: 0.0 grams

1 pound beef round steak

¼ cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon dry sherry

1 tablespoon sugar

½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Cooked rice (optional)

Beef Stroganoff

Serve this to guests and they'll think they're dining in a fine restaurant instead of your home! Be sure to use “unsweetened” soy milk for this recipe or substitute your favorite lactose-free milk.

In a small bowl, combine soy milk and vinegar. Allow to stand for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cut beef across grain into thin slices.
In a large skillet, heat one tablespoon oil over high heat. Add beef. Stir-fry for one minute. Remove beef from skillet.
Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to skillet and heat. Add onion and mushrooms. Stir-fry 4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium.
In a small bowl, blend flour, soy sauce, garlic, and ¼ cup water. Add to skillet, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil. Stir constantly and cook for one minute.
Gradually add soy milk mixture. Add beef and parsley, continuing to stir constantly. Cook until just heated through. Serve over cooked noodles.

Serves 4

Calories: 325.59

Fat: 17.53 grams

Saturated Fat: 3.73 grams

Carbohydrates: 12.10 grams

Calcium: 46.29 mg

Lactose: 0.0 grams

1 cup unsweetened soy milk

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 pound boneless tender beef steak

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, thinly sliced

½ pound fresh mushrooms, sliced

2½ tablespoons all-purpose flour

¼ cup soy sauce

1 clove garlic, pressed

¼ cup water

⅓ cup minced fresh parsley

Wide egg noodles, cooked

Curry Slurry

Your hand is rockin' the curry measurement. If you're a curry fan, go for it! Curry is lactose free!

Spray large skillet with cooking spray. Heat margarine in skillet over medium-high heat.
Sauté onion and push to one side of skillet.
Shape ground beef into a large patty. Brown about 5 minutes on each side. Break meat into chunks.
Add all remaining ingredients to meat and onion mixture. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
Serve over cooked rice if desired.

Serves 6

Calories: 227.57

Fat: 11.38 grams

Saturated Fat: 3.43 grams

Carbohydrates: 8.16 grams

Calcium: 28.73 mg

Lactose: 0.0 grams

Nonstick cooking spray

3 tablespoons margarine

1 pound lean ground beef

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon curry powder (or to taste)

2 Roma tomatoes, cut in chunks

1 9-ounce can peas, undrained

½ teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

Cooked rice (optional)

Old-Fashioned Meatloaf Heart Smart

Meatloaf is good for a hot entrée, and it makes great sandwiches the next day. In fact, some say the true test of meatloaf is whether it makes good sandwiches! Just remember to read labels on your store-bought condiment ingredients to check for any nasty lactose lurkers that will make your tummy not like the meatloaf.

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Combine all ingredients except the tomato sauce. Thoroughly mix with your hands. Shape into a loaf.
Place in a 9″ × 5″ pan. Spoon tomato sauce over top of loaf.
Bake for 1 hour. Drain fat and juices.
Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Leaner Than Lean

Do you know what those “lean” labels on ground beef really mean? Let's say you need one pound of ground beef. If the label reads that the ground beef is 95 percent lean, it has 23 grams of fat (before cooking). Compare that to one pound of ground beef that is 80 percent lean, which has 91 grams of fat.

Serves 6

Calories: 295.27

Fat: 7.65 grams

Saturated Fat: 2.92 grams

Carbohydrates: 26.10 grams

Calcium: 49.77 mg

Lactose: 0.0 grams

1½ pounds extra-lean ground beef

½ cup chopped onion

¼ green pepper, finely chopped

¾ cup oatmeal, quick or old-fashioned

¼ cup egg substitute

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

1 teaspoon dry mustard

¼ cup catsup

¼ cup tomato juice

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon salt (optional)

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 cup tomato sauce

Meatballs and Sauerkraut

This easy recipe is sure to be a hit at your next party. Use your slow cooker instead of stovetop cooking, and set it on the table for serving.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place ground beef in a medium bowl. Salt and pepper to taste.
Shape meat into balls about the size of large walnuts. Place in a shallow baking pan on middle rack in oven. Bake for 30 minutes, uncovered, until meatballs are nicely browned.
Sprinkle onions in the bottom of a large saucepan. Add ½ cup of tomato juice. Cook over low heat until onions are tender. Add more tomato juice if necessary.
Begin layering meatballs and sauerkraut on top of onion and tomato mixture, beginning with meatballs. Alternate layers.
Add lemon juice and sugar to tomato juice. Stir to blend. Pour over meatballs and sauerkraut. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for one hour.

Sauerkraut's in a Pickle!

Sauerkraut only has 20 calories per half-cup serving. It also provides iron, vitamins C and B, potassium, calcium, and fiber. But beware of the sodium content. Read the labels. To reduce the sodium content, drain, rinse, and drain sauerkraut again before using.

Serves 6

Calories: 370.37

Fat: 11.65 grams

Saturated Fat: 4.67 grams

Carbohydrates: 16.95 grams

Calcium: 81.22 mg

Lactose: 0.0 grams

1½ pounds lean ground beef

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup diced onions

4 cups tomato juice

2 1-pound cans sauerkraut

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon sugar

Herbed Lamb Chops

Turn this delightful entrée into an elegant dish. Serve it with Bordelaise Sauce (page 155) and garnish with fresh mint.

In a shallow 1-quart casserole dish, combine vinegar, water, onion, soy sauce, garlic, rosemary, thyme, and pepper. Add lamb chops to marinade and turn until well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Drain lamb chops. Reserve marinade.
Preheat broiler or prepare grill.
Broil 5 inches from heating element (or pop on the grill) for about 5 minutes on each side, depending on your choice of doneness. Baste frequently with marinade.
Serve warm.

Serves 2

Calories: 221.78

Fat: 8.86 grams

Saturated Fat: 3.58 grams

Carbohydrates: 1.30 grams

Calcium: 19.38 mg

Lactose: 0.0 grams

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon water

2 teaspoons minced onion

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

¼ teaspoon dried whole rosemary, crushed

⅛ teaspoon dried whole thyme, crushed

Pepper to taste

2 5-ounce lamb chops, 1″ thick

Skillet Lemony Lamb Chops

No muss, no fuss — a skillet meal that is quick and easy that tastes like you've been slaving over a hot stove for hours!

Preheat broiler. Place lamb chops on broiler rack under broiler. Broil until brown on both sides.
Place chops in a medium nonstick skillet.
In a small bowl, combine water, lemon zest, Worcestershire sauce, salt, oregano, rosemary, and freshly ground pepper. Whisk until well blended. Pour mixture over lamb chops in skillet.
Cover and cook over medium-low heat about 30 minutes or until chops are tender.

Serves 2

Calories: 288.55

Fat: 13.64 grams

Saturated Fat: 5.73 grams

Carbohydrates: 1.10 grams

Calcium: 28.73 mg

Lactose: 0.0 grams

2 6-ounce lamb chops ¾″ thick

3 tablespoons water

⅛ teaspoon lemon zest

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

¼ teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon dried oregano

⅛ teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Grecian Shish Kabobs

These kebabs taste excellent grilled. Soak wooden kebab skewers in water to avoid any unwanted grill fires.

Cut lamb into 1″ cubes.
In a small bowl, combine vinegar, water, sherry, parsley, sugar, rosemary, garlic salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Stir until well blended. Add cubed lamb. Stir until lamb is well coated. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Seed green pepper and cut into 8 pieces. Place green pepper on a microwave-safe plate. Cover and microwave on high for 2 minutes.
Drain lamb. Discard marinade.
Alternate lamb and vegetables on four 10" wooden skewers. Place skewers on a microwave-safe roasting rack. Cover with waxed paper. Microwave on 50 percent power for 5–6 minutes.
Rearrange kabobs and microwave another 5 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Note: If you're a grill master, these are awesome prepared on the grill. Just watch them closely so they don' burn!

Score Points for Lamb!

When you're talking nutrition and red meat, lamb scores points in high nutritional values! An excellent source of protein and much easier to digest than other meats, lamb is also a rich source of iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and B-complex vitamins. Buy lean lamb so your kebabs don' turn out greasy.

Serves 2

Calories: 253.38

Fat: 12.46 grams

Saturated Fat: 5.59 grams

Carbohydrates: 6.92 grams

Calcium: 30.46 mg

Lactose: 0.0 grams

½ pound lean boneless lamb

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon dry sherry

2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon sugar

¾ teaspoon dried whole rosemary, crushed

⅛ teaspoon garlic salt

⅛ teaspoon pepper

1 small green pepper

6 medium-sized fresh mushrooms

4 cherry tomatoes

Lamb with Fruit and Nut Sauce

This is a beautiful entrée to serve for special occasions. Serve it for a holiday entrée and you'll probably start a tradition!

In a small bowl, combine apricots, beef broth, currants, and brandy, stirring well. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours.
Place lamb between two sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet, flatten to ½″ thickness. Dredge in flour.
Coat a skillet with cooking spray. Add oil and place over medium-high heat until hot. Add lamb. Cook 5 minutes on each side until lightly browned.
Add apricot mixture and pecans. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until lamb is tender, about 15 minutes.
Place lamb on 4 individual plates and spoon apricot mixture over lamb. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Calories: 318.98

Fat: 10.08 grams

Saturated Fat: 2.92 grams

Carbohydrates: 24.62 grams

Calcium: 31.13 mg

Lactose: 0.0 grams

8 dried apricots, cut into strips

½ cup beef broth

¼ cup currants

¼ cup brandy

4 4-ounce slices lean boneless leg of lamb

2 tablespoons flour

Nonstick cooking spray

2 teaspoons oil

1 tablespoon toasted chopped pecans