Biggest Loser

The following recipes came from The Biggest Loser cookbook:

Grilled Flank Steak with Roma Tomatoes

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup water or low-sodium beef or chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil (or 1 tsp. dried basil)
1 tablespoon ground mustard seed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 pounds flank steak, trimmed of all visible fat
8 Roma tomatoes, halved crosswise

Combine the vinegar, water or broth, garlic, basil, thyme, mustard seed, and black pepper in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add the steak and seal the bag. Marinate refrigerated for at least 2 hours (no more than 12), turning the steak occasionally.
Prepare a fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill or broiler. Lightly coat the grill rack with cooking oil spray. Position the cooking rack 4 to 6 inches from the heat source.

Remove the steak from the marinade; drain and blot to remove excess marinade.

Place the steak and tomatoes on the grill rack or broiler pan. Grill or broil until browned, 4 to 5 minutes on each side for the steak and about 3 minutes on each side for each of the tomatoes. Watch the steak carefully as the balsamic vinegar can cause it to burn if not properly blotted. Check the steak for doneness by cutting into the meat. Let stand for 5 minutes on a cutting board. Cut the meat across the grain into very thin slices.

Nutrient Analysis per serving:
241 calories; 25 g protein; 8 g carbohydrates; 11 g total fat; 5 g saturated fat; less than 1 g monounsaturated fat; 60 mg cholesterol; 2 g fiber; 72 mg sodium.

My Notes: I love this recipe. The meat turned out very tender and full of flavor. I served the steak with the following rice dish:

Wild Rice and Toasted Almonds

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup wild rice, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
2 tablespoons chopped almonds (or almond meal)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tsp. dried)
2 cups fat-free chicken broth or vegetable broth
1/2 cup water

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large nonstick saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the rice, mushrooms, onion, almonds, garlic, and thyme. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture is fragrant and the onion is just starting to soften. Do not allow the garlic or nuts to brown. Transfer the mixture to a 2-quart baking dish. Meanwhile, bring the broth and water to a boil and pour over the rice mixture in the baking dish. Cover with foil and bake 1 hour. Serve hot.

Nutrient Analysis per serving:
156 calories; 7 g protein; 25 g carbohydrates; 4 g total fat; less than 1 g saturated fat; less than 1 g polyunsaturated fat; 2 g monounsaturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 3 g fiber; 162 mg sodium.


My Notes: This dish is very easy to prepare. I left out the mushrooms and substituted almond meal for chopped almonds. I also used low-sodium, low-fat chicken broth. The rice was delicious and went well with the flank steak.