Beefing Up MyPlate — Sumptuous Steak Stir-Fry

     Lean, healthy and packed with protein, this beef stir-fry was one of the recipes suggested when Barry completed the Kansas Beef Council’s online personality assessment that coordinates with the USDA's new dietary guidelines. 

     Since he’s been quite health conscious as of late, it seems only fitting that his assessment declared him a “Lean Lover” and explained that a 3-oz. portion of lean beef has only 150 calories, on average; it’s packed with protein which provides a feeling of satisfaction that helps with weight management. 

     We gave this recipe a thumbs up and plan to add it to our plate again and again.
     Check out the Kansas Beef Council's page — it's  is full of lots of other recipes, nutritional tips.

     To take the eating personality assessment, click on My Plate, My Way. (And, to see the results of mine, check out the recipe for Beef Breakfast Pizza Olé. )

Sumptuous Steak Stir-Fry   Makes 4 servings
Total recipe time: 20 to 30 minutes

Above: Remove the strings from snow
 peas.
Below: Cut veggies --I used a diagonal
cut on carrots & celery.

1 pound beef top round steak, cut 1-inch thick

1 small yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips

1 cup broccoli florets

2 medium carrots, sliced

1/2 cup fresh snow peas, trimmed

1 stalk celery, sliced

1/2 cup frozen shelled edamame*, defrosted

2 cloves garlic, minced, divided

1/4 cup water

Salt

1/3 cup sesame-ginger stir-fry sauce

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

3 cups hot cooked brown or white rice, prepared without butter or salt

1.     Combine vegetables, half of garlic and water in large nonstick skillet; cover and cook over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes or until crisp-tender, adding additional water if pan becomes dry. Remove vegetables; keep warm.

2.     Meanwhile, cut beef steak lengthwise in half, then crosswise into 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick strips. Combine with remaining half of garlic.

Barry cuts the beef into thin strips. The thin cut breaks down connective tissue resulting in a tender beef. 

3.     Heat same skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add half of beef mixture; stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes or until outside surface of beef is no longer pink. (Do not overcook.) Remove from skillet; season with salt, as desired. Keep warm. Repeat with remaining beef mixture.

Beef sears quickly and is losing it's pink color. 

4.     Return all beef and vegetables to skillet. Add stir-fry sauce and crushed red pepper, as desired; cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes or until heated through. Serve over rice.

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Couldn't resist --I just had to add an Asian influence to our delicious stir-fry that we served over brown rice.

Note: Edamame is young green soybeans that add additional protein to this dish plus an interesting taste and texture. Although you could vary the veggies in this dish (adding your favorites or using what you have on hand) we really liked the addition of this particular veggie.