Flank steak with Mexican-cilantro cream

One of my favorite things to do when creating a new culinary experiment is to re-imagine a recipe. This is one of those recipes. I'm sure the original was great, but I tweaked it...add something here, get rid of something there. But overall, this may be one of my new favorite dishes.



 
Ingredients
16 oz. flank steak

2 peppers (I prefer green), seeded and chopped
1/4 onion, chopped
3 oz. plain, fat-free Greek yogurt
1 cup fresh cilantro
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. chili powder (You could double this, but I am not usually a fan of spicy)
Cooking spray

1. In a small bowl, mix salt, cumin, oregano, and chili powder. Sprinkle the seasoning on both sides of the flank steak.  Place the peppers, onions, and steak on a baking sheet lined with foil. (Tip: spray the foil with cooking spray).

2. Broil the steak in a preheated oven, about four minutes on each side. Be sure to flip the steak, peppers, and onions half way through.

3. Meanwhile, combine the salsa, Greek yogurt, and cilantro. Mix in a food processor until smooth and creamy.

4. When steak, peppers, and onions are done, remove from oven. Slice flank steak into thin strips.  Drizzle steak with Mexican-cilantro cream.

The Mexican-cilantro cream sauce was really good, so I drizzled it on top of the peppers, too.

 It's an incredibly flavorful, but really simple recipe. Pair it with some rice as a side, and you have a filling meal! Full disclosure: I like rare meat, so if you want it more well-done, cook it 5 to 6 minutes.

Yields about 4 pieces per serving (4 oz)
Points Plus value: 4 per serving

Skinny Mashed Potatoes

After joining Weight Watchers, my entire relationship with food changed.  Yes, I still have the cravings and I still want to binge every once in a while. But for the most part, I eat entirely different now. There are more whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. There are leaner proteins, less red meat, and more fish.

I don't know why I used to eat as much as I did, but once I embraced the philosophy that "nothing tastes as good as skinny feels," it became easier to handle.  So now, I may not always eat "skinny" but I try to think "skinny" thoughts. And so, I give you "Skinny" Mashed Potatoes.

First of all, skinny mashed potatoes are not made with potatoes. They are made from cauliflower, which is a pretty good starchy substitute...with zero points on Weight Watchers.  It's not the first time, I've used cauliflower as a substitute for something (see Devilish Eggs). When I'm in the mood for macaroni and cheese, I usually eat some cauliflower and cheese instead.

Second, the first time I made this recipe, I failed. I hate to admit it, but I did. I tried getting away with some short cuts, and I wound up with a watery, lumpy mess.  So, when the recipe says to take time to drain and dry the cauliflower, do it. And when it says to use a food processor to mash it all up, follow those directions, ok?

Ingredients

1 head of cauliflower
1 oz. Weight Watchers creamed cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and pepper to taste


1. Wash the cauliflower thoroughly. Chop up into florets.

2. In a large pot, boil cauliflower for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until soft and tender. Drain the cauliflower and pat dry with a paper towel.

3. Immediately transfer the cauliflower to a food processor. It should still be warm at this point (try not to let it cool off).  Add cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, minced garlic, and salt and pepper.

4. Puree the ingredients together until it is smooth and creamy.

Enjoy these mashed "potatoes" guilt-free!!  It makes approximately four servings, but it was so delicious that I went back for seconds.

Points Plus value: 2 per serving

Grilled Salmon with Mustard and Lemon Herb Crust

Since I work in higher education, July and August is a really busy season. As we get ready for and kick off with a new school year, we spend a lot of time prepping and training our staff members. Which basically means that I didn't spend a whole lot of time cooking. But now that September is here, and life is starting to settle back down, I am glad to be back in the kitchen!

One of my first culinary experimentations has been with some salmon. I prefer salmon over many other kinds of fish because (at least in my opinion) it's the least fishy tasting fish. A good steak of wild salmon is meaty...and that's just the way I like it.

I saw this recipe in a Weight Watchers publication, but I made a few changes. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 uncooked wild Salmon fillet (I had the skin taken off and chopped the fillets into 2)
2 tbsp honey mustard (My favorite brand is Billy Bee's)
2 tbsp chopped rosemary
2 tbsp dried thyme
2 tbsp lemon pepper-flavored Panko crumbs
Salt and pepper to taste

1. In a small bowl, mix rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

2. Spread 1 tbsp of honey mustard on top of each fillet.

3. Sprinkle rosemary and thyme mixture on top of each fillet. Sprinkle about 1 tbsp of the Panko crumbs on each fillet.

4. Place fish on a grill (I used a George Foreman), seasoned side up.  Cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until fish flakes off easily with a fork.

I made a side of whole grain rice and asparagus.  For some reason, I'm really fond of asparagus with salmon. 

Points Plus value: 8 (with a 6 oz. piece of fillet)