When I think of Father’s Day, steak always comes to mind. For this easy dinner, the steak is cooked in a sweet and tangy balsamic glaze that coats it. I like to save preparation time by using frozen chopped onions from the freezer case and sliced mushrooms from the produce department.
Watercress adds a little bite to the salad, and the croutons add a crunchy texture. Here’s a hint on storing watercress. Wash and dry the bunch of watercress, wrap a damp paper towel around the bottom of the stems and place in a plastic zip bag. It will keep for a week in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator.
You can use boneless chicken thighs instead of steak.
You can use ¼ cup chopped fresh onion instead of frozen onion. Saute it 2 minutes longer than the frozen onion.
Add the croutons to the salad just before serving. This will keep them crisp.
Prepare all ingredients.
Make salad and set aside.
Make steak.
Balsamic-Glazed Steak
Yield 2 servings. Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer
2 teaspoons olive oil
¼ cup frozen chopped onion
½ cup sliced portobello mushrooms
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¾ pound grass-fed strip steak
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat oil in a medium-size nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and mushrooms. Saute 3 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside. Add the balsamic vinegar and cook until it is slightly reduced, about one minute. Add the steak and saute 4 minutes. Turn over and saute 4 minutes for a one-inch streak. A meat thermometer should read 135 for medium rare and 130 for rare. Return the onion and mushrooms to the skillet for a minute. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove steak from skillet, cut into two portions place on two dinner plates. Spoon onions and mushrooms on top.
Per serving: 274 calories (30% from fat), 9.1 g fat (2.4 g saturated, 3.9 g monounsaturated), 96 mg cholesterol, 40.1 g protein, 7 g carbohydrates, 0.4 g fiber, 107 mg sodium.
Tomato And Watercress Salad
Yield 2 servings. Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer
2 large tomatoes, cored and cut into wedges
2 cups watercress leaves
1 cup whole wheat croutons
4 tablespoons reduced-fat oil and vinegar dressing
Core tomatoes, cut in half and cut each half into 6 wedges. Place in a bowl with the watercress. Add the dressing and toss well. Divide between two plates and sprinkle with croutons.
Per serving: 129 calories (24% from fat), 3.4 g fat (0.4 g saturated, 0.9 g monounsaturated), 2 mg cholesterol, 4.5 g protein, 20.8 g carbohydrates, 4.3 g fiber, 97 mg sodium.
