Vietnamese-Style Beef & Noodle Broth

From EatingWell: April/May 2005, The EatingWell Healthy in a Hurry Cookbook (2006) — Subscribe Now!

Inspired by pho--traditional Vietnamese soup--this one-pot meal is garnished with crunchy mung bean sprouts and chopped fresh basil. You could also serve it with lime wedges and a bottle of Asian chile sauce, such as sriracha, on the side.

READER'S COMMENT:

"Whenever I've been served this at vietnamese restaurants it's been bland--isn't that the beauty of pho? Everyone adds condiments to taste? I love when i eat it with friends, so i can taste how they think it's best. I always serve it with...

Vietnamese-Style Beef & Noodle Broth Recipe

6 servings, 1 1/3 cups each

Active Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

2 teaspoons canola oil
1 pound beef flank steak, very thinly sliced against the grain (see Tip)
4 cups chopped bok choy, (1 small head, about 1 pound)
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
4 ounces wide rice noodles
2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 cups mung bean sprouts
4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, or to taste

Preparation

Heat oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over high heat. Add beef and cook, stirring often, until just cooked, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate using tongs, leaving the juices in the pot.
Add bok choy to the pot and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add broth and water, cover and bring to a boil. Add noodles and soy sauce; simmer until the noodles are soft, about 4 minutes. Return the beef to the pot and cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes more. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with bean sprouts and basil. Serve hot.

Tips & Notes

Tip: If you have a little extra time before dinner, put the flank steak in the freezer for about 20 minutes to help make it easier to slice thinly.

Nutrition

Per serving: 235 calories; 8 g fat (3 g sat, 3 g mono); 33 mg cholesterol; 19 g carbohydrates; 22 g protein; 1 g fiber; 209 mg sodium; 451 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (40% daily value), Zinc (27% dv), Vitamin C (25% dv).

1 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 2 1/2 very lean meat