500-Calorie Dinners: Beef
On a diet? Juicy steaks can still be on the menu!
When you hear "diet," juicy steak probably doesn't come to mind. But if you love meat, keep on eating it. Just make sure you choose lean cuts of steak with a relatively small amount of marbling (fat), such as filet mignon, sirloin, strip steak, and flank steak. Ground meat is easy to decipher, just check the label for the "percentage lean" and try to stick with 90%-lean or leaner. Browse through these recipes to choose your main course, then pick from the suggested side dishes, desserts or drinks to round out your 500-calorie meal. Download a FREE Healthy Burger Recipe Cookbook!
Pictured Recipe: Seared Steaks with Caramelized Onions & Gorgonzola
Seared Steaks with Caramelized Onions & Gorgonzola
306 calories
In our humble opinion, steak is best topped with sweet caramelized onions and salty Gorgonzola cheese. To round out your 500-calorie meal, serve with one from each group: Choose one side dish:
* Polenta (½ cup)
74 calories
*
85 calories Choose one vegetable:
* Asparagus drizzled with 1 tsp. olive oil (1 cup)
80 calories
* Sautéed chard with 1 tsp. olive oil and a squeeze of lemon (1 cup)
76 calories
Pictured Recipe: Bistro Flank Steak Sandwich
Bistro Flank Steak Sandwich
294 calories
Make this bistro-style sandwich, sauce and all, completely on the grill. If you're in a hurry, just grill the steak and garlic and substitute jarred roasted red peppers for the grilled bell peppers. To round out your 500-calorie meal, serve with one from each group: Choose one side dish:
135 calories
*Roasted Red Potatoes (½ cup)
97 calories
Choose one vegetable:
* Roasted Asparagus (½ cup)
77 calories
* Mixed greens (1½ cup) with 2 Tbsp.
69 calories
Pictured Recipe: Mini Meatloaves
Mini Meatloaves
209 calories
Traditional meatloaf is made with ground beef, pork and veal; here we replace the veal with ground turkey for a tender, flavorful and leaner version of the classic. To round out your 500-calorie meal, serve with one from each group: Choose one side dish:
135 calories
123 calories Choose one vegetable:
74 calories
74 calories Choose one dessert:
103 calories
* Nonfat vanilla frozen yogurt (½ cup)
95 calories
Pictured Recipe: Thai Beef Salad
Thai Beef Salad
209 calories
The steak for a Thai salad is often marinated before it's broiled and that's a shame, because most of those flavorings burn off and turn to naught. For the best taste, first sear the steak, then let it sit overnight in the marinade before tossing it with the greens. To round out your 500-calorie meal, serve with one from each group: Choose one side dish:
123 calories
* Quinoa (½ cup) with chopped fresh mint and lime zest
111 calories Choose one side dish:
128 calories
* Red wine (5-ounce glass)
120 calories
Pictured Recipe: Szechuan Braised Meatballs
Szechuan Braised Meatballs
289 calories
We braise these spicy beef meatballs and Chinese cabbage in a bit of beef broth. To round out your 500-calorie meal, serve with one from each group: Choose one side dish:
* Brown rice (½ cup)
109 calories
* Whole-wheat fettuccine (½ cup)
87 calories Choose one side dish:
78 calories
67 calories
Pictured Recipe: Beef & Bean Chile Verde
Beef & Bean Chile Verde
309 calories
Chile Verde, usually a slow-cooked stew of pork, jalapeños and tomatillos, becomes an easy weeknight meal with quick-cooking ground beef and store-bought green salsa. To round out your 500-calorie meal, serve with one from each group: Choose one side dish:
* Quinoa with a squeeze of lime (½ cup)
111 calories
* Avocado (¼) with 1 Tbsp. reduced-fat sour cream
100 calories Choose one dessert:
82 calories
68 calories
Pictured Recipe: Flemish Beef Stew
Flemish Beef Stew
303 calories
For this slow-cooker interpretation of Carbonnades Flamandes, a Flemish stew made with beer, if you can't find a brown ale, use a strong, dark beer (but not a stout). To round out your 500-calorie meal, serve with one from each group: Choose one whole-grain:
* Brown rice (1/2 cup)
109 calories
* Whole-wheat orzo (1/2 cup)
87 calories Choose one vegetable:
80 calories
66 calories
Pictured Recipe: Indian Wok-Seared Chicken & Vegetables
More 500-Calorie Dinners: