There is no pasta in this Italian inspired menu, but my friends and family all agree … this is an Italian favorite! The smashed potatoes are rich, smooth and creamy, the steak is excellent and the bread crisp couldn't be better!
Italian Herb Smashed Potatoes
Bacon Tomato Cheddar Bread Crisps
Tomato and Mozzarella Garden Salad
Italian Steak Bites
Calories 160 (29% fat); Total Fat: 5g; Cholesterol: 47mg; Carbohydrate: 3g; Dietary Fiber: 0g; Protein 25g; Sodium: 236mg
Diabetic Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 3 lean meat
1 3/4 pound beef sirloin (1-inch thick) Tammy 4 ounces fat discarded
1 tablespoon Italian Herb Seasoning (Durkee)
1 teaspoon Canadian Steak Seasoning (Tone's)
1/2 cup of your favorite marinara pasta sauce (I use Prego Three Cheese)
Yield 6 (4-ounce) servings
Italian Herb Smashed Potatoes
Calories 144 (22% fat); Total Fat: 4g; Cholesterol: 13mg; Carbohydrate: 25g; Dietary Fiber: 2g; Protein 4g; Sodium: 524mg
Diabetic Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1/2 fat
2 medium russet potatoes (2 1/2-cups)
2 large red skin potatoes (2 1/2-cups)
1 tablespoon Italian herb seasoning (Durkee)
1 teaspoon plus1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
3 1/2 tablespoons imitation butter flavored sprinkles
4 tablespoons lite butter
3/4-cup fat-free sour cream
Yield 7 (1/2-cup) servings
Bacon Tomato Cheddar Bread Crisps
Calories 100 (13% fat); Total Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 5mg; Carbohydrate: 15g; Dietary Fiber: 1g; Protein 6g; Sodium: 307mg
Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch, 1/2 very lean meat
6 (1/3-inch) thick slices Vienna bread (a type of French bread)
6 tablespoons fat-free shredded Cheddar cheese
6 teaspoons 30 % less-fat real bacon crumbles
12 grape tomatoes, sliced thin
Yield 6 (1-slice) servings
Tomato and Mozzarella Tossed Salad
Calories 55 (9% fat); Total Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 3mg; Carbohydrate: 9g; Dietary Fiber: 2g; Protein 5g; Sodium: 555mg
Diabetic Exchanges: 2 vegetable, 1/2 very lean meat
9 cups pre-cut iceberg lettuce
1/2 pint grape tomatoes
1/2 cup fat-free shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup fat-free zesty Italian salad dressing
Yield 6 (1 1/2-cup) servings
30 minutes before dinner, in a 2 1/2-quart saucepan put 4-cups water, 1-tablespoon Italian herb seasoning and 1-teaspoon garlic salt on high heat.
29 minutes before dinner, wash 2-medium russet potatoes and 2-large red skin potatoes.
Cut the washed potatoes into 1/2-inch chunks.
25 minutes before dinner, add the potatoes to the boiling water.
24 minutes before dinner, cut off and discard all visible fat from 1 3/4-pound beef sirloin, cut sirloin into 1 1/2-2-inch chunks. Place chunks into a 1-allon zip-top plastic bag with 1-tablespoon Italian Herb Seasoning, and 1-teaspoon Canadian Steak Seasoning. Let all of the air out of the bag and zip it closed. Using your hands, squeeze the bag to coat the beef chunks with the seasonings. Set aside.
21 minutes before dinner, turn off the burner under the potatoes, cover and let the potatoes sit on the hot burner.
20 minutes before dinner, start making the Bacon Tomato Cheddar Bread Crisps. Preheat the oven to 425-degrees.
Spray both sides of 6 (1/3-inch) slices of Vienna bread generously with fat-free butter flavored cooking spray. Put 1-tablespoon fat-free shredded Cheddar cheese on each slice of bread on a baking sheet. Generously, spray the top of the cheese with fat-free butter flavored cooking spray. Put 1-teaspoon 30% less fat real bacon crumbles and 2-sliced grape tomatoes over each of the 6-slices of bread.
12 minutes before dinner, plug in the indoor electric grill.
Make the Tomato and Mozzarella Tossed Salad. In a large salad bowl, toss together 9-cups pre-cut iceberg lettuce with 1/2-pint grape tomatoes, 1/2-cup fat-free shredded mozzarella cheese. Do not toss with salad with the salad dressing until shortly before dinner, otherwise the salad will become soggy or wilted. Set aside.
8 minutes before dinner, drain the potatoes and discard water. Place the potatoes in a 2 1/2-quart serving bowl. With an electric mixer, beat the cooked potatoes with 1/4-teaspoon garlic salt, 3 1/2-tablespoons imitation butter flavored sprinkles, 4-tablespoons lite butter and 3/4-cup fat-free sour cream until well mixed. (You may need to take a brief break from making these potatoes in order to put the bread in the oven and also preheat the grill. You will have ample time to finish these potatoes later.)
6 minutes before dinner, put the Bacon Tomato Cheddar Bread Crisps in the oven and bake for 5-minutes or until bottom of bread is crispy and golden brown.
Start cooking Italian Steak Bites. Generously, spray the top and bottom of the indoor electric grill with non-fat cooking spray. Pour the chunks of seasoned beef onto the pre-heated grill in a single layer. Close the lid firmly to sear the grill marks into the steak bite chunks.
Put 1/2-cup of your favorite marinara pasta sauce in a large serving bowl, cover with wax paper and microwave for 1-minute.
5 minutes before dinner, toss the salad with 3/4-cup fat-free zesty Italian salad dressing and put on the dinner table.
4 minutes before dinner, continue making the Italian Herb Smashed Potatoes. Once potatoes are completely made, cover to keep warm and place on the dinner table.
2 minutes before dinner, unplug the grill. Using a non-stick pancake turner slide the steak bites into the large serving bowl with the preheated marinara sauce. Stir the steak bites in the marinara sauce until all pieces of seasoned cooked beef are coated with marinara sauce. Place on the dinner table.
1 minute before dinner, place the Bacon Tomato Cheddar Bread Crisps from the oven on a heat pad on the dinner table.
Supplie List
2 1/2-quart saucepan
1 1-gallon zip-top plastic bag
2 1/2-quart serving bowl
Large serving bowl
Electric mixer
Non-stick pancake turner
Wax paper
Indoor electric grill
Fat-free butter flavored cooking spray
Baking sheet
Heat pad
Grocery List
Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
2 medium russet potatoes
2 large red skin potatoes
12 plus 1/2 pint grape tomatoes
1 bag pre-cut iceberg lettuce (only 9-cups needed)
Staple Items
1 jar of your favorite marinara pasta sauce (I use Prego Three Cheese) (only 1/2-cup needed)
1 loaf Vienna bread (a type of French bread) (only 6 (1/3-inch) thick slices needed)
Meats
1 3/4 pound beef sirloin (1-inch thick)
Dairy
1 package fat-free shredded Cheddar cheese (only 6-tablespoons needed)
1 package fat-free shredded mozzarella cheese (only 1/2-cup needed)
1 container lite butter (only 4-tablespoons needed)
1 container fat-free sour cream (only 3/4-cup needed)
Seasonings/Condiments
2 tablespoons Italian Herb Seasoning (Durkee)
1 teaspoon Canadian Steak Seasoning (Tone's)
1 teaspoon plus1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
3 1/2 tablespoons imitation butter flavored sprinkles
1 bottle fat-free zesty Italian salad dressing (only 3/4-cup needed)
Other
1 package 30 % less-fat real bacon crumbles (only 6-teaspoons needed)