Best Beef and Broccoli

When I go out for Chinese, I almost always get shrimp egg foo yung and/or chicken and broccoli. Lucky for me, both of these dishes are relatively healthy in terms of Chinese take-out, but they’re also packed with sodium. Most take-out Chinese meals contain well over 2,000 milligrams — nearly the upper limit for daily sodium intake. Eek!

That said, this meal isn’t low in sodium…but, it’s 40% lower sodium! Unless you omit soy sauce, it’s hard to control sodium content in meals such as Beef and Broccoli. However, reducing the portion and choosing a low-sodium soy sauce are two simple ways to reduce the salt in your favorite savory & salty meals.

It’s no surprise that red meat makes the very rare appearance on the blog. While a diet high in red meat isn’t what I would recommend for a general, healthy intake…I do enjoy the occasional, lean red meat selection.

Unlike a lot of people, Mr. Prevention would choose nearly any protein ahead of red meat (as would I), so this works for us. He was even questioning what the red meat was for when he saw it in the fridge. I gotta keep my man on his toes!

Day 2 of Asian-inspired homemade take-out. Are you diggin’ it? ‘Cause I sure am.

This recipe for Beef and Broccoli caught my eye with its bright green broccoli trees and the lean, marinaded meat. The beef replaced chicken in my usual go-to take-out selection, but it was a great change of pace, simple to make, and absolutely delicious!

[print_this]

Best Beef and Broccoli adapted from America’s Test Kitchen 10th Anniversary
Best Recipes as seen on Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Sauce:
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp low-sodium chicken broth
5 Tbsp oyster sauce
2 Tbsp light brown sugar
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 tsp cornstarch

Beef and Broccoli:
3 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 lbs flank steak, trimmed of fat, cut into 2-inch-wide strips with the grain, then sliced across the grain into 1/2-inch-thick slices
6 medium cloves garlic, minced
1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced
3 tsp peanut oil, divided
1 1/4 lb broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/3 cup water
3 medium scallions, sliced 1/2-inch thick on diagonal
2 cups dry brown rice

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine beef and soy sauce. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 10 minutes, and up to 1 hour.

Cook rice according to package directions.

Meanwhile, whisk the sauce ingredients together in a liquid measure or small bowl. In another small bowl, combine garlic, ginger, and 1 teaspoon peanut oil. Set aside.

Heat 1 teaspoon peanut oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot and rippling. Add half of beef to skillet and break up clumps; cook, without stirring, for 1 minute, then stir and cook until beef is browned around edges and cooked through, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer beef to a medium bowl and cover with a lid and tin foil. Heat another 1 teaspoon peanut oil in the skillet and repeat with remaining beef.

Add 1 teaspoon peanut oil to now-empty skillet; heat until rippling and hot. Add broccoli and cook 30 seconds; add water, cover pan, and lower heat to medium. Steam broccoli until tender-crisp, about 2 minutes. Push the broccoli to the sides of the skillet and add the garlic/ginger mixture. Cook, mashing the mixture with a spoon, until fragrant, about 15-30 seconds. Stir the mixture into the broccoli. Add the beef back to skillet and toss to combine. Whisk the sauce to recombine and add to the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and evenly distributed, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle with scallions, and serve.

Yield: 6 servings (about 3/4 cup rice with 3/4 cup beef/broccoli)

Nutrition Information (per serving): 431 calories; 7.8 g. fat; 55 mg. cholesterol; 1209 mg. sodium; 61.5 g. carbohydrate; 2.5 g. fiber; 31.1 g. protein

Result: This so closely mimics take-out, you’ll opt for homemade after seeing how simple it is to recreate at home. Plus the savings of calories, fat, and loads of sodium. This meal is filling and reheats great. A definite keeper of a recipe. Enjoy!

[/print_this]

Have a great day!

Be well,