Thai Grilled Beef with String Beans

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs. flank steak
• 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp Asian fish sauce
• 1/4 tsp chili paste or 1 tsp seeded and minced serrano chile
• 1 tsp granular sugar substitute
• 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
• 1 pound green beans, trimmed
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Makes 4 Servings

1. Heat the grill or grillp an to high. Rub steak on both sides with 1 teaspoon of the oil and season with the salt and pepper. Grill until desired doneness, about 4 mintes per side for mediun-rare. Remove from heat and set on a cutting board for 5 minutes.
2. Whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, chili paste, sugar substitute, cilantro and scallions in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
3. Heat a saucepan of salted water until boiling. Add beans and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain.
4. Thinly slice meat across the grain. Toss with lime juice mixture, adding any meat juices that have accumulated on the cutting board; add beans, toss and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 8 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Quick & Easy Cookbook. It was a hot day and I wanted to cook something quick and easy. I am becoming more accustomed to Asian flavors the more I experiement with them. I must say Asian flavors leave a nice, refreshing aftertaste in my mouth. You could order this steak dinner at a restaurant but this dish is easier to make at home. Asian fish sauce sound exotic but you can find it in the Asian or international section of your grocery store. Mint and cilantro are common herbs used in Thai cooking; I highly recommend usgin a combination of mint and cilantro for more of a pick-me-up flavor. I also highly recommend seasoning your steak with garlic because garlic adds flavor and makes everything better.