Italian Beef Salad

May 24, 2015

As far as salads go, this one is a very simple one. It can be made largely of what you have in the freezer and pantry with few fresh vegetables, which makes this a very attractive dish on days when you don't have extra cash for a quick trip to the grocery or when you just don't have the time. It's delicious and in summer time, you can even pick from the garden. Basil is the main herb which grows easily in warm weather.

Italian Beef Salad

GTLF: Main Dish Salads p.

Serves 4, working time, total time

8 oz. penne pasta

10 oz. package frozen Italian green beans, thawed

4 tsp. olive oil

3/4 pound well trimmed sirloin, cut into 2 X 1/4 in. strips

1 onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 carrot, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, finely chopped

1/2 C chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

2 oz. shaved Parmesan cheese

1. In a large pot of boiling water, cook the pasta until just tender. Add the green beans during the last 2 min. of cooking time. Drain well.

2. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil until hot but not smoking over medium heat. Add the beef and cook, stirring frequently, until no longer pink, about 3 min. With a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a plate.

3. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is tender, about 5 min.  Add the carrot and cook, stirring frequently, until the carrot is crisp-tender, about 4 min. Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl and add the tomatoes, basil, vinegar, and salt.

4. Add the pasta, green beans, and beef to the bowl, tossing well to coat. Cool to temperature, divide evenly among 4 plates, top with the Parmesan, and serve.

Nutritional Information: 14 g fat, 521 calories, 4.9 g sat. fat, 65 g carbohydrate, 35 g protein, 63 mg cholesterol, 617 mg sodium

Tips:

1. GTLF suggests that if you can make the salad up to 8 hours in advanced but not to add the Parmesan until just before serving.