Shepard's Pie, Lightened Up

Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 10.5 oz • Old Points: 6 pts • Points+: 7 pts
Calories: 290.5 • Fat: 11.1 g • Protein: 16.8 g • Carb: 31.5 g • Fiber: 4.9 g

Potatoes:
1-1/2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, diced
3/4 cup fat free chicken broth
2 tbsp fat free sour cream
salt and pepper
paprika

Filling:
1 lb 95% lean ground beef
1 tsp oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 cloves garlic, diced
8 oz mushrooms, diced
10 oz frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, corn, peas, green beans, baby lima beans)
2 tbsp flour
1 cup fat free beef broth
2 tsp tomato paste
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp freshly chopped rosemary leaves
1 tsp freshly chopped thyme leaves
salt and pepper
Boil potatoes in water until cooked and soft. Drain and mash with chicken broth, sour cream, salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 400°.

In a large saute pan brown meat. Season with salt and pepper. When cooked, set aside on a plate. Discard any fat in the pan, add oil, onion and garlic and sauté on medium heat about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and celery and sauté another 3-4 minutes. Add flour, salt and pepper and mix well. Add frozen vegetables, beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, thyme, chopped meat and mix well. Simmer on low about 5-10 minutes.

Spread the meat mixture on the bottom of a 11x7 glass baking dish. Top with mashed potatoes, using a fork to scrape the top to make ridges and sprinkle with paprika. Bake 20 minutes or until potatoes turn golden. Remove from oven and let it cool 10-15 minutes before serving.

Barbacoa Beef

Servings: 9 • Serving Size: 4 oz • Points: 4 ww pts
Calories: 161.4 • Fat: 5.0g • Protein: 24.9 g • Carb: 2.8 g • Fiber: 0.7 g
3 lbs beef eye of round or bottom round roast, all fat trimmed
5 cloves garlic
1/2 medium onion
1/2 lime, juice
2-4 chiptoles in adobo sauce (to taste)
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground oregano
1/2 tsp ground cloves
salt and pepper
3 bay leaves
1 tsp oil
1 cup water
Place garlic, onion, lime juice, cumin, oregano, chiptoles, cloves in a blender.

Trim all fat off meat, cut into 4 inch chunks. Season with salt and pepper and brown on high heat in 1 tsp oil. Add liquefied spices, water, bay leaves and simmer on low two hours in a pressure cooker. (If you are making this in a regular pot, you will have to double the cooking time to at least 4 hours or more, covered on low flame and add more water from time to time to make sure it doesn't dry out.)

Once cooked and the meat is tender, remove the meat and place in a dish. Shred it with two forks, and reserve the liquid for later (discard the bay leaf). Return the shredded meat to the pot, adjust salt and cumin (you may need to add more) to taste and add some of the reserved liquid back. Simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes to let the flavors penetrate.

Contemporary Peppered Chopped Steak (4 servings, 6 pts)

1 lb 96% lean ground beef
¾ cup cooked brown rice
6 tbsp minced fresh parsley
salt, pepper
olive oil spray
2 cups thinly sliced sweet onion rings
1 1/3 cup 100% grape juice (or 10 oz bottle)
¼ cup balsamic vinegar

In large bowl mix beef, rice, 5 tbsp of parsley, and salt until well combined. Divide mixture into 4 equal portions. On high heat, mist skillet with olive oil. Cook each side 2 to 4 minutes. Remove and cover. Remist pan and add onions and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add grape juice and vinegar and return to high. Boil for 10 minutes. Serve with sauce over.