Steak Supper



Filet mignon steaks.  To compare, the largest is 6 ounces, then
5 ounces, 4 ounces, and the smallest is 3 ounces.

If you are a big meat lover, then the 6-ounce steak must look delicious. In reality, the 3-ounce steak is best for women and 4 ounces for men. A typical restaurant serves an 8-ounce (or larger) steak for dinners. That is twice as much as one needs! Sounds like a good time to share your meal with another person at the table.

A 3-ounce steak supper is shown here.  Note how full the plate looks!

The dinner shown above includes 1/2 cup of roasted new potatoes, lots of tossed green salad, 1/2 cup of sauteed zucchini, carrots and leeks, and the grilled steak.

The steak was cooked on a grill and seasoned lightly with salt and pepper.

The sauteed vegetables were cooked in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. I started with cooking sliced leeks for a minute, added carrot slices and cooked for another minute, then added the zucchini slices and finished cooking when the zucchini was tender.

The new potatoes were cut into even sizes, placed in a baking pan, and seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper. These cooked for 25 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

The salad included avocado and light vinaigrette.

Total calories for this meal is about 550. Beef steaks have approximately 70 calories per ounce. With the 3-ounce steak, that is only 210 calories. But with the 6 or 8-ounce steak, the beef comprises the majority of calories consumed for a meal. Balance is the key to good nutrition. Make sure to round out your meats with two vegetable side dishes and a whole grain or potato. No bread is needed here.

Alpha note:  Beef should not be eaten daily.  Your primary proteins should come from chicken, fish, tofu, and other foods.  A 3-ounce steak contains about 70 mg of cholesterol.  That is a high number to come from just one food, especially if you are on a restricted diet.  Make the meat a rare treat.

- Kim Fielding