As someone who’s Vietnamese, naturally I LOVE Vietnamese food. Unfortunately, since most Vietnamese dishes contain fish sauce (a very potent, salty sauce), Bob tends to not like it so much. Many non-Vietnamese people probably feel the same way. Even so, there are a few dishes that many people, regardless of their cultural background, seem to gravitate towards. One dish is called Pho, a noodle soup with a base made from cooking bone marrow, onions, and ginger. It takes many many hours to get the right flavors for the broth and is served with rice noodles and thinly sliced beef or chicken. Another dish you may have heard of is called Banh Mi. A French-influenced sandwich stuffed with a variety of meats and usually includes an asian mayo, soy sauce, and pickled carrots and daikon. Finally, there is the ever-so-popular Bo Luc Lac or “Shaking Beef.” A dish made with tender, cubed steak and usually served with rice and a vinaigrette salad.
My mom is an EXCEPTIONAL Vietnamese cook. Really, I’m not just saying that because I’m her daughter 🙂 Needless to say, I will never cook at her level by any means. She wakes up in the wee hours of the morning to make the perfect Pho broth and is constantly being praised left and right for her cooking. Well, I won’t be waking up at the break of dawn to cook any time soon but what I can do is make a Dukan-friendly version of this dish: Bo Luc Lac. Do NOT be afraid of the fish sauce, it really gives the dish a great flavor! In fact, one of the winners of Top Chef was a Vietnamese chef that was known to put fish sauce in ALL of his culinary creations!
Vietnamese Shaking Beef / Bo Luc Lac
Ingredients:
2 lbs lean steak, cut into 1 inch cubes
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs splenda brown sugar
1 tbs oyster sauce
1 tbs low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbs fish sauce
1/2 onion, sliced
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate for 1 hour to allow steak to marinate.
Heat a wok/large pan on high heat with cooking spray.
Cook steak/onions in batches to avoid overcrowding the meat. Brown on all sides. (note: you want to cook the meat fast to get the nice brown color while keeping the meat tender)
Optional: Serve with some fresh, sliced cucumbers.
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As a Dukaneer, I have had my share of meatballs (and I’m sure you have, too!). After all, you can season them with just about anything, pop them in the oven and you have yourself a Dukan-friendly meal! But what makes the perfect meatball? I haven’t a clue but what I do know is that these Swedish Meatballs are melt-in-your mouth delicious! The meatballs themselves are tender and flavorful and the sauce is to die for. It may even give Ikea a run for their money 😉
Swedish Meatballs
Meatball Ingredients:
1.5 lbs extra lean ground beef
1 large egg, beaten
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup low-fat parmesan cheese
1/3 cup oat bran
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp oregano
2 tbs dried parsley
Sauce Ingredients:
1/3 cup fat free sour cream
1 (14.5 oz) can fat free beef stock
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste
3 tbs cornstarch, dissolved in 3 tbs hot water
Directions:
Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, mix all ingredients for the meatballs.
Form 2-inch meatballs and place on baking dish. (tip: I found that meatballs come out more tender when I bake them in a muffin pan)
Bake for about 18 minutes.
In a medium pan, heat 2 seconds of cooking spray on medium heat.
Add beef stock. Then, slowly whisk in cornstarch mixture. Bring to a boil.
Turn heat to low and add sour cream, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste.
This recipe may look similar to the Juicy Tri-Tip recipe I posted earlier but the herbs really give it a different flavor. It gives it more of a pesto taste which I just love!
Pesto-Rubbed Tri-Tip
Ingredients:
3 lbs tri-tip roast
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
3 tbs garlic powder
3 tbs dried basil
1.5 tbs dried parsley
1 tsp pepper
Directions:
In a blender or food processor, process soy sauce, lemon juice, worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, basil, parsley, and pepper.
Rub marinade on tri-tip and refrigerate for 6 hours.
So.. Bob loves horseradish and I love garlic. The perfect compromise — Horseradish & Garlic-Crusted Steak! Watch out because this steak is full of flavor but very bold and strong flavors. Lovers of the two main ingredients like Bob and I will gobble this up!
Garlic & Horseradish-Crusted Steak
Ingredients:
3 lbs sirloin steak
1/4 cup dijon mustard
1/2 cup non-creamy horseradish
12 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tbs pepper
salt to taste
cooking spray
Directions:
Combine all ingredients except cooking spray in a bowl. Rub the marinade on the steaks and refrigerate for 2 or more hours.
Preheat broiler at 500 degrees.
Spray a baking dish or sheet with cooking spray and place steaks on top (make sure to have a nice spread of marinade on the steaks). Spray top of steaks as well.
Cook for about 10-20 minutes depending on how well you like your steak cooked.
Just like the Dukan bread and pizza crust recipe, this Dukan-friendly tortilla recipe is a great find. Made with protein powder and oat bran, the tortilla gives you the consistency of a corn tortilla with a saltier flavor. They were just what Bob and I needed for our Taco Friday!
Dukan Tacos on Homemade Tortillas
First, make the Homemade Dukan Tortillas. (makes 4 tortillas)
Ingredients:
1/4 cup oat bran
1 egg
1 scoop unflavored protein powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 cup fat free shredded cheddar cheese
1-2 tbs water
Directions:
Use a food processor to blend together all ingredients except water.
Add about 1-2 tbs water depending on how much you need to create a consistency in the batter that will allow it to be easily poured.
Preheat pan with cooking spray on medium-high heat.
Pour 1/4 of the batter at a time into pan and tilt to form a 5-6 inch tortilla.
Cook for about 2-3 minutes or until a crust forms on the edge. Flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
Then, prepare the ground beef.
Ingredients:
1 lb extra lean ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
2/3 cup water
chopped onions, salsa, fat free sour cream, and fat free cheddar cheese as condiments
Directions:
In a large sauce pan, lightly brown ground beef.
Add 2/3 cup water and taco seasoning. Bring to a boil while stirring.
Reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes.
Serve ground beef and desired condiments on Homemade Dukan Tortillas.
Bob made this for dinner earlier tonight and it-was-gorgeous! I practically inhaled it; it was THAT delicious. So lots of props to Bob for finishing off our festive Fourth of July holiday right!
Juicy Tri-tip Roast
Ingredients:
2 & 1/2 lbs tri-tip roast
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbs worcestershire sauce
2 tbs pepper
2 tbs garlic powder
2 tbs garlic salt
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 white onion, minced
Directions:
Mix all marinade ingredients together in a bowl and rub it on the tri-tip.
Cover and refrigerate for 6 hours.
Roast tri-tip in a roaster at 375 degrees F for 1 hour.
This ultimate burger is made up of a slice of Savory Dukan Bread, alean ground beef patty, fat free cheese, brown sugar bacon, and a sunny-side up egg. Lots of good stuff for such a low-fat burger!
Sunrise Bacon Burger
First, make the Savory Dukan Bread. You can find the recipe here. (note: only slice the bread in two pieces)
Then, follow the recipe below.
Ingredients:
2 slices of Savory Dukan Bread
1/4 cup splenda brown sugar
1/2 tbs dijon mustard
6 oz lean center-cut bacon (6% fat or less)
1/2 lb lean ground beef
1/2 tbs worcestershire sauce
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 ts salt
1/8 ts pepper
2 eggs
2 slices fat free american cheese
ketchup, mustard, and/or low-fat mayo for condiments
Directions:
Preheat oven 400 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with foil and place a cooling rack on top.
In a large zip-lock bag, combine brown sugar, dijon mustard, and bacon. Shake well.
Remove bacon slices and place on rack.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the bacon is nice and brown. Allow bacon to cool on rack once removed from oven.
While bacon is roasting, preheat grill or George Foreman to medium-high heat.
In a bowl, combine ground beef, worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Form two patties and grill for 5 minutes per side or 1-1.5 minutes in a George Foreman.
Meanwhile, cook eggs sunny-side up in a skillet with cooking spray.
Spread desired condiments on each slice of Dukan Bread and top with patty, cheese, bacon, and egg.