Italian Style “Steak” and Zucchini

It is Day Four of my husband’s Atkins Diet and I am already starting to struggle with “What to cook for dinner tonight?” This is largely due to the fact that I refuse to cook two meals.  It is a well known fact that the Atkins Diet is also referred to as the Meat Diet and that doesn’t really fit into my Vegetarian lifestyle! Perhaps if I was a new Vegetarian I might have been able to abandon my whimsy but I have been doing this now for thirty-one years !

So whilst I fretted about what to cook for dinner tonight, I also thought about how I might incorporate a Vegetarian substitute? After flipping through “Atkins The Complete Cookbook” this is what I came up with.

Low Carb Italian Style "Steak" and Zucchini
Low Carb Italian Style "Steak" and Zucchini

1 package Yves Beef Strips
2 large cloves Garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons Salt, divided
dash of Vinegar
Freshly Ground Pepper
Chili Flakes
1 Tablespoon Parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons Basil
1 1/2 Tablespoons Olive Oil, divided
1 large Zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and sliced into half moons
1 Yellow Pepper, cut into thin strips
1 Tomato, diced
1 Tablespoon Chili Sauce

Heat a Tablespoon of olive oil in large non stick skillet over med-high heat.
Add zucchini and yellow pepper, cook for 5 – 8 minutes, turning slices as they brown.
Sprinkle with a bit of salt and a dash of vinegar.
Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
Wipe out skillet, return to heat, add remaining olive oil.
Add Yves Beef Strips and cook over high heat, tossing frequently.
Add chopped tomato, minced garlic, chili sauce, basil and parsley.
Cook until strips are heated through, adding a bit of water to the pan dries out, as needed.

Serve immediately with zucchini.

Enchiladas

A few steps and awfully messy to make these but well worth the effort!


8 Tortillas ( 8″ ones)
1 package Just like Ground Round
1 medium Onion, chopped
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1 cup Monterrey Jack or Colby cheese, grated
2 Tablespoons fresh Parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
Fresh Ground Pepper

Sauce:
 1 800g can Diced tomatoes or Tomato Sauce (puree)
2/3 cup Water
1/3 cup Green Pepper, chopped
1 Tablespoon Adobo Seasoning*
1 clove Garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon Cilantro, chopped
3/4 cup Monterrey Jack or Colby cheese, grated
Sliced Black Olives
Chopped Jalapenos

Mix together Just like Ground Round, chopped onion, sour cream, shredded cheese(s),parsley, S&P; set aside.*(If using ground beef, cook and stir h’burger over med heat just until cooked. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingreds, cover and put in fridge until ready to use.)
In a large shallow fry pan, heat tomatoes, water, chopped green pepper, Adobe Seasoning and garlic to boiling, stirring occasionally; reduce heat.
Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes until slightly thickened.
Remove from heat.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Dip a tortilla into sauce to coat both sides.
Place coated tortilla on working surface, covered with a large piece of baking paper; spoon 1/4 cup of the Just like Ground Round mixture onto tortilla and roll the tortilla around the filling.
Place in 9X13 inch pan that has been lightly sprayed with vegetable oil spray.
Repeat procedure until you have used all the tortillas.
(If you run out of filling and still have a tortilla left, cut the remaining tortilla into three strips, stack, cut the long strip into narrow 3″ strips which you can throw on top of the enchiladas for the baking stage)
Pour remaining sauce over the enchiladas.
Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, sliced black olives, chopped jalapenos, and grated cheese.
Cook uncovered in 350F oven until bubbly, about 20 minutes.
Garnish with sour cream, and chopped green onions, if desired.

Homemade @Adobo Seasoning
1 tablespoon Salt
1 tablespoon Paprika
2 teaspoons ground Black Pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons Onion Powder
1 1/2 teaspoons dried Oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons ground Cumin
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon Chili Powder

Store leftover spice mix in an airtight container.