Recipes created around lean beef

For anyone who has ever thought they should give up beef to meet their heart health and calorie-cutting goals, this is the cookbook for you.

“The Healthy Beef Cookbook: Steaks, Salads, Stir Fry and More – Over 130 Luscious Lean Beef Recipes for Every Occasion,” is the result of the teamwork between the beef industry and registered dietitians.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the American Dietetic Association, with chef Richard Chamberlain and dietitian Betsy Hornick, have created well over 100 recipes for lean beef.

Most of the recipes in the book have fewer than 400 calories per serving. Each one includes a nutrition breakdown so you can track your calories and see how the nutrients stack up to the suggestions in the USDA’s food guide pyramid.

The recipes are simple, with easy-to-find ingredients. There are cooking tips, healthy living tips and serving suggestions for many of the recipes. There are chapters for grilling, main-dish salads, sandwiches, family favorites, one-dish meals, soup, stews and chili, and recipes for entertaining.

The book can be purchased online at the Washington State Beef Commission’s Web site, www.wabeef.org or at www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com. The book also is available at major book retailers and in some supermarkets.

Here’s an example of the recipes in the book:

Farmers’ Market Vegetable, Beef and Brown Rice Salad

From “The Healthy Beef Cookbook,” published by John Wiley & Sons Inc.

This recipe is an excellent source of fiber, protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, iron, selenium and zinc.

1 beef top round steak, cut 3/4-inch thick (about 1 pound)

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 cups asparagus pieces (2-inch pieces)

1 medium yellow squash, cut lengthwise in half, then crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices

3 cups hot cooked brown rice

1 cup diced, seeded tomatoes

1 cup canned garbanzo beans, rinsed, drained

1/4 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon salt

Marinade:

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon honey

2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped

2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Combine marinade ingredients in small bowl. Place beef steak and 1/4 cup marinade in food-safe plastic bag; turn steak to coat. Close bag securely and marinate in refrigerator 6 hours or as long as overnight. Reserve remaining marinade in refrigerator for dressing.

Remove steak from marinade; discard marinade. Place steak on rack in broiler pan so surface of beef is 2 to 3 inches from heat. Broil 12 to 13 minutes for medium rare doneness, turning once. Remove; keep warm.

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add asparagus and squash; cook and stir 7 to 8 minutes or until tender. Toss with rice, tomatoes, beans, basil, salt and reserved marinade in large bowl.

Carve steak into thin slices. Serve over rice salad.

Cook’s Tip: To grill, place steak on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, uncovered, 8 to 9 minutes for medium rare doneness, turning occasionally.

Yield: 4 servings

Nutrition information per serving: 514 calories, 15 grams fat (3 grams saturated fat, 26 percent fat calories), 36 grams protein, 60 grams carbohydrate, 61 milligrams cholesterol, 7.3 grams dietary fiber, 593 milligrams sodium.