Wilted Spinach Salad, Sauteed Mushrooms

Petite Grilled Sirloin, Sauteed Mushrooms, Sweet Potato and Wilted Spinach Salad

Welcome to day two of my new venture into blogging.  I had planned to cook and post another one of my favorite low carb dinner recipes but to my pleasure I enjoyed a lunch and movie day with friends, so on to plan B.   With any healthy eating plan whether low carb or other another plan flexibility and planning are a must for success.   My first suggestion is to always go online and check out the nutritional menu and select several choices that will fit your eating lifestyle.  This is a good idea to do for all restaurants you frequently dine at and you will always be prepared with several choices. 

This year in addition to eating low carb I am committed to focusing on how to save money while still enjoying dining out.  Today’s lunch date was at Ruby Tuesday’s Restaurant.  To accomplish these goals I chose the grilled petite sirloin with broccoli and salad bar and then added a jumbo shrimp skewer.  Voila…. lunch and dinner for today and enough salad for a side dish tomorrow.
   

For dinner I add a baked sweet potato and sauteed mushrooms to the steak I brought home.  Warm Bacon Balsamic vinaigrette for the salad  and a little fresh grated Parmesan for the broccoli added a special touch. Use what you have on hand at home and go with your imagination.

Success…..stayed on low carb and saved money!    Life is Good! ! ! ! !

Cheers,   Kathy 

Wilted Spinach Salad

Wilted Spinach Salad

      

Baby Spinach Leaves

Thinly sliced red onion

Feta Cheese 

Crumbled Bacon

Warm Bacon Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

Semi Homemade Warm Bacon Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

1/4 cup of Sugar Free Fat Free bottled Balsamic Vinaigrette ( I prefer Maple Grove Farms)

1 slice of bacon

Bacon fat or 1/4 cup of olive oil

1 tsp. Splenda

Cut bacon strip in half and cook in a small saute pan until crisp.  Remove bacon from pan and remove pan from heat.  Stir 1/4 cup or a little more of  the Vinaigrette  and 1 tsp. of Splenda into the remaining bacon fat just until blended.  You may drain bacon fat off and add a little olive oil or even water if your prefer. 

For an individual serving drizzle 1 or 2 tsp over spinach leaves and then other ingredients.

Sauteed Mushrooms

1 cup of sliced mushrooms clean and dry (I used baby portabello)

1 spring onion sliced thinly

1 Tbls. butter

salt and pepper

1/4 cup of wine or less ( red or white)

Melt butter in skillet, add mushrooms in a single layer (Julia Child always said never to crowd the mushrooms) and cook 3-4 minutes on med high heat.  Add spring onions, salt, and pepper and cook another couple of minutes.  Remove from heat and add a splash of wine to deglaze pan.  Serve over or beside steak.

Baked Sweet Potato 

So good, so sweet, so simple.

Wash sweet potato and pat dry.  Cut in half and place cut side down onto baking sheet with a very little olive oil to prevent sticking.  Bake at 400 for about 30 minutes until soft and caramelized (cooking time will depend on size of the sweet potato).  

I love this plain hot from the oven but you could add salt, pepper, pat of butter, or sprinkle of splenda and cinnamon.  Sweet Potatoes are a healthy low carb choice but I limit to only once or twice a week.

Eat Well, Live Happy!