Healthy Beef and Broccoli

By Barbara Lubbers, Assistant General Manager and Cycling Instructor

A flavorful, quick and easy skillet dinner that comes together in 15 minutes in just one pan!

Servings 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef

1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth

3 tablespoons oyster or hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 cloves garlic minced

1 tablespoon fresh minced/grated ginger OR 1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 (12-ounce) bag frozen broccoli florets

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons cool water

Directions

1. 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil optional Cooked rice Instructions 1. Set a large skillet, saute pan, or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink, breaking apart and stirring as the meat cooks.

2. While the beef is cooking, combine the beef broth, oyster sauce, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes in a bowl or large measuring cup; set aside.

3. After the beef is cooked, push it to the edges of the pan, add the garlic and ginger in the center, and stir for a minute or two until fragrant. Drain the grease from the pan. Add the

sauce and the broccoli to the pan; stir to combine. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook for several minutes (using the cooking time on the package of frozen broccoli as aguide) and stir occasionally until the broccoli is cooked to your desired tenderness.

4. In a small bowl, use a fork to whisk the cornstarch into the water until dissolved. Slowly pour the cornstarch slurry into the pan while stirring the beef and broccoli. Bring to a boil and cook for a minute or two, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened. Stir in the sesame oil, if using, and serve hot over rice or noodles.

Notes

You may use fresh broccoli instead of frozen, or you may substitute other veggies for some/all of the broccoli, such as snow peas, shredded or thinly-sliced carrots, baby corn, or bell peppers. Keep in mind that firmer veggies may require a few extra minutes of simmering to become tender. You can always add a little extra broth if too much sauce is evaporating due to additional cooking time.

If you don’t have fresh ginger on hand, 1 teaspoon ground ginger may be substituted for the 1 tablespoon fresh, though the ginger flavor in the final dish won’t be as strong.

I like to use natural oyster sauce with no added MSG, which I can typically find it at my regular grocery store.

Barbara Lubbers

Barbara has taught group exercise classes at Club Greenwood since 1992 and has served as Director of Group Exercise on two separate occasions. Barbara was promoted to the position of Assistant General Manager in May 2007. She assists and oversees two department managers, concentrating on improving the level of service we provide to our members. She is certified in Personal Training, Lifestyle and Weight Management and Indoor Cycling, and teaching her Spin class is the best part of her week! Barbara and her husband, Steve, married in 1982 and have one son, Travis.