Un-Spanakopita

Since I have to cut down on carbs and fats, I am experimenting with stuff I love in a healthy way. I love spanakopita. Love, love, love it! However, butter filled phyllo dough is right out for my diet, so here is a more healthy alternative that makes a good dinner. You could also let it cool, then cut it into smaller pieces as an appetizer.

Ingredients:

2T olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic
2T white wine
1T dill weed
1T flour
10oz frozen spinach, thawed and drained
4 eggs, beaten
1 c. brown rice, cooked
4oz feta cheese, crumbled

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a frying pan, heat oil and saute onion until translucent. Add garlic, dill weed, and white wine and cook until vegetables are soft. Add four and spinach, and continue cooking until slightly thickened, then remove from heat and allow to cool. In another bowl, beat eggs, brown rice and cheese together. Fold in cooled spinach mixture to the egg/cheese/rice mixture. Pour into a greased 9x13" pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until firm.

Vegetable and Brown Rice Stuffed Flank Steak

Apparently my cooking style is going to be taking a more healthy turn. Less fat, more veggies, leaner meat, and mostly whole grains. Not exactly my choosing, however my blood-sugar is forcing the issue (Pre-Diabetic is a crappy word). I still want to use healthy foods (if someone's great-grandma wouldn't recognize it, I don't want use it). So, in light of this, here's my first diabetes inspired dish.

Ingredients:
1 lb flank steak (trimmed of all fat)
1 c. Italian dressing (I still use homemade, just lowered the amount of olive oil)
2 large carrots, diced
8 oz mushrooms
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. Italian no salt added seasoning (oregano, parsley, rosemary, etc)
1 1/2 c. low fat, low sodium (or homemade) beef broth
1 c. instant brown rice
2 T olive oil

Directions:

Pound flank steak until it is approximately 1/2" thick. Place in a large ziplock bag and pour in dressing. Let marinade for at least 1 hour. Saute carrots, mushrooms, onions and garlic until onions are translucent. Add 1 cup of broth and simmer on low until carrots are tender. Add rice and seasoning, and cook until rice is fluffy. Take steak and lay out flat. Place veggie/rice mixture in the middle of the steak and roll it like a jelly roll. Tie together with kitchen twine or skewer into place. Heat remaining olive oil in an oven proof frying pan. Brown stuffed steak on all sides. Add remaining broth and cook at 325 degrees until steak is cooked (30 minutes for rare, 45 minutes for medium/well). Slice and serve.