Spicy Orange Beef

This recipe is from a surprisingly good cookbook, Weight Watchers Take Out Tonight. The cookbook attempts to recreate take out/restaurant food on a calorie budget. This is one of our favorites: it's delicious, lovely on the plate, and healthy. You can be a little more generous with the vegetables.

I'm not sure if she'd find it too spicy, but if not, it's a great meal served with brown rice for my sister, the Extreme Weight Loss Champion of the World! You can read about Kristen's amazing journey at http://www.phatband.blogspot.com/

Spicy Orange Beef with Vegetables

3/4 pound beef top round, trimmed of fat, cut into thin strips cut against the grain
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
1/2 cup low-sodium beef broth
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce Sriracha is the brand to look for
4 teaspoons canola oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1/4 pound green beans, halved crosswise
1 red bell pepper, seeded, cut into thin strips
1 carrot, cut into matchstick-thin strips

Combine beef, 1 tablespoon cornstarch and orange rind in medium bowl. Toss well to coat and set aside.

Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch, broth, orange juice, soy sauce, sugar and chili-garlic sauce in small bowl. Set aside.

Heat nonstick wok over medium-high heat. Swirl in 2 teaspoons oil. Add beef. Stir-fry until cooked, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to plate.

Swirl 2 teaspoons oil and add ginger. Stir-fry until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add vegetables, cook 2-3 minutes, until crisp-tender.

Add broth mixture, cook, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens, about 1 minute.
Add beef and cook until hot, about 1 minute.

Serving: 1 cup Calories: 227