the treadmill diaries

Country Fried Steak - 385 Calories

This Country Fried Steak & Gravy dish is sure to satisfy your comfort food craving when it hits and at only 385 calories per serving you don’t have to feel guilty about indulging.             

Taking only 30 minutes from start to finish, this recipe can be a great winter after-work dinner or it can come in handy on the weekend when you’re lounging around the house.            

Here’s what you’ll need to get started:            

• 1/4 cup refrigerated egg whites
• 2 Tbsp skim milk
• 4 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 lb thinly sliced lean steaks, cut into four 4 oz pieces
• 1 Tbsp Cajun seasoning
• 3 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 package of button mushrooms (16 oz), quartered
• 1 Tbsp ketchup
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1.5 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Making your meal:            

1. Heat 2 tsp olive oil in saucepan over medium-high heat
2. Mix together the egg whites and milk in a bowl
3. Place 3 Tbsp of flour in a flat dish and season with salt and pepper.  Mix
4. Rub steaks on both sides with Cajun seasoning and kosher salt
5. Dredge steaks thru egg mixture, then through flour, and place into heated pan
6. Cook meat on each side for 4-5 minutes until cooked throughout
7. Remove steaks from pan and keep warm
8. Pour last tsp of olive oil into pan and bring up to temperature
9. Add in mushroom caps and saute until tender (couple minutes)
10. Place last Tbsp of flour in with mushrooms and stir for an extra minute
11. Pour in cup of broth, ketchup and Worcestershire and mix
12. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 3-5 minutes until it thickens
13. Salt and pepper gravy to taste
14. Place steak on plate and cover with mushroom gravy

To round out your entrée, consider serving it up with mashed potatoes (garlic-flavored works well), sweet peas, and a mixed green salad with your favorite dressing.  And, feel free to substitute in chicken breast or pork loin for the steak if you’d like to lighten it up even more without losing any of the flavor.            

Mangia and enjoy.