LEBANESE BEEF KAFTA
This Lebanese Beef Kafta recipe by Dr. Cindy Tanzar is full of warm spices, fresh herbs, and tender ground beef. Perfect for Standard & Maintenance Plans, it’s a simple, flavorful dish that fits a healthy lifestyle.
CROCKPOT SWISS STEAK
Transform budget-friendly cuts of beef into a tender, fork-worthy delight with this easy Crockpot Swiss Steak recipe! Simply toss everything into your slow cooker without the need for pan-browning, and let it work its magic while you go about your day. This hands-off approach yields a flavorful dish that melts in your mouth and offers delicious leftovers for later. Perfectly seasoned and packed with savory goodness, this Swiss steak is a hassle-free option for busy weeknights or gatherings, ensuring you can enjoy a hearty meal with minimal effort.
FALL SPICED POT ROAST
What a perfect recipe for Fall or Winter! The herbs and spices create a delicious warmth of flavors unlike any other roast you’ve had. Don’t be deterred by all the ingredients, as it is a very simple recipe and so quick to assemble. You will definitely want to keep this one in your meal rotation or for special occasions. It would be perfect for the holidays, too.
ZUCCHINI SPAGHETTI (ZUGHETTI)
Spaghetti is an all-time favorite and a dish many of us eat often, however, it’s not very weight loss friendly. Replacing your pasta with zucchini noodles will really help satisfy your cravings for spaghetti, and help you in finding creative ways to enjoy more vegetables in your diet.
PORTOBELLO BUN BURGERS
This guilt-free recipe is a great way to have your burger on a “bun” without compromising your weight loss. It is also much more flavorful!
TACO SALAD WITH LIME VINAIGRETTE
Savor the fresh crunch and bold spice of this Taco Salad with Lime Vinaigrette. Made with grass-fed beef and a zesty dressing, it’s a satisfying low-carb meal perfect for any day.
STEAK SALAD WITH RASPBERRY BALSAMIC SALSA
Enjoy tender, juicy steak atop fresh greens with a bright raspberry balsamic salsa in this easy-to-make salad. A perfect protein and veggie-packed meal for your healthy eating plan.
CHOPPED “BIG MAC” SALAD
Enjoy all the classic Big Mac flavors in a healthy, plan-friendly salad! This easy recipe by Dr. Cindy Tanzar is perfect for lunch or dinner and is sure to satisfy.
BEEF AND CABBAGE STIR-FRY BOWL
This nourishing Beef and Cabbage Stir-Fry Bowl by Dr. Cindy Tanzar is a fast, flavorful recipe that fits Standard and Maintenance plans—ready in just 20 minutes!
BEEF BURRITO BOWL
Ditch the tortillas but keep all the flavor with Dr. Cindy Tanzar’s Beef Burrito Bowl—a clean, satisfying meal made with real ingredients and bold spices.
CABBAGE BEEF SKILLET (Egg Roll in a Bowl)
This is a great go-to dish when I’m short on time. It’s an Asian-inspired, hearty, low-glycemic recipe that makes great lunchtime leftovers!
CARIBBEAN MUSTARD-LIME FLAT IRON STEAK
This is a recipe we have enjoyed for over two decades. The flavors meld together nicely and provide a wonderful tang to the grilled beef. This original recipe uses honey as an ingredient, but we substituted it with low-glycemic sweeteners. Making a simple substitution enables you to still enjoy the flavors of some of your favorite foods. The longer you marinate the steak, the more intense the flavor will be. You can also make this recipe with chicken, which provides even more of the mustard-lime flavor. It’s truly delicious.
CROCK-POT TEX-MEX POT ROAST
One of the most important ways to stay on plan, is to have quick meals ready for dinner when you get home. Most of us are tired at the end of the day, and that’s where we fall prey to not-so-good choices. Just prepping this recipe adapted from the perfectpantry.com for 15 minutes the night before or in the morning will create a flavorful, ready-to-eat recipe for dinner right out of the crock pot.
CROCK-POT ASIAN POT ROAST
Try this new twist on an ordinary beef roast! Adding Asian flavors is a great way to curb your boredom with the same cuts of meat, and it’s so easy. Serve your roast over cauliflower rice or in a lettuce leaf for lunch leftovers. Fish sauce is used in a lot of Asian cooking. It adds a subtle (non-fishy) flavor to this recipe. Red Boat Fish Sauce can be found most places and is very pure.
CUBAN PICADILLO OVER CAULIFLOWER RICE
Cuban Picadillo is a traditional dish made with ground beef and a variety of wonderful flavors. By taking out the potatoes and raisins usually found in this dish and serving it over cauliflower rice instead of white rice, you can still enjoy authentic Cuban flavors while staying on your GHS weight loss plan.
DIRTY CAULIFLOWER RICE
Louisiana dirty rice is a flavor bomb traditionally made with white rice that gets its “dirty” color from being cooked with pork, beef or chicken, vegetables and several different herbs and spices. This easy recipe is quite satisfying with possibilities for several variations. Don’t let the long list of ingredients scare you – they are mostly herbs/spices. You can sub the burger for six AlFresco Italian Chicken Sausages (casings removed and crumbled) or even part from tradition and reduce the bell pepper or celery by 1/2 cup, the add 1/2 cup diced tomato when you add the cauliflower rice.
FILIPINO SKIRT STEAK (With Cauliflower Fried Rice)
While on a weight loss plan, expanding your taste buds with different flavors is important in order to enjoy variety and keep from getting bored with your food choices. Ethnic foods are the perfect solution to solve this dilemma.
GEMISTA (GREEK STUFFED TOMATOES)
Gemista is a Greek dish that means, “filled with.” It is a delicious summer recipe for oven-baked Greek stuffed tomatoes or other vegetables. There are as many versions of Gemista as there are Greek households. The vegetables can be either filled with rice or potatoes, other vegetables and herbs or combined with ground meat. Either way, it is a great way to enjoy summer tomatoes. This recipe us is a healthy weight-loss version, utilizing cauliflower rice and ground beef (or ground turkey/chicken). There are plenty of servings so you can enjoy leftovers throughout the week.
GRASS-FED LONDON BROIL
Marinades are a great way to help tenderize an ordinarily tougher cut of meat. The key to cooking a London Broil is not to overcook it. Even if you are used to eating your meat well-done, this cut should not be cooked past medium-rare. It will be much more flavorful, as well. Don’t be afraid to try it if you like well-done meat. You will be surprised at how good and tender it is.
PHILLY GROUND BEEF CHEESESTEAK
This recipe uses ground beef for a simple, less expensive version of Philly Cheesesteak. It gives you the flavors of cheesesteak without the high-glycemic carbs that stop weight loss. Since this is a maintenance recipe, you don’t have to be so tight in calculating the exact amount of veggies, etc. It’s just clean eating.
MAINTENANCE ZUCCHINI BOATS
This is a fun, delicious and beautiful dish to serve to family or guests. The recipe is easily doubled for plenty of leftovers. It is a maintenance dish because of the cheese, so portion sizes are not exact.
GRILLED CHICKEN OR BEEF TERIYAKI
It’s grilling season! Looking for something new? Try this tasty way to grill your dinner. Grill your veggies at the same time and clean-up will be a breeze!
PEPPERCORN ROASTED BEEF TENDERLOIN
Beef tenderloin is an incredibly flavorful, melt-in-your-mouth dish that is easily the star of any Christmas dinner menu. It is beyond simple to prepare, using only a few ingredients and minimal roasting time. Beef tenderloin is one of those dishes that gives the impression of hours of kitchen time, when very little effort is required. It is usually best prepared medium-rare (try it, you won’t be disappointed), but will still remain tender with longer roasting.
SLOW-COOKER MISSISSIPPI POT ROAST with Ranch Seasoning
SLOW-COOKER MISSISSIPPI POT ROAST with Ranch Dressing by Dr. Cindy Tanzar Plan: (Standard) Serving information: Makes 12-16 servings. One serving is 3 oz cooked roast and covers your protein for one meal. Mississippi Pot Roast is a classic recipe and a must in every recipe collection. It is so easy and loaded with flavor. This […]
SLOW-COOKER BARBACOA
Barbacoa (Spanish for barbecue) is a popular Mexican dish used as a filling in many dishes, including tacos, burritos, in a bowl or on salads. You may be familiar with it as an option at Chipotle restaurant. It is typically beef, but other meats can be used, as well. Barbacoa has a smoky flavor with a smoldering, spicy kick of heat. The sauce can be served on the side; however, you can also spoon it over your meat or drench it in the slow-cooker. Chipotle peppers in Adobo Sauce at the store usually contain sugar or unhealthy oils, so we have provided you with a quick and easy recipe to make as a substitute. It’s great served over cauliflower rice with butter, chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime.
STEAK WITH HERBED OR MUSHROOM BUTTER
Savor the melt-in-your-mouth goodness of steak topped with rich herbed or mushroom butter, a classic combination that transforms any meal into a celebration of flavor. Dr. Cindy Tanzar’s Steak with Herbed or Mushroom Butter is a perfect harmony of perfectly seared beef and velvety toppings that deliver an explosion of umami and herbaceous notes. The striking contrast of the tender steak with the creamy, aromatic butters creates a dining experience that’s both satisfying and gourmet. Simply sear your choice of steak to juicy perfection and let the luxurious butter melt on top, infusing every bite with rich, savory goodness. Perfect for those pursuing a nourishing diet without sacrificing taste, this dish is bound to become a favorite at your table!
STUFFED EGGPLANT
We get a lot of requests for maintenance recipes, and this dish provides that option. Eggplant is one of our family favorites. It is easy to grill, sauté or bake and can add more options to your vegetable choices. You can easily halve this recipe, if you don’t need as much. To enjoy this dish while on plan, just leave off the cheese and limit the amount in your serving.
STUFFED PEPPERS
Stuffed Peppers are a classic favorite that are perfect for the fall and winter months ahead. They are an easy meal to prepare that provides great leftover meals during the week and can also be made ahead of time or frozen. Stuffed peppers are even better the next day. You can vary the ingredients to bring variety to your menu, too. Use ground beef, turkey or chicken or cauliflower rice instead of zucchini. You can omit the mushrooms if you’re not a fan and add more zucchini or cauliflower rice or mix both.
STUFFED SPAGHETTI SQUASH WITH TOMATOES AND GROUND BEEF
Discover the joy of flavorful and satisfying meals with Dr. Cindy Tanzar’s Stuffed Spaghetti Squash with Tomatoes and Ground Beef. This delightful recipe showcases the unique versatility of spaghetti squash, artfully transforming it into a warm, inviting vessel for a savory mix of ground beef, vibrant vegetables, and the comforting essence of Italian herbs. As the squash roasts in the oven, it becomes tender and easily scraped into “noodles,” providing a nutritious base that perfectly complements the rich meat sauce. With each bite, you’ll experience a harmonious blend of textures and flavors, ideal for those adhering to standard or maintenance meal plans. This dish promises not just a wholesome eating experience but also the satisfaction of indulging in a classic comfort food without the guilt. Serve it as a stand-alone centerpiece or dress it up with parmesan cheese for added richness—either way, it’s sure to please!
SWEDISH MEATBALLS
This recipe is a perfect, hearty, cold-weather dish that tastes amazing. The spices create a wonderful flavor to the meatballs, and the gravy is also very flavorful, rich and creamy. It would be delicious served over mashed cauliflower or with roasted winter squash on the side. You may want to double this recipe, as they are even better leftover for quick meals.
WINTER VEGETABLE AND BEEF STIR FRY
Transport your taste buds to a cozy kitchen filled with the aromas of ginger and garlic with this Winter Vegetable and Beef Stir Fry. In just a matter of minutes, you can whip up a nourishing dish that celebrates the bounty of winter vegetables. The slight heat from red pepper flakes combined with the brightness of lime juice creates a perfect harmony of flavors that elevate this stir fry beyond the ordinary. Ideal for meal prep or a last-minute dinner, this recipe maintains a balance of protein and colorful vegetables, making it a staple for anyone looking to embrace a healthful lifestyle during the colder months. Enjoy the simplicity and warmth of this nourishing bowl, one delicious bite at a time!
COCKTAIL FRANKS
Also known as Little Smokies, cocktail franks are a party favorite and perfect appetizer for the holidays. This recipe, however, avoids the sugar-laden grape jelly and barbeque sauce that is commonly used in this dish, but still maintains the sweet and tangy flavor you crave. You could always skip the sauce recipe and use our barbeque recipe as well. Avoid Hillshire Farms franks and those with preservatives, sugars and artificial ingredients. Instead, opt for Boars Head Uncured Cocktail Beef Franks, Trader Joe’s Uncured Beef Franks, or other brands that are uncured and clean. This recipe can be eaten as part of a meal with one serving being 3 oz of protein, a maintenance recipe or as a special occasion appetizer.