SALISBURY STEAKS WITH RICH BROWN GRAVY AND HORSERADISH SMASHED POTATOES

No! I have not fallen off the wagon. This delicious dinner was very much on program, though you'd never guess it was low fat and low calorie. Last year I bought a cookbook entitled The Most Decadent Diet Ever by the author of The Biggest Loser Cookbook, Devin Alexander. It must have gotten pushed to the back of the cabinet where I've kept my cookbooks since we moved into this house (that is finally being remedied this weekend as Larry stains and finishes my new kitchen bookcase). I'm so glad I was rooting around in that cabinet because this is a nearly "virgin" cookbook. I've only made one other recipe, for macaroni and cheese with Polish sausage, which I gave a good rating.

The salisbury steaks were absolutely delicious as was the brown gravy. The dish went together very quickly. I prepped everything in about 10 minutes. The steaks cook for just 15 minutes. Similarly, the smashed potatoes require very little prep and minimal cooking time. Served with a tomato and red onion salad and roasted asparagus, this menu is a great weekday meal for 2-4, depending on your appetite. It can easily be doubled as well.

Salisbury Steaks with Rich Brown Gravy - 4 servings, 4 WW points per serving
1/3 cup egg substitute
1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
2 tbs onion soup mix
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbs dried minced onion
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 lb 96% lean ground beef
3 tbs all purpose flour, divided
1 cup fat free, lower sodium beef broth
2 tbs ketchup
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
olive oil spray
1 onion sliced and separated into rings (about 3 1/2 cups)

Combine the egg substitute and the oats in a medium sized mixing bowl and let stand for 3 minutes to soften the oats. Add the onion soup mix, garlic powder, minced onion, pepper, and beef and mix until well-combined. Shape into 4 oval patties, about 3 inches by 4 1/2 inches.

Put 2 tbs of the flour in a shallow bowl and carefully dredge the 4 patties in the flour, coating all sides and shaking off the excess. Put the remaining flour in a medium sized mixing bowl and slowly whisk in enough of the broth to make a paste. Slowly whisk in the remaining broth, then the ketchup and Worcestershire sauce until well combined. Set aside.

Preheat a large, nonstick skillet to medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, lightly mist it with spray. Put in the patties, side by side. Brown on both sides. Pour the broth mixture into the skillet. Add the onion rings to the skillet and use a wooden spoon to stir them gently into the sauce. Be careful not to break the patties apart. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 15-20 minutes, flipping the patties halfway through.

Transfer the patties to a platter and spoon over the gravy and onions. Serve immediately. One serving is a patty and 1/4 of the sauce and onions.

Horseradish Smashed Potatoes - 5 Servings, 2 WW points per serving
1 lb unpeeled red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
3 tbs fat free half and half
2 1/2 tbs light butter
1 tbs bottled horseradish, or more to taste
black pepper

Place the potatoes in a medium pot. Add enough cold water to cover the potatoes by 2 inches. Place the pot over high heat and add 1 tsp salt. Bring the water to a boil and cook the potatoes, covered, until tender, 20-25 minutes.

Just before the potatoes are cooked, combine the half and half, butter, and horseradish in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on low until the butter is melted.

Drain the potatoes and transfer to a medium mixing bowl. Use a potato masher or a large fork to smash them slightly. Pour in the half and half/butter/horseradish mixture and continue to mix until the potatoes are smashed, leaving lumps. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately. One portion is approximately 1/3 cup.
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TASTE NOTES
Larry and I both agreed that this dinner was a winning combination of comfort foods. If I eat sauces and gravies at all, it is always on the side. That is a preference, not a weight loss strategy for me. I used to eat my turkey with no gravy on it at all, something my mother could never understand. This gravy appealed to me because it was thick and simultaneously sweet from the ketchup and tart from the Worcestershire. I would prefer this salisbury steak to meatloaf anytime. As for the smashed potatoes, while I stuck with the small portion, the taste was large. I've always preferred lumps in my mashed potatoes so I embrace any type of smashed potato. I added extra horseradish because we both love the taste.

I wish my camera were working because it was a good looking dinner as well. I hope to have my camera repaired, but if that is not to be, I'll be shopping for a new one this weekend.