Mongolian Beef

I feel like meat has been a little under represented in the blog and I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea about my status as a self-respecting carnivore.  Enter this next recipe.  Pulled from the Cooking Light: Fresh Food Fast cookbook, (one of my very favorites from my glutenous days, and still very adaptable) this is one of those meals that Joey and I fight over who gets the leftovers (since there's never enough left for both of us!)

Mongolian Beef

1 lb. of flank steak, trimmed and cut into thin slices
cooking spray (I use a little olive oil)
1/3 cup hoisin sauce (make sure yours is gluten free - I use the Sun Luck brand)
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (or to taste if you want it more/less spicy)
4 green onions

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Coat steak with cooking spray (or olive oil).  Cook steak in pan over medium-high heat 3 minutes or until browned and liquid has almost evaporated, stirring occasionally.
2.  While steak cooks, combine hoisin sauce and next 5 ingredients in a small bowl.  Cut onions crosswise into 1-inch pieces.  Add sauce mixture and onions to meat in pan; cook 1 to 2 minutes or until sauce is slightly reduced (do not overcook meat).  Serve immediately.

I like to have the sauce made before I start cooking the meat - I find I am less stressed while cooking if I don't have to worry about grating ginger while I'm supposed to be not overcooking the meat.  I like to serve with sticky rice and Sesame Buttered Broccoli.

Sesame Buttered Broccoli

1 1/2 lbs broccoli, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces (about 4 cups)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons soy sauce (make sure it's gluten free!)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Cook/steam/boil your broccoli however you normally do.  Mix the rest of the ingredients in a small bowl.  Toss with the broccoli to coat, and serve.  Note - I usually cut the recipe in half.