Dinner in 20: Easy, Healthy Dinner Recipes

Flank Steak with Caramelized Onions

Makes: 4 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
2 large red onions, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 red or green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 beef flank steak, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
4 7- to 8-inch flour tortillas, warmed
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained, warmed

Directions
1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 7 minutes. Add the bell pepper strips, sage, and oregano. Stirring constantly, cook, uncovered, over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes, until the onions are golden and the peppers are crisp-tender.
2. Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Trim fat from the steak; score on both sides by making shallow cuts at 1-inch intervals in a diamond pattern. Rub with salt and black pepper. Grill 8 to 12 minutes for medium rare or 12 to 15 minutes for medium, turning once.
3. To serve, thinly slice the steak diagonally across the grain and top with the onion mixture. Serve with warm tortillas and black beans on the side.

Nutrition facts per serving: 434 calories, 40g protein, 36g carbohydrate, 15g fat (6.5g saturated), 7g fiber

How to Choose the Best Steak
Need dinner on the table fast? Flank steak is easy to prepare, quick to cook, and low in calories, says Boston-area chef Michael Schlow, author of the cookbook It's About Time. "It absorbs marinades well and grills evenly." Here, Schlow's tips for buying the best steak.

Be picky. Look for a cut that is deep red in color and has white specks of fat, which give the meat flavor.
Buy a thick cut. Choose a steak that's 1 to 2 inches thick so it will be brown on the outside but medium rare on the inside after grilling.
Serve, don't store. The steak will stay fresh for up to three days, but for the juiciest texture and best flavor, marinate and cook it within a day or two of purchase.