Immediate disclaimer: I have not run this recipe through Nutrition Support, as I literally made it up last night … and it was 100% for my hubby who is in maintenance and can have a few extras I have not added back in yet. That said, the protein and veggie servings are completely Lean & Green compliant. It’s just the condiments that might be a bit more than usual. So if you are wanting to make sure you don’t go over on your condiments for the day, you too can submit it to Nutrition Support and find out if it will work with your personal plan.

We are still working our way through a freezer full of elk meat, and I must say, this is probably my favorite cut. If you substitute a different form of protein, please make sure to change your portions accordingly. Elk is extremely lean, and I used the tenderloin steak, which didn’t have a spare ounce of fat on it. One of the most beautiful cuts of meat I have seen in a long time – so tender and tasty. Worked really well with this recipe. If you use a protein that is not as lean, you will want to reduce the amount you use.

Ingredients:

9 oz elk steak tenderloin (cooked size should be 7 oz), cut into bite-sized strips

1 cup sliced bell peppers (I used an assortment of green, red, orange & yellow bell peppers)

1/2 cup sliced white mushrooms

1 tbsp garlic infused olive oil

1 tbsp low-sodium, low-sugar teriyaki sauce

1 tsp low-sodium soy sauce

1 tsp lime juice

pinch of salt & pepper

Directions:

1. Place olive oil in skillet and heat over medium heat. After pan is heated, add strips of elk steak and cook until mostly cooked through. Add a little salt & pepper, to your taste (this step isn’t necessary … unless the food is for someone like my husband!). Leave a little pink, as you really don’t want to overcook a meat this lean.

2. Remove meat from skillet and set aside. Add sliced peppers and saute until they have started softening (about 3-5 minutes).

3. Add mushrooms and continue cooking until mushrooms soften and start to shrink (about 2 minutes).

4. In a small bowl, mix together teriyaki sauce, soy sauce and lime juice. Add to vegetables in pan and toss to thoroughly coat. Lower heat to medium-low.

5. Add steak back into pan and toss to coat. Cook just long enough to heat the meat back up (about 1-2 minutes). Again, do not overcook, because a super lean meat will get tough, chewy and unpalatable. Should still be tender and juicy when you are done.

6. Plate and serve!