Since I had no idea what I was going to be having for lunch with my Mom yesterday, I played it safe and had a five point breakfast. I made up a bunch of waffles and took one from the freezer and popped it in the toaster – it takes a couple times to thaw and cook it from the freezer, but it tastes as if I just made them. Sliced banana and 1 point of Smuckers sugar free pancake syrup, and breakfast was 5 points and delish. By the way, I think Smuckers is the best sugar free syrup of the lot, and I’ve tried them all.
I picked my Mom up and we headed to her club. It’s a great organization steeped in history. The first president of the club was in 1891!
The first half hour was a meet and greet and my Mom introduced me to her friends that I hadn’t met yet. I am not lying when I say that several of them said “oh it’s so nice to meet you, I’ve heard so much about you.” Thus proving, once again, that I am Mom’s favorite.
The lunch that was served was a Cobb Salad, and I’ve never met a Cobb salad I didn’t like. Except ew to the cherry tomatoes – can’t do those. I ate a little over half – there was blue cheese and regular dressing, so I called it 12 points.
The program that followed was fascinating. It was a story telling/piano playing duo that was from the point of view of Mozart’s sister – Maria Anna Walburga Ignatia Mozart.
She was equally as talented as her younger brother, but once she reached the age of 15, she was “marriageable” and no longer able to perform with her brother. I also had no idea that Mozart died at age 35. It was a lovely afternoon – thanks for inviting me Momma!
When I got home, my next door neighbor was mowing my lawn. He’s 9 and can’t get over the fact that he gets paid $10 to ride a tractor over my lawn. He does a pretty good job, but his Dad will finish the job for the parts that he misses – it’s wonderful to have neighbors like that.
Hannah was at work, so it was just me and Jacob. I started rattling off things I could make and he decided on pulled pork quesadillas. When I was pulling out the pork I realized I had defrosted a steak a couple days ago that had to be used up. I then saw mushrooms, and while a steak with sauteed mushrooms seemed the obvious choice, this was one of the steaks that I got from the Fresh Market from my primal cut that wasn’t cut all that well and had to be used for stir fry or something like that.
My thought quickly turned to pasta, but I didn’t think beef and mushrooms belonged in a red sauce, so I made a mustard and balsamic sauce that was so good – perfect marriage with beef and mushrooms.
Beef and Mushroom Pasta
Hearty and protein packed pasta with a balsamic mustard sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces orecciette pasta (or pasta of choice)
- 4 ounces beef, sliced into bite sized pieces
- 1/4 cup mushrooms, sliced
- 1/3 cup zucchini, sliced
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon balsamic glaze
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/2 cup pasta water
- pinch of crushed red peppers
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions and drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
- In a skillet over medium heat, sauté the mushroom and zucchini for about 5 minutes in some avocado oil spray. While that's cooking, mix the pasta water, mustard, balsamic glaze and corn starch together.
- Remove the veggies from the pan, turn the heat to medium high, add another spray of avocao oil, and cook the beef for 2 minutes.
- Add the veggies back to the pan with the beef, add the sauce, and cook for an additional few minutes until the sauce is thickened. Garnish with crushed red pepper.
Notes
To check the WW points for your plan, click HERE 🙂
This was so good – so beefy! This turned out to be 12 smart points and super filling. And I love how the pasta held onto the sauce.
Sorry this is published later than usual – I forgot to hit publish after I wrote it! Make it a great day!
LOL at the cherry tomatoes comment above from you. I love cherry tomatoes.
What a wonderful and interesting afternoon you had with your mom.
What?! No cherry tomatoes? I had no idea.
They are my favorite. I can eat them like candy!
It’s the tomato seeds that gross me out – I can do diced tomatoes, but no seeds please! 😛
I will have to try it after this bottle is used up?
I’m new to sf syrup but I bought carys brand and I like it. I was kind of expecting a nasty aftertaste but it’s not bad at all!
Cary’s used to be my go to because of the cost – but Smucker’s has a thicker texture like real maple syrup that I love 😀
Making the red curry dish from yesterday but using shrimp. We love red curry for we finally get it hot enough to make our eyes and noses run! Thanks for the recipe and this Beef dish is something I want to try soon. Know you are gonna get a great job you love for your talents are amazing. And I really do mean that!! Wow!
Joyce – thank you so much for this comment – next time I make it I’ll use shrimp! 😀 Thanks for having such confidence in me!
Hi! Have you tried Joseph’s sugar free syrup? IMO, it is the BEST! 🙂 I order it online, because it’s hard to find in the stores, but I really think it’s the best tasting (and has the closest consistency to the real thing).
Hey Michelle! Nope, never heard of it, but I’ll check it out 😀
That Beef and mushroom pasta looks delicious. But did Jacob get his pork quesadillas or did he get beef and mushroom pasta instead??? Have a great day….oh that is great that the kid next store does your lawn. Today is JP’s birthday….I need to figure out something special to make for him….maybe steak and mushroom pasta??????
Happy birthday to JP! Yes, Jacob got his pork and cheese quesadilla – declared it delicious 😀 I loved the tanginess of this beef and mushroom pasta and somehow with the mustard and balsamic glaze it made it so beefy!