Flat Belly Diet - Guilt-Free Fries

Guilt-Free Fries

1 large sweet potato and 1 large russet baking potato (1 1/2 pounds total), peeled and sliced into thin strips
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat the oven to 450°F.
In a bowl, toss together the potatoes, oil, chili powder, garlic powder, and cumin. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes. Halfway through, turn the fries over and continue baking.
Remove the fries from the oven and place them on several layers of paper towels. Sprinkle with the salt.

Flat Belly Diet - Balsamic Flank Steak

Now this is what a "diet" should taste like! This meal was sooooo yummy! The recipe calls for the meat to marinade for a minimum of one hour, but I highly recommend marinading it at least overnight, if not 24 hours. Flank steak is a tougher cut of the meet and the longer you can let it sit in the marinade, the more tender and better flavored it will turn out. I served the steak with guilt-free fries (see tomorrow's post for that recipe!) and a simple ranch chopped salad from Dole.

Basic Balsamic Flank Steak

1 whole flank steak (1 1/2 pounds)
2/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon black pepper
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup olive oil

Poke the meat with a fork to help the marinade penetrate. Mix the remaining ingredients in a large resealable bag. Drop the steak into the bag, seal, and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 24 hours. 

Preheat a grill to medium for direct heat. Remove the meat from the bag, reserving the marinade. Grill the meat for 6 to 8 minutes per side or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 145°F for medium rare. In a small saucepan, boil the reserved marinade for 5 minutes. 

Slice the meat diagonally across the grain in thin slices and drizzle with the marinade. Divide evenly onto 4 plates.