Thai Beef with Cucumber Salad

This was taken from Suzanne Somer's Slim & Sexy Forever book, page. 178.

Serves 2

Ingredients for Cucumber Salad

• 1 cucumber, peeled
• 1 Tbspn ginger, freshly grated
• 1 Tbspn fresh mint, finely chopped
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar (or wine vinegar)
• 1 tspn stevia or xylitol
• sea salt & ground pepper to taste

Directions for Cucmber Salad:

• Slice cucumber in half lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, then cut into half moon pieces.  Toss in bowl with ginger, mint, onion, vinegar, and xylitol.  Season with salt & pepper.  Set aside to let flavors combine.

Ingredients for Thai Beef

• 1-8 oz filet mignon (or rib-eye steak)
• 2 Tbspns extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Thai chili, thinly sliced (or serrano or japapeno)
• 1/2 bunch fresh mint leaves, chopped
• 1 Tbspn fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 4 fresh basil leaves, julienned
• juice & zest of 1/4 lime
• Grapeseed oil

Directions for Thai Beef:

• Marinate beef in a resealable plastic bag with olive oil, the chili, mint, cilantro, basil, lime juice and lime zest for 30 min.
• In a medium saute pan, heat grapeseed oil over high heat, then sear the beef for 2 min. on each side for medium rare.  Remove from heat and let rest for 2 min.  Thinly slice against the grain.  Top with a mound of cucumber salad.  You can also spray a George Foreman grill top & bottom with oil and cook for about 2 min. total (quicker cooking.