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300-Calorie Pork and Beef Recipes

300-Calorie Pork and Beef Recipes

July 25, 2016

Photo: John Autry

Every diet begins with watching what you eat. Counting calories is key whether you're maintaining a healthy weight or working to shed a few pounds. Fortunately, there's an easier way to go about the math than tracking down nutritional info and logging every bite: build a strong portfolio of delicious low-calorie meals and let it do the work for you. We'll get you started with this collection of pork and beef recipes that are short on calories but big on flavor. The only arithmetic you'll be responsible for is subtracting pounds.

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Grass-Fed Beef Sirloin Kebabs

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Grass-Fed Beef Sirloin Kebabs

Cubes of grass-fed sirloin can be a little tough and chewy—but thin slices stay tender and cook quickly. Feel free to prep the sauce and skewer the beef ahead of time.

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Roasted Goat Cheese-Stuffed Portobellos

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez

View Recipe: Roasted Goat Cheese-Stuffed Portobellos

Serve with a mixture of sautéed sliced snap peas, radishes, and hot cooked brown rice. To make this a vegetarian main, simply skip the prosciutto.

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Red Wine-Marinated Steak With Balsamic Onions and Slaw

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Red Wine-Marinated Steak With Balsamic Onions and Slaw

Cook this with either hanger or flank steak, whichever you prefer. The onions add a hit of umami, but feel free to omit them.

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Grilled Pork Adobo

Photo: Victor Protasio

View Recipe: Grilled Pork Adobo

We cook the marinade down so none of the flavors go to waste.

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Grilled Chile-Lime Flank Steak

Photo: Caitlin Bensel

View Recipe: Grilled Chile-Lime Flank Steak

Garnish the steak with fresh red onion, cilantro, garlic, and lime for a great look and a bit of extra flavor in every bite.

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Pork Medallions with Red Wine-Cherry Sauce

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Pork Medallions with Red Wine-Cherry Sauce

The pan sauce gets its concentrated fruit flavor, body, and thickness from tart-sweet cherry preserves, a great complement to the pork and red wine. Try a Merlot or Cabernet for the wine, or sub in unsalted chicken stock.

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Olive Oil-Basted Grass-Fed Strip Steak

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Olive Oil-Basted Grass-Fed Strip Steak

Brushing healthy fat like olive oil onto sizzling grass-fed steak keeps the lean meat juicy and adds rich flavor. We developed this technique specifically for lean grass-fed steaks. Turn them frequently to cook evenly and prevent the exterior from toughening. Baste after every turn so the sizzling surface stays moist.

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Seared Pork Chops with Poblano Peperonata

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez

View Recipe: Seared Pork Chops with Poblano Peperonata

A sautéed mix of peppers spiked with vinegar adds instant interest to the pork. Skip the poblano and use just the bell peppers if you like.

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Smashed Double Cheeseburger Sliders

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Smashed Double Cheeseburger Sliders

You can easily make these on the grill instead of the stovetop. Just preheat the grill to high, and set a cast-iron skillet on the grill grate to preheat also. Be careful when touching the skillet, as the handle will be extremely hot. A pinch of sugar in the beef patty mixture helps deliver deep-brown, caramelized crust to the burgers without making them taste sweet.

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Grass-Fed Flat Iron Steak With Grilled Ratatouille

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Grass-Fed Flat Iron Steak With Grilled Ratatouille

Pounding the flat iron steak breaks down the muscle fibers and tenderizes the meat. Grain-fed flat iron steaks are a relatively tender cut. But with grass-fed steak's lower fat content, we find pounding the meat before cooking ensures tenderness. It also helps the steaks cook quickly—they only need about 3 minutes on a searing hot grill to hit medium-rare.

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Spanish Chorizo Corn Cakes

Photo: Caitlin Bensel

View Recipe: Spanish Chorizo Corn Cakes

Is there any time of day when a pancake isn't welcome at the table? These sweet and savory cakes are a scrumptious choice for breakfast, dinner, or a quick snack on the go. Keep warm and toasty by placing them in a single layer on a baking sheet in a 200°F oven for up to 30 minutes. Reheating is as easy as popping frozen cakes in the toaster, making them ideal for quick weekday meals.

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Seared Cajun-Style Steak with Green Tomato Relish

Photo: Victor Protasio

View Recipe: Seared Cajun-Style Steak with Green Tomato Relish

Many seasoning blends now offer low- or no-salt options, making spice rubs an easy, instant way to spruce up quickly seared chicken, seafood, or steak without overdoing the sodium.

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Pan-Roasted Pork With Baby Vegetable Salad

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Pan-Roasted Pork With Baby Vegetable Salad

A mandoline is the best tool for shaving the vegetables into thin, even slices, but the salad would be just as delicious with thinner shaved ribbons (using a vegetable peeler) or slightly thicker slices (using a sharp knife). If you don't have pecorino romano, you can substitute, you can substitute Parmesan cheese.

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Beef Tenderloin With Balsamic Asparagus

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Beef Tenderloin With Balsamic Asparagus

Beef tenderloin steaks are often considered a special-occasion cut, but when they go on sale (or you're ready for a splurge), this classic preparation is foolproof. Use a timer rather than turning, prodding, or overcooking the steaks, and set the timer again while they rest so you don't slice too soon.

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Pork Loin Stuffed with Spinach and Goat Cheese

Photo: Victor Protasio

View Recipe: Pork Loin Stuffed with Spinach and Goat Cheese

High-flavor ingredients embellish a lean cut in this elegant slow cooker main. A sophisticated stuffing of creamy goat cheese, silky spinach, and lemony herbs give this lean and mighty pork loin 5-star flavor. Topped with apricot-infused sweet and sour sauce, we tip our hats to the slow cooker for coaxing out this degree of decadence.

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Honey-Baked Pork Roast

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez

View Recipe: Honey-Baked Pork Roast

Instead of the traditional cured ham that's full of sodium and nitrates, bake the flavors of honey-baked ham into a pork picnic roast. You can season it up to 2 days in advance for even better flavor. The cooked roast cuts like ham, with firm, juicy slices that go perfectly with a simple honey-mustard sauce. We use a skin-on picnic roast here, which is cheaper than a Boston butt roast—making the holiday a little more affordable.

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Maple-Bacon Kale Salad

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Maple-Bacon Kale Salad

Here's a way to make the most of craveable flavors like bacon and maple, in a dish that's still got plenty of nutritional value. The bacon drippings go into the salad dressing, along with mustard, vinegar, and maple syrup for a simple side dish that pairs well with grains, veggies, pastas, or proteins. It's low in sodium and sat fat, but tastes luxurious!

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Pork Ragù With Polenta

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Pork Ragù With Polenta

Create a flavorful, golden crust on the pork roast by browning it well before placing it in the slow cooker. Red wine, tomatoes, and plenty of aromatics enrich the ragù with savory depth as it cooks low and slow.

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Easy Homemade Breakfast Sausage

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez

View Recipe: Easy Homemade Breakfast Sausage

A little ground pork gives ground turkey extra richness; dark maple syrup lends a touch of breakfast-y sweetness, and fresh herbs brighten the mix. In just 25 minutes, you have delicious, freezable patties with 40% less saturated fat and half the sodium of popular commercial brands.

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Pear and Bacon Whole-Grain French Toast

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez

View Recipe: Pear and Bacon Whole-Grain French Toast

Nothing says breakfast like toast, but we take this low-sugar option to a whole new level. You'll swoon over our savory addition of crumbled bacon, sliced pear, and Parmesan cheese on top of whole-grain French toast for a savings of 45g added sugar.

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Pork Tenderloin with Mushrooms and Onions

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez

View Recipe: Pork Tenderloin with Mushrooms and Onions

Use a stainless steel pan instead of a nonstick here, if possible. A stainless surface will better collect fond (also known as browned bits) from the pork, which is then deglazed to lend rich flavor to the mushrooms and onions as they cook. Cook pork tenderloin on the stovetop instead of oven-roasting it; this gives it a delicious brown crust. Medium heat is key: It browns the pork without burning or toughening the surface before the middle reaches the right temp.

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Broiled Flat Iron Steak With Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez

View Recipe: Broiled Flat Iron Steak With Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes

This one-pan meal is a crowd-pleaser and testament to how 4 ingredients can come together to form a supremely satisfying dish, ready in a flash. We broil the steak over the veggies so the meat juices baste them as they cook. Choose multifaceted flat iron steak. Butchered from the shoulder (chuck), it gives you the best of both beefy worlds: One end of the cut is tender and mild, while the opposite end has sirloin-like chew and deep, mineral flavor.

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Pork Tenderloin with Blue Cheese and Pears

Photo: Romulo Yanes

View Recipe: Pork Tenderloin with Blue Cheese and Pears

Match the robust flavors of this dish with a hearty endive or radicchio salad to make the meal feel decidedly Italian.

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Vietnamese Pork Salad

Photo: Erin Kunkel

View Recipe: Vietnamese Pork Salad

Think of this impressive salad as a deconstructed version of a spring roll. Rice noodles cook in just 2 minutes; be sure to drain and rinse promptly with cold water so they don't overcook.

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Smoky Ham and Split Pea Soup

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Smoky Ham and Split Pea Soup

Potatoes contribute starchiness and silky thickness, while sweet carrots and salty ham balance out the peas' light, earthy flavor. Leftovers fare well in the freezer, so say hello to your new favorite make-ahead soup. Garnish with parsley and additional pepper, if desired.

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Burger Patty Salad

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Burger Patty Salad

We love the richness that a little ground lamb offers, but you can use all beef or even ground turkey instead.

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Mu Shu Pork Wraps

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Mu Shu Pork Wraps

Chinese restaurants serve mu shu pork with Mandarin pancakes. On a busy weeknight, whole-wheat tortillas are an easy sub. Look for trimmed boneless pork shoulder. If all you see are large cuts, ask your butcher to cut off a 1-pound portion.

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Steak Salad Niçoise

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Steak Salad Niçoise

We take a single 8-ounce steak, thinly slice it, and use it to flavor 4 entrée-sized salads, each filled with more than 2 cups of veggies.

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Beef Marsala Stew

Photo: Iain Bagwell

View Recipe: Beef Marsala Stew

This is an ideal recipe for the slow cooker, where gentle, prolonged cooking turns tough beef into tender bites. Serve the stew over a mound of Fluffy Mashed Potatoes.

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California Steak Salad

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: California Steak Salad

This salad is ideal for cold grilled steak, as reheating may overcook the meat or cause the basil and arugula to wilt. Grilling the red onion adds another layer of char and a bit of sweetness to counter the tartness of the vinaigrette.

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Cheesy Beef Patties with Tomato-Cucumber Salad

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Cheesy Beef Patties with Tomato-Cucumber Salad

This deconstructed take on a cheeseburger puts some of the season's best and most abundant produce in the spotlight with a simple, dilly tomato cucumber salad. Whip it up for an easy weeknight dinner—we cook the patties in a skillet but you could also char them on the grill.

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Pork, Bean, and Escarole Soup

Photo: Jennifer Causey

View Recipe: Pork, Bean, and Escarole Soup

This filling soup is Mediterranean inspired. Escarole is less bitter than other members of the endive family, with hearty leaves similar to kale or chard, which you can sub here. Use just the leaves for this soup. Mashing some of the beans lends the broth more body. For even deeper flavor, try sautéing the tomato paste with the onion and garlic, stirring frequently. This lightly caramelizes the pasta and gives the dish greater complexity. A drizzle of top-quality extra-virgin olive oil over each serving would also be a nice touch, enhancing the richness of the soup and adding tantalizing aroma.

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Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Sriracha BBQ Sauce

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford

View Recipe: Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Sriracha BBQ Sauce

Enjoy the taste of traditional BBQ sauce with a little spike of spicy sriracha.

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Seared Steak with Tomato and Blue Cheese Salad

Photo: Jason Varney

View Recipe: Seared Steak with Tomato and Blue Cheese Salad

For a finishing touch of color and light, herby flavor, garnish the dish with chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley.

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Vampire Steak

View Recipe: Vampire Steak

The marinade features a robust dose of garlic. Score the meat lightly, about 1/8 inch deep.

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300-Calorie Pork and Beef Recipes

1 of 67

Grass-Fed Beef Sirloin Kebabs

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Roasted Goat Cheese-Stuffed Portobellos

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Red Wine-Marinated Steak With Balsamic Onions and Slaw

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Grilled Pork Adobo

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Grilled Chile-Lime Flank Steak

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Pork Medallions with Red Wine-Cherry Sauce

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Olive Oil-Basted Grass-Fed Strip Steak

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Seared Pork Chops with Poblano Peperonata

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Smashed Double Cheeseburger Sliders

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Grass-Fed Flat Iron Steak With Grilled Ratatouille

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Spanish Chorizo Corn Cakes

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Seared Cajun-Style Steak with Green Tomato Relish

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Pan-Roasted Pork With Baby Vegetable Salad

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Beef Tenderloin With Balsamic Asparagus

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Pork Loin Stuffed with Spinach and Goat Cheese

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Honey-Baked Pork Roast

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Maple-Bacon Kale Salad

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Pork Ragù With Polenta

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Easy Homemade Breakfast Sausage

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Pear and Bacon Whole-Grain French Toast

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Pork Tenderloin with Mushrooms and Onions

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Broiled Flat Iron Steak With Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes

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Pork Tenderloin with Blue Cheese and Pears

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Vietnamese Pork Salad

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Smoky Ham and Split Pea Soup

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Burger Patty Salad

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