1/4 cup butter
2 Tbsp. flour
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups beef broth
2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/3 cups shallots, minced
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
3/4 cup dry red wine
Salt and pepper to taste
2 3-pound beef tenderloin fillets

Melt butter in a large saucepan, add flour and garlic and stir until browned. Add beef broth, mushrooms, shallots, dry mustard, dry red wine and salt and pepper, allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes. Place tenderloins in broth and simmer an additional 20 minutes or until beef is cooked to your taste. Serve over rice or with potatoes and baste with broth.

The Skinny: Use the leanest cuts of beef you can find.

Oriental Green Beans

1 pound fresh green beans
2 Tbsp. butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds, toasted
Salt and pepper

Cook green beans in a steamer until crisp-tender. Place cooked beans in a bowl and add butter, soy sauce, fresh ginger sesame seeds and salt and pepper, stir well.

The Skinny: We think life is too short to substitute for real butter but, if you must, do so.