Beef is a great source of protein, iron, and B vitamins. It can also be high in fat and cholesterol, and consuming too much of it has been linked obesity and some cancers. But lean cuts of beef, such as sirloin or tenderloin, have a place in any healthy diet. Just keep your portions small -- say, a couple of ounces at a time, rounded out with veggies and whole grains -- and eat it no more than a few times a week. You'll be taking advantage of all the health benefits and taste of beef, with none of the downsides. The recipes on the following slides can help.

Delicious any time of year, this dinner recipe is particularly suited for warmer months, when zucchini and mint are plentiful, and it's easy to fire up the grill for the sirloin skewers.

Because it cooks at an intense heat, this recipe requires very little oil to cook the beef and the fresh veggies. A bit of garlic, a pour of hot chile sauce, and a squeeze of lime round out the flavors.

Got leftover rice? Try whipping up this well-rounded meal, which also includes beef and eggs for protein, plenty of veggies for vitamins, and hunger-satisfying fiber.

Peppery arugula and juicy oranges complement succulent seared beef tenderloin in this easy but elegant composed salad.

Full of carrots, onion, and barley, and just half a pound of stew beef, this stick-to-your-ribs soup is satisfying, not fatty, on a cold evening.

With its array of bright carrots, crisp green beans, colorful red cabbage, and pale Napa cabbage, this Asian-inspired salad makes an appealing bed for the flavorful, thinly sliced sirloin. Chopped peanuts, minced ginger, chiles, and Thai fish sauce round out the flavor.

Earthy-tasting shiitake mushrooms complement the meaty taste of lean ground sirloin, and brown rice gives body in these traditional stuffed napa cabbage leaves.

A soak in a spicy marinade of tamari (or soy sauce), honey, tandoori spice, and red curry paste tenderizes the lean flank steak, which can be tough. Try serving with spiced okra and roast carrots.

This Asian salad serves up a true mix of flavors and nutrients. Flank steak and chopped peanuts bring protein, while fresh and flavorful red bell peppers, carrots, papaya, cabbage, fresh mint, and cilantro all deliver antioxidants.

Cilantro goes into the marinade (along with champagne vinegar, olive oil, orange juice and zest, and jalapeno), as well as in the simple salad with red onion and sirloin in this easy, pleasing dish.

In this North African-inspired dish, extra-lean ground beef, bulgur, pine nuts, golden raisins, and cinnamon form a stuffing that mounds into halved acorn squashes, edible serving vessels that go from oven to plate.

Use lean, grass-fed ground beef or turkey to make these patties formed with chopped basil leaves and chili pepper mixed into the meat. In summer, assemble the burgers with grilled zucchini and heirloom tomatoes to sample the best of farmers-market produce.