Beef Nutrition News & a Recipe for Lemon Thyme Rub (Podcast #107)

Last week, Liz had an opportunity to attend Live Well 2010: A Return to Real Food and Simple Pleasures, a conference in Napa Valley sponsored by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.  The three-day meeting was filled with fine food, cooking classes at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, lectures including one on the role of agriculture on global warming and one on optimal protein intakes (which we’ll tackle in a future podcast), and  tips on choosing the 29 lean cuts of meat.  Tune into this week’s Cooking with the Moms podcast to hear all about it … or read on for highlights and photos!  

 

Welcome reception for Live Well 2010 at the Villagio Inn & Spa in Yountville, CA  

 

Chef Bob Hurley of Hurley’s Restaurant cooks up Moroccan Marinated Tenderloin of Beef  

 

Chef Anne Gingrass, Executive Chef of Brix, cooks with tri-tip  

 

Grilled Green-Peppercorn Marinated Beef Tri-Tip with Lemon Thyme Farro created by Anne Gingrass, Executive Chef, Brix  

There was lots of talk at the conference about adding  flavor without excessive amounts of fat, and Chef Dave Zino highlighted 10 flavor boosters including what he calls, the umami advantage. Umami is known as the fifth taste and is often referred to as savoriness. Beef has umami as do mushrooms, blue cheese, red wine, Parmesan cheese, tomatoes, corn and potatoes.  

 

Dinner at Tres Sabores winery took place under giant olive trees and showcased the umami advantage with a dish of Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Porcini Glaze  

 

Chef Sarah Scott paired the dish with Farro Tabbouleh and Rancho Gorda Mayacoba Beans with Purslane  

Marinades and rubs are another way to boost flavor, so we thought we’d share this simple rub … just in time for Father’s Day cookouts.  

Lemon Thyme Rub

Makes 1/2 cup  

Rubs applied to the surface of uncooked steak add flavor … though they do not tenderize. You can apply this rub just before grilling or up to two hours in advance.  

3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons coarse grind black pepper
1 teaspoon salt  

Combine all ingredients in small bowl.  Apply rub evenly to both sides of steak. Grill to desired doneness.  

Print Recipe  

A highlight of the trip was the Be The Chef cooking challenge at the CIA where attendees were placed into groups and assigned a recipe from famous chefs including Julia Child, Bobby Flay, and Ming Tsai.  

 

Liz teams up with Sandra Nissenberg, Mary Young, and Mitzi Dulan to prepare celeb chef, Ming Tsai’s Wok-Stirred Curry-Ginger Beef & Leeks  

 

Cooking “students” choose ingredients from the “Farmer’s Market” table  

 

A sampling of the day’s creations included Julia Child’s Boeuf Bourguignon, and Ming Tsai’s Wok-Stirred Curry-Ginger Beef & Leeks and Sweet & Spicy Beef Noodles  

Liz’s take-away after eating beef for several days straight was that the key to including meat in a healthy diet is to choose lean cuts, keep the portion size to 3 or 4 ounces (about the size of a deck of cards), turn to flavor enhancers that heighten the flavor without the fat (unless it’s a healthy fat like olive oil, avocados, or nuts) and to pair it with interesting whole grains, and of course, lots and lots of fruits and vegetables.  

For more photos from Live Well 2010, check out our flickr page.

June 17, 2010 | Filed Under Beef, CulinaryAdventures, Dinner, Podcast | 6 Comments 

Healthy Meal with Kid Appeal Award: Steamy Kitchen’s Chinese Beef Broccoli

I used to spend a lot of time reading food magazines, but thanks to the explosion of thousands of amazing food blogs, my attention has turned to the web. A few months back, Diana from Dianasaur Dishes was running a giveaway on her blog for The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook: 101 Asian Recipes Simple Enough for Tonight’s Dinner, written by fellow food blogger and social media diva, Jaden Hair (Jaden just launched a new website called Food Blog Forum, so be sure to check it out). Lucky for me, I won the giveaway! This past weekend it rained nonstop in the Boston area (a la Noah’s Ark), so I finally had time to sit down and read through the book.

The recipe I decided to make was for Chinese Beef Broccoli. It was easy to prepare, called for ingredients I had on hand, and was packed with lots of broccoli. Best of all, it went over BIG with Simon (Josh and Tim were out at a Boston University hockey game eating heaven knows what, so they missed out on our feast). Since Jaden has two boys of her own, I figured this recipe would be a winner … and I was right.

Given all the great things this recipe has to offer and the fact that Simon ate every last bite of broccoli on his plate, Janice and I are honoring  Jaden from Steamy Kitchen with our Healthy Meal with Kid Appeal Award! Read on for the recipe …

Chinese Beef Broccoli

From The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook (with a few tiny tweaks)

Here’s how Jaden describes this dish: “I can’t remember the last time I went to a restaurant and ordered Broccoli Beef. Love the dish, but there’s nothing I detest more than goopy brown sauce that normally drags this dish down. I want my broccoli to be tender-crisp and taste like broccoli, not just covered in thick sauce. My tip is to steam the broccoli separate and to use a minimal amount of cornstarch (it’s only in the steak marinade).”

  • 1 ½ teaspoons soy sauce (I used lite soy sauce)
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoon cooking oil (I used canola oil)
  • Freshly ground black pepper to season the beef
  • 1 pound top sirloin or flank steak, thinly sliced across the grain into 1/8th-inch-thick strips
  • 3 tablespoons oyster sauce (I used an MSG-free oyster sauce)
  • 2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)
  • 2 teaspoons Chinese black vinegar (or balsamic vinegar)
  • 1 ½ pounds broccoli, cut into bite-size florets
  • 1 tablespoon high-heat cooking oil (I used canola oil)
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic

1. In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, cornstarch, cooking oil, and pepper for the beef marinade. Add the beef and let marinade for 10 minutes at room temperature.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the oyster sauce, rice wine, and vinegar for the stir-fry sauce.

3. In a wok or large sauté pan, add 1 inch of water and bring to a boil. Add the broccoli and cover to steam for 3 minutes. The broccoli should be bright green, crisp tender, and you should be able to pierce the stem with a fork. Drain and set aside.

4. Discard the water in the pan and dry the pan well. Set the pan over high heat and when hot, add the high-heat cooking oil and swirl to coat. Add the garlic and fry for 15 to 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the steak strips, keeping them in one layer and fry 30 seconds. Flip the strips and fry the other side.

5. Pour in the stir-fry sauce and stir to combine. Simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, about 30 seconds. Add the cooked broccoli back into the pan and toss to coat well.  Jaden recommends serving over steamed Jasmine rice.

Print Recipe

Here are a few additional cooking notes from MY steamy kitchen:

> Jaden suggested replacing the meat with “meaty” shitake mushrooms for a vegetarian option. I decided to make the dish with 3/4 pound flank steak and 1/4 pound quartered shitake mushrooms, and I steamed the mushrooms with the broccoli.
> I served the stir-fry with brown rice, and I cheated by using the frozen Trader Joe’s variety!
> This recipe can serve a family of four comfortably. I think it would be great with some sliced pears or orange slices on the side.
> I couldn’t find Chinese rice vinegar or Chinese rice wine, so I used the alternative ingredients Jaden called for in the recipe.

I liked this recipe so much that I definitely plan to make it again. Thanks Jaden!

March 15, 2010 | Filed Under Awards, Beef, Dinner, Vegetables | 7 Comments 

Magic Meatloaf and a Conversation with a Local Beef & Dairy Farmer

lucinda-with-cow-farm-june-09Lucinda Williams is a mother of four children, ages 14 to 23, and a Massachusetts beef and dairy farmer. Together with her husband Darryl, they run the Luther Belden Farm in Hatfield, MA. This is no ordinary farm. It’s been in her husband’s family since 1661, and her children are the 13th generation to work the land. Today, they milk 100 cows twice a day, keep a herd of 200, and grow hay, corn and alfalfa to feed their livestock.

 In a recent conversation with folks at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (one of our former blog sponsors), we were surprised to learn that 97% of beef cattle farms are family farms. We caught up with Lucinda (who is also Chair of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board) to hear more about that and to get her family’s favorite recipe from the ranch.

Q: We often hear about the decline of the family farm. What changes have you seen since you first started farming in terms of new challenges and the increased emphasis on the environment and sustainability?

A: The family farm is alive and well. We strive to provide safe, high-quality beef for consumers at an affordable price while sustaining and improving resources under our care. Beef production methods have evolved over the years to achieve this goal, resulting in new management protocols and technologies that help producers meet consumer demand.

lucindawilliamsfamily

Q: Do your children help out on the farm? If so, what do they like to do?

A: Absolutely!  During the school year, our kids are busy with sports, music, and drama, as well as church and community activities, so their available hours to help on the farm are somewhat limited.  Nevertheless, they still have daily chores such as feeding the calves and additional weekend work as needed.  This summer, we milked our cows three times a day — 4:00am, noon, and 8:00pm and all of us helped out.  This summer, our 21-year old son, Jackson, worked on the farm mowing, raking, baling hay, tending to the cows, fixing fences, and the myriad other jobs that go along with running a dairy farm.

Q: What’s your family’s favorite recipe?

Magic Meatloaf (from the kitchen of Lucinda Williams)

It cooks like magic in the slow cooker and disappears like magic, too! I use a 6-quart slow cooker.

  • 3 pounds lean ground beef
  • 1 ½ cups quick-cooking oats
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup barbeque sauce
  • 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 cup shredded lowfat Cabot cheddar cheese

1. In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, oats, eggs, barbeque sauce, minced onion, and Worcestershire sauce.  Mix until all the ingredients are combined.

2. Fold a sheet of aluminum foil in half and place in the bottom of your slow cooker (allow the foil to extend up the sides of the slow cooker). Spray the foil and the exposed bottom of the slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.

3. Form half of the meat mixture into an oval or rectangle and place on top of the foil (leave half an inch to an inch of space between the meatloaf the sides of the slow cooker).  Sprinkle the cheese over the meat. Add the rest of the meatloaf mixture on top of the cheese. Seal the “seam” by pinching the mixture with your fingers.  Cook on low 4 to 5 hours.

4. Remove the meat from the cooker by carefully pulling up the sides of the aluminum foil. Transfer the meatloaf to a plate or platter. Slice and serve.

We agree with Lucinda that this recipe disappears like magic! Liz made it the other day (she cut the recipe in half and it worked great), and it was a big hit with the kids. The half recipe yielded about 8 servings.  Post your favorite meatloaf recipe here!

October 11, 2009 | Filed Under Beef, Dinner, SlowCooker | 4 Comments 

Podcast 69: Slow Cooker Favorites

It’s been way too hot outside these past few weeks to turn on our ovens, so we decided to devote our weekly Cooking with the Moms podcast show to the slow cooker. Our first recipe for Spinach Goo was recently featured on our blog, so be sure to check it out.  Our second recipe is for Sweet & Hearty Beef Stew and literally takes just five minutes to prepare. Our slow cooker philosophy to “dump and go” definitely applies to this recipe!

sweetheartybeefstew

Sweet & Hearty Beef Stew
Makes 6 Servings

  • 8 ounces presliced mushrooms
  • 2 pounds lean stew meat
  • One 16-ounce bag baby carrots
  • One 8-ounce can tomato sauce
  • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 3 tablespoons cold water
  • 6 whole wheat rolls

1.  Place the mushrooms in the bottom of a slow cooker. Top with the stew meat and carrots.  Pour the tomato sauce, maple syrup, and vinegar over the top and sprinkle with the salt.  Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours.

2.  When done, whisk the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl until well blended; stir into the beef mixture along with the peas.  Allow the mixture to thicken, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve with the whole wheat rolls.

Nutrition Information per Serving:  340 calories, 11g fat (4g saturated), 520mg sodium, 29g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, 32g protein, 220% vitamin A, 20% vitamin C, 30% iron

During the show, we also had an opportunity to dish about some very sensible slow cooker advice.  We adapted the following tips from A Year of Slow Cooking, a blog written by Stephanie, who, by the way, is coming out with a new cookbook called, Make it Fast, Make it Slow:

What size slow cooker should I buy? It depends on what you are interested in cooking, and your family size. Slow cookers work the best when they are 2/3 to 3/4 of the way full. The recipe times are for this amount of food, so if your pot isn’t full enough, the food will cook faster and might burn. If it’s a bit too full, your food will take longer to cook than the suggested cooking times.

> For a family of 2 to 3, buy a 2- to 4-quart slow cooker
> For a family of 3 to 5, buy a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker
> For a large family, or for entertaining groups of people, opt for a 7- to 8-quart slow cooker

spinach-casserole

What if I only have a huge slow cooker?  Can I still make recipes that call for a smaller size? Yes. Simply insert an oven-safe dish (Pyrex, Corningware, etc.) into your large stoneware, and load the ingredients into the dish. This will create a smaller cooking vessel inside of your slow cooker. Then cover and cook like normal. It will take a bit longer for the dish inside to get up to temperature, but your food will cook just fine.

Another option if you have a 6-quart slow cooker but are making a recipe that calls for a 4-quart is to put the ingredients into your slow cooker, then put a layer of foil or parchment paper on top of the food to help trap in the steam and moisture. Then cover and cook like normal.

If you have a favorite slow cooker recipe you’d like to share, please post it here on our blog. We’re always looking for new ideas and would love to hear from you.

August 25, 2009 | Filed Under Beef, Podcast, Vegetarian | 9 Comments 

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