Buying Beef in Bulk (part 2)

The most common question that I get when talking about buying beef is, "What do you get?" So this time I decided to take an inventory of what I actually got.

The hanging weight for the full side of beef was 312 pounds.  I split this with four families. So our portion was about 78 pounds .  That is then cut and packaged into roasts, steaks, and hamburger and wrapped in freezer paper.  Hamburger is all packaged in 1 pound increments.  Roasts are cut to fit into a crock pot and steaks (3/4") are put 2 per package.

Inventory (#packages)

Hamburger (1lb)- 22

Chuck Roast- 2

Shoulder Roast- 1

Sirloin Tip Roast- 1
Rump Roast- 1

Stew Meat- 1

Cubed Steak- 2
Filet- 1
Ribs- 2
Beef Sirloin- 1
Top Loin- 1
Ribeyes- 2
Liver- 1


Other things that we did not get but the other families did.
Skirt steak, Flank Steak, Brisket, Ox Tail

One thing to note.  This is the smallest cow we have ever bought from this particular farmer and I am not sure why.  The previous year I purchased a half side of beef that was around 300lbs hanging weight.  This year a full side of beef was the same size.  So I do not think that this will last us a full year.  Last year's purchase lasted a full 15 months.  So be sure to ask your farmer what a 'typical' size cow is so you can be prepared.

Mongolian Beef {Soy-free}

I love that I have found a soy-free option to replace soy sauce that has a similar taste.  Coconut aminos can be found at Whole Foods and Rainbow Blossom locally.

 

 

1- 1/2 lbs of steak, cut into 1/2 " x 1" slices

1/4 cup flour

6 TBS coconut oil

2 tsp garlic, minced

1 tsp fresh ginger

1/2 cup coconut aminos

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup molasses

1/4 cup brown sugar or coconut palm sugar

1 cup rice, cooked according to package directions

 

 

Add flour to a bowl.  Lightly dredge each slice of beef and tap off extra flour.  Do not over bread, should be a light dusting only.  Set aside on a plate.

 

In a large skillet, melt 3 TBS of  coconut oil over medium high heat.  Cook beef slices in batches until browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side.  Transfer to paper towel lined plate when done.

 

In separate pan, heat 3 TBS of oil over medium heat until melted.  Add garlic and ginger and saute for 90 seconds.  Pour in coconut aminos and water.  Simmer for 3 minutes.  Stir in molasses and sugar until dissolved.  Simmer for 5 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.

 

Add cooked beef to sauce and stir to coat.  Cook for an additional 5 minutes while stirring.

 

Serve over rice and with a side of vegetables.

 

Note- My kids have never had soy sauce because of a food allergy.  So they are still getting used to this new taste.  I set aside a few beef slices with no sauce just for them.

Molasses Cookies

Molasses cookies are a Christmas tradition at my house.  The original recipe was passed down to me from my grandmother and is my father's favorite cookie.  I have been making these with my mother since I was a child.  They were one of the first cookies I made on my own as a pre-teen.  

Now many years later my girls love making them with me.  Their favorite part is rolling the cookie dough balls in the sugar.

The only change I have made from my grandmother's recipe is substituting palm oil shortening for soybean oil shortening (aka Crisco) to eliminate GMO's.

I strongly recommend that you double to recipe as these will disappear fast!


1 cup sugar
3/4 cup shortening (Spectrum palm oil shortening)
4 TBS molasses
1 egg
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger 
1/2 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp salt

Using a stand mixer, cream together sugar and shortening.

Add in molasses and egg.  Then blend well.

In a separate bowl, mix together flour, soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt.  Combine dry and wet mixture.  

Using a kitchen scoop or your hands, make 1 inch balls of dough.

Roll each ball in sugar until well coated.  Please on cookie sheet.  Do not flatten.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12-16 minutes.

Carrot Cake Lara Bars

I have a confession.  I am addicted to Lara Bars.  Specifically the Chocolate Chip Brownie Lara Bars. I love that Lara Bars use all real ingredients.  I eat one almost every day as a snack or dessert.


While pursuing the Lara Bar website I saw a Carrot Cake version.  However, I have not been able to find it in the stores. So I decided to create my own copy cat version.  It is amazing that a grain free and refined sugar-free bar can taste just like carrot cake.

Ingredients

10 baby carrots, organic
10 large dates, pitted
1 oz raisins (snack box size)
1 cup of whole raw almonds
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 TBS coconut oil (optional)
1 TBS maple syrup
3 TBS almond butter
1 TBS water (if needed)


In a high speed blender or food processor, chop the carrots until finely diced.

Add in dates, raisins, and almonds. Blend on high for several minutes.

Add all additional ingredients. Continue to blend on high speed, scraping down the sides as needed.

Dump contents on to a large piece of wax paper. Using hands or a spatula shape into a square. Refrigerate bars.

Butternut Squash Soup

This is the perfect soup for fall!  The orginal recipe came from my good friend Jennifer.

Ingredients

24 oz butternut squash cubes
2 TBS avocado oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
chopped onion, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
4 cups of chicken broth (homemade if possible)

Combine butternut squash cubes, avocado oil, garlic, onion, and salt and pepper in a large glass baking dish.  Bake at 400 degree for 30 minutes.

Let cool slightly.  Place butternut squash and 1 cup of chicken broth in a large high speed blender (an immersion blender would also work).  Blend until smooth.  Pour into a large sauce pan.  Add in additional chicken broth and stir well.  Heat over medium low heat until thoroughly warmed.

Serve with fresh bread or rolls.

Apple Crisp {Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Soy-free, and NO refined sugars}

Apple picking at Huber's leads to lots of apple recipes.  Apple crisp is one of my favorites. This version uses no butter, no margarine, no flour, and no refined sugars.  Still tastes amazing!  

Ingredients

1 tsp coconut oil
6 apples (peel, core, and thinly slice)
1 TBS lemon juice
1/4 cup honey
1/3 tsp salt
1/2 TBS coconut flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon

For the crisp-
1 cup oats (gluten-free)
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 TBS coconut flour
1 TBS coconut oil

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease a large pie plate with the 1 tsp of coconut oil.

In a large bowl, mix together the apple slices, lemon juice, honey, salt, coconut flour, and cinnamon.  Place apples in greased pie plate.

In a small bowl, mix together the oats, maple syrup, coconut flour, and coconut oil.  Spoon mixture onto apples, spreading evenly.

Bake 30-35 minutes.  Apples will be soft and crisp will be lightly browned.

Kitchen Tip- Freeze Extra Tomato Paste

Many recipes call for just 1 or 2 tablespoons of tomato paste.  I freeze the extra in one tablespoon increments in snack size bags.  I then place all the snack size bags in a large freezer bag.

Great way to avoid waste and save money!

Pot Roast and Vegetables {Crock Pot Meal}

One of my favorite things about buying beef in bulk is that I then have a freezer full of delicious roasts.  When I first pack the freezer I try to layer it will the various cuts of meat.  I am at the very bottom of my freezer stash right now.  About 15 months after buying a cow.  At the very bottom is a layer of all my favorites, a roast, a package of stew meat, a package of rib-eyes, and a package of ground chuck.

As the weather starts to cool it is time for pot roast in the crock pot.  This is a favorite way for me to provide a delicious meal for my family on a busy weeknight with very little effort.  I place everything it the crock pot in the morning, set the probe and leave it while I am at work.  It would just as easy to prepare the night before as well.

Ingredients

Sirloin Tip Roast (about 2lbs)

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1/4 tsp rosemary

1/4 tsp thyme

1/4 tsp cardamon

3-4 organic potatoes, peeled a cubed

5 oz of organic baby carrots

Place roast and vegetables in crock pot.  Sprinkle seasonings over meat and vegetables. Insert probe into meat and set for 145 degrees on low heat.  Cook for about 8 hours or until the roast reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees.  My crock pot switches to warm automatically when done.

Homemade Apple Butter {Crock Pot Recipe}

Homemade Apple Butter is amazingly easy to make when you let the crock pot do all the work!  Well, you still have to peel, core, and dice a LOT of apples but then it is just a matter of time.

Each fall, we visit Huber's Farm to pick our own apples.  Wiggles and I went on Sunday afternoon and enjoyed the beautiful weekend weather.  Cooler temperatures and warm sun! I love the start of the Fall!

The varieties of apples depends on the season.  This year we were able to pick Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Jonathon, and Mutzo.  I have no idea what a Mutzo apple even is.  ;)

Ingredients

12 cups of diced apples (peel, core, and dice) 
1 to 1-1/2 cups of sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves


Start by washing the apples in a vinegar and water bath.  Rinse well.  Peel apples.  Remove the core and then dice.  Chunks do not have to be that small.

Place all apples in a crock pot.  Cover with sugar, cinnamon, and cloves.

Set crock pot to low.  Four hours later, stir the apples well and mash with a potato masher. Take a quick taste test to assess sweetness.  Add additional sugar if needed to suite your personal taste.  Replace lid and cook an additional 1-3 hours, stirring well every hour.  The apple butter will be dark in color when done.

I freeze my apple butter in individual Bell freezer jars.


Enjoy over pancakes, waffles, or biscuits.

Chicken Tortilla Soup {Crockpot Recipe}

This is the perfect crock pot recipe to make on a busy work day.  I often throw all of the ingredients together in the crockpot the night before and then store in the fridge overnight.  The next morning I set the crock-pot to low and the timer for 8 hours.  My crock pot automatically defaults to the warm setting when the timer goes off.  The recipe makes quite a bit.  I usually freeze the extra for lunches.

Ingredients

2-3 large chicken breasts, skinless and boneless, organic
2 cups frozen corn, organic
4 cups of chicken broth, (homemade if possible)
1 can diced tomatoes, organic
1 can tomato puree, organic
2 cans black beans, drained, organic
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp black pepper
tortilla chips, organic
optional- shredded cheese, sour cream



Mix all ingredients together in crock pot. Heat on low for 6-8 hours.  I use this crock-pot because it automatically switches to warm after the pre-set cooking time completes.

Shred chicken with fork before serving. 

Serve with tortilla chips. 

Optional-top with shredded cheese or sour cream

Tips-

• Use Daiya cheddar shreds to make dairy free.
• Use as a make-ahead meal.  Freeze all ingredients in a gallon freezer bag.  Un-thaw the night before placing it in the crock pot.
• Freeze extra in individual serving sizes for a quick work-day lunch option.

Protein Packed Chocolate Vegan Smoothie

Several months ago my husband and completed 19 days of the 21 day Sugar Detox challenge.  Yes, I admit that we did not make it through the full 21 days.  :(

I would describe the 21 day Sugar Detox chalenge as a "Paleo diet on steroids".  It was a hard challenge!  I found that I did not miss bread or sugar at all.  However, I did miss chocolate!!! To get through this challenge my husband I both made ourselves chocolate smoothies using green bananas. They were decent at the time.

Now that the challenge is over I have modified our original creation to make it more appealing and higher in protein.  This smoothie makes a great post-work out drink!

Ingredients

1 cup of almond milk or coconut milk

1 very ripe banana

1 scoop Sunwarrior Protein Powder

1 TBS almond butter

1 TBS cocoa powder

1/2 TBS milled flax seed

2 cups ice cubes

Place all ingredients, except the ice in a blender.  Blend on high until smooth.  Add in ice and blend again.

Serve immediately. 

Make Your Own Chicken Broth!

Making your own chicken broth is extremely easy.  Even for a working family as you let the crock-pot do all the work.  About once a month I roast a chicken in the crock-pot or oven for an easy and healthy meal.  That night I use the leftover chicken carcass to make nutrient rich 'bone-broth'.  I add salt, seasonings, and vegetables for extra flavor.  I do not always have celery on hand and often omit it if needed.  Broth still tastes great!

Ingredients

Leftover chicken bones1/2 cup carrots, organic2-3 stalks of celery, organic1 tsp sea salt1 bay leaf


Place chicken bones in crock pot.  Add vegetables, salt, and bay leaf.  Add water to fill crock pot to just below the top.

Cook on low for 8-10 hours or overnight.

Allow chicken broth to cool slightly.  Then using a ladle and a fine mesh food strainer, pass the stock through the strainer to remove herbs and bones.  

Freeze in 1 to 2 cup portions for later use.  I use plastic Bell freezer jars which hold 8 ounces each.

http://realfoodwithout.blogspot.com/2014/08/mango-avocado-salsa.html

Birthday Balance

I tend to get a bit carried away when planning my daughters' birthdays.  I love to plan parties! I love to take their chosen theme and then research away on Pinterest, pinning everything that looks whimsical.   My mother-in-law loves to help out with decorations and games.  Between the two of us we get a bit carried away.

I always make my own cupcakes and frosting using my favorite Chocolate Cupcake Recipe.

I plan parties between meal times and focus on providing guests with snack food and fruit. I try my best to provide kid friendly snacks that do not contain too much sugar.  The cupcakes take care of that!  I always provide fruit for a healthy option.

Last month we celebrated Wiggles 5th birthday with an "Under the Sea" theme.  Here are the highlights from that day.

Party Food Table

Crab Cupcakes

Directions- Using toothpicks, attach orange slice candies, peach rings (cut in half to make the claws), and gumdrops.  Add Wilton "googly eye" candies to the gumdrops using icing.  Frost cupcakes with white frosting.  Dip in the 'sand', which is a combination of brown sugar and crushed graham crackers.  

Fruit Platters

Games

Pin-the-tail-on-the-whale

Octopus Bean Bag Toss

Mermaid Photo-Op

Other Decorations

Wiggles Treasure Chest, Jelly fish lanterns, and a craft table.

Mango Avocado Salsa

Amazingly easy and delicious! 

Ingredients

1 large ripe avocado

1 large ripe mango

Trader Joe's Pineapple Salsa

Peel and dice both avocado and mango.  Add in the Trader Joe's Pineapple Salsa 1 tablespoon at a time.  Stir to combine until you get the right ratio of salsa to fruit.

Serve immediately with organic corn tortilla chips.

Kitchen Tips- Homemade Bread Crumbs

Do your kids consistently eat the middle of the sandwich leaving a ring of uneaten crusts behind?

I struggle with the idea of not making them just eat the crusts.  However, when packing school lunches I do sometimes cut off the crusts for them.

I then freeze the crusts in a freezer Ziploc bag.  When the bag is full or when I need breadcrumbs, I place the frozen crusts in my Ninja blender (or use a food processor) and blend until fine.  I also freeze the heals of bread as well for the same use.

Spread the bread crumbs on a rimmed metal baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-25 minutes.  Check every 5-8 minutes.  Stir each time.  Remove from oven when bread crumbs are crisp and slightly browned. Be careful not to burn.

Store bread crumbs in an airtight container for 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.

This would be an excellent way to get gluten-free bread crumbs with no extra cost.

Black Bean and Corn Tortilla Pie

This recipe is kid approved!  My girls LOVE this and often ask for seconds.

I like to buy the Trader Joe's Truly Handmade tortillas for this recipe.  I have tried making my own but with mixed results.  I always have canned organic black beans on hand.  However, I prefer buying the organic dried black beans and then cooking them myself.  I freeze the extra in approximately 1 cup increments.

I make two versions of this recipe each time I make it.  In one I use real cheese and in the second I use Daiya dairy-free cheese.

Ingredients

6-8 tortillas
1 TBS olive oil
1/4 cup frozen onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp ground cumin
4 cans organic black beans, drained and rinsed
1-1/2 cup of chicken broth (preferably homemade)
1 package of organic frozen corn
shredded cheese OR Daiya cheddar style shreds (about 2 cups total)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and heat until translucent.  Add garlic and saute an additional 30 seconds.  Add in beans, chicken broth, and cumin.  Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 10-20 minutes, until most of broth has been adsorbed.  Stir in the corn and remove from heat.

Spray a deep casserole baking dish (I use two round, white casserole dishes) with cooking spray.  Place tortillas to cover the bottom.  Layer with 1/4 of the bean mixture and top with cheese.  Cover with an additional tortilla.  Repeat layering until the bean mixture is gone.  The top layer will be just beans topped with cheese.

Bake 20 minutes, cheese on top will be melted.

Notes-
1.  Recipe is naturally soy free (always double check the tortillas!).
2.  Use all Daiya cheese to make recipe dairy free.
3.  I make two casserole dishes each time.  One with real cheese and one with Daiya cheese.
4.  Recipe reheats well the next day for lunch.

Salmon Burgers

I try to feed my family fish at least once a week.  My girls readily eat all types of fish.  My husband, on the other hand, prefers white fish over salmon.  I love salmon!  So I had to come up with way to serve salmon that would please everyone.  Salmon Burgers do that!

Adding bread crumbs and seasoning to the salmon creates a milder taste.  Add a homemade hamburger bun and this will win over just about anyone!

Why eat fish once a week?  Well salmon is a great source for DHA, the omega-3 fatty acid that is essential for brain development.  One 4-ounce serving of salmon can provide up to 2,400 mg of omega-3's.

I always buy wild-caught salmon.  Why?  Environmental groups such as Seafood Watch and the Environmental Defense Fund have put nearly all farmed salmon on their 'avoid list'.  Salmon farmers use crowded pens where salmon are easily infected with lice and may be treated with antibiotics to avoid disease.  Alaska has even banned salmon farms to prevent the spread of disease from farmed to wild salmon.

2 salmon fillets, remove skin (and bones if needed) and cube
1 egg
1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
1/4 tsp dried Oregano
1/4 tsp dried Basil
salt and pepper, to taste
2 TBS fresh lemon juice, divided
4 homemade hamburger buns
spray olive oil
2 TBS plain Greek yogurt (may sub plain coconut milk yogurt)
1 pinch dried basil
Fresh arugula, spinach, or romaine lettuce (as a garnish)


Place salmon cubes, egg, bread crumbs, seasonings, and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice into a food processor.  Pulse until just combined.  Stir by hand until well mixed.  Divide mixture into 4 salmon patties.

Heat large skillet over medium heat.  Spray with olive oil.  Cook salmon patties for 4 minutes per side.  Should be nicely browned and cooked through.

Place open buns under broiler for 1-2 minutes to toast.

In a small bowl mix together Greek yogurt, 1 TBS lemon juice, and dried basil.

Place warm salmon patties on toasted buns.  Top with yogurt mixture and fresh arugula or spinach.

Makes 4-5 patties.  Enjoy!

Why I Avoid Artificial Food Dyes

Artificial food coloring was something that I initially knew very little about.  Yes, I had seen the color plus the number symbol listed on the back of a cereal box but never thought much about it.

Several years ago I was at a play date organized by a local Mommies group.  One of the moms was eliminating artificial food dye from her son's diet in hopes to eliminate some of his symptoms of attention deficit and hyperactivity.  After that initial conversation I found that artificial food dye kept 'popping' up in my news feed or in other conversations with moms.

About a year later I noticed that my daughter, then age 3, would have huge tantrums after having sugary, dye-laden snacks.  I did not make the connection immediately, but eventually through trial and error, I learned that she did not tolerate food dye in large amounts.  I then began to eliminate all artificial food coloring in our diet at home.

What does the FDA have to say about artificial food dye?  In 2011 the agency concluded that exposure to food with artificial food colors and preservative may be associated with adverse behaviors in susceptible children.  Especially those children with ADHD.  The agency took no regulatory action.  In fact, even though the FDA requires the dyes to be listed on the label, the amounts are not required.

What about other countries?  Since 2010, the European Union has required food manufacturers to place a warning label on all products with artificial food dyes declaring that they "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children".  What did food companies do in response? They changed their ingredients to eliminate artificial food dyes in order to avoid the negative label.


You may wonder how much exposure you or your child has to artificial food dyes.  The latest research out of Purdue University found that one cup of General Mills' Trix cereal contained 36.4 milligrams of artificial food dyes (yellow 6, blue 1, and red 40).  Fruit Cheerios has 31 milligrams per cup.  Kraft Macaroni & Cheese has 17.6 milligrams per 1 cup serving. Children's cereals, fruit snacks, and even white marshmallows all contain artificial food dyes.


What is my take?  I vote with my dollar.  I refuse to buy cereals or snacks that contain artificial food dyes.  Do my children still get exposed to artificial food dye? Unfortunately, the answer to that is still 'Yes'.  About once a month they get an Icee or soft serve as a special treat.  Or they are given candy or a treat at a birthday party or special occasion.  Of course they still get to go trick-or-treating on Halloween.   I have found that I cannot completely eliminate artificial food dyes.  What I do instead is educate my children.  I tell them why they cannot have the 'Scooby Doo' fruit snacks from the grocery store.  I tell them that certain food contain 'bad colors' and that we try hard not to eat bad colors. 

Brown Sugar and Spice Baked Chicken

I buy my chicken from a local butcher in Louisville (Kingsleys). They carry Amish organic chicken and often have coupons. Most of the time the coupon is for bone-in chicken breasts, $1.00 off per pound if buying more than 10 lbs.  I have the butcher split the chicken breasts and skin at least half of them.  I have the butcher package them 2 breasts per package and then wrapped in white freezer paper.  I buy my 10 lbs and freeze all but what I will use over the next 5-6 days.  I then have organic chicken breasts, at a discount and in my freezer waiting for me for a full month.

Bone-in chicken breasts bake best with the skin on as the skin traps in the moisture.  However, I do not like the skin on my chicken.  So I have worked to find recipes that retain the chicken's moisture without the skin.  This recipe does that!  The brown sugar balances with the spices nicely for great flavor yet mild enough for even my girls sensitive tongues.

2 large bone-in chicken breasts (skin on or skinless)
2 TBS brown sugar
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Spray oven safe rimmed baking dish with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, mix together sugar and all seasonings.  Coat chicken breasts thoroughly with the sugar/spice rub.  I get my hands dirty and rub the seasoning in.  Placed on a rimmed baking dish.  I like to have the seasoning soak in the the chicken for several hours before baking.  However, we have had it both ways and it is good.

Bake for 45-55 minutes.  At the 45 minute mark check the temperature of the chicken with a meat thermometer.  Will register at 160 degrees when done.  Chicken is moistest when not overcooked.

Best served with roasted sweet potatoes and cauliflower.