Recipes for using grass-fed meats and organic veggies

[Jardin du Fort]

Well, the subject is a wee bit tight perhaps, but for those of us that are trying to live a lifestyle making use of the organic veggies that we grow, and the grass-fed meats that have been shown to be so much healthier, coming up with recipes for these foods may be a bit of a challenge.

SO, if you have either a good recipe book for such foods, or your own recipes, please post them here! Perchance if enough good material develops, this could become a Sticky? I sure hope so!

[Dillbert]

you may find this interesting
http://blogs.reuters.com/environment/20 ... vironment/

[Jardin du Fort]

OK, Dillbert. I read it. I don't particularly agree with it. Presenting "factoids" in a non-scientifically-referenced article supported by the mega agricultural industry does not dissuade my desire for better meat. You can argue methane all you want, and I will tell you that the people who eat grain fed meat provide just as much methane as the cattle that eat grass. And the farmers that are raising their animals on grasslands already have the grasslands, so they're not "wasting" that resource, but using it effectively. I will not discuss this further. I may not persuade you, nor will I be persuaded.



I am still interested in recipes that specifically reference the quality of grass fed meat.

[Jardin du Fort]

Here's one site, American Grass Fed Beef. I found it by entering this phrase into a search engine:

how to cook grass-fed meats

But there were many possible sources of recipes!

Bon appetit!

Cynthia

[n8young]

Is this not as simple as finding a recipe that sounds good, and replacing the protein in the recipe with the "grass fed" type you wish to eat. I mean, you want to make beef stew, it calls for 3 lbs of roast meat, so you buy 3 lbs of grass fed roast meat, am I missing something here?

[Jardin du Fort]

n8, Well, yes, to tell the truth I think you are generally right. Beef is beef, etc. However, there are variations in the fat makeup of the meat based on what the critter was fed. Grass fed beef tends to be leaner than others, and so you can't depend on the fat in the meat as much, and may in fact (for some recipes) need to add fat (OVOO for example) to keep the meat "moist". If the recipe involves liquid, this is probably not needed, but cooking "dry" without sauce or marinade or other basting can get you into trouble.

[Jardin du Fort]

Unfortunately this whole subject currently seems moot to me. This family of two does not show any signs of changing from it's "convenience" foods diet. I am partially retired, but all that means is that I'm not bringing home the same income before I "retired." I'm still working 8 hours a day, which means that I'm gone 10. By the time I get home I'm too tired to do much of the work around here that really HAS to get done, let alone the work that I "want" to do, like working in the garden. That also means that it is still my wife that is doing 98.6% of the home meal preparation. I have tomatoes and peppers growing in the garden. I pick them when they get ripe, and mostly they sit on the counter until they spoil. She doesn't know how to incorporate them in a home cooked dish, even a salad.

So, until such time as I can manage to be home significant time each day, such that I can take over at least some of the cooking duties, I have to resign myself to eating the food my wife is willing to cook. And that means frozen entrees. From the store. I knew that when I married her. Oh, well....

[applestar]

Aw. I can understand your frustration. It IS disappointing when your family do not appear to appreciate and share the amount of anticipation and time and effort that went into the "fruit" which now sits on the counter. And when you yourself are unable to make use of it, the family does nothing to consume or save the product of your labor. I've been there -- I AM there.

For now, I urge you to simply freeze the harvest at peak of flavor so they are not wasted. In a crunch, you don't even have to prep/pre-process. Just wash and drop in a dated ziplock freezer bag whole, and tuck in the freezer until you are able to deal with them.

If you want to eat the tomatoes and peppers fresh, eat them fresh yourself (I know you *want* to save them for them, but you eating them will will be satisfying in its own way and will contribute to your own health (for their sake) and think of it as taste testing to see if you are satisfied with the variety enough to grow again or If you will want to pursue different varieties next year. Grab a knife and cut them up, offer but don't insist they eat and don't blame them for not eating -- trust me, I've pressured them plenty of times and it doesn't feel good for them or you (if anything, it turns them off even more). Pack your harvest for eating at lunch or even give them away to friends and colleagues if you can handle the "appreciation from outside sources vs. not from the family conundrum" (Told ya I've been there )

If you only have a small garden and per diem harvest, accumulating in the freezer until you have enough to "make something" adds to the pleasure of gardening.

BTW, if the tomatoes and peppers are open pollinated varieties and not hybrids, you can save the seeds even after the fruits have passed the good to eat stage (though doing that too takes time and effort).

[imafan26]

Out of necessity, I have cut the amount of meat that I eat. It helps keep the cholesterol levels down too by limiting red meat. I am not a vegetarian though and I do like to have meat. I have just learned to use a little and add a lot of vegetables. I plan my meals now, not around the meat, but around the vegetable or fruit I have.

Grass fed beef, I find to be a might tougher. I find it is easier to marinate or braise the meat in stews and soup. I pound the meat to tenderize it and use papaya or a marinate to tenderize and moisten it.

Here's a recipe that is easy and practically cooks itself. By the time this is done, the meat just falls apart. I pair this with oven roasted vegetables. I don't like to put veggies in the crock pot too much as they get too mushy sometimes.

http://www.food.com/recipe/to-die-for-c ... oast-27208

[rainbowgardener]

I put some suggestions in your other thread. But since I am "semi-retired" myself, I have to say that it sounds like you need to work on setting some limits on the job. My agency would be very glad to have me working full time for half time pay. It is easy for it to creep up. But if you aren't getting paid for full time, you really shouldn't be working full time.