beef

Eat this for a long life! 

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Hello friends! Fall is officially here and though the weather is still warm, the trees have started to change colors and the early morning hours have a crispness to them that hasn’t existed previously. 

  
I’ve made a delicious soup that I want to share with you, and I think it is perfect for the cooler weather that is right around the corner. It contains some really healthy ingredients, like kale and white beans. It’s easy too which is key for me at this point in my life. 

Let’s talk about kale for a moment. I know I know, kale was the “it” vegetable of 2014. All I heard about was kale smoothies, kale chips, even kale cake and muffins. I admit I wasn’t too excited about any of these trendy foods, however when I came across a recipe for a soup that contained kale I thought that it seemed like the way to eat it in a way I would enjoy. 

  
Kale is super healthy for you though, it truly is. A cup of kale contains 14% of your calcium needs, 659% of your vitamin A, and 900% of your daily vitamin K. Cooked kale provides you with more iron per ounce than beef, though it can be hard to absorb for your body so it is better to eat kale in conjunction with healthy fats for maximum absorption. 

  
White beans, which this soup also contains, are also extremely good for you, and are one of my favorite things to eat. They have more cancer fighting fiber than healthy red beans. Eating fiber rich food like white beans helps reduce the risk of many cancers, as well as strokes and brain aneurysms. They’re also loaded with flavonoids and other phytochemicals that slow cancer cell growth and decrease chronic inflammation. Also, when you cook white beans you increase their resistant starch levels which acts similarly to fiber by helping the colon eliminate damaged cells that could lead to cancer. 

So now that you know this soup contains some really healthy ingredients I also want to assure you that it’s super easy to make and it tastes amazing too. Does that convince you to try it? Good, I was sure it would!

Kale and white bean soup

  

  • 6 cups unsalted or low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 1 cup chopped carrots
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon herbs de province
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 15 oz cans white beans drained
  • 3 cups kale, remove stems and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 lb HOT Italian sausage links
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 oz Parmesan cheese 

  
First sauté the onions, carrots and celery in a bit of olive oil in a large pan. I used heirloom carrots and they come in such pretty and different colors, which is what you see in the picture above. 

Next add all the ingredients except the sausage, lemon and Parmesan cheese and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Then, add the sausage and here’s how. I took the sausage in the casing and squeezed out 1 inch pieces of sausage into the soup, like meatballs. Discard the casings when you’ve done all the sausage. Add the lemon juice and simmer the soup on medium for 30 minutes to cook the “meatballs”. 

  
When it’s done, serve with Parmesan shavings on the top. And that’s it! It is super good, easy and healthy, just how I like it! I know you’ll enjoy it too. Eating soup like this will help you live a life of vitality- like Valerie! 

Eating Healthy Starts with this! Part Deux

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Good day, my friends! I’m now going to continue my healthy eating post by telling you the second thing you need to eat healthily at home. The first as you recall if you read part one, was a pantry stocked with lovely items to help you cook healthy meals. The second essential is a well stocked refrigerator/freezer. Or in my case refrigerators/freezers because I have two, one in my kitchen and one in the garage. They are both important to my healthy cooking strategy so I’ll talk about how I use them both. Again, please don’t judge my fridge organization or cleanliness, just the contents! In addition, all food mentioned is organic whenever possible.

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Fridge Essentials

1. Liquids for drinking- We don’t drink soda pop and I don’t have any in the house. Instead, I keep the fridge stocked with filtered alkaline water, chocolate milk, almond milk, healthy juices with no sugar or corn syrup, and half and half for my coffee.

2. Yogurt and hummus- We always have these two items, though I usually make my own hummus, for healthy snacking.

3. Cooking ingredients- I always have minced garlic, olives, parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, Dijon and regular mustard, ketchup, salsa, hot sauces, and pickles to help add flavor to my meals.

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4. Vegetables and fruits- The vegetables I usually have on hand are romaine lettuce, asparagus, tomatoes, carrots, celery, and peppers. The types of fruit are grapes, strawberries, blueberries, apples, bananas, and watermelon. Many meals and snacks can be made from these vegetables and fruit.

5. Deli meat and cheeses- Important items here are turkey lunch meat, salami, cheddar cheese- both sliced and shredded, as well as romano cheese and parmesan for pastas.

6. Wine- no explanation needed here! 🙂

7. Eggs- Eggs are one of the things we eat often in my house. I make hard boiled eggs, fried, scrambled, poached, and egg salad. There are so many awesome dishes that can be made with eggs. Eggs are a great ingredient in other dishes as well, making them one of the most versatile items in my fridge.

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8. Leftovers- My outside fridge is mostly for leftovers, drinks and yogurt. I love leftovers and have written about that in many past posts. I eat them for lunch the next day or repurpose them into future meals. They are one of my favorite things in my fridge so don’t throw out the leftovers, this is your chance to be creative!

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Freezer Essentials-

1. Frozen vegetables- I always have frozen mixed vegetables on hand, mostly to make soups and stews, but I do like to have them for lunch sometimes.

2. Breakfast meats- We love breakfast in this house so I stock my freezer with bacon, breakfast sausage and chorizo to thaw for delicious breakfasts.

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3. Leftovers- Sometimes we don’t eat all of the leftovers in the fridge, despite my best attempts to polish them all off, and I definitely don’t want them to go to waste. I put them in the freezer, making sure to label the type of food and the date on the freezer bag, so I can ensure that when I defrost them I know what it is and how long it’s been in there. It’s so handy when I don’t have anything planned to cook. I just thaw the food item, and dinner is served!

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4. Meat- This is the heart of my outdoor freezer. I have different cuts of chicken in one section, beef in another, and lamb and pork in a separate area. I use the outdoor fridge to thaw the frozen meat a night or two before I am ready to cook, and then it’s ready to prepare.

5. Frozen fruit- I have frozen blueberries to make blueberry pancakes, and strawberries for smoothies.

Well, that’s what I consider essential for storing in the refrigerator and freezer. I hope you will stock what you like to eat and serve to your family and friends in your fridge/freezer. Eating at home is the best way to eat healthily. Eating healthy foods is the best way to live a life of vitality- with Valerie!

It’s an American meal staple, but did you know it’s healthy?!

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My Italian meatloaf is a family favorite!

My Italian meatloaf is a family favorite!

Hello my friends! I know all of you have this either in your refrigerator or freezer at home, or you’ve gone out and eaten it in the last week, but you didn’t know that what you’re eating is so HEALTHY. What I’m talking about is the humble, but nutritious ground beef.  However, make sure the ground beef you choose is local, grass fed, and has no antibiotics or hormones. This will make it a GREAT choice for you and your family/friends. And let’s face it, ground beef is pretty inexpensive so I can purchase the grass fed type, which is a little more expensive than regular ground beef, and still not break the bank! Plus, I will give you my recipe for yummy, easy Italian meatloaf so you can put a delicious meal on the table. Come along with me now!

Here’s why ground beef is GOOD for you:

1. It’s loaded with nutrients and antioxidants, including zinc, vitamin B6, and alpha lipoic acid. These are responsible for creating antibodies and keeping blood sugar levels in check.

2. A 3 oz. serving of 95% lean ground beef has just 164 calories and 4.5 grams of fat, but offers up 24 grams of protein.

3. Ground beef is rich in iron, a multitasking mineral that boosts energy and keeps muscles working properly.

4. As I’ve stated in my past blog post, “fat doesn’t make you fat”, fat is important for maintaining the health of our bodies. Ground beef gets a bad rap for being too high in fat and cholesterol, but fat is actually good for you, and cholesterol is necessary for our bodies to function properly.

5. Of course as with all types of meat, make sure you choose GRASS FED beef that hasn’t been given antibiotics or hormones. I also recommend purchasing from a local farmer if at all possible so that you can see exactly how they manage their farm and animals. I purchase from Royer Farms, which is a farm in southern Indiana. They bring their offerings to my local farmers market which makes it super convenient for me. However, they also have an online store and will ship anywhere in the US. It’s the best beef, pork, chicken and lamb I’ve EVER HAD. I highly recommend them.

Yay for ground beef! So now that you know ground beef is good for you,  I would like to share one of my favorite recipes for Italian meatloaf. I make it all the time for my family and they never get tired of it. It’s delish and easy too as you’ll see, so here we go!

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Valerie’s Italian Meatloaf

  • 2 lbs grass fed ground beef
  • 1 large can pureed tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons bread crumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 2 teaspoons each minced garlic, red pepper flakes, Italian herbs, and salt
  • 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • ground pepper to taste
Ready for mixing- by hand is the ONLY way!

Ready for mixing- by hand is the ONLY way!

First, preheat the oven to 350 and prepare the meatloaf by combining the ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, 1 tablespoon of the parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon of the olive oil, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, Italian herbs and salt. Mix with your hands until combined and then form into a loaf. Don’t over work the meat or it will become tough and dry. Then, add pureed tomatoes, the rest of the minced garlic, red pepper flakes, Italian herbs and olive oil in a bowl and stir until combined. Pour over the meatloaf and add the rest of the parmesan cheese to the top.

Ready for baking!

Ready for baking!

Bake in a 350 oven for 50-60 minutes or until the ground beef is cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving and add extra parmesan cheese if it needs it. Bon Appetit!

That was my meal, seconds before it was consumed!

That was my meal, seconds before it was consumed!

That’s my wisdom for the day- ground beef is healthy and can be used in SO many different dishes so experiment and be creative. I hope you try my Italian meatloaf and that you enjoy it. Let me know if you do. Eating my Italian meatloaf will help you live a long and healthy life of vitality- with Valerie!

My Favorite Crockpot Meal!

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My favorite crockpot meal, and it's easy and so delish! Read on and see for yourself!

My favorite crockpot meal, and it’s easy and so delish! Read on and see for yourself!

It’s that time of year, isn’t it? The weather, though beautiful here in Indiana, is starting to get crispy, the leaves are changing, and we are already in October! Time flies for sure. This is the time of year when I begin using my crockpot again. Now some of you may think that crockpots are old fashioned and everything you make gets all mushy, but I’m here to tell you that is not true. Crockpot cooking is my favorite way to cook because it’s so easy, convenient, and versatile. You can pretty much use any kind of meat, spices, and sauces to make whatever you want. I’ve gotten really creative with it and had a lot of fun making Italian, Mexican, and Mediterranean style meals. There is literally no limit to what I can make! The crockpot is convenient because you can throw your ingredients in there in the morning, and when you return home from work you have a delicious meal waiting for you. And the smell in the house when you get home is to die for! It’s easy too, 6 hours on high cooks most any meat thoroughly, or if you’re going to be gone all day put it on low and it will be perfectly cooked when you get back home. Easy Peasy!

Though there are many different meals I make with my crockpot, I have one favorite that I make most often. It’s my family’s favorite too, and it’s very homey and comforting. especially when the weather starts to get cold. The recipe follows and I hope you’ll enjoy making it as much as I did!

VALERIE’S VERSATILE AND VERY DELICIOUS BEEF ROAST IN THE CROCKPOT

Ingredients assembled and ready to go!

Ingredients assembled and ready to go!

Ingredients:

  • At least 3 lb chuck roast
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 16 oz can chopped tomatoes
  • 32 oz can crushed tomatoes (or tomato sauce)
  • Onion (chopped roughly)
  • 1/2 roasted red pepper- chopped
  • tablespoon minced garlic
  • teaspoon better than bouillon
  • tablespoon salt
  • teaspoon pepper
  • teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • teaspoon granulated garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 bay leaves (must be removed before serving)
  • tablespoon of chopped fresh basil- I picked mine from my garden
  • 1/2 cup of good red wine
Rub meat with olive oil and dry ingredients!

Rub meat with olive oil and dry ingredients!

The first thing you do is rub the roast on both sides with the olive oil and the following dry ingredients- salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, garlic, and oregano, use half of the amounts I listed in the recipe above and reserve the rest for the sauce. Put the roast in the crockpot and then add the onion, crushed tomatoes, roasted red pepper, and chopped tomatoes. Add to that the better than bouillon, red wine, and remaining salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, garlic, oregano, and the bay leaves and fresh basil.

All ingredients in crockpot and ready to go!

All ingredients in crockpot and ready to go!

The picture above is what it looks like when all the ingredients have been added to the crockpot and it’s ready to cook. Depending on how much time I have I either put it on high for 6 hours or put it on low all day. When I made the roast yesterday I cooked it on high for 6 hours, and then switched it to low for another half hour because we weren’t ready to eat yet. I also have a “warm” setting on my crockpot so when I was getting ready to serve it I changed the setting to warm so it would cool down enough to eat the roast without burning us, but it wouldn’t get cold.

The thing I really love about this recipe is its versatility. Last night when I served it I made baked potatoes, sliced the roast and poured the “gravy” on top of the meat. I’ve also served it with quinoa or mashed potatoes on the side. However, my favorite way to serve it is to shred the meat and mix the “gravy” into the meat, then make pasta (gluten free of course) and combine the meat, gravy and pasta together to make the most delicious crockpot pasta meal ever! It is just so good I can’t even tell you in words. You’ll have to make it and see for yourself!

Voila! Crockpot beef roast pasta! So yummy!

Voila! Crockpot beef roast pasta! So yummy!

The roast brings a richness to the sauce and because the meat has been slow cooked it falls apart. It is truly a wonderful meal, my Honey calls it comfort food, and he said it made his day yesterday. What could be better than that?! I will be sharing other crockpot meal recipes throughout the winter months, but I started with my favorite. Let me know how you like it if you make it, or share your favorite crockpot meal with me. Remember to use organic, local ingredients whenever possible, and meat that is humanely raised without hormones or antibiotics. I hope you enjoyed my recipe and pictures, and that you try to make my favorite crockpot meal. It will help you live a life of vitality- like Valerie!

The “Eyes” have it!

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I am committed to do whatever I need to so these eyes last me the rest of my life!

I am committed to do whatever I need to so these eyes last me the rest of my life!

This post isn’t like my usual ones and some of you may stop reading because you’ll think, “my eyes are fine” or “this doesn’t pertain to me, I’m a young person”. But here’s why you should read this, because we all have eyes and we all want to be able to see with them for our entire lives, right? Here’s another surprising fact, more people are having problems with their eyes as they grow older; macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataracts are all becoming more and more common in Americans. A lot of this has to do with the way we eat, because we eat more junk and processed food in this country, and we are gaining more weight than ever, diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure are more prevalent. THESE DISEASES AND MANY OTHERS IMPACT OUR VISION. So it stands to reason that if we can clean up the way we eat, we can help prevent the diseases that affect our eyes. After all, our eyes are our windows to the world, are they not? Can you imagine not being able to see? I sure can’t!

Well, I have to admit I’m getting old. I guess we all are, aren’t we? Anyway, I went to the optometrist the other day and while my eyes are pretty healthy for my age, I learned that I have the beginnings of cataracts in my left eye and “cloudy areas” in my right one, which is a pre-cataract condition. I will need cataract surgery in a few years. WOW, WHAT A SOBERING THOUGHT! Also, my mom has glaucoma in her left eye and macular degeneration in her right one, probably due to her diabetes, so I have a genetic predisposition to these diseases of the eye as well. My mom’s eye issues are under control due to her careful management of her illnesses, but my goal is to do what I can so I don’t ever get those very serious conditions. My dad, stepmom and stepdad have all had cataract surgery, so what I’m saying is that MOST OF YOU READING THIS WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH SOME FORM OF EYE DISEASE IN THE FUTURE unless we do what we can now to “feed our eyes” the best things we can to optimize our vision.

One of the best, and easiest, things you can do for your eyes, wear a pair of polarized sunglasses!

One of the best, and easiest, things you can do for your eyes, wear a pair of polarized sunglasses!

One of the best things we can do for our eyes is a very easy one, wear a pair of polarized sunglasses when you’re outside in the sun. There is a link between sun exposure and cataracts so no one should go outside without a decent pair of sunglasses. They don’t have to be expensive ones either, just look for a polarized pair because they help cut down on the glare from the sun. Easy peasy right?!

Great sources of Vitamin A!

Great sources of Vitamin A!

Remember how moms in the old days would say to eat carrots because it helps your eyes? Well it turns out mom is always right. Carrots are a great source of vitamin A which is an essential nutrient for your eyes. Other sources of vitamin A are fish oils, eggs, milk, but mostly in leafy green vegetables, orange and yellow vegetables, tomato products, fruits and some vegetables.

Promising minerals to help keep eyes healthy!

Promising minerals to help keep eyes healthy!

New research has pointed to some minerals that are more promising for helping to prevent diseases of the eye than vitamin A. These are carotinoids called lutein and zeaxanthin. Food sources with the highest amount of lutein and zeaxanthin are egg yolks, corn, orange peppers, kiwi fruit, grapes, spinach, orange juice, zucchini and squash. There are also supplements you can purchase containing these nutrients, but as I’ve said before make sure you are purchasing PHARMACEUTICAL GRADE SUPPLEMENTS, not supplements purchased from a grocery store or big box store. That way you ensure you are putting pure nutrients into your body with no fillers or other mysterious additives. Other nutrients that are helpful are Omega 3 fatty acids, which have been found to help prevent macular degeneration. Omega 3 fatty acids are found in the highest concentrations in flax seeds, walnuts, sardines, salmon, beef, soybeans, tofu, shrimp, brussels sprouts, and cauliflower. Vitamin E Tocotrienols are found to delay the onset and progression of cataracts. and your best food sources are rice bran, barley, annatto seeds, and palm oil. However, by far the best way to get your tocotrienols is in supplement form.

So, as a result of my research and the findings from my visit to the Optometrist, I’m going to begin eating more leafy green, orange and yellow vegetables. I will also begin taking a lutein/zeaxanthin and vitamin E tocotrienol supplement daily to help slow the progression of my cataract condition. I want my eyes to be healthy until I take my last breath and it doesn’t seem that difficult to do. Take care of your eyes, my friends, and you’ll live a life of vitality- like Valerie!