You might remember that I run for TEAM BEEF MONTANA, I've written about it before. As ranchers, Jeff and I feel very passionate about our herd and the ranching lifestyle. We eat a lot of beef, and I also have always had a strong interest in eating healthily and nutritiously. When I saw this infographic posted on the Team Beef Montana Facebook page, I had to share it. I love that it explains the health benefits of beef, especially in terms of fat content, and Zinc, Iron, and Protein. All of which are very important parts of a healthy diet, and super important for fueling a run, or an active lifestyle! I also love that this poster does not point favorites between grain fed or grass fed animals, but simply explains them both and continues to endorse beef as a part of a healthy diet.
On our farm/ranch, our animals are on pasture for most of the year. In the fall, the herd grazes on grain stubble and grass. In the winter, we feed them hay. Our calves ship in the fall and almost always go to a feedlot somewhere in the Midwest (varies by year.) The animals that we hold back to finish for our own meat-eating purposes, are finished on a mixture of hay and gradually increasing grain ration. So, I guess our calves are grass-fed/on mama's milk for 90% of their lives, then finished on grain. The cows that we keep are pretty much on grass or hay for their entire lives.
We also feed some supplements during difficult nutrition times of the year for the cows-- range cake, lick tubs, etc., so that the cows can continue to get the nutrients they need while nursing.
On a related note, I found this blog post on why Iron is super important for runners on the Oiselle Blog. Iron is especially important for female runners (really, Iron is important for EVERYONE!) Beef is a great source of Iron, as the graphic above indicates, and this blog post, written by a Dietitian and a runner, reinforces this idea.
In case, you needed a quick recipe for a healthy beef entree, I've got that for you right here, too. This recipe actually comes from Jeff's Aunt Linda, and is called Beef-Corn Dandy. This was a 4H specialty of Linda's growing up. I'm going to post the recipe as she has it written, then go through some of the tips and minor variations I often make when I make this recipe.
Beef Corn Dandy
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 c. diced tomatoes
1 can corn
1/4 lb shredded cheese.
Instructions:
1. Place beef, onion, and spices in a skillet and cook until beef is lightly browned and onion is soft. Drain fat.
2. Add tomatoes and corn. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 min.
3. Top with cheese, cover until cheese melts. Serve and enjoy!
Katie's Tips:
So, the biggest variation that I do when I make this is that I really load it up with veggies. This dish becomes sort of a clean-out-the-fridge free-for-all when it comes to veggies, for me. I'll add carrots, zucchini, potatoes, whatever I have on hand to really bulk up the variety of veggies in this.
Also, I almost always cook some sort of grain or pasta to serve as a platform for the Dandy.
Typically, it'll be whatever pasta is on-hand. Sometimes I'll layer the pasta on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish, then top it with the beefy-veggie skillet mixture, then top with cheese and into the oven it goes to heat it all through, and serve as a casserole.
Last tip-- get creative with spices and seasonings. A recipe like this is made for experimentation! You can take it almost any direction. I've done Italian with basil, oregano, parsley, and also Mexican with some leftover fajita seasoning, just to name a few examples.
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| A recent variation of Beef Corn Dandy, including zucchini, potatoes, bell peppers, corn, tomatoes, onion, garlic and green beans as supplemental veggies. Most of which came straight out of the garden, complementing our home-raised beef! |
range fed beef does have a better taste than grain fed. Its leaner too, but if you sell your cow by the pound you have to pack on the pounds. Maybe add Curry and red wine vinegar to the grain ?
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