Menu Monday - The Cow Matters

Something about the meat section in Walmart scares me. Just a wall of red flesh. How is one to choose from so much dang meat? Most of my friends just grab the cheapest tube of ground burger, and call it a day. Some of you, shell out for the seemingly healthier turkey burger. Unless you were raised on a farm, you are probably not thinking about the cow. This week I am sharing my menu again, and talking about why the cow, and the way it is raised and fed actually matters.

It's a slow, icy Sunday. I have just finished up cooking this week's meals. I smell like caramelized onions and delicious hamburger. I am realizing just now that that last sentence was not appealing. Why hello boys, would you rather I smell like a peach and strawberries, or caramelized onions hmm? Hmm?

I actually do not want to know the answer to that.

Here is this week's meals!

Click to enlarge the menu. 

Last week I wrote  about the benefits of planning your meals, and the diet that I follow. However, this weekend I did indulge in some gluten-free pizza, at a Valentine's Day girl's night. Girl's nights are one of my weaknesses. Can I get an amen?

Why Does the Cow Matter? 

Part of my plan towards better health includes eating grass-fed, antibiotic-free, responsibly-raised meat. For those of you who are knew to this, I will just give you a quick run down.

Most meat in restaurants, and grocery stores is grain fed or grain finished. In the best cases they let the cows roam about chomping on grass and then in last months or weeks of their life, they load them up grain or corn or something else designed to make them massive, and get their meat nice and marbled. The more marble, the higher the grade (according to the USDA). There are quite a few things wrong with feeding cows grain. Cows were designed to eat grass, so when they are fed grain they also have to take antibiotics to keep from getting sick. The meat also loses a lot of its natural beneficial properties.

I know a lot of you do not want a long explanation, so I will just bullet a few reasons why I eat grass-fed and finished beef.

• I feel so much better when I eat it
• It has higher Omega 3 Fatty Acids (the really good fats). Nearly 60% more in grass-fed beef than grain-fed
• Grass-fed beef is better for the environment
• It has much higher amounts of CLA, which is another good guy you need. 
• It has higher amounts of vitamin A and E
• Grass-fed beef has much lower amounts of Omega 6 (the bad fats associated with heart disease) fatty acids
• Seriously I feel so much better when I eat it

Making the Change 

My nutritionist suggested US Wellness Meats. I order it online, and It arrives in a box, and I seriously get so excited every time it shows up.

All the meat is comes frozen, so you can easily store it until you need it. Great for cooking for one!

Keeping it simple and flavorful. Sweet potatoes and a burger. Yes that is toothpaste on my shirt. I am so smooth. It was cleaning day okay!

I would love to go through a local rancher, but I just have not spent the time researching it. It is also harder to buy a small amount of meat. I do not have freezer space for half a cow. 

I seriously challenge you to make the switch. I really think you will feel so much better, and the meat just tastes amazing. 

I have included some links if you want to look into the benefits of grass fed beef on a deeper level. 

Links

Here is a good comprehensive article on CNN about grass fed beef, from the taste to the scientific benefits. 

If you want to know more about why Factory Farming is grotesque browse this section of NY Times. 

Check out what US Wellness Meats has to say about why their beef is better. 

Here is a nice, summary of the benefits of grain-fed cow vs. grass-fed beef. 

I love this article, by the owner of Chipotle, on why you use responsibly-raised beef. 

Let me know your favorite burger recipe! I like mine topped with egg and bacon. 

Much Love, 

Sarah