Beef....It's What's for Dinner

I’ve never been scared of eating red meat. I love it actually. Never crossed my mind that red meat was bad for my heart. Never paid much attention to studies done by the government or the FDA. Guess it’s all well and good at any rate, cuz all those silly studies done about red meat killing those rabbits had one minor flaw…..

…..rabbits are vegetarians by nature.

There goes that theory!

Granted, when consuming red meat, it’s good to know what else is in there. Growth hormones? Antibiotics? Pesticides from eating sprayed corn crops? Yes, yep and uh-huh. (By the way, all those tasty sounding poisons are found in the milk of the cow as well, and no, the pasteurization process does not remove them. More on that later….)

So what’s a girl to do? Give into scare tactics and avoid red meat like the plague? Far from it! Clean, healthy red meat is chock full of an essential fatty acid called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA from here on out). CLA is an amazing substance that our bodies definitely need.

 And who couldn’t use these benefits…..CLA:

• fights the growth of cancer cells in your body (everyone has them)
  
• helps to prevent diabetes
  
• aids in weight loss
  
• enhances your immune system

Let it be noted, however, that grass-fed beef contains 3-5 times more CLA than grain-fed beef.

If you’re like I was before I watched a fascinating documentary called King Corn, you’re thinking, “Cows eat grain? Who knew?” But indeed, most ranchers looking to turn a sizeable profit (as their main and perhaps only goal) will lock up hundreds of cows in stalls, never letting them walk around, feeding them genetically-modified corn sprayed with toxic pesticide chemicals (cows were never meant to eat corn, just in case you’re wondering. It makes them sick…..), injecting them with antibiotics (because the corn made them sick) and growth hormones.

And we eat all that. You are what you eat after all……

So only grass-fed beef (or bison) now graces our table. You won’t find it at Kroger, however. Whole Foods and other health food stores will carry it, but at a much higher price. We buy ours from the Nashville Farmer’s Market for $4/pound. There are several vendors with grass-fed meat, but we like Emerald Glen Farm out of Munfordville, KY.

So now that you have your grass-fed beef, what better way to eat it than in a chili!

• 1 Tbsp. coconut oil (unrefined)
  
• ½ c. chopped onions
  
• 2 med. garlic cloves, minced
  
• 1 ½ c. chopped celery
  
• 1 c. chopped green pepper
  
• 1 ½ lbs. grass-fed beef or ground bison
  
• 2 tsp. thyme leaves
  
• 2 tsp. chili powder
  
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
  
• sea salt
  
• 1 8oz. can diced tomatoes
  
• 1 12oz. jar salsa (all natural or homemade)

In a large skillet, melt coconut oil over medium heat. Saute onions, garlic, celery and bell pepper until onion is translucent, abt. 3-4 min. Add ground meat, thyme, chili powder and cumin and cook, stirring frequently, 5-6 min. Pour salt, tomatoes and salsa into crock pot. Add meat mixture. Cover and let simmer for the day. Then get cozy with a blanket in front of the fireplace and enjoy!

**Buying Guide**
Where I buy my chili ingredients at the best price:

• Coconut oil-Whole Foods brand (organic and unrefined, for $6.99.)
  
• Onions-Whole Foods (a 3 lb. bag of organic for $2.99)
  
• Celery-Publix Greenwise brand (usually on sale for $1.99 for a good size stalk)
  
• Green Pepper-Whole Foods will usually have local, organic green bell peppers
  
• Beef-Nashville Farmer’s Market (Emerald Glen Farm, $4/lb.)
  
• Fresh Thyme Leaves-Whole Foods (a container of organic herbs for $1.99)
  
• Diced Tomatoes-Costco (8 pack of organic canned tomatoes for $7.99) or Kroger Organic canned tomatoes for those without the prestigious Costco membership