All too often when people "diet", they feel beef is totally off limits! You couldn't be more WRONG! First step, stop using the word "diet"... I use it in my blogs because that's what seems to be the thinking process of most who are trying to lose weight. Instead, use the word "lifestyle" or "healthy eating". It's a change in lifestyle, not something you do for a few months and then go back to your unhealthy eating habits.
Choosing the proper types of "beef" is the first step. The lower the fat, the better and never settle for anything less than 90% Fat Free or a ration of 90/10 on the food label. I personally have begun choosing irradiated beef from Wegmans. Before I looked into it I was clueless what this meant but after so many ground beef scares I decided to see what it truly meant and it's much more simple than you would think.
Originally I thought the words "irradiated beef" meant they put chemicals and such into it for some strange reason. After researching I found that this technique insures, chemical free, that no food borne diseases/germs/bacterias can live inside the ground meat. This means a safer meat for me and my family.
Choosing this style of beef not only allows me to use the ground beef without fear of E-Coli and other bacteria or germs but it provides instant "portion" control with a prepackaged 1 pound "chub", that easily freezes and thaws without all the mess of other packaged meats in those nasty Styrofoam packages! I know that cutting the package in half means 8 oz. of ground beef or using the entire package and getting 4 servings means 4 oz. per serving!
Here's a very informative article on beef irradiation: http://www.americangrassfedbeef.com/irradiated-beef.asp
The article gives both sides of the story and explains what and how beef irradiation occurs. Take time to read it, it will open your eyes to the beef industry and WHY, perhaps for now, you may want to choose irradiated beef too. But I digress....
Now, one of my most favorite ground beef recipes that help with portion control and keeping that beef craving at hand.....my version of Diner Meatloaf Muffins. This is not a recipe I created but one that I "tweaked" to fit my new "Weight WatcherR" lifestyle! It rocks! They make awesome "meatloaf sandwiches" wedged between Arnold's Sandwich ThinsR too! And, put 2 in a freezer bag for an instant and easy microwavable dinner for one! Now if that's not comfort food at it's best, nothing is!
Specialty Diner Meatloaf Muffins
1 cup chopped onion (about 1 small onion)
1 cup chopped carrot (about 6-8 fingerling carrots)
1/4 cup chopped green pepper (about 1/2 a pepper)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon minced garlic (I use the jar minced garlic)
1 cup ketchup, divided
1 1/2 pounds ground beef, extra lean (raw) 90/10
34 finely crushed Special K Italian Tomato & Herb CrackersR
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 350°. Place the onion, carrot, green pepepr,dried oregano, and minced garlic in blender or food processor. Pulse until mixture is fine but not mushy. Add onion mixture, 1/2 cup ketchup, and the remaining ingredients except cooking spray in a large bowl with raw meat. Spoon the meat mixture into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Top each with 2 teaspoons ketchup.
Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160°. Let stand for 5 minutes.
Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2 "muffins")
Nutritional Information for ORIGINAL recipe:
CALORIES 276 (28% from fat); FAT 8.6g (sat 3g,mono 4g,poly 0.8g); PROTEIN 28.7g; CHOLESTEROL 131mg; CALCIUM 48mg; SODIUM 759mg; FIBER 1.8g; IRON 3.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 21.7g
* Information will be slightly more pointR friendly using the ingredients I used but fairly even in nutritional value. I kept the NI so you can figure "pointsR" easier as it is illegal for me to post a point value.
Original recipe from Cooking LightTM, MARCH 2006 and edited/changed by me to fit my tastes and program.
*Note: I'm not a huge veggie lover and putting carrots in my meatloaf is something I'd never really do... but honestly, by putting them in the blender/food processor you can't even tell they are in the meatloaf AND help add some veggies to your meal without anyone knowing... even YOU! It also helps hold some moisture in the meatloaf muffins. Believe me, nobody will ever know you snuck veggies in!
