1. Healthy Grocery List for the New Year
Welcome to 2012! As we begin the New Year, why not stock the pantry and refrigerator with healthy, great-tasting foods to make dinnertime a snap?! We’ve included some easy ideas and a simple beef recipe for each item—healthy shopping (and eating) couldn’t be easier!

Frozen vegetables are a freezer staple. Choose your favorite types and stock up when there’s a sale. When mealtime approaches, you can grab what you’ve got and whip up a delicious Simple Savory Beef Pot Roast.

Savory spices like chipotle chili powder will provide lots of flavor in your healthy dishes, while keeping salt and fat to a minimum. Check out Smoky Chipotle Pot Roast with Cornbread for a great example of the spice in action.

Much like spices, fresh herbs, garlic and ginger can be used in so many ways to boost flavor in a recipe while keeping it healthy. These all make an appearance in Beef Pot Roast with Maple Sweet Potatoes and Cider Gravy—perfect for days when the weather doesn’t cooperate.

2. Beyond the Waistline

The New Year has arrived and the resolutions have been made. Like many, yours might include losing some weight or getting in shape—but there’s more to health than simply a size or a number on the scale. This year, why not focus on including important nutrients such as protein, iron, zinc and B vitamins? And there’s no tastier vehicle than lean beef!

• Protein: Studies suggest that protein promotes satiety, so you’ll feel full longer and satisfy cravings faster. Evidence also shows that protein can help in maintaining a healthy weight, building muscle and fueling physical activity.
• Iron: This important nutrient not only helps carry oxygen to body tissue, but it also plays a role in cognitive health, including memory, ability to learn and reasoning. Beef is a good source of iron and is the most easily absorbed source.
• Zinc: This essential nutrient fuels thousands of bodily processes, including building muscles and healing wounds. A 3 oz serving of lean beef is an excellent source of zinc.
• B Vitamins: Beef is a natural source of B₁₂, B₆, niacin and riboflavin. These vitamins support a healthy nervous system, healthy skin and healthy immune system.

3. Beef’s Favorite Ingredient of the Month—Root Vegetables

This month we’re using root vegetables like potatoes, carrots and parsnips in pot roast recipes! They’re the perfect partner to popular roasts like Chuck Pot Roast, Chuck Blade Roast and Bottom Round Roast (which you can learn more about on our interactive meat case).

Our Classic Beef Pot Roast with Root Vegetables features the usual suspects like potatoes and carrots. The addition of peas makes for a colorful presentation of this tradition recipe.

Our North Woods Hearty Pot Roast features Chuck Shoulder Pot Roast alongside potatoes, carrots, parsnips and leeks. Serve this dish from your stockpot on the table for a homey family dinner.

4. Recipes on a Budget

We’re always on the lookout for great-tasting recipes that are easy on the wallet and a breeze to prepare. This time of year, pot roasting is a popular choice.

We collected three of our favorite pot roast recipes, sure to meet your time and budget limitations!

Simple Savory Beef Pot Roast and Yankee Beef Pot Roast both feature common pantry items like salt, pepper, thyme, flour and garlic—making for a short grocery list. They also use frozen vegetables, which can be purchased on sale and stored until you’re ready to roast.

Southwest Beef Pot Roast also makes the most of canned and frozen items like corn, black beans and salsa that you can find on sale. The end result is a unique Mexican inspired meal!

5. Gear up for the grill 

The weather may still be chilly, but we’ve got grilling on our mind. When you’re planning grilling features, make sure you’ve got the basics covered! Our three simple steps for grilling offer guaranteed-delicious steaks.

Step 1: Prepare grill (gas or charcoal) according to manufacturer’s directions for medium heat.

Step 2: Season beef (directly from refrigerator) with herbs or spices as desired. Place on cooking grid.
Step 3: Grill, covered, according to chart, turning occasionally. After cooking, season beef with salt, if desired.

One of our favorite steaks for summer is the Top Loin—aka Strip Steak. Not only is it juicy and flavorful, it’s lean! Talk about the full package! Two great recipes to kick off your grilling season include Beef Top Loin Steaks with Grilled Balsamic Vegetables and Tender Pepper-Rubbed Strip Steaks with Grilled Vegetable Trio. Both recipes feature healthy grilled vegetables in addition to a tasty steak!

 
Please contact kmillspaugh@beef.org to obtain high resolution images and full recipes.
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