March's Top 5 Story Ideas
1. National Nutrition Month
March is National Nutrition Month! What a perfect time to celebrate the attributes of beef that make it so nutrient-rich. Let’s highlight a few of the best things about beef from a nutrition perspective (you already know just how delicious it is).
- Did you know that an appropriate serving size (4 oz. raw = 3 oz. cooked) of lean beef is only 150 calories on average?1 That serving will supply you with nearly half of your daily recommendation of protein.1 Talk about bang for the calorie “buck.”
- Do you know your beef nutrients? That same 3 oz. cooked serving of lean beef is an excellent source of six essential nutrients (protein, selenium, vitamin B12, zinc, niacin and vitamin B6) and a good source of four essential nutrients (phosphorus, choline, iron and riboflavin).1
- Did you know that lean beef can be part of a heart-healthy diet? New research suggests that lean beef, when eaten as part of an overall heart-healthy diet, can reduced LDL (bad) cholesterol as much as the gold standard heart-healthy DASH diet!2
- And finally, after all this talk of lean beef, do you know your lean cuts? Many of America’s favorites like T-Bone, Top Loin (aka Strip), Top Sirloin and 95% lean Ground Beef meet government guidelines for lean.3
- USDA, ARS. 2011. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 24. Nutrient Data Laboratory Home Page, http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/
- Roussell MA, Hill AM, Gaugler TL, West SG, Vanden Heuvel JP, Alaupovic P, Gillies PJ, Kris-Etherton PM. Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet study: effects on lipids, lipoproteins, and apolipoproteins. Am J Clin Nutr. January, 2012.
- Fresh Look Marketing Group, Total US Beef, 52 Weeks Ending 9/25/2011
2. Celebrate March Madness with Beef
The Final Four will soon be announced and the brackets will be filled out. In the meantime, we’re gathering recipes perfect for entertaining friends for a game or two—New Orleans style. Since the tournament is being played in the Big Easy, our suite of recipes will match the mood.
What better to start with than some Kickin’ Cajun Dirty Rice?! If you’ve got a skillet, Ground Beef and a rice mix, you’re more than half way there. Another New Orleans staple, great for feeding your party crowd, is Beef with Red Beans and Rice.
If you’ve got Creole seasoning in your pantry, rub it on a Top Sirloin steak and make Cajun Beef Pepper Steaks. Pair the dish with a cooling salad and your friends will thank you.
3. Beef’s Favorite Ingredient of the Month—Cabbage
March is here, which means the season is changing and we’ve got green on our mind (St. Patrick’s Day and the green grass sure to be popping up soon). It only seems natural that cabbage would be beef’s favorite food partner this month!
A Rustic Beef Caldo is the perfect “meal in a pot” for those nights when winter won’t let go. The classic Mexican soup marries cabbage, corn, potatoes and other vegetables with tender beef Shank Cross Cuts. The recipe makes six servings, so you’ll have enough for guests or perhaps lunch the next day.
Try out a delicious twist with a Thai Burger—quickly prepared in your trusty kitchen skillet. Crunchy cabbage meets tangy lime juice for a delightful topping on a burger mixed with green onion, ginger and hot sauce. Talk about a treat for the senses!
And finally, what cabbage compilation would be complete without the fermented delicacy we know as sauerkraut? Our Classic Reuben Sandwich is quick and easy since it uses deli roast beef and the skillet.
4. Use Your Skills and Skillets
You’ve got mad skills. Or maybe you don’t. But we bet you have a skillet in your kitchen and we’ll help you master a few key recipes using that useful tool—then you can proclaim you do have some mad skillet skills!
First, remember to keep the heat at medium. Cooking too low won’t encourage proper browning while too high of heat will cause burning. Beef & Pasta Skillet Primavera is the perfect recipe to practice with. Browning the lean Ground Beef over medium heat will ensure the dish is flavorful and tender.
Next, remember to cook the Ground Beef for 8 to 10 minutes and break into ¾ inch crumbles. These crumbles are the perfect size to use in a Confetti Beef Taco Salad or Confetti Beef Tacos.
After remembering those two simple tips for using your skillet and lean Ground Beef, you’ll be ready to try something that sounds really fancy like Asian Beef Lettuce Wraps. After all you’ve learned you’ll have no problem creating the impressive dish for your family!
5. The Thrill of the Grill
The sound of sizzle. The smell of succulence. The savory delight of steak. Summer is the perfect time for finding the perfect steak at your supermarket, inviting some friends over and sharing a great meal outside.
When it comes to finding that perfect steak, we can help make it easy. Look for bright, cherry-red color and beef that is firm to the touch. Some of our favorite cuts for grilling include Top Loin (aka Strip), Flank and Ribeye. These options offer something for everyone.
You have your classic steakhouse favorite with Ribeye. Well-marbled and juicy, Ribeye Steaks and Seasoned Vegetables Kabobs prove that serving beef really is the best way to get you to eat your vegetables.
Another classic steak, the Top Loin, happens to also be lean. Isn’t that a wonderful surprise?! Tender Pepper-Rubbed Strip Steaks with Grilled Vegetable Trio is a recipe guaranteed to please any steak connoisseur.
And the Flank steak? Well, this is for the friend who enjoys their steak already sliced thin, for deliciously tender bites. Try our Caribbean Flank Steak with Coconut Rice for an island-inspired meal.
Please contact kmillspaugh@beef.org to obtain high resolution images and full recipes.
For more story ideas please see our Seasonal Story Ideas section.