May Story Ideas
Modern Take on a Classic: Fajitas
We know you have a few key dishes in the weekly rotation ranging from pizza and spaghetti to tacos and sandwiches. This month, we’d like to show you how easy it is to make a restaurant favorite at home! Let’s take on the sizzling fajita!
It really doesn’t get more traditional than Classic Fajitas. To mix things up, try our “deconstructed” Beef Fajita Salad with Mango-Serrano Vinaigrette. The beauty is that everyone in the family can add the foods they like to their dish.
If you like the flavor of classic fajitas, but want to serve it for a party or appetizer, try Beef Fajitas on a Stick. Or let’s say you love the classic fajita cut—Flank steak—but you don’t necessarily want all the traditional side items. Make our Chipotle-Marinated Beef Flank Steak and serve with your choice of side dishes or toppings.
Busting the Myth that Beef Doesn’t Belong On My Healthy Plate
You’re trying to eat smarter, making more meals at home and trying out new healthy recipes. Summer is on its way and you need to get yourself ready for tank tops and shorts.
When you’re planning lighter and healthier meals, you know the basics: make half your plate fruits and vegetables, enjoy whole grains and eat lean proteins. Did you know that many of your favorite cuts of beef are lean? Cuts like Top Sirloin, Strip steak, T-Bone and 93% lean or leaner Ground Beef are great choices for the protein section of your healthy plate!
And what’s even cooler about choosing lean beef (besides the sizzling great taste!)—a 3-oz. serving is only 150 calories on average, yet it provides 10 essential nutrients like iron, zinc and B vitamins.
Our new-for-summer recipe, Beef Filets with Ancient Grain and Kale Salad, is the perfect example of balance. Succulent taste from lean Tenderloin with kale, cranberries, almonds and farro provide beneficial protein and fiber in one beautiful dish.
You can also fire up the grill and serve a delicious Maple-Balsamic Marinated Steak with Grilled Pear Salad. The recipe is fully customizable, using your favorite nuts and cheese atop a bed of salad greens or arugula. Beef and fruit?! You heard us right!
Powerful Moms Need Powerful Protein
Moms are like superheroes. They juggle so many tasks and responsibilities while providing love and support for the entire family. It’s no wonder they sometimes feel exhausted. To give mom the power she needs to get through the day, serve up dishes with plenty of protein, lots of veggies and tons of flavor.
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Our
Inside Out Grilled Steak Salad features assorted veggies, edamame, goat cheese and nuts. The colorful presentation is a feast for the eyes and the flavors satisfy a multitude of cravings.
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Try
Sonoma Ranch Steak Salad with spinach, feta cheese and olives for a unique take on a classic salad. Butter beans and the veggies combine with lean beef to make the recipe an excellent source of protein and a good source of fiber too!
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Thai Beef and Cucumber Salad highlights the flavors of Thailand with soy sauce, peanut butter, ginger and garlic. The salad comes together simply with cucumber, tomato, cilantro and peanuts.
Cooking for Kids: Family Friendly Meals
Kids can be picky eaters. They decide they don’t like green things or crunchy things. Sometimes you prepare special meals for each person in the family. We say, start with a dish guaranteed to satisfy the youngest mouths. You’ll be pleasantly surprised how much the adults in your family love these dishes too!
Tested with (and named by) school-age children across the country, these five new recipes received praises like “I wish my mom would make this at home” and “I want seconds!” They’re all made with versatile lean Ground Beef and familiar family favorite ingredients. What more could you ask for?!
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Wrangler’s Beef Chili is packed with vegetables and can be served atop whole wheat noodles or couscous. Top with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt for added calcium.
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Sweet Potato Beef Mash-Up combines southwest-flavored Ground Beef and sweet potato in a fun hash, perfect for wrapping up in a whole wheat tortilla.
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Rock and Roll Beef Wraps are a colorful way to introduce quinoa to your kids with ranch-seasoned Ground Beef and slaw. The mix can be served in a tortilla or lettuce cups.
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Spy Thai Beef is a versatile topping for noodles, lettuce or wonton chips. The mixture is flavored with peanut (or sunflower) butter and soy sauce.
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Sweet and Sloppy Joe is a nutritious twist on the classic family favorite. Sneak in some raisins and top with mangos or jalapenos (if your family likes it hot)!
Slow Cooked Comforts (Long Lead)
There’s a movement happening. A movement back to slow cooked comfort food, especially popular as the weather starts to cool down. But does that mean it has to be complicated? We say no! We’re here to offer you some fall comforts perfect for “set it and forget it.”
One quick look at Pinterest will reveal that the slow cooker is back! It makes sense…parents can let it do the hard work for them. A few of our favorite slow cooker recipes include a Slow Cooker Pot Roast Soup and North Woods Heart Pot Roast (check out the cook’s notes to view the slow-cooker variation).
If you want to really go old-school, use the stove top to slowly braise a fork-tender dinner like classic Beef Bourguignonne. The beauty of cooking a dish like this on the stove top is that all the flavorful browned bits on the bottom of the pan can be fully incorporated once the broth is added. Yum!
Please contact kmillspaugh@beef.org to obtain high resolution images and full recipes.
For more story ideas please see our Seasonal Story Ideas section.
Your Source for Planning Holiday Editorial
Beef's versatile flavors and preparation methods lend themselves to every season. Turn to us to get a jump start on the latest seasonal flavors and culinary trends, and be sure to check in for special calendar markers such as the summer grilling season. We’ll inspire you with recipes that make the most of farmers' markets, home gardens and cooking methods that fit the season. Whether you’re planning a summer grilling story in December or an après-ski menu in August, we can help set your editorial table.
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What's Your Dinner Made Of?
The latest “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.” consumer advertising campaign is premiering in April, bringing the recognizable tagline to older millennials and Gen-Xers. The new campaign will feature sizzling beef recipes, juicy details about essential nutrients and the voice of one of Hollywood’s most promising new talents. Learn more here and listen to a radio spot here.
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