Slow Food
The cool temperatures of autumn put us in the mood for comforting foods. Stews and one dish meals and casseroles can provide that warm, healthy comfort. If we make them with lean meats, poultry and fish, and plenty of vegetables and legumes, they provide all the nutrition a meal should have. These meals can be low in calories as well, if we avoid too much fat and use lean cooking methods. I think the best part is the wonderful aroma that fills the house as our slow food cooks.
Pot roast is a favorite that is versatile and inexpensive. Choose a cut of meat that needs long, slow cooking, which will also be the least expensive cut. Trim off all visible fat. Start by seasoning the meat on all sides with salt and pepper. In a heavy dutch oven, over medium high heat, brown the meat on all sides in a small amount of oil. This will take about 20 minutes. Allow each side to get very brown and crusty before turning. Turning too soon may result in sticking. If the meat feels like it is sticking, let it brown a little longer.
When the meat is entirely browned on all sides, add liquid to reach halfway up the sides of the meat. This can be plain water, or any kind of broth, wine, or a combination. Add a quartered onion, several cloves of garlic, a bay leaf and 6 or so peppercorns.
Bring the pot up to the boil. Cover and place in a 350 degree F oven for at least 1 hour. Add to the pot some small or quartered medium onions, a stalk of celery cut in large pieces, and for each person a carrot cut in chunks and a medium potato cut in half. You may also add any other root vegetable, such as leeks, turnips and parsnips. Return the covered pot to the oven for 1 more hour. When the meat is done and tender, remove it from the pot to a warm platter and let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Arrange the vegetables around the meat.
There will be delicious juices in the pot. Skim off any fat. Puree some of the vegetables in the juices to make a thick, rich tasting, low fat gravy.
Pot roast can also be made in a slow cooker. Brown the meat in a skillet and transfer it to the crockpot. Deglaze the skillet with broth, water, or wine if you like, and add the delicious liquid to the pot. Add the vegetables half way through the cooking time, usually 6 to 8 hours total.
There are so many possibilities and, as usual, our members use all their creativity with fresh ingredients in cooking the following recipes.
Comments
The next two evenings we are planning on meals like this, and with our new found love for leaner meats, I'm sure the meals will also be leaner and healthier than they once were.
It's more fun to cook now that I am thinking about making it healthier for our family rather than just porking it up so to speak.
Stews are great. But a stew made from lean meat can be very dry. If you are slow-cooking meat a cut with a decent amount of fat in it will still be moist and tender when you're finished.
Fat gives flavour, we need some fat to be healthy and juicy tender meat is going to taste better than dry chewy meat, so don't be afraid to pick a fattier cut.
merylwhite1 - the problem with fat from meat is that it's saturated i.e 'bad' fat. London broil (shoulder steak) is great for this because it's low fat, cheap, and not dry. I've broiled it, grilled it, pan seared it, and used it in soups and stews. When cooked right, it tastes as good as more expensive cuts.
If you can find a cut of meat that has a bone, it will be moister. However, cooking in moist heat can replace most of the juiciness in even lean beef. Also, starting by browning well seals in flavor. Long, slow cooking tenderizes and the generous pan juices make a juicy sauce.
Original Post by: clairelaineHere are the Forum discussions featured in the Newsletter.
Counting calories in a homecooked mealSay if I wanted to cook beef stew, how do I go about counting the calories? Do you add up all the ingredients and get the caloric value for the whole pot... continue reading
Buying a dutch oven
I have noticed a number of recipes lately calling for the use of a dutch oven and I'm thinking of buying one. A quick look at Crate & Barrel revealed a $110 pot! Anyone cook regularly with them and if so, any recommendations for brands... continue reading
Great vegetarian stew
Just made this great stew and wanted to share the recipe. I did the anaysis on my variations and called it Squash and Black Bean Stew II. It was very yummy and filling and has a great nutrition grade... continue reading
The Le Creuset dutch oven is expensive, but I find that they are worth it. I can brown things on the stove top and then pop it in the oven to finish. It cooks evenly which I found makes a big difference when I'm trying to get it right. I've read some reviews on Cooks Illustrated that mention a much cheaper version that does the same thing but is much heavier. I just decided it was something I'd use for the next 20 or 30 years so it was a small investment. I love to cook and make lots of stews, soups and casseroles. There's even a way to make bread in it, which tossed me over the edge. I haven't been disappointed, it is wonderful for even browning and I can use a lower heat to cook. I have electric so needed the extra stability for the heat distribution. I admit that I found my on clearance so it's not one of the 'pretty new colors' but I'm just fine with the color. I bought it because of the way I cook, not how it looks. I love it.
For those of you who love GREAT cookbooks like I do, take a look at Molly Steven's, All About Braising. Its given a 5-star review on Amazon.com. Molly Steven's is a chef who knows what she is talking about. I highly recommend this cookbook, for braising and the slow cooked meals we're talking about!
http://www.amazon.com/All-About-Braising-Uncomplicated-Cooki ng/dp/0393052303/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257 003350&sr=8-1
Try Home Goods and TJ Maxx--if available in your area. They carry all of the top brands of dutch ovens (including Le Creuset) at 1/3 to 1/4 off. :)
advice
100
all-or-nothingthinking
american
asparagus
beans
breakfast
calorierequirements
calories
children
confidence
cooking
craving
crowdingout
dessert
diet
dieting
dinner
eatingout
eggs
emotionaleating
exercise
family
fastfood
fat
fda
fiber
fish
fooddiary
foodshopping
foodtest
friends
fruit
fullness
goals
healthy
hunger
inspiration
kids
lowcalorie
lunch
mediterranean
mediterraneandiet
mindset
motivation
party
peerpressure
plateau
portions
recipe
recipes
recommendations
restaurants
restrictivediets
salad
satiety
scale
self-esteem
sensa
shrimp
sleep
snack
snacks
soup
spring
success
successstory
sugar
support
thanksgiving
tips
tv
unsupportive
vegetables
weightloss
4
Here are the Forum discussions featured in the Newsletter.
Counting calories in a homecooked mealSay if I wanted to cook beef stew, how do I go about counting the calories? Do you add up all the ingredients and get the caloric value for the whole pot... continue reading
Buying a dutch ovenI have noticed a number of recipes lately calling for the use of a dutch oven and I'm thinking of buying one. A quick look at Crate & Barrel revealed a $110 pot! Anyone cook regularly with them and if so, any recommendations for brands... continue reading
Great vegetarian stewJust made this great stew and wanted to share the recipe. I did the anaysis on my variations and called it Squash and Black Bean Stew II. It was very yummy and filling and has a great nutrition grade... continue reading