Out of The Snow & Into The Kitchen

 

Here in Northern NY it’s officially Winter!

Which means it’s finally time for that hearty Beef Pot Roast you’ve been dreaming about since July.

And what better way to cook it than by digging out the ol’ crock pot? Slow cooking your roast in a crock pot will ensure tender meat bursting with flavor. It will also produce an enticing, robust scent that will drift through your house all day long, luring humans and animals alike...

Even Bonzo can't resist!

If you’re like me, you may discover a hidden sense of nostalgia behind this scent, awakening fond childhood memories of returning home after playing in the ice and snow, being greeted by the warmth of a fire (or at least the radiator, in my case) and smelling the sweet aroma of carrots and onions cooking in the kitchen. 

Fragrance is a powerful thing.

Now that the snow is falling, It's time to go "back to the future". You will need the following ingredients to do so (yes this is a recipe!) :

Olive Oil, 2-5 tablespoons

Thyme, 7 sprigs- strip leaves off 3 sprigs, leave the remaining 4 intact 

Parsley, 3 sprigs- strip leaves off 2 sprigs, leave the remaining 1 intact

Garlic, 5 cloves- 3 halved, 2 finely chopped

Salt & Pepper to taste

Chuck Roast, 1 (approx. 3lbs)

Red Wine, 1 cup  (not essential, but adds flavor)

Onion, 1 peeled and roughly chopped

Leek, 1 Cleaned, Prepped, and Chopped (see video here)

Carrots, 5-7, peeled and cut into thirds

Celery Stalks, washed and cut into pieces

Bay Leaf, 1

Portabello Mushroom (optional), 1/2 chopped into small pieces

Fingerling Potatoes, 8-10 halved

Water or Broth

Butter, approx. 1/2 stick

Flour, 1/4 cup 

and a crockpot of course!

Overall cook time is approximately 1 day, as you will need to season the roast at least a day in advance.

Before you begin, remember, nothing tastes better, smells better, feels better, and is better for you than fresh, real food. And that's what this recipe is. The end result is well worth any time and effort spent, as it is both delicious and nutritious, and once cooked, will provide several days' worth of meals, freeing you up to spend more time wrapping xmas gifts or playing outside in the snow ;) But let's not forget all the fun you'll have chopping, dicing, and mixing in the kitchen first!

You will begin by seasoning your chuck roast: 

A) Combine olive oil, leaves of 2 parsley sprigs, leaves of 3 thyme sprigs, salt and pepper.

B) Rub mixture onto chuck roast with fingers, making sure to coat entire roast.

C) Return seasoned roast into fridge to marinate over night or preferably longer.

     

After your roast has been properly seasoned for a day or two, you are ready to begin!

1) Add the following to your crockpot:

-1 onion

-1 leek

-1 carrot

-2 celery stalks

-3 garlic cloves (halved)

-4 thyme sprigs 

-1 parsley sprig

-1 bay leaf

2) Dig out enough space in center of crockpot to place your roast. Add 1/2 cup wine (optional) and enough water or broth to come almost to the top of the meat. Set crock pot on low heat and cover.

3) After approximately 1 hour: stir veggies and turn meat for even cooking. Continue to turn meat approximately every hour.

4) After 4 to 5 hours, add the following to pan and place over stovetop on medium heat:

-2 tbsp butter

-splash of broth or water (to prevent burning)

-remaining carrots 

-remaining celery

-potatoes

-salt & pepper to taste

-extra herb sprigs if desired

Saute veggies on all sides for 3-5 minutes to add flavor.

5) Remove Veggies from pan and add to crock pot.

***This is where I added my special ingredient: fresh picked, home grown tomatoes. Although the recipe doesn't call for tomatoes, I was fortunate enough to be given them by a generous neighbor of mine who grows her own in the backyard:

Adding kindness never hurts

6) Add remaining wine to crock pot, if desired.

7) Continue to cook on low heat for 3 to 4 more hours, totaling 8 hours approximately. Depending on your particular model of crock pot, your roast may cook faster or slower. Continue to check your roast by cutting off small pieces and tasting. When the meat is very tender and can be cut with ease, your roast is ready. Vegetables should also be soft enough to bite into.

Time to make the gravy! What is a delicious roast without a savory, rich sauce to go with it? 

8) Extract juices from crock pot (there will be plenty). 

9) In a medium-small saucepan, heat juices over medium-low heat. Add mushroom (optional). Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

10) Add flour while mixing vigorously with fork or whisk. Add more juice from crock pot if necessary.

10) Add remaining butter. Salt & pepper to taste.

Gravy should be thick, but if so desired, to thin out simply add more juice from crock pot, milk, or broth.

And voila!

You are ready for an incredibly satisfying supper, complete with what I hope to be some of your fondest childhood memories.

And remember, cooking is just another way we can live in the moment while savoring our past :)

In Preparation for a Meatless* March

Every juicy bite of meat I consume is one bite closer to my last. Beginning tomorrow, March 1st, I'm attempting to give up all meat for an entire month with the exception of just one meal, that meal taking place on my birthday. Why just one meal? Why give up meat at all? There are many reasons to give up meat, mine is a combination of concern for the welfare of animals and concern for the welfare of human beings, myself included. Animal cruelty is only part of my decision; discovering the wasteful impact inextricably connected with meat production is the other part. Is having a hamburger really worth destroying valuable forest land and decimating entire ecosystems? Is it worth having less fortunate people than myself starve for? I didn't think so either, which is why I made a decision.

I decided to begin with baby steps and commit myself to one month meat free (or almost) because I take my decision and myself seriously; this is something I really want to do and do right. I realized that if I underestimate the significance of such a decision I risk setting myself up for failure. Knowing that eliminating all meat from my diet cold turkey could be a recipe for disaster, I decided it best to have a sort of 'trial period' with at least one day I can look forward to just incase my will power begins to falter. 

But before and after that day, I have some work to do. Making the decision was the easy part, but actually following through will take some preparation. So, I've compiled research and advice taken from active vegetarians and vegans that should ease my transition to a meatless March. The following list highlights some of the most fool-proof tactics for successfully phasing out meat, or so I hope :)

1) CONNECT with your goals. If you're giving up meat you must have a reason (or several) for doing so. Identify these reasons clearly and remind yourself how giving up meat will help you to achieve these goals. For me, I realized that I didn't want to support practices that harm our environment or contribute to unnecessary suffering; while giving up meat won't stop these practices, it will help make the world a better place, and as Ghandi said, (I will) "be the change" I want to see. 

But reasons need not always be so large. In the course of my research, I came across stories from several athletes who realized that meat was actually hurting their performance and found that a meatless diet helped to (sometimes literally) push them across the finish line. As a runner myself, I'm intrigued by the possibility of becoming lighter and faster.  Even a small goal can be reason for a big change.

2) SLOW & STEADY wins the the race. The world won't change overnight and nor should you. If you really want to make a change, it's wise to move slowly and mindfully in your chosen direction. Phase out meat gradually, either by scheduling a "cheat day/meal" (like I did) or by removing one meat from your diet at a time. Once your body gets used to not having meat, you may find that you don't even crave it (surprisingly, most vegetarians said they didn't miss meat once they gave it up). Perhaps most importantly, if you move gradually then you won't have that frightening voice screaming you can never enjoy that juicy steak again! On the contrary, you will probably cherish the rare occasion when you actually do consume meat because it will be special. Or, if you're lucky, like I'm hoping to be, you won't even salivate when the scent of fried bacon hits your nose.

3) PLAN a course of action. EDUCATE yourself. Like anything in life, you can't possibly expect to succeed without a solid plan and the knowledge to back it up. This means planning meals, learning about new ingredients (buy a cookbook!) and learning new ways to cook. Get excited about learning how to cultivate change! By Learning about what it is you're trying to accomplish, you can create and strengthen your plans. In my own research I came across this quote, which I think sums it up nicely: "If you're failing to plan, you're planning to fail !" And besides, planning can be fun and make you excited for the journey while providing useful and realistic guidance. 

Lastly,

4) REWARD yourself. Small victories are still victories, and are worth being celebrated. If you make a ritual that reinforces positive energy and good feelings for doing the right things, then you will become more mindful of what those right things are, making it much more likely for you to accomplish your goals in the future. For example, I don't drink any alcohol during the week because I want to stay focused on my goals. Then, when the weekend rolls around, I can enjoy a bottle of sauvignon blanc, or pinot with my boyfriend, knowing that I had a productive, fruitful week. This acts as both ritual and reward, and motivates me to work hard all week, every week. Rewards can be anything from enjoying a favorite food to taking a trip to the spa, just make sure you set aside the time and do something nice for yourself when you've earned it! 

In a way, these four points outline the plan I intend to use while giving up meat, although I happen to think each one is also good advice for achieving any goal. I hope whoever happens to read this can find a way to apply such advice in his/her own life and hopefully achieve positive results. In addition to the advice listed above, I would only add these words of wisdom:

REFUSE to let the fear of failure stop you from trying.

Well here goes: Day 1.

*Meatless March- not entirely. I am attemping to give up all meat, not including dairy or seafood, for one whole month with the only exception coming on my birthday (when I may consume goat, chicken, lamb, or some other delicious animal).