Category Archives: Beef

Keep Austin Weird Beef, Veggie and Watermelon Stir-fry

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Beef Veggie and Watermelon Stir FryI have been waiting all summer to share this recipe – Beef, Veggie & Watermelon Stir-Fry!  –It’s steak “meats” watermelon (and loads of fresh veggies) atop of a plate of slightly chewy, insanely satisfying udon noodles. Earlier this year, the Texas Beef Council asked me to come up with my personal take on a Texas food tradition. “Focus on pasta,” they said, and “make it your own.”

Most of us know by now what happens when I’ve been let off the proverbial leash like that – I can go a little wild. But, my creativity isn’t random; it makes sense – to me, anyway!  My jam is merging together seemingly unlikely ingredients to make a beautiful recipe that not only comes together easily but also optimizes nourishment to support an active lifestyle.

watermelon carrots beans peppersYou might be wondering how my Beef, Veggie & Watermelon Stir-Fry a Texas “thang” – there’s no BBQ sauce in sight!  The Texas spirit is found in the local lean beef and farmer’s market produce sourced from these here Central Texas parts. It also has that far-out, Far East fusion flavor going on that’s so popular with some of the food trucks found down in the hip and happening parts of Austin that do their best to Keep Austin Weird. Heck, I do my best to Keep Austin Weird!

jen vw bus

I’m especially excited how this fit and fresh dish pairs up BEEF with WATERMELON as these are two of my all-time favorite foods ever in the history of all time, period.

Beef Veggie and Watermelon Stir Fry

This 30 minute dinner recipe features Top Sirloin, a super-lean cut of beef that has only about 5g fat and 150 calories per 3-ounce serving (along with about 26g protein)! Eating a protein portion approximately this size (25 – 30g), three to five times a day, gives me the power to feel fuller longer, stay active longer, and maintain a leaner muscle-to-fat body ratio. Of course, my meals aren’t always beef (variety is the spice of life, ya know), but lean beef is an AWESOME, nutrient-dense (think ZIP: Zinc, Iron, Protein) go-to choice that works beautifully in my life several times per week (or more).

profile facebook beef protein challengeIf you want to join the free Protein Challenge to learn more about how tweaking the protein intake in our life can help you feel and look better, sign up here.

 

 

 

 

 

What about the watermelon? Well, first off – it just screams summer in Central Texas.  I can’t think of a picnic, river tubing trip or day at the lake spent without sharing a huge watermelon with family and friends. If you’ve not ever tried watermelon warm and spiced up a bit, get ready to live on the wedge! The sweet heat flavor is fantastic and the high water content of this juicy fruit (92% water) helps keep you hydrated on most blazing hot days. Plus, watermelon is low in calories and a great source of electrolytes and antioxidants that help support my lifestyle as an athlete. Oh, and you’re going to LOVE the sprouted watermelon seeds sprinkled on the to — despite what your mama may have said, you CAN eat watermelon seeds (they’re very nutritious)!

Summer Squat Challenge -- Do 100 squats per day from this mix an match list!Learn much more about Watermelon for Fitness (uhh and don’t miss my Watermelon Workout Videos) at Watermelon.org. Here’s a little Watermelon Squat Workout I dare ya to try!

Note on the noodles: You don’t necessarily have to use the Udon noodles, I like to incorporate them when I need a little more carb energy in my life for long runs and endurance events. A great gluten-free option would be Soba noodles (made of buckwheat which is gluten free) or rice noodles . . . or just rice. I’m also going to make this dish in the future and try it totally grain-free by using spiralized zucchini or summer squash!

Far-Out Far-East ATX Fusion! Beef, Veggie and Watermelon Stir-Fry @BeefLovingTX #sp

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What have you been stir-frying lately? Favorite Fruit? Favorite type of Squat? Noodles, rice or nothing?  Please share in the comments  – XOXO, Jennifer 

This post was sponsored by The Texas Beef Council and the Beef Check Off, however all opinions, comments, enthusiasm and weirdness are my own. 

Beef Veggie and Watermelon Stir Fry
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Beef, Veggie and Watermelon Stir-fry
This fit and fresh dish features top sirloin, my favorite cut of lean beef, paired with farmer’s market-fresh produce, flavors of the Far East, and some funky South Congress food truck fusion. Keep Austin weird!
Course: Fruit, Main Dish
Cuisine: American, Asian, Southern
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
For beef and marinade:
  • 1 1/2 lbs top sirloin, cut into thin strips
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons cold water
  • 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
For Sauce:
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons hot water
  • 1 teaspoon corn starch
  • 3 tablespoons watermelon juice (reserved from watermelon balls/chunks below)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons Sambal Oelek (ground Thai chili paste)
For Stir Fry:
  • 3 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
  • 12 ounces fresh French green beans, cut in half crosswise
  • 1 large yellow bell pepper cut into thin strips
  • 3/4 cup grated or matchstick carrots (orange or tri-color)
  • 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
  • 2 cups watermelon, 1” balls or 1” chunks
For Plating:
  • 8 ounces dry udon noodles, cooked according to package directions
  • 1/4 cup hopped green onions, bulbs and tops
  • 1/4 cup sprouted watermelon seeds (or pepitas)
Instructions
  1. Toss together beef with garlic, water, soy sauce and sesame oil. Let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
  2. Meanwhile, stir together hot water with cornstarch until dissolved. Stir in watermelon juice, lime juice, 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 to 2 tablespoons Sambal Oelek according to personal preference for spicy heat.
  3. Drain and discard marinade from beef. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over high heat. Add one-half of beef to skillet and brown for 45 seconds without stirring. With tongs, quickly turn beef and cook additional 30 seconds or until barely browned. Take care not to overcook. Transfer to a warm plate immediately. Repeat browning with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and beef.
  4. Add final 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet and bring to medium-high heat. Add green beans and peppers and stir-fry for 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add matchstick carrots and ginger and stir-fry an additional 1 minute. Add cooked beef and watermelon juice-chili sauce mixture and stir-fry another 1 minute, or until slightly thickened. Remove from skillet from heat and stir in watermelon.
  5. Garnish with chopped green onions and sprouted watermelon seeds. Serve immediately with prepared udon noodles.

Mediterranean Beef Pitas Perfect for Summer Protein Challenge

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Those Mediterranean people have right, stuffing a pita with hummus and as many vegges as it will hold — of course, you know I had to boost up the protein a bit more with with some beef — a very thinly sliced, lean cut called “sirloin tip” steak. Ask your butcher if you can’t find it or feel free to swap for top sirloin, strip steak or whatever you got! mediterranean beef pita pockets jennifer fox

 

This international inspired “sandwich” is such a quick and easy recipe that will satisfy the whole family — kids and grown-ups can fill the bread pockets with the fillings they like best (feel free to set out a larger variety than just what is listed in the recipe). Can’t you see this being a hunger-busting hit a a pool party or picnic — as people get hungry, they can just swing over to the pita bar and prepare their own meal with a selection of hummus flavors, array of veggies and assortment of toppings like feta cheese, olive slices or tatziki sauce.

Mediterranean Beef Pitas are a quick and easy lunch or light dinner and pack plenty of protein and veggie nutrition!. This 20 minute recipe uses the stir fry cooking method, keeping it quick and low in fat.

This 20 minutes recipe (or less) is done so quickly thanks to stir-frying — a method not usually associated with beef and anything other that Asian food. I love how it keeps the kitchen cool and doesn’t require any added oil in the wok or skillet. Oh, and it’s also a well-balanced but higher-protein meal solution that fits beautifully into the 30 Day Protein Challenge with just 367 calories and 27 grams of protein. And if you’re keeping a gluten-free, lower-carb or Paleo diet, just feel free to ditch the pita and pile the yummy stir-fry beef atop salad greens! Mediterranean Beef Pitas

Last week, it was fun making the Mediterranean Beef Pita recipe on FOX Good Day Austin on behalf of the Texas Beef Council and BeefLovingTexans.com — all the stars must have been in alignment that rainy day, because I didn’t even have one single (and usually inevitable) live television SNAFU. Awesome things happen when you are fueled by beef!

mediterranean beef pita pockets jennifer foxCheck out the video of my cooking segment!

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What would you stuff in a pita? How many times a week do you do a 20 minute meal? How are you kicking off summer? Please share in the comments below – XOXO, Jennifer

How to make a Mediterranian Steak Pita in 20 min! #Beef #ProteinChallenge @fitfluential

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Mediterranean Beef Pitas
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Mediterranean Beef Pitas
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 
Course: Main Dish, Sandwich
Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 pound beef sirloin tip steak, cut 1/8 to 1/4" thick ask your butcher if you can't find or substitute top sirloin or strip
  • 1 tablespoon lemon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup plain or seasoned hummus
  • 1 cup fresh baby spinach
  • 1/3 large cucumber, sliced thinly
  • 1 to 2 medium vine-ripe tomatoes, sliced
  • 1/4 medium red onion, sliced thinly
  • additional vegetables, as desired
  • 1/4 cup crumbled Feta cheese
Instructions
  1. Stack beef steaks. Cut lengthwise in half, then crosswise into 1" wide strips. Combine beef, lemon pepper and salt in medium bowl.
  2. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium-hight heat. When hot, add 1/2 of beef, stir-fry 1 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove with surface of beef is no longer pink, do not over cook. Repeat with remaining beef.
  3. Spread hummus inside pita pockets and fill with vegetables and beef. Top with feta cheese.
  4. May be served hot, room-temp or cold.

Globally Inspired Steak Recipes using Wet Rubs

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Strip Steaks for Grill with Wet RubWe are just a couples weeks out from Memorial Day, the “official” start of grilling season in most parts of the country. One of the “grate” perks about living here in the Lone Star State is firing up the grill a month or so earlier thanks to near-guaranteed beautiful weather.  However,I’d bet my last bag of charcoal brickettes that even if backyards from Amarillo to McAllen were to be covered in blankets of freak snow, we meat-eating Texans would still be outside fixing up some steaks – make no mistake!

jennifer fisher I love beefI’ve known my way around the grill since knee high, from camping grub to just keeping the kitchen cool in the suumer.  However, if you need a refresher on this meaty matter, you can catch up on grilling basics at TxBeef.org. Here, you’ll find everything you need to know about making the most from your charcoal grilling, gas grilling or smoking experience and also learn just about every other cooking method invented for beef! There is no better job than spreading the grilling love on behalf of Texas cattleman — in fact, I’m teaming up to teach another Grilling 101 class this weekend.

 

Aside from the technicalities of building a fire (or turning a knob), creating memorable flavor while maintaining the juiciness tenderness of a steak is what will ensure your success as a sizzling, tong-twirling superstar at the grill. While salt and pepper always add simple flavor to a good hunk of beef, sometimes a little more “wow” is on the wish-list of dinner guests Rubs are a quick and easy way to add an endless array of flavor profiles to steak.

Globally Inspired Wet Rub Recipes for Steak

Globally Inspired Wet Rub Recipes for Steak – an easy way to add flavor without a lot of fat when grilling or pan searing.

Today, I’m sharing three wet rub recipes that will kick up your grill game in a creative cross-cultural way. The Tex-Mex inspired Mi Casa Steak Rub, Spanish-meets-California inspired Valencia Steak Rub, and Asian-centric Shanghai Steak Rub all added a little something special to steaks at my recent weekend cookout.

Mi Casa Steak Rub

Valencia Steak Rub

Shanghai Steak Rub

These steak rub recipes aren’t the dry rubs recipes you may be familiar with, made with just herbs, spices and other non-liquid seasonings. Instead, wet rubs add just a little bit of liquid, but not enough to be a marinade – the consistency is more like a paste or thick dredge. Liquids used in wet rubs would be similar to those found in a marinade (like oils, juices, wine, wet condiments), but measured in a much smaller volume. While marinades are typically applied for several hours (up to a day) to render tougher cuts less chewy, wet rubs can be used to add loads of flavor on inherently tender cuts like strip steak, tenderloin, ribeye, T-bone, flat iron and more in 15 – 30 minutes.

Tips for Wet Rub Success:

  • For quick clean up, mix ingredients in zip-top bag, add steaks and massage around until coated.
  • Or, mix in small bowl and apply to steaks with a silicone brush or fingers.
  • It is fine to leave wet rub on for more than the 15 – 30 minutes, but make sure to place in refrigerator.
  • Discard any juices that remain in the bag.
  • Feel free to double or triple recipes if grilling for a crowd.
  • Make another batch to use as a grilling sauce for skewers of vegetables.
  • Allow yourself to make substitutions, experiment and create your own signature touch –that’s the fun in grilling!
Taste Bud Trippin’ Gobally-inspired Steak Recipes for the Grill! #beef #fitfluential

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How do you prep your steaks? What is your favorite cut of steak? Which of these three rubs sounds the best? What are your weekend plans — please share in the comments below – XOXO Jennifer 

Shiner Bock Beer Short Ribs with Chipotle Cheese Grits for CrossFit 16.1 Recovery

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Shiner Bock Beer Beef Short Ribs can be made ahead in the slow cooler -- and then the grits only take 10 minutes make.Oh hello, how was your weekend? Mine was very meaty and gritty, let me explain! First up, I had to, ahem, knock out Cross Fit Games Open 16.1 Workout. And, when I say “knock out” I mean muster up every gram of grit I have to lunge around with a really-heavy-to-me 65 lb. overhead bar. Seems everyone else was worried about the Chest-to-Bar Pull ups in this WOD which I nailed unbroken (need to have some silver lining in the recap).However, the Achilles heel of my scrawny rear is any task that requires more butt strength than getting up off the couch. I kid, but still.

CrossFit Games Open 16.1 Workout - thefitfork.com

In the end and with many rest breaks, I lunged 275 meters with more than half of my body weight above my head  (tongue out!). . . at the finish of one set I half dropped the bar on my head. That hurt. As I bragged mentioned, I killed the Chest-to-Bar Pullups and the positive visualization of whipping those out is what would get me through the last few lunges in each round.  And, the burpees – well, they were burpees. One young beast of a girl at the gym scored nearly double to me – so awesome, so humbling!  Right now I am hanging at 14h place in my age group for the South Central states region (and will surely drop significantly by Monday night when all scores are reported), I’m really happy that I challenged myself to do something that was out of my comfort zone. That’s what it’s all about, right?!

Shiner Bock Short Ribs and Chipotle Cheese Grits

So, I rarely write a race or workout recap without also including a recipe –for me the love of food and fitness are forever entwined.  So, anticipating my fatigue from the CrossFit 16.1 WOD, I knew I was going to need a protein-rich meal to bring the old bod back to life. In the morning before heading out, I threw some beef short ribs and a bottle of beer in the slow cooker to work their magic. To prep dinner, I only needed 10 minutes to whip up some grits and toss a salad – thank you Crock Pot for doing all the heavy lifting at dinner!

Chipotle Cheese Grits are ready in 10 minutes and add South of the Border meets The South flair to dinner.

Hope you enjoy this recipe for SHINER BOCK BEER SHORT RIBS WITH CHIPOTLE CHEESE GRITS – I originally created it for the Texas Beef Council – head on over there if you’d like to learn a little more about this cut of beef or get my useful slow cooker tips. It’s a super easy and forgiving recipe that will pamper your primal meat cravings without any fuss. Not normally on my diet, the Chipotle Cheese Grits were a delicious treat . . . and using some of the beef liquid reserved from the Crock Pot complemented the peppers’ smoky heat and kicked up the flavor of often bland grits into beast mode!  And, the ribs were literally fall off the bone tender which I feel was somewhat metaphorical for the state of my muscles.

ancho chili slow cooker pot roastIf you are looking for another beef slow cooker meal,with Texas flair, check out Ancho Mama’s Pot Roast —  cook up a chuck roast and serve over potatoes, in tacos or on a salad.

So, did you break a sweat in the CrossFit Games Open WOD 16.1 ? Have you ever eaten or made beef short ribs? Please share in the comments below – XOXO, Jennifer 

 

 

Beef Short Ribs with Chipotle Cheese Grits #recipe for CrossFit 16.1 Recovery

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Shiner Bock Beer Beef Short Ribs can be made ahead in the slow cooler -- and then the grits only take 10 minutes make.
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Shiner Bock Short Ribs with Chipotle Cheese Grits + CrossFit 16.1 Recap
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
10 hrs
Total Time
10 hrs 15 mins
 
Course: Main Dish, Side Dish, Worout
Cuisine: American, Southern, Southwestern
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
For Short Ribs in Slow Cooker
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 4 pounds beef sort risbs, bone-in
  • 14 ounce can beef broth
  • 12 ounce bottle ShinerBock or other medium to dark beer
  • 1/4 cup molassas
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce, like
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
For Chipotle Cheese Grits
  • 1 cup liquid reserved from slow cooker
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon minced chipotle in adobe (from can)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup dry instant grits
  • 3 ounces Monterrey cheese, shredded
Instructions
  1. Rub olive oil in bottom of skillet, bring to high-heat.
  2. Pour Greek seasoning into shallow dish and roll each short rib though to coat.
  3. Add seasoned short ribs to skillet, searing quickly for about 30 to 60 seconds per side. Remove from heat.
  4. Add broth, beer molasses, vinegar, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, salt and pepper sauce to slow cooker, stir to combine.
  5. Add short ribs to liquid and place lid on slow cooker. Cook on low setting for 10 to 12 hours.
  6. Ten minutes before serving, remove 1 cup of strained short ribs cooking liquid from slow cooker, add to medium pot.
  7. Add water, salt and chipotle in adobe sauce to pot and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and add instant grits, stirring frequently for 8 to 10 minutes or until thickened.
  8. Remove pot from heat and cheese, stir until combined.
  9. To serve, make a pile of grits and place a short rib on top. Present with strained short rib juice, if desired.

BBQ Brisket and Bean Skillet Nachos – Yee Haw, Y’all!

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Barbeque Brisket Skillet Nachos will satisfy a crowd!Today is National Tortilla Chip Day! My appetite just couldn’t wait for National Nacho Day to roll around on November 6th before sharing my recipe for hot, hearty and “yippee-yee-haw” yummy Cowboy BBQ Brisket & Bean Skillet Nachos.  Thousands have actually devoured this recipe, I developed it on behalf of Litehouse Foods to feed thousands of hungry expo carousers at the Produce Marketing Association’s “Fresh Summit” in Atlanta back in October. The line to get my grub was huge!

Cowboy Brisket Nachos with Tortilla Chips

Most “skillet” nachos I’ve tasted have been limp, lame and ready to be put out to pasture, the result of wet and dry ingredients loitering too long. However, this isn’t my first nacho rodeo and I revealed a nacho hack I’d been hiding – to keep the saddle off the horse until it’s time to ride! What I mean by this is to cook up toppings in cast-iron cookware and then slop atop tortilla chips right before serving, the result passes muster with this Sheriff of Sogginess.  Just imagine a platter with crisp, crunchy chips on the bottom and a hella ooey, gooey heaven on top! Don’t just imagine, try it!

Ingredients for BBQ Beef Brisket Skillet NAchosGrab you some barbeque brisket, roasted corn, pinto beans and seasonings – you’ll be wrangled those ingredients up stove top in a skillet at then smothering with a heaping helping of cheddar cheese and jalapenos. I love using the center cut portion of brisket for this recipe because it is actually considered a lean cut of beef (that surprises a lot of folks) and just tastes so down home delicious. When ready to feed your hungry hombres, pile chips on a plate, cover with a generous pile of brisket and bean topping, and dollop with sour cream, guacamole, salsa or whatever scoots your boot!

Cowboy BBQ Brisket Nachos

Cowboy Beef Brisket, Bean and Corn "Slop" on Sweet Potato makes a quick and healthy meal solution!These skillet nachos are perfect for a party, patio snack or last-minute meal solution with leftovers Any remaining topping from my Cowboy BBQ Brisket & Bean Skillet Nacho can be served over baked potatoes, wrapped taco style in tortillas or scrambled with eggs. And, feel free to swap out the chopped up brisket for equal proportions of lightly seasoned ground beef or shredded chuck roast — you can’t go wrong!

Skinny Garden Guacamole makes a light and nourishing lunch served on whole grain toast.If this inspired by Texas recipe isn’t your style, how about some English pea and asparagus packed Skinny Garden Guacamole?

CowboYUM! BBQ Brisket Skillet Nachos #Beef #BeefLovingTexans #LivingLitehouse

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So, how are your dipping, dunking or topping your tortilla chips today? Please share in the comments below – XOXO, Jennifer 

Barbeque Brisket Skillet Nachos will satisfy a crowd!
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BBQ Brisket and Bean Skillet Nachos
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 
Believe in the legend of leftovers! My BBQ Brisket & Bean nachos are a right easy way to feed a hungry crowd and use up extra beef from last night's dinner!
Course: Appetizer, Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican, Southern, Southwestern
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 cup diced onion
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 cup frozen corn kerals, thawed
  • 1 1 pound precooked, pre-sliced brisket
  • 1 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 15-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoe, with juice
  • 1/2 cup spicy BBQ sauce
  • 12 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 medium jalapenos, cut into rings
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 16-ounce bag tortilla chips
  • garnishes: avacado, salsa, sour cream, etc
Instructions
  1. Add olive oil to 12-inch cast iron skillet and bring to medium high heat. Add onion, garlic and thawed corn and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, or until kernels start lightly browning.
  2. Coarsely chop brisket add to hot skillet along with beans, tomatoes and barbeque sauce. Stir until combined and heated through.
  3. Top mixture with cheddar cheese and jalapeno rings. Place lid on skillet and simmer a few minutes until cheese melts.
  4. To serve, pile tortilla chips on a plate (individual or family-style), spoon on brisket and bean topping, sprinkle with cilantro and add additional garnishes of your choice.