"OCTOBER:EAT ECONOMICAL, HEALTHY, TASTY AND SEASONAL" WEEK 106 QUOTE 106

"Consumers can feel good about loving beef because the protein in beef is a powerful nutrient that helps strengthen and sustain their bodies. High quality proteins, like beef, promote optimal health and provide consumers with a naturally nutrient-rich package. The nutrients in lean beef, such as protein, iron and zinc, help people feel satisfied longer and get more nutrition from the calories without sacrificing taste."
"Nutritional Benefits of Beef" Beef Training Camp. www.beefretail.org 
Each month I am cooking with a different protein, this month it is Beef. Beef is one of those foods that has been 'blamed' by some for being a contributor to health conditions, in this case, heart disease. If prepared and eaten in appropriate quantities, beef is an excellent and necessary food in our diet.
  MOROCCAN BEEF WITH AUBERGINE  ( 80-90mins preparation and cooking time)      Serves 5 adults.

 The nutritional benefits of the ingredients in this recipe are rich in vitamin C and protein, rich in iron, they give a good supply of calcium, manganese, vitamin B complex, D, E, K and zinc.
Health benefits from these ingredients include, reducing blood sugar levels, reducing cholesterol production, building strong immune systems, decreasing heart disease and high blood pressure, providing good long lasting energy, building strong bones, teeth and muscles, improving blood circulation, assists in digestion and provides protection against some cancers.

 INGREDIENTS:
Generous slurps Olive Oil
2 Onions
850g Chuck Steak
3 Garlic cloves
3 teaspoons Ground Coriander
1 teaspoon Paprika
1 teaspoon Cumin
PREPARATION AND COOKING TIME:
1. Heat a large frypan on medium heat. Add a generous slurp Oil.
2. Peel and slice Onions and add to pan. Lid on and leave to cook.

 3. Slice up beef into cubes, discarding any fat. Move onion to the side then brown the meat in the pan. Keep stirring meat until browned.

4. Add crushed Garlic, Coriander, Cumin and Paprika. Stir through.

5. Add tinned Tomato + 1/2 a tin of water. Stir and cook with lid on 60 - 75mins. Turn heat down to medium low and stir a few times.

6. Wash and thick slice aubergine.

7. Heat a second frypan on medium heat add 2 generous slurps of Oil and move oil all around the pan surface, let oil heat a moment. Put slices in pan and cook each side till brown.

This will take a few loads to get all the aubergine browned. Keep re-oiling the pan.

8. Add Aubergine in with the meat and cook two minutes. Serve.

9. wash and cut Cauliflower and Broccoli into pieces.

  10. Boil a pot of water and add the cauliflower to the pot, cooking for 4 minutes, then add broccoli and cook a further 4 mins.

11. To cook Couscous, boil  2  1/2cups of water in a pot with a teaspoon of salt and slurp of oil. Add  2  1/2cups of couscous, turn off the heat, lid on and give a gentle shake then let sit 5 mins.
12. Use a fork and small piece of Butter to fluff up the couscous. 

 ALMOND HONEY PASTRY WITH SWEET YOGHURT CREAM (25mins preparation and cooking time)   Serves 5+ adults.

Nutritional benefits from this recipe are, a good supply of Vitamins A, B2, B5, B12, C, D, a great source of Vitamin E and K, Calcium, Magnesium and protein.
Benefits to Health found from eating these foods are, an excellent source of energy, immune system builders, has strong anti tumour and anticancer properties, develops strong teeth and bones, strong muscle function, encourages brain and nervous system development in young children, lowers cholesterol, beneficial to skin and fighting acne, and reduces risk of heart disease. 
Pastry is another food 'blamed' by some as being detrimental to good health. Again it can be enjoyed if it is kept as one of the many foods on your eating 'palette' - eat across all the food groups - across all the varied food that different cultures offers us. 

INGREDIENTS:
2 sheets ready rolled Puff Pastry
1 generous Tablespoon/80g Honey
30g Butter
100g Ground Almonds
50g Crunchy bar
1 generous dessertspoon per person Natural Creamy Yoghurt
2 Lemons
PREPARATION AND COOKING:
1. Butter the surface of 2 baking trays.
2. Cut the pastry sheets into 8 pieces each.

3. Melt Butter and Honey in a pot.

4. Using a spoon, spread about 1/2 Tablespoon of the mixture over each pastry piece.
5. Top with a heaped tablespoon of Ground Almonds.

6. Cook in a fan oven 200*C/400*F for 10mins.

7. Smash up Chocolate Crunchy bar.
8. Spoon yoghurt into serving bowl and add the smashed Crunchy bar. Gently mix through.

9. Cut Lemons into segments.

10. Serve hot pastries with a good dollop of yoghurt and generous squeeze of Lemon juice.

You could leave out the Chocolate Crunchy bar, which is what I will do next time. I love the simple taste of yoghurt with lemon.
TOTAL COST OF THIS MEAL TO FEED 5 ADULTS $28.36 nz. All ingredients were bought at Albany PakNSave, Tuesday October 24 2012.
I have not included the cost of the "generous slurps of Olive oil", 3 tsp Ground Coriander, 1 tsp Paprika, 1 tsp Cumin.

Here are the artsy photos I enjoyed as I cooked.

 THISWEEKWITHTHEKIDS ~ enjoy the flavours of these recipes.
Cathy