Rainbow Vegetable Beef Soup
By: Stephanie Potter
Board Certified Integrative Health Practitioner and Holistic Health Coach
I love making delicious soups in the fall and winter. You can pack in all of the nutrients you need for a balanced meal into one bowl (and pot) and easily adjust the seasoning to suit your palate. A couple years ago I was contemplating what to do with the ground beef in my freezer from Grass Fed Cattle Co; the layer of snow on the grill deterring me from making our favorite Popeye Burgers. After scrolling Pinterest for inspiration I decided to create a spiced up version of the vegetable and beef soup I remember eating from a can, which I now called Rainbow Vegetable Beef Soup.
I was amazed at how many types of fresh vegetables I could add to this soup, which meant my kids would consume more vitamins and nutrients than they typically would, recognizing that they would likely pick out those they don’t like. It's easy to add more red pepper flakes or hot sauce for adults who like more kick, allowing for parents to make one meal to suit their entire family.
I always use 100% Grass-Fed beef from my favorite local farm Grass Fed Cattle Co, since the meat is raised by a few family farmers in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The great news is the Grass Fed Cattle Co now ships to several surrounding states (MN, IA, WI, ND and SD) and delivers in the Twin Cities so you can purchase high quality, honest, affordable and delicious 100% grass fed beef in bulk or individual cuts and have it delivered straight to your doorstep. When you buy your meat from Grass Fed Cattle Co you know that your beef is 100% grass fed and finished, which means that the cattle weren't given any grain, and that they weren't given any hormones or antibiotics. In addition, unlike shopping from other national chains, when you buy from a local farmer, like Grass Fed Cattle Co, your meat came from one farm a relatively short distance away versus foreign countries like Australia and New Zealand, therefore, using less fuel to get the beef onto your plate. The Grass Fed Cattle Co makes it easy to support a sustainable, local farmer.
Many people ask me why I choose grass-fed beef and if it's worth the extra cost. While I'm certainly not an expert in this field, based on the research I've done throughout the years here is why I only choose 100% grass-fed products for my family.
Fresh pasture and dried grass is the natural diet for cattle. Grass-fed meat means the animals are not fed genetically modified ingredients, such as corn and soy and therefore, they are richer in vitamins, minerals and other nutrients including vitamins E, beta-carotene, and vitamin C.
Most grass-fed cattle are not given any added hormones or antibiotics (certified organic beef animals are never given these). The Grass Fed Cattle Co does not use any hormones or antibiotics and follow the organic standards.
Grass-fed meat contain two to four times more omega-3 fats over grain-fed animals, which can help lower inflammation, and fewer omega-6 fats, which are inflammatory. Omega-3 fats are critical for brain health as it is made up of 60% fat These healthy fats play a critical role in every cell and system in your body, including producing the numerous hormones our body needs for optimal health.
The meat from grass-fed cattle is lower in total fat. If the meat is very lean, it can have one-third as much fat as a similar cut from a grain-fed animal.
Finally, raising grass-fed cattle benefits our environment. To learn more, check out this great site on regenerative agriculture and a blog from a farmer and owner of the Grass Fed Cattle Co about how cows save the planet part one and part two.
To hear more from Stephanie May Potter, visit her website, Facebook and Instagram!