Score a Touchdown with Grass-Fed Beef

Football season has begun and it’s time to make some meals worthy of touchdowns. Grass-fed beef is lower in fat and takes less time to cook so you can spend more time watching the game than preparing your meals.

Just like grain-fed beef, grass-fed comes in all the cuts you need. For football season, ground beef is the easiest way to feed and entertain your football fans. For this Shortcut-Sloppy-Joes recipe, the short cook time and prepared pasta sauce help retain the moisture of the meat.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1/4 pound lean ground beef
2 cups prepared pasta sauce
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon firmly packed dark brown sugar
Ground black pepper to taste
4 hamburger buns, toasted

Method:

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute. Add ground beef and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 7 minutes.

2. Add pasta sauce, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar and pepper and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, lower the heat to low and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Spoon beef mixture onto hamburger buns and serve.

Opt for this Beef and Bean Chili recipe when it starts to cool down outside and huddle in your living room when watching the game on TV. Feel free to have seconds, and even thirds, during halftime.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon crushed red chile flakes
1 pound lean ground beef
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup cooked kidney beans
1 cup cooked black beans
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Hot pepper sauce to taste (optional)

Method:

1. Heat oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.

2. Add chili powder, oregano, cumin and chile flakes and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add ground beef and cook, stirring and breaking up with a wooden spoon, until meat is browned, 3 to 5 minutes.

3. Add tomato sauce, 1 cup water and beans. Season with salt and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring often, until flavors have melded and sauce is thickened and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Stir in cilantro and hot pepper sauce, if desired. Ladle chili into bowls and serve.

For those prime time games, try this Baked Spinach and Beef-Stuffed Shells, rich with ricotta and mozarella cheese. Eat the leftovers while you compare your fantasy football standings online.

Ingredients:

8 ounces (about 30) jumbo pasta shells
3/4 pound ground grass-fed beef
1 1/4 cup reduced-fat ricotta cheese
1/2 (16-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 (15-ounce) jar marinara sauce
1 1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Method:

1. Cook shells in salted boiling water until just barely tender, about 12 minutes. Drain and cool under cold running water. Drain again.

2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook, stirring and breaking up chunks, until browned, about 7 minutes. Drain off any excess fat. In a large bowl, combine beef, ricotta cheese and spinach.

3. Spread half the marinara sauce over the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of filling into each shell and place them open side up into the dish; fit them together snuggly and you should be able to get them all in a single layer. Pour remaining marinara evenly over top, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and bake until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes.

The best way to experiment with grass-fed beef is to try these reliable and comforting recipes at home. With Whole Foods Market, you can be assured that the beef is animal welfare-rated and from cattle raised without any antibiotics or added growth hormones.

Go to wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes to find more delicious recipes. And don’t forget to visit wholefoodsmarket.com/sales or download the app to enjoy great savings on grass-fed beef and other high-quality ingredients!

[Top ground beef photo: Flickr user Danielle Scott]