By BeeWench Farm
If you’re a fan of the juiciest fruits and veggies, it’s time to head over to the farmer’s markets and load up! Grapes, berries, pears, and melons are all great to stock up on before school starts again as they make great snacks to send and to have after school. We are really lucky to have a produce drawer in our fridge and we fill it with all the fruits. Our kids know that if they want a snack, they can help themselves to anything in there. All of these fruits provide an excellent boost of vitamin C, as well, which is great when heading back to school.
Fruits
- Avocados
- Berries
- Grapes
- Melons
- Nectarines
- Peaches
- Pears
- Plums
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
Vegetables:
- Beans
- Cucumbers
- Corn
- Eggplant
- Green Beans
- Lettuce
- Peas
- Peppers
- Radishes
- Summer Squash
- Tomatoes
One of my absolute favorite comfort meals is also the easiest. Slow cooker roast beef is just so good any time of year and can be used in so many things. It’s also packed with nutrients! We are expecting our new baby early this month, and this is my favorite postpartum recovery meal. My mom made one for us when I came home with our first baby and I remember loving every single bite and savoring the wonderful broth. If you have any family or friends in need of a nice meal after a big event like having a baby, injury, surgery, or just to show you are thinking of them, this is a great meal. It’s also perfect for adjusting to a back-to-school schedule as you can sear and season the night before, put it in an airtight container, and put it in the slow cooker in the morning before you head out.
I generally like to get beef from a local rancher and we have so many excellent options here! We really like Molnar Cattle, Templeton Hills, and Charter Oak Beef. You can easily get beef from them at the farmer’s market or order online and pick it up at the ranch or have it delivered. It may cost a little more, but knowing where your food comes from and supporting a local rancher is the best way to ensure our community stays thriving and you do too from the best ingredients!
You can make a ton of variations to this as well. I like to keep things simple if I am making it for someone, but I will usually add in whatever fresh herbs I have growing and sometimes add in extra veggies like celery, mushrooms, and potatoes. We will usually just eat this with some mashed potatoes, peas, and corn the first night and use the leftovers for barbecue sandwiches, loaded baked potatoes, shredded beef tacos or burritos, soups, or salads. It’s extremely versatile and can stretch out into a few meals for a busy week!
Fall Apart Roast Beef
Ingredients:
- 2-3 lb chuck or shoulder beef roast
- 1 chopped onion
- 2-3 chopped carrots
- ¾ cup bone broth (water or red wine)
- sea salt to taste
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2-3 minced garlic cloves (or 1 tsp granulated garlic)
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp oregano (or a couple fresh sprigs)
- 1/2 tsp thyme (or a couple fresh sprigs)
- 1/2 tsp cumin (optional for heat)
Instructions:
- Season your beef roast with sea salt, pepper, granulated garlic, turmeric, oregano, thyme, cumin and allspice.
- Add chopped onion and carrots to the slow cooker.
- In a skillet, brown roast on medium high for 2-3 minutes per side, including edges. You could also use the sear on your pressure cooker for this if it has a slow cooker option to save on cleaning pans.
- Transfer roast to slow cooker.
- Turn off the skillet and add 3/4 cup of liquid to the pan. Scrape bottom to remove any stuck bits and then pour it into the slow cooker.
- Put the top on the slow cooker and set to LOW 8 hrs or desired cooking time.
- Optional: Add in any veggies you like about a half an hour before the roast is done cooking. Just add them on top and they will be juicy and tender.
Shredded Beef Tacos
Ingredients:
- Flour or Corn tortillas
- Slow Cooker Pulled Beef
- 1 head of Iceberg lettuce or cabbage – chopped
- 3 tomatoes – diced
- 1 Avocado – diced
- 1 Lime- juiced
- Fresh Cilantro – finely chopped
- 1 pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper
Instructions:
- Separate the tortillas and add the shredded lettuce or cabbage.
- In a bowl, mix together the tomato, avocado, lime juice and cilantro..
- Top with shredded beef, tomato, and avocado salsa. Serve with tortilla chips and salsa.
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