Make your own lunch meats by cooking up a larger roast and using the leftovers for lunches. I tell this to parents all the time when they ask for alternatives to processed lunch meats and we all agree it’s brilliant. (And have you seen the prices of processed lunch meats?) You’ll likely save money going this route, especially when you buy roasts on sale, which I always do!
Roast Beef with Peppercorn Wine Sauce
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Cook time
Total time
Kids Cook! Get your kids involved in the kitchen by having them help out with this recipe. Here’s what they can do!*With this recipe, you might just have kids watch the process. Teach them how to season the roast by having them watch you insert the garlic slivers. If they like to get their hands dirty, as kids usually do, have them help you rub the roast with salt and pepper.
Dietitian's Tip: We always hear buy lean meats but what does that mean? I like to simplify it this way - if beef looks lean, it is lean. If you see fat, trim it. Trimmed of fat, all beef is lean. I find that is much more practical advice than rhyming off the leanest cuts of beef but in case you like lists, here you go: eye of round, inside round, sirloin tip, top sirloin, flank, strip loin, cross rib, outside round.
Dietitian's Tip: We always hear buy lean meats but what does that mean? I like to simplify it this way - if beef looks lean, it is lean. If you see fat, trim it. Trimmed of fat, all beef is lean. I find that is much more practical advice than rhyming off the leanest cuts of beef but in case you like lists, here you go: eye of round, inside round, sirloin tip, top sirloin, flank, strip loin, cross rib, outside round.
Source: Make Once, Eat Twice, 2016 Calendar. Canada Beef
Serves: 10 servings
Ingredients
- 2 lb (1kg) Beef Oven Roast (e.g. Strip Loin, Rib and Top Sirloin)
- 5 cloves garlic, cut into slivers
- Sea salt and coarsely ground pepper
- Peppercorn Wine Sauce (recipe follows)
Instructions
- Cut shallow slits all over roast; insert garlic slivers into slits. Rub all over with coarse salt and pepper.
- Place, fat side up, on rack in shallow roasting pan (no water is necessary). Insert oven-safe meat thermometer into centre of roast, avoiding fat or bone.
- Oven-sear by placing uncovered roast in preheated 450°F (230°C) oven for 10 minutes.
- Reduce heat to 275°F (140°C). Cook until thermometer reads 145ºF (63ºC) for medium-rare, about 2 hours. Remove from oven.
- Place roast on cutting board; cover with foil and let stand for at least 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make Peppercorn Wine Sauce (recipe follows).
- Carve roast into thin slices and serve with hot sauce and Glazed Beets (recipe follows).
Notes
Lunch from leftovers
Make a Wrap! Kids often like their wraps filled with simple, familiar ingredients like beef, cheese and maybe BBQ sauce. Adults (and some kids too!) may be looking for a different flavour twist. Try: flavoured cream cheese, thinly sliced havarti and red pepper jelly, thinly sliced roast beef, drained coleslaw, shredded iceburg lettuce or arugula and toasted sunflower seeds.
Please Note
*All “Kid’s Cook!” ideas herein are meant as a guide only. You know what your child can safely manage. Make sure they know and understand your rules for working in the kitchen safely and always supervise kids in the kitchen.
Make a Wrap! Kids often like their wraps filled with simple, familiar ingredients like beef, cheese and maybe BBQ sauce. Adults (and some kids too!) may be looking for a different flavour twist. Try: flavoured cream cheese, thinly sliced havarti and red pepper jelly, thinly sliced roast beef, drained coleslaw, shredded iceburg lettuce or arugula and toasted sunflower seeds.
Please Note
*All “Kid’s Cook!” ideas herein are meant as a guide only. You know what your child can safely manage. Make sure they know and understand your rules for working in the kitchen safely and always supervise kids in the kitchen.
Peppercorn Wine Sauce
Kids Cook! Get your kids involved in the kitchen by having them help out with this recipe. Here’s what they can do!* Have them help measure out ingredients, (just not the hot fat from the roasting pan!). They can also help to stir the sauce and see how it thickens by using flour!
Mom's tip: If you plan to put this sauce on your child's beef, strain out the peppercorns for their portion. I can already hear my kids hollering, "too spicy" and reaching for a glass of milk!
Mom's tip: If you plan to put this sauce on your child's beef, strain out the peppercorns for their portion. I can already hear my kids hollering, "too spicy" and reaching for a glass of milk!
Source: Make Once, Eat Twice, 2016 Calendar. Canada Beef
Recipe type: Sauce
Serves: 1¼ cups
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp (30 mL) fat from roasting pan.
- 2 tbsp (30 mL) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (250 mL) sodium-reduced beef broth
- 1 cup (250 mL) red wine or Madeira
- 2 tsp (10 mL) cracked mixed peppercorns
Instructions
- Drain off all but 2 tbsp (30 mL) fat from roasting pan.
- Heat pan drippings in roasting pan over medium-high heat.
- Stir in all-purpose flour; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
- Gradually stir in sodium-reduced beef broth, red wine or Madeira and mixed peppercorns.
- Cook, stirring up any browned bits from bottom of pan.
- Whisk until sauce boils and thickens, about 4 minutes.
Notes
Will keep 1-2 days in refrigerator.
Please Note
*All “Kid’s Cook!” ideas herein are meant as a guide only. You know what your child can safely manage. Make sure they know and understand your rules for working in the kitchen safely and always supervise kids in the kitchen.
Please Note
*All “Kid’s Cook!” ideas herein are meant as a guide only. You know what your child can safely manage. Make sure they know and understand your rules for working in the kitchen safely and always supervise kids in the kitchen.
Some would call the taste of beets earthy but my kids tell it like it is. “They taste like dirt.” Does that mean I stop serve beets? Heck no. I’ll keep trying knowing it can easily take 15 tastes or more before a child decides this food is not so bad after all. Plus, seeing me eat and enjoy beets can only help too.
Make-ahead Glazed Beets
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Kids Cook! Get your kids involved in the kitchen by having them help out with this recipe. Here’s what they can do!* Have them help measure out ingredients. Instead of using a knife, scissors can be used to cut herbs and green onion.
Dietitian's Tip: Beets offer up fibre, potassium and folate. If your kids don't like steamed beets try serving them in different ways. Make a beet hummus by blending a few small cooked beets into your regular homemade hummus recipe. Let the kids try spiralizing raw beets to make a colourful garnish that's fun to eat. Offer them sliced beets in their next sandwich.
Dietitian's Tip: Beets offer up fibre, potassium and folate. If your kids don't like steamed beets try serving them in different ways. Make a beet hummus by blending a few small cooked beets into your regular homemade hummus recipe. Let the kids try spiralizing raw beets to make a colourful garnish that's fun to eat. Offer them sliced beets in their next sandwich.
Source: Make Once, Eat Twice, 2016 Calendar. Canada Beef
Recipe type: Side Dish
Serves: 10
Ingredients
- 10 (3 inch) whole beets
- 2 tbsp (30 mL) butter
- 2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped chives
- 2 tbsp (30 mL) green onion or fresh dill
- splash of vinegar or lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place ten 3-inch whole beets in pot with enough water to just cover; bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 30 minutes.
- Turn heat off and let stand covered for 1 hour or more.
- Use a paper towel to slip skins off. Cut into slices; sauté in butter to heat through.
- Toss with chopped chives, green onion or fresh dill and a splash of vinegar or lemon juice.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste
Notes
Time-saving tip:
Wrapped cooked beets keep for 3-5 day in the fridge so why not cook them ahead on a day when you have the stove going anyhow? Work smarter, not longer!
Please Note
*All “Kid’s Cook!” ideas herein are meant as a guide only. You know what your child can safely manage. Make sure they know and understand your rules for working in the kitchen safely and always supervise kids in the kitchen.
Wrapped cooked beets keep for 3-5 day in the fridge so why not cook them ahead on a day when you have the stove going anyhow? Work smarter, not longer!
Please Note
*All “Kid’s Cook!” ideas herein are meant as a guide only. You know what your child can safely manage. Make sure they know and understand your rules for working in the kitchen safely and always supervise kids in the kitchen.