Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Meatloaf

Meatloaf patties, mashed potatoes, green beans
I love meatloaf!  Instead of baking it in the oven, I made patties with the meat.  I wanted my meatloaf to be the healthiest meatloaf and still taste good.  So, I went to Whole Foods Market, and picked up some Stage 4 beef and ground pork.  They have a rating system for their meat that tells the consumer about the farm that the animals lived on.  Stage 4 beef is grass-fed and roams about in fields and stage 4 pork is pastured and happy.  At your average grocery store and most restaurants the animals live on factory-farms.  The movie Food Inc, does a good job showing the contrast between factory farms and organic farming.  The biggest difference is the way the animals are cared for. Factory-farmed animals are given tons of antibiotics, hormones, and are they are kept in inhumane living areas, without adequate exercise, fresh air, freedom of mobility, fresh grass and hay.  Cows are supposed to eat grass.  On factory-farms, cows are fed genetically modified corn and soy instead of grass.  Corn causes health problems in cows, which the cow is given antibiotics to combat those health problems.

Here is the list of ingredients that went into my meatloaf:
Grass-fed beef
Pasture-raised ground pork
Organic red peppers and sweet onions
365 Brand panko bread crumbs (no chemicals or soy)
Organic eggs
Sea salt
Black pepper

I mixed it all together and instead of putting it in a loaf pan, I made burgers.  I served the meatloaf with organic mashed potatoes and organic green beans.  It was so yummy!  Just knowing where the meat came from made it taste even better!  Grass-fed beef is worth the extra money for taste and health!  I've changed the way I cook and the way my family eats...we eat less meat because it costs more.  We eat more veggies, whole grains, and fruit as a result of eating less meat.

Farmers Markets are good places to find local farms that sell beef, pork, and chicken.  Organic produce is very important to avoid pesticides and gmo's.  Make your family's health a priority, it is worth the money and the time!  

Have an awesome day!

Libby
The Cooking Activist