Beef Broccoli Stir Fry (Featuring BTAB Boneless Ribeye)

Here's a perfect recipe for a quick meal that's also light on the calories and fat.

Ingredients:

(6) ounces broiled BTAB Boneless Ribeye Steak, cut into thin strips
(1) tablespoon vegetable oil
(2) cups blanched or steamed broccoli
(1) cup blanched carrots, sliced diagonally
(½) cup onion slices
(1) tablespoon white wine
(1) tablespoon soy sauce
(½) teaspoon corn starch
(¼) teaspoon granulated sugar
Salt to taste

Preparation:

In 10" skillet or wok, heat oil; add broccoli, carrots and onion. Cook, stirring quickly and frequently until vegetables are tender crisp and onions are browned. Stir in beef strips. In a small bowl combine remaining ingredients, stirring to dissolve corn starch. Add beef mixture and cook stirring constantly until sauce is thickened, 2-3 minutes. Serves 2.

A Note From A Customer.....

"Dear Better Than A Bistro,

We just had your King Crab Legs and all I can say is WOW! They were simply spectacular. Here's a picture of them just before we devoured them.

Thanks so much....LL, Norwalk Ct."

A New Year, A New You! - Part 2

Joe McCoppin - Partner, Better Than A Bistro

Joe writes about his personal revelation of the changes he needs to make, and has made, to make this year his very own New Year, New You!

Part 2 of 2.....

Last week I asked, "What can I stop/start doing right now that will be relatively painless, sustainable and manageable to allow for my lifestyle change? And oh yeah, doesn't cost anything!"

First, I stopped drinking soda altogether. I am a man who enjoys a few Cokes every day. When I realized that wasn't healthy I switched to ginger ale. Like an alcoholic who goes from vodka to beer. That's still no the most desirable solution so now I drink lots of water!

At first I drank at least a pot of very strong coffee a day to replace the sodas. I didn't start drinking coffee until my mid 30's. So after drinking that pot of very strong coffee and then shaking and sweating through the day I decided to do some research. That's when I found green tea. I know, yuck! But I actually love it now. I use 3-4 tea bags per cup. I didn't cut out the coffee altogether but I have easily cut my consumption in half and I never have it after 1pm of so. I absolutely feel better and green tea has lots of benefits and some caffeine too.

A New Year, A New You! - Part 1

Joe McCoppin - Partner, Better Than A Bistro

Joe writes about his personal revelation of the changes he needs to make, and has made, to make this year his very own New Year, New You!

Part 1 of 2.....

There are two things we all have in common in this life:

• We all need food and water to live
• Time marches on and now we are all a year older

I find that I procrastinate more often than not with almost every project I undertake. Especially the big ones. Part of the reason is I look at the finish line first. Too often I think once I start "this" project it will take so much time, is it worth it and do I even have the time to invest in it? Then I ask if "this" project is really a priority. It seems like a long road to hoe and clearly I'm very busy....being busy.

Herb Crusted Orange Roughy (Featuring BTAB Orange Roughy)

This is an easy, delicious and healthy Orange Roughy recipe. Orange Roughy has a mild, delicate flavor and moist, large-flaked meat that holds together well during cooking.

Ingredients:

(4) BTAB Orange Roughy filets
1/4 cup orange juice
Safflower oil or olive oil
Dash of dried tarragon, crushed
(1) tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
Grated zest (rind) of (2) oranges

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325F. Pour the orange juice into a shallow baking dish that is long enough to hold the fish. Brush the fish lightly with oil and place in the baking dish.

In a bowl, combine tarragon, pepper and grated orange zest. Sprinkle this mixture on top of the fish, patting it lightly to form a thin crust.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove the fish carefully to a serving dish. Serves 4.

Where The Buffalo Roam

Originally, the Native Plains Indians of North America used just about every part of the bison. Their lives revolved the availability of bison whose original range was from Alaska to Mexico to the Florida panhandle. But by the 1890's this all changed as the bison were being eliminated by European settlers. This occurred for 2 reasons.

First, there was the greed factor. For a good part of the 1800's bison were considered to be in limitless supply. For non-native buffalo hunters they were the equivalent of a gold mine on 4 legs. This group hunted bison from trains and horseback for their tongues, hides, bones and little else. The tongue was, and still is, considered a delicacy. Hides were prepared and shipped to the east and Europe for processing into leather. Remaining carcasses were, for the most part, left to rot. By the time nothing but bones remained, they too were gathered and shipped via rail to eastern destinations for processing into industrial carbon and fertilizer. By the 1890's with numbers nearing extinction, the bison "gold rush" was over.

Easy Turkey Chili for Chilly Fall Days

As the cool weather sets in and autumn activities commence, there is nothing better on a chilly afternoon than a warm bowl of spicy chili.  So, on Sunday, I made chili for my family. But instead of traditional ground beef, I tried Better Than A Bistro’s ground turkey as a healthier alternative. In addition to being lower fat and protein packed, this recipe is simple, delicious and—especially—perfect for a demanding schedule. As it simmered for four hours in a slow cooker, I spent the day with my family, rather than stuck in the kitchen. 

- Jenna

Prep time: 10 min.

Cook time: 4 hours

Makes 10 servings

Ingredients:

2 lbs. Better Than A Bistro ground turkey

29 oz. pinto beans

29 oz. dark kidney beans

29 oz. tomato sauce

1 yellow onion diced

½ cup diced green chilies (typically one large pepper)

½ cup diced celery (typically two stalks)

29 oz. diced tomatoes

2 Tbsp. chili powder (Add an extra Tbsp. for a zestier taste or one less for children)

3 Tbsp. cumin

2 Tsp. salt

1 Tsp. black pepper

2 cups water

Optional toppings:

Low-fat sour cream or plain Greek yogurt

Chopped scallions

Reduced-fat shredded Cheddar cheese

Cooking Instructions:

1.     Brown meat in a skillet until fully cooked, and drain fat

2.     Add all ingredients in slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours.

3.     Garnish and serve.

Jenna is a mother, publicist and fitness enthusiast living in Providence, Rhode Island. She enjoys following international fashion and taking her two-year-old son on outdoor adventures.

BTAB Chicken and Guacamole Salad

Chicken and Guacamole Salad
(Smoked paprika gives a chicken rich, grill-like flavor-with no cooking. Serve with lime wedges.)

Prep Time:15 minutes
Cooktime: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 ripe peeled avocado
• 1 cup plus 2tbs finely chopped tomato, divided
• 3 tbsp minced fresh onion, divided
• 3 tbsp fresh lime juice, divided
• 1/2 tsp salt, divided
• 1 sm clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp minced seeded jalapeno pepper
• 2 cups shredded, skinless, rotisserie chicken breast
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 8 large lettuce leaves

Directions:

1. Place avocado in a small bowl, mash with a fork. Stir in 2 tbsp, tomato, 1tbsp onion, 1tbsp juice, 1/4 tsp salt and garlic.

2. Combine the remaining 1 cup tomato, 2 tbsp onion, 1 tbsp lime juice, 1/4 tsp salt, cilantro and jalapeno toss well.

3. Combine chicken, remaining 1 tbsp juice and paprika, toss well to combine. Spread about 1 tbsp guacamole over each lettuce leaf; top each with 1/4 cup chicken mixture to 2 tbsp salsa.

Easy Stir Fry Recipe

Stir-Fried Bok Choy & Lettuce & Shiitake Mushrooms
The lettuce represents growing wealth for the coming year, as the Cantonese word for lettuce is saang choy, which sounds like "increasing fortune"

Servings: 8
Serving Size: 2/3 Cup

Ingredients:

• 1 cup boiling water
• 8 (about 2ozs) dried shitake mushrooms
• 2tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 1 packet equal sweetner
• 1ts canola oil, divided
• 1 tsp ginger, minced and peeled, optional
• 1/2 cup fat free, low sodium, chicken broth
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 8 heads baby bok choy, halved lenthwise
• 1 head (about 8 cups) romaine lettuce, cut crosswise into 1" pieces

Directions

1. Comibine 1 cup boiling water and shitake mushrooms in a bowl, cover and let stand for 20 minutes. Drain mushrooms in a colander bowl; reserving liquid. Rinse mushrooms. Remove and discard stems, cut into quarters and then set aside.

2. Combine soy sauce and equal sweetner in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.

3. Heat a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 tsp oil and ginger to pan, saute for 30 seconds. Add reserved mushroom liquid and broth; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

4. Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add remaining 1/2 tsp oil to pan. Add garlic; stir fry 10 seconds. Add bok choy; stir fry 2 minutes or until bok choy begins to soften. Add lettuce; stir fry 2 minutes or until lettuce wilts.  Stir in mushroom mixture and soy sauce mixture; cook for 3 minutes or until bok choy is tender.

*For a meal, add meat of your choice! Scallops go great!*

Grilled Salmon With Warm Spinach Salad

Grilled Salmon With Warm Spinach Salad

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Vinaigrette Ingredients:

The sweet citrus vinaigrette can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigeration. Use Maple Grove Walnut Vinaigrette or Paul Newman's Low fat dressing. If you prefer to make the dressing from scratch you can use this recipe:

• 1/4 cup fresh low sugar orange juice
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oils
• 1 tbsp defatted chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons balsamic blend seasoned rice vinegar (such as Nakano)
• 1/2 teaspoon honey mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 whole clove garlic, minced

Salad Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 4 whole BTAB (6 oz) skinless salmon fillets, about 1 inch thick
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• cooking spray
• 1 package 6 oz fresh spinach
• 4whole oranges, whole, peeled and cut into 6 slices

Directions:

1.) Preheat the frill to medium-high heat. for indoor grilling use the George Forman Grill.

2.) To prepare vinaigrette, combine the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. If you did not make dressing from scratch this step is where you can substitute your favorite low fat bottled dressing

3.) To prepare salad, drizzle lemon juice over fillets; sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of pepper. Place fillets, skin side up on a grill rack coated with cooking spray, grill 5 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or is at your desired degree of doneness. Remove skin.

4.) Add spinach to vinaigrette in a bowl, toss well. Place two cups of spinach mixture on each of 4 serving plates, arrange 1 warm salmon fillet and 6 orange slices on top of greens. 

Enjoy! 

Is Your Fish Really Fresh

Have you enjoyed some of our fish lately and wondered why it is so outstanding, leaving your tastes buds screaming for more? We take pride in the way we handle our fish, which is by flash freezing. This process can taste fresher than the "fresh" fish you could get at your local bistro. Most fresh fish spends one to two weeks in the cold chain before it even reaches your plate. Our fish is processed within 4 hours of harvest and frozen using state-of-the-art Japanese belt freezing systems.

What is flash freezing?

• Flash freezing is used in the food industry to quickly freeze perishable food items. Products are subjected to temperatures well below freezing causing the water inside the foods to freeze in a very short period without forming large crystals, thus avoiding damage to the cells, otherwise known as freezer burn. 

Why buy flash frozen products?

• Quick freezing fish seals in nutrients so it is often fresher than "fresh" fish.
• Fish and seafood begins to decline in quality immediately after being caught, so freezing fish as soon as possible retains quality and seals in freshness.
• "Fresh Fish" can often take up to a week to reach a store. Often time, flash Frozen products are frozen at sea within hours of being take from the water. 
• Flash freezing insures that ice crystals within both meat and seafood are extremely small. This reduces water absorption and destruction of the cells. End result is better quality meat and seafood. 
• Enables the consumer to purchase a high quality food product no matter where they live. Proximity to the food source is not an issue. 
• It is impossible for bacteria to multiply on frozen food. 
• Freezing naturally locks in nutrients and vitamins with no need of preservatives.

Environmental benefits of frozen meat and seafood

• Keeping flash frozen products on hand limits the trips to the grocery store. This reduces your carbon footprint. 
• A full freezer uses less energy than an empty one.
• Longer shelf life results in less wasted food.
• Air freighting unfrozen food has a huge negative environmental impact.

Cinco De Mayo Steak Burritos

It is the beginning of May which means Cinco de Mayo is in a few days. This is a widely celebrated holiday in the United States. For those of you who are planning on celebrating Cinco de Mayo this Sunday here is a great steak burrito recipe you can use to spice up your party.

Makes: 4 servings

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup fresh salsa

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup instant brown rice

1-15 ounce can of black beans-low sodium rinsed

12 ounces strip steak, trimmed and thinly sliced crosswise

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1 tablespoon canola oil

4-8 inches whole wheat tortillas 

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 cup prepared guacamole

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

PREPARATION

1.) Combine salsa and water in a saucepan; bring to boil. Stir in rice, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in beans, return to simmer and cook, uncovered, continue to stir occasionally until the rice is tender and liquid is observed. 

2.) While step one is simmering. Sprinkle your steak with fresh pepper, heat oil on medium-high in a large skillet, and steak and stir occasionally until brown and cooked through. 

3.) Assemble ingredients onto a tortilla, add equal amounts of cheddar cheese, guacamole and fresh cilantro. Roll up tortilla into a burrito.

For all of you steak lovers we have a steak lovers special that is crazy to pass up.

The Importance Of Family Dinners

To most adolescents (and even some parents), there's nothing more out-of-date than dinner with the family. Instead of sitting down with boring parents and annoying younger siblings, they'd prefer to load their plates, scurry away and separate themselves in their own rooms to eat. With the fast growing pace of technology in today's world it is hard to get kids to sit down with the family when they could go to their own room and plop down with their IPad or laptop. Evidence shows that this destructive behavior must come to a stop.

According to TLC's "How Stuff Works", the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University researched the benefits of family dinners and found clear results. Specifically, researchers compared the responses of children who reported having family dinners fewer than 3 times a week to those who have family dinners 5 or more times a week. The study concluded that children who enjoy frequent dinners with their family are far less likely to develop substance abuse problems. If a child has family dinnertime on a regular basis, he or she is:

• half as likely to try cigarettes or marijuana
• one-third less likely to try alcohol
• less likely to have friends who drink alcohol or use marijuana
• more likely to say they will never use drugs

We would like to encourage families to get back to dining together. To motivate you to do so, we have decided to run a family dinner photo contest! The winner of this contest will receive a $25 Better Than A Bistro Gift Card. Please see the link below for more information.

Better Than A Bistro Family Dinner Contest

Better Than A Bistro Can Help Your School Raise Money!

 

Click here to check out the Fundraising Opportunities available with Better Than A Bistro

Free Dessert For Easter

Send The Perfect Gift For The Holidays

What does EVERYONE love to receive at the holidays......FOOD! Sending a Better Than A Bistro holiday package is the perfect way to send your best wishes. No need to worry about finding a parking place, pushing through the crowds or standing in long checkout lines. You can send the perfect gift of the perfect food from the comfort of your home......today!

Choose from the Steak Lovers or the Bistro Sampler. Perfect combinations for the perfect gift!

CLICK TO GO TO THE STEAK LOVERS

CLICK TO GO TO THE BISTRO SAMPLER

Keeping Food Safe When The Power Goes Out

With hurricane season upon us now is a good time to review food safety when the power goes out.

Freezer Safety

A full freezer will remain below 40°F for about two days, and a less-than-full freezer will maintain that temperature for approximately one day. Rearrange meats so their juices do not drip onto other foods as the meats begin to thaw. Throw away any ready-to-eat item that comes in contact with meat juices.

Frozen foods that have partially orcompletely thawed can be refrozenif they contain ice crystals. If they have completely thawed but are still at a temperature of 40°F or below, they also can be refrozen. Use a digital thermometer to check the temperature of the food. Although partial thawing and refreezing of these foods will be safe, the quality of some foods, especially vegetablesand fruits, may be reduced. Hard cheeses, breads, and fruits and vegetables and their juices—if they look and smell normal—can be refrozen even if they have been above 40°F for more than two hours.

One way to ensure the safety of thawed meat products that have been above 40°F for two hours or less is to cook them immediately. Either serve the food immediately or refreeze the cooked item. Be sure to cook to the proper temperatures, checking internal temperatures with a digital thermometer. Refrigerate and use within two days or freeze the leftovers immediately.

Foodborne illness is very uncomfortable and sometimes life-threatening, especially for the very young, the senior population, and those with weakened immune systems. Don’t take chances on your family’s safety for the sake of a few dollars in groceries. Remember: When in doubt, throw it out!

As a result of thunderstorms, ice storms, and other disturbances, power outages occur more often than we desire. Outages are not only an inconvenience, but also a safety issue, particularly when it comes to food. When refrigerators and freezers lose power, we worry about whether or not the food will be safe for our families. Knowing how to handle food while the power is off and when it has been restored will help to ensure that you and your family do not become victims of a foodborne illness. To monitor temperatures, it’s important to keep an appliance thermometer in both the refrigerator and the freezer at all times. This will take the guesswork out of determining the temperature of your units. Also, keep a digital thermometer on hand. This utensil will enable you to check the temperature of thawed foods to determine their safety. When the power goes out, try to find out how long it is expected to be off. If it will be for only a few hours, don’t do anything. Open the freezer or refrigerator door as little as possible, for this will allow the units to maintain their chilled temperatures longer.

Avoid Halloween Nightmares

FOOD SAFETY TIPS

Even though it’s not an official holiday, Halloween is much beloved by children and adults alike. What could be more fun than trick-or-treating, apple bobbing, or costume parties?
To make sure treats are safe for children, follow these simple steps:

Snacking: Children shouldn’t snack while they’re out trick-or-treating. Give them a light meal or snack before they head out – don’t send them out on an empty stomach. Urge them to wait until they get home and let you inspect the contents of their “goody bags.”

Safe treats: Tell children not to accept – and especially not to eat – anything that isn’t commercially wrapped. Inspect commercially wrapped treats for signs of tampering, such as an unusual appearance or discoloration, tiny pinholes, or tears in wrappers. Throw away anything that looks suspicious.

Choking hazards: If you have very young children, be sure to remove any choking hazards such as gum, peanuts, hard candies, or small toys.Bobbing for apples is an all-time favorite Halloween game. Here are a couple of ways to say “boo” to bacteria that can cause foodborne illness.
Reduce the number of bacteria that might be present on apples and other raw fruits and vegetables by thoroughly rinsing them under cool running water. As an added precaution, use a produce brush to remove surface dirt.

• Try this new spin on apple bobbing from FightBAC.org: Cut out lots of apples from red construction paper.  On each apple, write activities for kids, such as “do 5 jumping jacks.”  Place a paper clip on each apple and put them in a large basket. Tie a magnet to a string.  Let the children take turns “bobbing” with their magnet and doing the activity written on their apple. Give children a fresh apple for participating.

If your idea of Halloween fun is a party at home, don’t forget these tips:

• Beware of spooky cider!  Unpasteurized juice or cider can contain harmful bacteria such as Salmonella. To stay safe, always serve pasteurized products at your parties.
• No matter how tempting, don't taste raw cookie dough or cake batter that contain uncooked eggs.
• “Scare" bacteria away by keeping all perishable foods chilled until serving time. These include finger sandwiches, cheese platters, fruit or tossed salads, cold pasta dishes with meat, poultry, or seafood, and cream pies or cakes with whipped-cream and cream-cheese frostings.
• Bacteria will creep up on you if you let foods sit out too long. Don’t leave perishable goodies out of the fridge for more than two hours (1 hour in temperatures above 90°F).

References: FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition

Breast Cancer and Diet

Does diet really matter when it comes to breast cancer? Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, this is the perfect time to answer that question.

And the answer is a resounding yes. Breast cancer risk can be decreased by up to 38% through lifestyle factors including maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, and eating a healthy diet. In fact, less than 10% of breast cancer appears to have a genetic basis.

For prevention of breast cancer, limiting alcohol to one drink a day (5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer, or 1.5 ounces of spirits) is one of the most important things that you can do. In addition, a plant-based diet loaded with at least two cups a day of a variety of produce is beneficial.

According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, "no single food or food component can protect you against cancer by itself. But scientists believe that the combination of foods in a predominantly plant-based diet may. There is evidence that the minerals, vitamins and phytochemicals in plant foods could interact in ways that boost their individual anti-cancer effects. This concept of interaction, where 1 + 1 = 3, is called synergy."