What's Going On Wednesday: August 26, 2015

There's no such thing as a slow week at the Cattlemen's office. Even if daily business is at a minimum, there's always ongoing projects for the staff to commit its attention. This week is one of those weeks, except that the staff is gearing up for the August Board of Directors meeting. Besides that, preparations are being made for upcoming events and projects such as YCLP Session II, October Beef Month, SLE Rodeo and Junior Beef Expo, ACA Convention, The MOOseum renovations and so on and so forth. 

Like we said, there's always work to do for our cattlemen. Although it's not much in the way of announcements, here's #WhatsGoingOn around the office this week.

August Board of Directors Meeting

On Thursday, August 27 the ACA staff and officers will welcome 100 Board of Directors and guests from 41 counties in the building for our August Board meeting. At the meeting, the Board will hear from staff members on updates and ongoing projects, and the officers will give their quarterly reports as well as lead discussions on new business. 

While at the meeting, the John Deere Gator drawing for member recruitment will take place, and Top Hand Club awards will be presented to deserving counties. The Board will also be treated to lunch catered by Red's Little Schoolhouse of Grady, Alabama. 

We are excited to welcome the Board to our state association's headquarters so that they can learn ways to better the ACA. 

Following the Board meeting, Dr. Powell will be joining ag industry leaders and Congressman Bradley Byrne for a dinner in Monroeville to discuss issues impacting cattlemen and farmers in the second district. 

Junior Beef Expo Meeting

Next Monday, August 31 the ACA will host the 20 people that serve on the Alabama Youth Livestock Show Association to plan the 2016 Junior Beef Expo which will be held March 18-20, 2016.

Stay tuned for information on registering steers and heifers for the show.

October Beef Month

Can you believe October is just around the corner? August has slipped right out from under us, and September is likely to do the same! This means that before we know it, October Beef Month will be upon us! Stay tuned for event and campaign announcements as well as what you can do to participate and promote during the month!

Save the Dates

2016 NCBA Convention- Jan. 27-29 in San Diego, California

2016 ACA Convention- Feb. 26-27 in Birmingham, AL

2016 SLE Rodeo- March 17-19 in Montgomery, AL

Beef Fact Friday: Know Your Beef Cuts

What's your favorite cut of beef? 

Ribeye? New York Strip? Porterhouse? Are you more of a roast person? How about a tenderloin or sirloin? Ground chuck, perhaps?

No matter what your favorite cut, it's important to know where it comes from off of the animal during processing because where it comes from offers a lot of valuable information about lean and fat content, tenderness and juiciness (among other things). 

Use this #BeefFactFriday to learn not only about your favorite cuts, but the overall meat anatomy of a head of cattle. The first diagram offers the basic wholesale cuts, while the second chart breaks those wholesale cuts down into retail cuts. 

As always, remember Beef, It's What's for Dinner.

Wholesale Cuts

       

Retail Cuts

Tasty Tuesday: Lean and Green

Eating healthy during the summertime can be the easiest thing to do and the hardest thing all at the same time! Think about it. Fresh fruits and vegetables line farmer's markets begging you to buy and indulge, all while the sweltering Alabama heat makes you crave an ice cold treat. (Unfortunately ice cream made with fresh fruit still isn't healthy, but it sure is delicious!)

This can cause a dilemma because while you desire to take in all the great summertime flavors, you also want to keep that bikini body you worked so hard for all winter and spring. We at the Alabama Cattlemen's Association understand the pickle you're in, and we have a great option for you!

Summertime Salads, Topped With Beef

Summer salads are the best. Take those fresh greens and top them with fruit, garden-fresh veggies and even a light vinaigrette made from an acidic summer fruit. But what makes them better is when you take a lean cut of beef, slice it and serve it on top of that bed of greens. Lean beef will help keep that salad lite while providing you with essential vitamins and nutrients needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle and that bikini body! 

While we can't guarantee it will take away those cravings for a sweet summertime treat, we can assure you that it will keep you full and focused without the guilt!

For creative recipe ideas on how to live a flavorful life, visit Beef It's What's For Dinner. 

Beef Fact Friday

Protein Power House

Did you know that a person should take in at least 0.5-0.7 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day? This means that a woman weighing 130 pounds should ingest at minimum 65g of protein daily, while a man weighing 180 pounds should eat a minimum of 90g of protein each day. 

Research reveals that it's most beneficial for overall health and wellness that protein intake is spread evenly throughout the day.The folks at the Cattlemen's Beef Board say that the best way to accomplish this is to aim at eating at least 25g per meal throughout the day and supplement that intake with protein-packed snacks. 

Calories vs. Protein

Eating enough protein in your daily diet can, however, cause an influx of calorie intake that might not be beneficial to weight loss or management. For example, in order to get 25g of protein from quinoa, you'd have to eat three cups of it. First of all, who wants that much quinoa?! Second, that's 666 calories for one meal!

Similarly, to get 25g of protein from everyone's favorite snack, peanut butter,  you'd have to munch on six tablespoons of it! While that might sound delicious, it also adds up to 564 calories and not very nutritionally balanced.

Beef to the Rescue

Never fear, beef is here! If you were sitting there dreading the thought of three cups of quinoa for dinner tonight, stop what you're doing! You see, here at the Alabama Cattlemen's Association our producers are working hard each and every day to offer you a much tastier and nutritionally-balanced option. 

Beef not only provides you with the 25g of protein you need at meal time, but it does it in a much smaller amount and much fewer calories. To explain, only 3-oz of lean beef will get you your 25g of protein at meal time with only 154 calories accompanying it!

What's LEAN Beef?

In order for beef to be qualified as "lean," it must meet four criteria set by the USDA. (These criteria are based on a 3-oz serving of beef, which is about the size of your iPhone!)

• Nearly half of the daily value for protein
• Less than 10 grams of fat
• 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat
• Less than 95 mg of cholesterol 

Not only will lean beef help you get the daily protein you need, but because it is an animal protein, it provides you with a high-quality protein that contains all the essential amino acids the body needs for optimal health. 

Beef "Moo"trients

Speaking of optimal health, beef not only provides you with protein, but nine other powerhouse nutrients! Those are:

• Iron- helps your body use oxygen
• Choline- supports nervous system development
• Selenium- helps protect cells from damage
• Vitamin B12- helps maintain brain function, provides energy
• Vitamin B6- helps maintain brain function, provides energy
• Zinc- helps maintain a healthy immune system
• Phosphorus- helps build bones and teeth
• Niacin- supports energy production and metabolism
• Riboflavin- helps convert food into fuel

Moral of the Story? Eat More Beef.

So, whether you're trying to lose weight, gain muscle or simply feed your family, take the more nutritionally-sound track and eat more beef. It's safe, wholesome, nutritious and convenient!

Tasty Tuesday: Leftovers Edition

Photo provided by the
Cattlemen's Beef Board

Memorial Day Weekend is the nation's #1 grilling weekend for #BEEF, particularly hamburgers! This week's Tasty Tuesday blog post centers around what to do with all those leftover hamburger patties. Here at the Alabama Cattlemen's Association, we suggest adding a flavorful spin on a mouthwatering classic.

What's the flavorful spin, you ask? How about combining two cultural classics- hamburgers and tacos!

Instead of putting that hamburger patty on a bun and covering it in ketchup, mustard, mayo, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and pickles, try wrapping it up in a flour tortilla shell along with salsa, guacamole and jalapeno peppers. By doing this, you'll eat up all those leftover hamburgers while creating a fun meal experience your family will love.

The recipe this week is for Fiesta Burgers Con Queso, and it can be found at BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com. (Keep in mind that this post is a "leftovers edition," so our recipe is slightly modified. If you have raw leftover ground beef that's been stored appropriately, you can follow the exact recipe here.)

Ingredients:

pre-cooked hamburger patties
small round tortillas, warmed

Optional Toppings:

Thinly sliced lettuce
chopped tomato
avocado slices
finely chopped onion

jalapeno pepper, minced

finely chopped fresh cilantro

shredded Chihuahua cheese, divided

salsa

sour cream

guacamole

"Leftovers Edition" Modified Recipe:

1. Spread guacamole and/or sour cream evenly on a warmed tortilla.
2. Place hamburger patty in the center of the tortilla and top with salsa and other desired toppings.
3. Wrap the edges of the tortilla around the patty.
4. Enjoy!

And remember- Beef, It's What's for Dinner.