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Is red meat bad for you? And does it make a difference if it’s a processed burger or a lean steak?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/katherine-livingstone-324808">Katherine Livingstone</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> A juicy burger is a staple in many Australians’ diet. Yet research shows regularly eating red meat can increase your risk of developing <a href="https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/advance-article/doi/10.1093/eurheartj/ehad336/7188739?searchresult=1">type 2 diabetes, heart disease</a> and <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(15)00444-1/fulltext">certain cancers</a>. But is eating a beef burger worse for your health than eating a lean grass-fed steak? And how much red meat should we really be eating? <h2>Types of red meat</h2> First of all, it’s good to clarify that <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240074828">red meat</a> refers to all mammalian muscle meat. So that includes beef, lamb, pork, veal, mutton and goat. Then we can distinguish red meat types by how the animal has been raised and how the meat is processed. Here are some key terms to know. Conventional meat, also called grain-fed, is meat from animals that are grass-fed for part of their lives and then given a grain-based diet for the remainder. Most red meat available in major supermarkets is grain-fed. Grass-fed meat comes from animals that have grazed on pasture for their entire lives. This means grass-fed meat tends to have higher levels of unsaturated fats than conventional meat, and is why some <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/11/5/646">research</a> suggests it’s healthier. Grass-fed meat is also likely to cost more. Organic meat is seen as a premium product as it has to meet <a href="https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/export/controlled-goods/organic-bio-dynamic/national-standard">government standards</a> for organic produce. For example, meat labelled as organic cannot use synthetic pesticides or use hormones or antibiotics to stimulate growth. Processed meats have been preserved by smoking, curing or salting, or by adding chemical preservatives. Examples include sausages, ham, bacon and hot dogs. <h2>What is the nutritional value of red meat?</h2> <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/five-food-groups/lean-meat-and-poultry-fish-eggs-tofu-nuts-and-seeds-and">Red meat</a> contains many nutrients that are important for health, including protein, vitamin B12, iron and zinc. Red meat is a good source of iron and zinc as they are more easily absorbed by the body from meat than from plant foods. Red meat is often high in saturated fats, but this can <a href="https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/science/monitoringnutrients/ausnut/ausnutdatafiles/Pages/foodnutrient.aspx">range widely</a> from less than 1% to over 25% depending on the cut and whether it’s trimmed of fat or not. Minced meat typically ranges from 2% to 9% saturated fat depending on whether its extra lean or regular. To limit intake of saturated fats, opt for leaner mince and leaner cuts of meat, such as pork tenderloins or beef steak with the fat trimmed off. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5243954/">Wagyu beef</a> (which simply translates to Wa = Japanese and Gyu = cow) has been touted as a healthier alternative to conventional red meat, as it tends to be higher in unsaturated fats. But research is limited, and ultimately it still contains saturated fat. Processed meats, such as bacon, salami and sausages, contain beneficial nutrients, but they are also high in saturated fat, sodium and contain preservatives. <h2>Is red meat bad for your health? And does the type matter?</h2> It’s widely reported eating too much red meat is bad for your health, because it can increase your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. But most of the evidence for this comes from observational studies, which cannot determine whether red meat intake actually causes the condition. Most evidence is observational because it’s simply not ethical or feasible to ask someone to eat large amounts of meat every day for many years to see if they develop cancer. So let’s take a look at the evidence: Heart disease and type 2 diabetes In a <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-022-01968-z">review</a> of 37 observational studies, the authors found weak evidence of an association between eating unprocessed red meat and heart disease and type 2 diabetes. But for processed meat, a recent <a href="https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/44/28/2626/7188739">review</a> showed that for each additional 50g of processed meat consumed per day, the risk of heart disease increased by 26% and the risk of type 2 diabetes increased by 44%, on average. Cancer Leading international organisations have declared there’s strong evidence consumption of red and processed meat <a href="https://www.wcrf.org/diet-activity-and-cancer/cancer-prevention-recommendations/limit-red-and-processed-meat/">increases the risk of colorectal cancer</a>. For example, in a <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ije/article/49/1/246/5470096">study</a> of nearly 500,000 people, each additional 50g of red meat consumed per day increased the risk of colorectal cancer by 18%. And each additional 25g of processed meat consumed per day, equivalent to a slice of ham, increased the risk by 19%. While <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34455534/">research</a> has linked consumption of red and processed meat with increased risk of other types of cancer, such as lung, pancreatic and breast, the evidence is not consistent. It also matters how red meat is cooked. For example, cooking a steak over a high heat, especially an open flame, chars the outside. This causes <a href="https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/diet/cooked-meats-fact-sheet">chemical compounds</a> to form that have been shown to cause cancer in very high doses in animal models, and some studies in humans have found an <a href="https://aacrjournals.org/cebp/article/16/12/2664/260099/Meat-and-Meat-Mutagen-Intake-and-Pancreatic-Cancer">association</a> with increased cancer rates. When it comes to how the animal was raised or its breed, based on current evidence, it’s unlikely the nutritional differences will have a substantial impact on human health. But research is limited in this area. <h2>How much red meat should you eat?</h2> Our national <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/the_guidelines/n55a_australian_dietary_guidelines_summary_book.pdf">dietary guidelines</a> recommend the average adult eats a maximum of 455g of cooked lean red meat per week (or less than 65g a day, equivalent to one small lamb chop). This is also what’s recommended by the national <a href="https://www.cancer.org.au/cancer-information/causes-and-prevention/diet-and-exercise/meat-and-cancer-risk">Cancer Council</a>. For heart health specifically, the national <a href="https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/getmedia/d5b9c4a2-8ccb-4fe9-87a2-d4a34541c272/Nutrition_Position_Statement_-_MEAT.pdf">Heart Foundation</a> recommends eating less than 350g of cooked, unprocessed red meat per week (or less than 50g a day). Many dietary guidelines around the world now also recommend limiting red meat consumption for environmental reasons. To optimise both human nutrition and planetary health, the <a href="https://eatforum.org/lancet-commission/eatinghealthyandsustainable/">EAT-Lancet commission</a> recommends consuming no more than 98g a week of red meat and very low intakes of processed meat. <h2>So what does all of this mean for your diet?</h2> The bottom line is that red meat can still be enjoyed as part of a <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/five-food-groups/lean-meat-and-poultry-fish-eggs-tofu-nuts-and-seeds-and">healthy diet</a>, if not eaten in excess. Where possible, opt for unprocessed or lean cuts, and try to grill less and roast more. Consider swapping red meat for lean chicken or fish occasionally too. If you are looking for alternatives to meat that are better for your health and the environment, minimally processed plant-based alternatives, such as tofu, beans and lentils, are great options.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/207927/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/katherine-livingstone-324808">Katherine Livingstone</a>, NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow and Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-red-meat-bad-for-you-and-does-it-make-a-difference-if-its-a-processed-burger-or-a-lean-steak-207927">original article</a>.

Food & Wine

"Straight to jail!": Woman berated for “barbaric” steak video

A woman has horrified online users after she shared a video of her cooking a steak in a toaster. Juliette shared her bizarre method on TikTok under the username @itsmeju1iette, captioning the clip: "Cooking steak for my boyfriend." She wrote "How to cook steak," across the video. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838831/tiktok-steak-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/aad6f49f34fb4258b42574506b98336c" /> It showed her placing two pieces of steak into the toaster, then slathering it in sauce and eating it. The clip has been viewed over 10 million times. One user questioned: "How do you clean the toaster?" while many others were disgruntled to see she had not seasoned her meat “properly”. "This is so barbaric it's not even funny," one angry user wrote. "Straight to jail!" another said. Another added: "I'm physically upset," added someone else. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838829/tiktok-steak-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/12efd32f18a74140ac2acd3856062b80" /> "How to not cook steak," one user wrote. Juliette has had viral clips before, with one reaching over 24 million views that shows her humorously demonstrating how to boil ice in a saucepan. "My grandma's secret recipe! [Please] don’t share with anyone," she captioned the video.

Food & Wine

How steak became manly and salads became feminine

When was it decided that <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/09/food-gender-marketers-yogurt-women-chicken-men/405703/">women prefer some types of food</a> – yogurt with fruit, salads and white wine – while men are supposed to gravitate to chili, steak and bacon? In my new book, “<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43726541-american-cuisine">American Cuisine: And How It Got This Way</a>,” I show how the idea that women don’t want red meat and prefer salads and sweets didn’t just spring up spontaneously. Beginning in the late 19th century, a steady stream of dietary advice, corporate advertising and magazine articles created a division between male and female tastes that, for more than a century, has shaped everything from dinner plans to menu designs. A separate market for women surfaces Before the Civil War, the whole family ate the same things together. The era’s best-selling household manuals and cookbooks never indicated that husbands had special tastes that women should indulge. Even though “<a href="https://academic.oup.com/jsh/article-abstract/48/1/1/947457">women’s restaurants</a>” – spaces set apart for ladies to dine unaccompanied by men – were commonplace, they nonetheless served the same dishes as the men’s dining room: offal, calf’s heads, turtles and roast meat. Beginning in the 1870s, shifting social norms – like the entry of women into the workplace – <a href="https://theconversation.com/in-americas-sandwiches-the-story-of-a-nation-86649">gave women more opportunities to dine without men</a> and in the company of female friends or co-workers. As more women spent time outside of the home, however, they were still expected to congregate in gender-specific places. Chain restaurants geared toward women, such as <a href="https://restaurant-ingthroughhistory.com/2008/08/27/when-ladies-lunched-schraffts/">Schrafft’s</a>, proliferated. They created alcohol-free safe spaces for women to lunch without experiencing the rowdiness of workingmen’s cafés or <a href="https://restaurant-ingthroughhistory.com/2011/09/06/lunch-and-a-beer/">free-lunch bars</a>, where patrons could get a free midday meal as long as they bought a beer (or two or three). It was during this period that the notion that some foods were more appropriate for women started to emerge. Magazines and newspaper advice columns identified fish and white meat with minimal sauce, as well as new products like packaged cottage cheese, as “female foods.” And of course, there were desserts and sweets, which women, supposedly, couldn’t resist. You could see this shift reflected in old Schrafft’s menus: a list of light main courses, accompanied by elaborate desserts with ice cream, cake or whipped cream. Many menus <a href="https://restaurant-ingthroughhistory.com/2008/08/27/when-ladies-lunched-schraffts/">featured more desserts than entrees</a>. By the early 20th century, women’s food was commonly described as “<a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=nzN3bRRIH-gC&pg=PA56&lpg=PA56&dq=dainty+women%27s+food&source=bl&ots=CL96BjXjf6&sig=ACfU3U3Li5Ts_UqW3lKpI3C90kJxniiJzw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwis0q3O2LLlAhWsmeAKHanXBRcQ6AEwDHoECAcQAQ#v=onepage&q=dainty%20women's%20food&f=false">dainty</a>,” meaning fanciful but not filling. Women’s magazines included <a href="https://c8.alamy.com/comp/HNM1A7/1928-british-advertisement-for-my-lady-tinned-fruit-salad-HNM1A7.jpg">advertisements</a> for typical female foodstuffs: salads, colorful and shimmering Jell-O mold creations, or fruit salads decorated with marshmallows, shredded coconut and maraschino cherries. At the same time, self-appointed men’s advocates complained that women were inordinately fond of the very types of decorative foods being marketed to them. In 1934, for example, a male writer named Leone B. Moates wrote an article in House and Garden <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=3AKLDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT299&lpg=PT299&dq=%22Leone+B.+Moates%22&source=bl&ots=6aAZiExudB&sig=ACfU3U015psSPEEQ5t7IA5wgNBqM0mNLmw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi_ksaw3rLlAhVinuAKHUZYBU8Q6AEwAHoECAMQAQ#v=onepage&q=%22Leone%20B.%20Moates%22&f=false">scolding wives</a> for serving their husbands “a bit of fluff like marshmallow-date whip.” Save these “dainties” for ladies’ lunches, he implored, and serve your husbands the hearty food they crave: goulash, chili or corned beef hash with poached eggs. Pleasing the tastes of men Writers like Moates weren’t the only ones exhorting women to prioritize their husbands. The 20th century saw a proliferation of cookbooks telling women to give up their favorite foods and instead focus on pleasing their boyfriends or husbands. The central thread running through these titles was that if women failed to satisfy their husbands’ appetites, their men would stray. You could see this in midcentury ads, like the one showing an irritated husband saying “Mother never ran out of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes.” But this fear was exploited as far back as 1872, which saw the publication of a cookbook titled “<a href="https://books.google.com/books/about/How_to_Keep_a_Husband_Or_Culinary_Tactic.html?id=kuWlmgEACAAJ">How to Keep a Husband, or Culinary Tactics</a>.” One of the most successful cookbooks, “‘The Settlement’ Cook Book,” first published in 1903, was subtitled “The Way to a Man’s Heart.” It was joined by recipe collections like 1917’s “<a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=rPWI6Hy4yIYC&printsec=frontcover&dq=%22A+Thousand+Ways+to+Please+a+Husband%22&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiF0vrT0LLlAhVBSN8KHZn_BA8Q6AEwAHoECAAQAg#v=onepage&q=%22A%20Thousand%20Ways%20to%20Please%20a%20Husband%22&f=false">A Thousand Ways to Please a Husband</a>” and 1925’s “<a href="https://kalesijablog.wordpress.com/2013/08/20/history-of-feed-the-brute/">Feed the Brute!</a>” This sort of marketing clearly had an effect. In the 1920s, one woman wrote to General Mills’ fictional spokeswoman, “Betty Crocker,” <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=qctXdfqJo50C&printsec=frontcover&dq=Paradox+of+Plenty&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwipiY-R0LLlAhUCT98KHX5WBmUQ6AEwAXoECAMQAg#v=onepage&q=Paradox%20of%20Plenty&f=false">expressing fear</a> that her neighbor was going to “capture” her husband with her fudge cake. Just as women were being told they needed to focus on their husbands’ taste buds over their own – and be excellent cooks, to boot – men were also saying that they didn’t want their wives to be single-mindedly devoted to the kitchen. As Frank Shattuck, the founder of Schrafft’s, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1937/03/15/archives/frank-g-shattuck-of-schraffts-dies-founder-of-company-operating.html">observed in the 1920s</a>, a young man contemplating marriage is looking for a girl who is a “good sport.” A husband doesn’t want to come home to a bedraggled wife who has spent all day at the stove, he noted. Yes, he wants a good cook; but he also wants an attractive, “fun” companion. It was an almost impossible ideal – and advertisers quickly capitalized on the insecurities created by the dual pressure wives felt to please their husbands without looking like they’d worked too hard doing so. <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=3AKLDwAAQBAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&lpg=PT287&dq=american%20cuisine%20freedman%20grand%20appliance%20cooking%20in%20the%20grand%20manner&pg=PT294#v=onepage&q=american%20cuisine%20freedman%20grand%20appliance%20cooking%20in%20the%20grand%20manner&f=false">A 1950 brochure</a> for a cooking appliance company depicts a woman wearing a low-cut dress and pearls showing her appreciative husband what’s in the oven for dinner. The woman in the ad – thanks to her new, modern oven – was able to please her husband’s palate without breaking a sweat. The 1970s and beyond Beginning in the 1970s, dining changed dramatically. Families <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/30/garden/new-american-eating-pattern-dine-out-carry-in.html">started spending more money eating out</a>. More women working outside the home meant meals were less elaborate, especially since men remained loathe to share the responsibility of cooking. <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/an-excerpt-about-the-1970s-from-paul-freedmans-new-book-american-cuisine-and-how-it-got-this-way">The microwave</a> encouraged alternatives to the traditional, sit-down dinner. The women’s movement destroyed lady-centered luncheonettes like Schrafft’s and upended the image of the happy housewife preparing her condensed soup casseroles or Chicken Yum Yum. Yet as food historians <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/11/chefs-gone-wild/309519/">Laura Shapiro</a> and <a href="https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520234406/paradox-of-plenty">Harvey Levenstein</a> have noted, despite these social changes, the depiction of male and female tastes in advertising has remained surprisingly consistent, even as some new ingredients and foods have entered the mix. Kale, quinoa and other healthy food fads are gendered as “female.” Barbecue, <a href="http://www.southerncultures.org/article/every-ounce-a-mans-whiskey-bourbon-in-the-white-masculine-south/">bourbon</a> and “<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/11/chefs-gone-wild/309519/">adventurous foods</a>,” on the other hand, are the domain of men. <iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QNpfJNaRPGo?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> Actor Matthew McConaughey stars in a Wild Turkey bourbon commercial from 2017. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/09/fashion/09STEAK.html">A New York Times article from 2007</a> noted the trend of young women on first dates ordering steak. But this wasn’t some expression of gender equality or an outright rejection of food stereotyping. Instead, “meat is strategy,” as the author put it. It was meant to signal that women weren’t obsessed with their health or their diet – a way to reassure men that, should a relationship flower, their girlfriends won’t start lecturing them about what they should eat. Even in the 21st century, echoes of cookbooks like “The Way to a Man’s Heart” resound – a sign that it will take a lot more work to get rid of the fiction that some foods are for men, while others are for women.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/124147/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paul-freedman-306213">Paul Freedman</a>, Chester D. Tripp Professor of History, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/yale-university-1326">Yale University</a> This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-steak-became-manly-and-salads-became-feminine-124147">original article</a>.

Food & Wine

Perfect summer meal: Barbecued tuna steaks with walnut sauce

Serves 4. This quick, simple dish showcases meaty tuna with a walnut sauce based on tarator, a Middle Eastern sauce often served with fish in Lebanon and Syria. Freshness is the key and Californian walnuts work best for this moreish sauce. Ingredients <ul> <li>4 x 180g sashimi-grade tuna steaks (see notes)</li> <li>Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste</li> <li>⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil</li> <li>100g wild or baby rocket, washed and dried</li> <li>1 lemon, quartered</li> </ul> Walnut Sauce <ul> <li>100g shelled walnuts</li> <li>1 clove garlic, finely chopped</li> <li>1 slice stale white bread, soaked in water</li> <li>1 tablespoon white wine vinegar</li> <li>3 teaspoons lemon juice</li> <li>⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil</li> <li>Salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to taste</li> </ul> Directions 1. Place the walnuts and garlic in a food processor. Squeeze the water out of the bread and add to the walnuts. Pulse until walnuts are finely chopped. Add vinegar, lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper and pulse to combine. Chill until ready to serve. 2. Heat a barbecue or char-grill plate. 3. Brush the steaks with some of the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook the steaks for 3 minutes on one side, then turn and cook the other side for 1 minute, so that they are still pink in the centre, or until cooked to your liking. Rest fish in a warm place for a few minutes before serving. 4. Meanwhile, arrange rocket leaves on plates, drizzle with remaining olive oil. 5. Place a steak on top and spoon walnut sauce over each steak. Serve with a lemon wedge. Tips <ul> <li>Remove the fish from the fridge 20-30 minutes before you cook it, to allow it to come to room temperature, this is particularly important if it is being served rare in the centre.</li> <li>Sashimi-grade fish is normally sold trimmed, if it is not, trim off any skin and dark muscle before cooking.</li> <li>Alternative species: Albacore, bonito, mackerel, salmon, striped marlin, swordfish.</li> </ul> Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/barbecued-tuna-steaks-with-walnut-sauce.aspx">Wyza.com.au.</a>

Food & Wine

Bursting with flavour: Cauliflower steaks with feta

<div class="article-body"> If you're looking for a new light meal, the cauliflower base of this recipe has loads of health benefits - plus it's beautifully seasoned with za'atar and chipotle flakes. Serves: 2 Ingredients <ul> <li>1 large cauliflower</li> <li>2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil</li> <li>2 teaspoons za’atar</li> <li>Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper</li> </ul> To serve <ul> <li>150g feta cheese, crumbled</li> <li>2 teaspoons chipotle chilli flakes</li> <li>2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil</li> <li>1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves</li> </ul> Directions <ol> <li>Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced.</li> <li>Line a baking sheet with non-stick baking paper.</li> <li>Take the cauliflower and turn it stalk up on a chopping board. You want to get two cauliflower steaks, each about 2 centimetres thick, with the stalk holding them together.</li> <li>Slice off the side florets and save those for another day - to make cauliflower rice or eat as crudités, for example.</li> <li>Put the two steaks side by side on the baking paper and drizzle with the oil and za’atar. Rub with your hands to make sure both sides are evenly covered and add a little salt and pepper.</li> <li>Cook in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes. The steaks should be golden brown and starting to char around the edges.</li> <li>To serve, cover each steak with feta, sprinkle with chilli flakes, drizzle with olive oil and scatter with oregano.</li> </ol> This is an edited extract from <a rel="noopener" href="http://t.dgm-au.com/c/185116/69171/1880?u=https://www.booktopia.com.au/pioppi-diet-dr-aseem-malhotra/prod9781405932639.html" target="_blank">The Pioppi Diet by Dr Aseem Halhotra & Donal O'Neill</a>, Penguin Books, RRP $24.99. Republished with permission of <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/cauliflower-steaks-with-feta.aspx" target="_blank">Wyza.com.au</a>. </div>

Food & Wine

Warm up with delicious slow cooked massaman beef curry

Make sure you leave enough time to cook this delicious recipe. Serves: 6 Prep time: 30 mins Cooking time: 3 hrs 45 mins Ingredients <ul> <li>11/2kg beef chuck steak, trimmed, cut into 4cm pieces</li> <li>2 tbs olive oil</li> <li>1 large brown onion, finely chopped</li> <li>¼ tsp ground cinnamon</li> <li>¼ cup desiccated coconut</li> <li>1/3 cup (114g can) Massaman curry paste</li> <li>400ml can coconut milk</li> <li>½ cup beef stock</li> <li>1kg sweet potato, peeled, chopped into 5cm chunks</li> <li>1 tbs fish sauce</li> <li>1 tbs lime juice</li> <li>1 tbs finely grated palm sugar or brown sugar</li> <li>3 tbs roasted salted peanuts, chopped</li> <li>Steamed jasmine rice, to serve</li> </ul> Method <ol> <li>Preheat oven 130°C fan forced. Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in an ovenproof casserole dish over a high heat. Add one third of the beef. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes, or until browned. Remove to a plate. Repeat twice with oil and remaining beef.</li> <li>Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 2 tsp oil and the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally 3 minutes until soft. Add cinnamon, coconut and curry paste. Cook, stirring 1 minute. Add the coconut milk and stock. Return the beef and any juices, bring to simmer. Press a piece baking paper onto the surface and cover with lid. Transfer to the oven. Cook for 2 hours.</li> <li>Stir in the sweet potato. Cover with paper and lid and cook, in oven a further 11/2 hours until sweet potato is tender. Combine fish sauce, lime juice and sugar and stir into the curry. Scatter over the peanuts. Serve with rice.</li> </ol> Tip: If you don’t have a cast iron casserole dish suitable for both stove top and oven, cook step 1-2 in a frying pan then transfer to an ovenproof dish to cook in the oven. Tip: The curry will keep 3-4 days in a ceramic or glass dish in the fridge. Recipe courtesy of Australian Sweet Potatoes.

Food & Wine

Restaurant fined $86,000 for serving food on wooden boards

Gone are the days where seeing a meal brought out on a wooden board would’ve prompted a raised eyebrow, but while it might be accepted in fooderies around the world, this serving practice has seen one restaurant slugged with a hefty fine. Ibrahim's Grill and Steakhouse in Birmingham, England, has been slapped with a whopping £50,000 ($86,000) for failing to comply with food safety requirements. The restaurant was reportedly visited by health inspectors after a food poisoning incident, and they found the wooden serving boards were unable to be hygienically cleaned due to cracks in the surface where debris could accumulate. "It is completely unacceptable for businesses to put the health of people eating at their restaurants at risk," said Mark Croxford, head of environmental health at Birmingham City Council. "The owners were given sound advice which they chose to ignore. I am pleased magistrates supported our efforts with a large fine and hope advice we give on improving businesses to protect health will not be ignored in future." What do you think?

Food & Wine

Restaurant fined $94,560 for serving food on wooden boards

Gone are the days where seeing a meal brought out on a wooden board would’ve prompted a raised eyebrow, but while it might be accepted in fooderies around the world, this serving practice has seen out restaurant slugged with a hefty fine. Ibrahim's Grill and Steakhouse in Birmingham, England, has been slapped with a whopping £50,000 ($94,560) for failing to comply with food safety requirements. The restaurant was reportedly visited by health inspectors after a food poising incident, and they found it the wooden serving boards were unable to be hygienically cleaned due to cracks in the surface where debris could accumulate. "It is completely unacceptable for businesses to put the health of people eating at their restaurants at risk," said Mark Croxford, head of environmental health at Birmingham City Council. "The owners were given sound advice which they chose to ignore. I am pleased magistrates supported our efforts with a large fine and hope advice we give on improving businesses to protect health will not be ignored in future." What do you think?

Food & Wine

Peppered steak with red wine jus and potato bake

This steakhouse favourite can easily be on your dinner table with this recipe from Maureen Partridge. Serves: 2 Ingredients: <ul> <li>Porterhouse steaks, trimmed</li> <li>2 teaspoons canola oil 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper</li> <li>1/3 cup red wine</li> <li>1 clove garlic, crushed 1 teaspoon coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves.</li> <li>2 teaspoons butter</li> </ul> Potato bake <ul> <li>2 medium potatoes (400g), peeled and very thinly sliced</li> <li>1 small brown onion, thinly sliced 1/2 cup</li> <li>Pauls PhysiCAL low-fat milk</li> <li>1/2 cup grated reduced fat cheese</li> <li>Ground black pepper</li> </ul> To serve <ul> <li>Steamed greens, such as broccoli </li> </ul> Method: <ol> <li>Preheat oven to 180°C. Layer potato, onion and pepper in a 3-cup capacity baking dish. Pour milk into dish and cover with foil & bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and top potato with cheese and thyme. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes or until golden brown.</li> <li>Meanwhile, brush steaks with oil and sprinkle both sides with pepper. Heat a non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Place steaks in pan and reduce heat slightly. Cook for 5 minutes, then turn and cook for 3 minutes for medium or to your liking. Remove from pan and cover loosely with foil. Rest for 5 minutes.</li> <li>Reduce heat, then add wine, garlic and rosemary to pan. Stir, then simmer for about one minute or until reduced by half. Remove from heat and add butter; stir to combine.</li> <li>Serve steak with red wine jus, potato bake and steamed vegetables. </li> </ol> Recipe courtesy of Maureen Partridge’s Meal & Exercise Plan for Healthy Bones, created with Pauls PhysiCAL. <a href="http://www.pauls.com.au/physical" target="_blank">Visit the website here</a> to download the plan. Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, The Way Mum Made It, yet? Featuring 175 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, <a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk" target="_blank">head to the abcshop.com.au to order your copy now</a>. Related links: <a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/12/easy-steak-sandwich/">Easy steak sandwich</a> <a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/12/how-to-cook-the-perfect-steak/">How to cook the perfect steak</a> <a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/01/mashed-potato-bacon-spring-onions/">Mashed potato with spring onions and crispy bacon</a>

Food & Wine

Should we really be eating red meat?

Many types of red meat and red meat products are available, from in farmers' markets, to supermarkets, to restaurants. The impacts of their production and consumption on human health, animal welfare and the environment are extremely complex. So, what should we be thinking about when we’re deciding whether or not to eat red meat? The nutrition Consuming lean products and different cuts, or muscles, of meat from cattle, sheep, pig, goat and kangaroo is recommended in the Australian Dietary Guidelines as part of a balanced diet. “Lean” refers to animal muscle tissue, that has lower amounts of total fat and saturated fat compared to higher-fat alternatives. Most lean red meats are cuts, rather than processed products such as hot dogs or canned meat. Cuts provide many beneficial nutrients, including: protein, vitamin B12, zinc, iron and unsaturated fat (such as omega-3 polyunsaturated fats). In comparison, fattier red meat cuts and most processed meat products provide higher amounts of potentially harmful nutrients, such as saturated fats, salt and sodium nitrate. In general, horse and kangaroo meats have been reported to have the lowest total fat and highest polyunsaturated fat contents. Beef and sheep meats have the highest total fat and lowest polyunsaturated fat. Grass-fed beef is a better source of omega-3 polyunsaturated fats compared to grain-fed beef, although fish provides significantly more omega-3 than any red meat. Livestock is mostly grass-fed in fields, rather than grain-fed in feedlots. This is better for both nutrient levels in the meat and animal and environmental ethics. Feedlots are more common in the United States, for example. The type of grain that is fed to an animal affects its muscle nutrient composition, as well as shelf-life, taste, colour and quality. For example, pigs can be fed on a certain amount and type of linseed to increase omega-3 polyunsaturated fat in their meat. Associations with ill health The links between red meat products and human health are not fully understood, but you may have seen <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-27/processed-meats-cause-cancer-says-un-agency/6886882" target="_blank">recent media reports</a> about processed meat and cancer risk. It is likely that eating less processed meat will reduce your risk of getting cancer. It’s also probable eating less red meat will reduce your cancer risk. Similarly, if unsaturated fats – especially polyunsaturated fats – replace saturated fats (for example, in red meat) in someone’s diet, the risk of coronary heart disease might be reduced. Further, processed meats have been linked to a higher incidence of coronary heart disease and diabetes. The ethics The ethics of consuming food, including animal produce, is a fraught topic for both animal welfare and environmental damage. The vast scale of commercialised livestock production is overwhelming. Yes, any food that humans consume comes with consequences, especially when that food is mass-produced. However, with red meat, efficiency and cost can outweigh animal welfare when animals become “a commodity, a unit in the production line”. And there is huge environmental damage from livestock production, such as methane from manure and enteric fermentation (that is, farts!). The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations stated in 2006: The livestock sector emerges as one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global. It must be hoped the animal welfare and environmental aspects of food consumption will be highlighted in future revisions of the Australian Dietary Guidelines. What can you do? You probably care about your health, about other animals and the environment. Luckily, you can do a few things to try to improve all of these aspects of red meat and red meat product consumption: <ul> <li>When (or if) you eat red meat: choose leaner options that have less total and saturated fat, such as lean beef mince in place of standard beef mince; choose meats that contain more polyunsaturated fats, such as kangaroo or grass-fed beef (I don’t envisage many eating horse, which is also higher in these fats); avoid processed meat such as bacon, sausages and salami; and buy from retailers and eat at restaurants where the red meat is sourced from more ethical, smaller-scale, local and sustainable farms</li> <li>Eat less red meat (Meat Free Mondays is one good idea)</li> <li>Join the growing population following vegetarian or vegan eating habits.</li> </ul> Written by Rebecca Charlotte Reynolds. First appeared on <a href="http://Stuff.co.nz" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz</a>. Related links: <a href="/health/body/2016/02/understanding-diet-trends/">What you need to know about the latest diet trends</a> <a href="/health/body/2015/11/healthy-foods-that-are-unhealthy/">‘Healthy’ foods that could be harming your health</a> <a href="/news/news/2016/02/why-it-is-hard-to-cut-back-sugar/">Why it is hard to cut back sugar</a>

Body

Cauliflower steak with haloumi salad

This delicious cauliflower steak with haloumi, spinach and almond salad is the perfect for vegetarians. It’s satisfying and very tasty. Serves: 4 Ingredients: <ul> <li>1 large 1.5kg cauliflower (or use 2 smaller heads)</li> <li>1 teaspoon dried oregano</li> <li>1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leafed parsley</li> <li>1 lemon, ½ juiced, ½ cut into wedges</li> <li>5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil</li> <li>250g haloumi, cut into 5mm-thick slices</li> <li>80g baby spinach</li> <li>⅓ cup slivered almonds, toasted</li> </ul> Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan forced. 2. Trim the cauliflower stem and remove the outer leaves then slice it into 4 x 1.5cm-thick steaks, cutting from the top of the florets downwards (you need a decent bit of core on each steak, so that it will hold together). 3. For the dressing, whisk together the oregano, parsley, lemon juice and half the oil in a bowl. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and set aside. 4. In 2 batches, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large frying pan or flame-proof roasting pan over medium heat. Cook the cauliflower steaks for 4 minutes each side, covering with a lid, then transfer to an oven tray and roast in the oven for a further 10 minutes until tender and golden. 5. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of the oil in the frying pan and cook the haloumi for 1-2 minutes each side or until lightly golden. 6. Put the spinach in a bowl and drizzle with three-quarters of the dressing. Toss to combine, then sprinkle with the almonds. Serve the cauliflower steaks, drizzled with the remaining dressing, with the spinach salad and haloumi. Written by Olivia Andrews. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz</a> Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, The Way Mum Made It, yet? Featuring 178 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, <a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk" target="_blank">head to the abcshop.com.au to order your copy now.</a> Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/02/vegetarian-meat-balls/">Vegetarian meatballs</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/11/eggplant-haloumi-pesto-burgers/">Grilled eggplant, haloumi and pesto burgers</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/08/asparagus-fries/">Baked asparagus fries</a>

Food & Wine

Easy steak sandwich

If you’re preparing lunch, dinner or even a hearty breakfast you can’t do much better than a steak sandwich. Make sure you’ve got hands free because this dish deserves two thumbs up! Ingredients: <ul> <li>Two teaspoons butter</li> <li>Two teaspoons olive oil</li> <li>Red onion, sliced into rings</li> <li>Two thick filled steaks, approximately 125g each</li> <li>Four thick slices of bread or two bread rolls</li> <li>Two iceberg lettuce leafs</li> <li>One tomato</li> </ul> Method: <ol> <li>Add butter and oil in a large frypan over high heat.</li> <li>Add onions and fry for three to four minutes, then push to one side of the pan.</li> <li>Add steaks and cook for one to two minutes on each side. Season with salt and pepper if you like. Your steaks should end up browned, but still pink in the centre.</li> <li>Remove pans from heat, then allow to rest for a minute or so.</li> <li>Toast bread or bread rolls then divide ingredients (including tomato and lettuce) between.</li> <li>Season and add any sauce/chutney according to your tastes.</li> </ol> Related links: <a href="/health/body/2015/11/what-your-food-cravings-mean/">What your body’s cravings really mean</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/12/falafel-chicken-salad/">Falafel chicken with cucumber, chickpea and orange salad</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/12/corn-shallot-thyme-butter/">Corn on the cob with shallot and thyme butter</a>

Food & Wine

Chunky steak pie

Whether you’re watching a sporting event or just curling up in front of the TV, nothing hits the spot like a chunky steak pie. Learn how to make the perfect steak pie with this recipe. Ingredients: <ul> <li>Olive oil cooking spray</li> <li>¼ cup plain flour</li> <li>500g rump steak, trimmed, cut into 2cm cubes</li> <li>1 tablespoon olive oil</li> <li>1 brown onion, cut into thin wedges</li> <li>200g button mushrooms, sliced</li> <li>2 tablespoons brown onion gravy powder</li> <li>1 sheet frozen ready-rolled 25% reduced-fat puff pastry, thawed</li> <li>2 tablespoons reduced-fat milk</li> <li>Tomato sauce, to serve</li> </ul> Method: <ol> <li>Spray four 1-cup capacity ceramic, ovenproof dishes with oil.</li> <li>Place flour and beef in a large snap-lock bag. Seal. Shake to coat.</li> <li>Heat half the oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add half the beef. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining oil and beef.</li> <li>Reduce heat to medium. Add onion to pan. Cook for 3 minutes or until just tender.</li> <li>Add mushrooms. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until mushrooms start to soften. Return beef and juices to pan. Combine gravy powder and 1 cup hot water in a jug. Add to beef mixture.</li> <li>Season with pepper. Stir to combine. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until gravy thickens. Spoon into prepared dishes.</li> <li>Set aside for 10 minutes to cool. Preheat oven to 200°C.</li> <li>Cut pastry sheet into quarters. Place over dishes, trimming excess. Brush pastry with milk.</li> <li>Make 2 small cuts in pastry tops for steam to escape.</li> <li>Bake for 30 minutes or until pastry is golden. Serve with sauce.</li> </ol> Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/12/salmon-quiche/">Salmon quiche</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/12/orange-ricotta-and-rosemary-cheesecake-flan/">Orange, ricotta and rosemary cheesecake flan</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/12/apple-berry-cream-cheese-scrolls/">Apple berry cream-cheese scrolls</a>

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Restaurant fined $86,000 for serving food on wooden boards

Restaurant fined $94,560 for serving food on wooden boards

Peppered steak with red wine jus and potato bake

Should we really be eating red meat?

Cauliflower steak with haloumi salad

Easy steak sandwich

Chunky steak pie