Be Brave, Whip Out the Frying Pans and Cook Something Bold Tonight!

You know how it is; you arrive home from work with very little energy after a long day, and swiftly turn to that trusty, quick and easy dinner recipe. Not tonight! Here at Natural Cures, we’re urging you to ditch those old faithful 5-minute meal ideas, be brave and ‘cook something bold’.

Move over Buffalo Bill, this is Buffalo Grill – and it’s about to hot up in the kitchen! Don’t be tempted to pop out to a local restaurant and let someone else do the hard work, though. One of the best things about cooking at home? You can tailor a recipe to your individual taste, throwing in just the right amount of spice and taking out ingredients you’re not keen on.

At the very top of our list for this tasty annual food fest is undoubtedly buffalo. In fact, it’s fair to say our mouths are watering at the mere thought!

When it comes to cooking buffalo the trick here is not to get carried away and overcook it. You’ll find that the meat is a much darker red color than beef during cooking and after, so try not to let its color fool you into thinking it’s undercooked. Top tip: keep your meat frozen until you intend to cook it; plan ahead if you’re defrosting it in your refrigerator.

Try your buffalo meat rare to medium-rare, or if you’re cooking burgers opt for medium to medium-well done. Be aware that buffalo cooks fast; it’s best to cook it in about 1/3 time over a 1/3 lower temperature (compared to beef) at 325 °F. A meat thermometer may help you get your buffalo to the desired temperature, dependent on your recipe.

Cooking for the whole family? We can’t resist Chef Jill’s all American Buffalo meatloaf (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVEyMGROivg), which is quick to prepare, healthy and delicious! Jill uses plenty of fresh herbs to add lots of flavor, along with the surprise element of a zucchini, which is healthy and adds texture. Don’t forget to check out Jill’s video for more great tips.

Or how about giving Trey Hardee’s Quinoa and Bison Chili a go! (https://www.outsideonline.com/fitness/nutrition/Chili-Power-20120701.html). The champion decathlete lets us all in on his favorite recovery meal. It’s super easy to make and is packed full of tasty, healthy ingredients.

Trey Hardee’s Quinoa and Bison Chili (makes 6 servings):

Ingredients

• 2 cups quinoa
• 3 cups organic chicken broth
• 1 diced red onion
• 1 pound organic ground bison
• 2 diced green peppers
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 15 ounces precooked kidney beans
• 1/2 cup corn
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons coriander

Method

• First, add quinoa and chicken broth to a small pot and bring to the boil, before lowering the heat and cooking until tender for around 15 minutes.
• While the Quinoa is busy cooking, combine red onion and delicious bison meat in a large skillet, cooking for 10 minutes on a medium heat, stirring as you go
• Now add peppers, garlic, kidney beans, corn, chili powder, cumin, and coriander, and cook on a medium to low heat until the bison is heated through and the peppers are tender
• Finally, season the chili to taste with salt and pepper, before mixing with quinoa and serving

The great news? Buffalo or bison, as it’s also known, contains less fat than most cuts of beef. Plus, according to the US Department of Agriculture, a 3-oz. cooked serving of a typical cut of buffalo meat (top sirloin) contains 25g of protein, 8mg of folate and 1.7mg of iron – even more reason to feast on buffalo tonight!