Beer Chuck Roast

I have a very busy week starting tomorrow, so this weekend I prepped a bunch of food ahead of time for the week, including a grass fed chuck roast from Triple L Ranch. After cooking I shredded the beef for sandwiches through the week. This was incredibly simple yet full of flavor. Be sure to spoon some of the leftover juice from the pan over top the shredded beef to keep it moist.

Rinse chuck roast and pat dry with paper towels. Season with kosher salt and cracked black pepper. Let sit at room temp 10-15 minutes.

Heat about 2-3 tablespoons each of olive oil and butter in a Dutch oven on medium high heat. Brown all sides of the meat. While the roast is still in the pan, deglaze it with one pint (minus two or three sips) of beer, this Hefeweissbier is fantastic! But any beer of choice will work. We just prefer the taste of this one.

Top the pot with a lid and transfer it to a 350 degree oven until meat is fork tender. This roast was 3.5 pounds so it took about 2.75 hours before it fell off the bone.

Let the meat rest 10-15 minutes and then shred the it. Spoon drippings from the pot over the meat (I did not make a gravy as this meat will be used for sandwiches, hot and cold). Store in a tightly sealed glass container in the fridge until ready to use but no more than five days.

***This photo is of the roast after browning and deglazing with the beer, no after photo on this one!***

Raw Milk Ricotta Cheese

We love ricotta cheese. From pizza, Italian cookies, lasagna and bruschetta home made just can't be beat. I searched the Internet for a version that started from milk, not whey and found this amazing recipe from Smitten Kitchen. It is to die for. It is by far the best ricotta cheese I have ever tasted. Of course rich, raw grass fed milk and cream does make the different. I squeeze fresh lemon juice for this as well, I believe it makes a difference over the bottled version. Leftover whey can be used on plants that require a little acid, added to smoothies for straight protein, fed to chickens (if you or a friend keeps them) or added to the compost pile.

The trick to this cheese is letting it sit. Don't rush it. I allow mine to rest and drain for one hour, that is the consistency my family prefers. Since I have not changed this recipe one smidgen, I'm directing you HERE for the recipe. It's the best, trust me.

Pumpkin Butternut Squash Soup

It is October and one of my favorite months in Middle TN. I love the crisp air, warm sunshine and wearing flip flops with my jeans! It's also the start of our Fall Traditions list and roasting squash and root vegetables is one of those traditions! If you read my posts often enough you'll understand baking for me is a science, but cooking not so much. This is a simple recipe, nothing fancy to it, but oh so delicious!

2 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, diced and roasted (put on a baking sheet and roast at 350 til tender)
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 can pumpkin, or 1 pie pumpkin roasted along with the butternut squash
4 Tbls unsalted butter
leftover chicken broth (OR you can substitute all the chicken broth with Vegetable stock)
additional chicken broth (if needed)
heavy cream
sea salt and pepper (I do not add this to the soup. We season our food once it's plated so save this for when you serve it fresh).

When the squash has finished roasting, let it rest while preparing the other ingredients. Remove the reserved chicken broth from the ice box and scoop off the layer of fat that rose to the top of the broth. Add butter to a large stock pot and melt on medium high heat. Add diced onion and cook until they begin to caramelize. Remove from heat. Add squash, pumpkin and chicken broth.

Using a stick blender puree until smooth. Return to heat. Add additional chicken broth if needed. Add about 1 cup heavy cream and heat through. On this day I harvested the last of my basil and added a fresh sprig to each bowl of soup. The leftover soup was frozen into family size portions for a quick meal later this month. Enjoy!

***If you do not own a stick blender you can easily puree in a food processor or blender***

Tropical Traditions - FREE SHIPPING TODAY!

If you are a fan of Pink Sugar Bowl, you already know how much I love Tropical Traditions products! I haven't seen a free shipping coupon in a few weeks and they released one today! This code is good for new and returning customers. However if you are a new customer, you can use my referral link (will list it at the end of this post) and not only get free shipping but their cookbook for free as well!

The Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil was the first purchase I made and I haven't bought any other brand since! Once you try it you cannot deny the quality and taste!

I use many of their products and some of my favorites are the Gold Label Virgin, Refined (great in place of veg shortening, or if you don't care for the taste of coconut), Coconut Flour and Dried Coconut!

NOTE: To take advantage of this special, you MUST enter coupon code  97212  in your cart before checking out, and choose either Ground or SmartPost from the drop down list of shipping options! FREE shipping is NOT applied automatically. Orders placed before today cannot be refunded for shipping charges.

If this is your first order please come back and leave a comment letting me know what you think!

~ Deana

Guest Post from Moore Living!

February is already upon us and you had made a vow to yourself to get healthier. You have warned your family they better get ready to eat some new foods, you told your close friends you may not be eating out as much and might be cutting back on the wine. The one thing you are unsure about is how to navigate your local grocery store and you are totally blinded by the amazingness of Whole Foods. You want your food to still taste good and you want to make it fun. Can those two words live together; good and fun, when it comes to eating? I say Of Course!

What I love doing with clients is inspiring and empowering them to live their best lives ever and that means eating awesome food. We have to prepare to succeed. I help you prepare, navigate the super market, cook simple whole food meals, have dinner parties, and pantry clean outs.  Have you ever equated what you are eating to why your hormones seem to go crazy and you have PMS every month, or why you have no libido or energy?  Do your kids seem to eat whatever and then act like whatever, or you have noticed that in friends children?  When you are at the grocery store, you will notice a direct correlation with health and what is in someones cart, and if they seem happy or not.  Did you know seaweed tastes super, and that it will help balance your thyroid and digest beans better.  Who knew coconut oil was not only for your kitchen.
So get on board with your health, I say invest in your health inside in out like you invest in your car. Look at your grocery bill as you financing your dream car, don’t coupon it out. When we feed our body well we cherish the body God has provided us with, we become better partners, friends, and co workers. We naturally attract goodness and abundance through positive thoughts instead of the negative and fear driven choices we make when we are eating junk food.

Get your friends together over at your house or schedule a time for us to meet and I will lead you fearlessly through the land of Kale, quinoa and introduce you to some fun things like goji berries, maca, and bee pollen. Moore:Living with Sarah will be your partner inspiring you to be healthy balanced and clean.  We offer home cooking parties, grocery store fun, private and group nutrition and lifestyle coaching, and cleansing and detoxing services.  Sarah can also speak at your work, school or organization. 


My Creds: I am an AADP  certified nutritionist and lifestyle counselor. I also offer cleansing through colon hydrotherpy.  My business Moore:Living with Sarah is located in Franklin, TN and I have worked with clients in CT, NJ, NY IN, and FL.  My mission is to be your  inspiration to feeling and looking good. I will help you understand the power of food to fuel you and empower you to live healthy balanced and clean.  My passions are health, nutrition, my children and addi and charlie and my hard workin husband Ian. Reach me 24/7 at www.MooreLivingwithSarah.com  or call when its daytime to 615.392.0488