Corned Beef

I am a huge fan of corned beef and it’s one of those easy meals you can just throw in your crockpot and not think about. Contrary to what some may believe, this scrumptious Irish tradition is actually healthy for you.

Corned beef is a great protein that’s high in B vitamins and zinc. It has more fat in it, which raises those calories but if you stick to a normal sized portion (about 3oz), it’s less than 250 calories.

Its typical accompaniment of cabbage and potatoes are also great for you. Yes, we want to limit the amount of potatoes we consume, but potatoes in and of themselves contain great complex carbs and calcium, iron and vitamin C. And cabbage is a must when it comes to corned beef! It’s a great source of folic acid, another great source of vitamin C and it’s loaded with fiber.

You can choose to cook your corned beef your favorite way. I just threw mine in the crockpot with a bottle of beer and the little seasoning packet that comes with it. 7 hours on low (oh, the yummy smell of meat cooking in beer!) and it’s done. By the time we were ready to eat, it was falling apart, which is why it wasn’t easy to cut it into slices (or get a pretty picture) – we just pulled some off and ate it!

So don’t swear off this delicious meat-and-potato meal for fear of too many calories; it’s actually good for you!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Oh! And if you have any leftovers, don’t forget to make corned beef hash!