Welcome to my week in review series! This past week was another chilly one here in Chicago. Luckily we warmed up with some fun eats and a especially nice Valentine’s dinner at home!
Is it just me or is going out on Valentine’s Day slightly overrated? Maybe it’s my millennial nature talking, but I just don’t need to go out to dinner on the day! I think part of that is this was out first Valentine’s Day in our apartment, so a cozy night in with a delicious dinner sounded way more fun and cozy than going out. When we get fancy, we get fancy, and I’m not kidding when I say this steak from Pre Brands rivaled any steakhouse for miles. Only the best for the ones I love, of course!
I think you know me by now, and the fact that what I put into my body is one of those things I’m not willing to settle on. As a dietitian it’s super important to me to know where my meat is coming from, and I appreciate the level of transparency that Pre Brands has created around the entire process from how their meat is cultivated to the packaging it comes in.
Let’s talk about the nutrition of meat for a second. It’s not all created equal. The two most common things I hear from my clients about eating meat is A) they don’t know how to cook it, and B) they don’t think it’s “healthy”. Me making the steak in less than ten minutes shows that it’s actually super simple with minimal clean up, and below you can see why compared to other meats Pre is the best choice in terms of nutrition. I know everyones definition of healthy is different, but I think we can all agree that how the animal was raised and what it was fed plays a big role in its nutrition. You can feel good knowing all Pre brand meat is sourced from nutrient-rich pastures, raised with care and 100% grass-fed and finished, with no added antibiotics or added hormones.
- Compared to other beef, Pre contains:
- Up to 38% fewer Calories*
- Up to 63% less Fat*
- Higher Omega 3s
- Higher CLA’s
*vs. USDA choice version for the same cut of beef
For our candle lit dinner for two I chose Pre Brand filet mignon (get the full recipe on their website here) with sautéed spinach and butternut squash bucatini (inspired by this recipe from What’s Gabby Cooking!). We washed it down with a 19 crimes red blend, and for dessert I made chocolate nut butter truffles. I followed the package directions for the filet, using a cast iron pan, and searing on each side for about 6 minutes.
Don’t laugh when I tell you that we watched Apollo 13 (a childhood favorite for me, and one Rob has never seen) to finish out the night!
You can find your closest Pre retailer using the store locator at eatpre.com. Also, if you’re in Chicago I’m so excited because they are now available at select Jewel-Osco locations in the northern suburbs. Visit their Facebook page to see when a Jewel in your area will be holding a demo where you can enter to win a FREE MONTH of meats! Bonus if you RSVP on Facebook you get an extra entry for the month of free meat raffle!
Jewel joins this list of other retailers that sell Pre including Mariano’s, Heinen’s, Meijer and Treasure Island. Can also order from Peapod, Amazon Fresh and directly from eatpre.com.
As for the rest of the week, we kept it really low key with our meals. I tried this new flavor of siggi’s yogurt with some pumpkin granola and berries on top at it was amazing! It’s ironic that I was talking about Jewel because that is the only place I’ve been able to find it in Chicago so far. I highly recommend you grab one if you see it at your grocery store!
On Saturday, we headed out to one of our favorite restaurants in Chicago, Ema on a snowy Saturday. They make a killer pumpkin hummus in the fall, but you can’t go wrong with any of their spreads or small plates any time of year. The SoCal, Mediterranean vibes flow out of this place and straight into your food. This time around we ordered the garlic hummus, chicken kefta and baked halloumi—all delicious and followed by a sighting of Chef CJ Jacobson himself.
xoxox
Maggie
Pin this romantic dinner idea:
