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French Dip Sandwiches

I use beef very, very rarely…however, more so in chili season than any season. But as for roasts or steaks…I just don’t trend that way often at all. While beef tends to be higher in fat and calories than most other meats, we also prefer other proteins instead. Chicken and seafood are our go-to meats, but I know we’re not in the majority.

Having been raised in the Midwest, and then transplanted to the plains of Oklahoma, I know one thing: people love their meat (and potatoes). When I was a dietitian in Tulsa and started meeting patients who worked in the cattle industry, I would inquire about grass-fed beef. And then they would laugh at me.

At first I was offended. I know the nutritional and ecological benefits to grass-fed beef, why didn’t they? They are the ones in the “biz”. But I learned quickly. No one wants to make less money than their potential, right? No kidding.

The cattle business is like any other – it’s a career, a livelihood. If you can grain feed out a cattle and sell for twice the weight of a grass-fed cattle (i.e. twice the earnings), why wouldn’t you? Nutrition and ethics, if you’re like a lot of us in the nutrition and food “biz”…and you don’t rely on cattle to pay your bills.

While not only better for the environment, grass fed beef is lower in fat and calories and contains nutritional perks such as omega 3 fatty acids. Plus it just makes sense to feed an animal what nature intended them to eat. Right? Right.

What I’m getting at, is buying grass-fed beef is the route we choose, when we choose beef. Which, again, is rare. With that said, these sandwiches were absolutely divine. And I probably shouldn’t tell Mr. Prevention that French Dip Sandwiches will forever remind me of my first (very awkward) date at TGIFridays with the guy I went on to date for several years during high school. At any rate, this French Dip recipe turned out great and would give any restaurant serving them a run for their money.

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French Dip Sandwiches from Confections of a Foodie Bride, as seen on Stick A Fork In It

1 medium yellow onion
3/4 cup low-sodium beef broth/stock
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp brown/creole mustard
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 1/4 lb chuck roast, trimmed
salt and pepper to taste
7 sandwich rolls or French bread
7 slices 2% provolone or swiss cheese

Directions:

Slice the onion into ~1/4-inch rounds, and place in the bottom of the crockpot. Add the beef broth, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and garlic. Salt and pepper both sides of the roast and place on top of the onions. Cook on low 6-7 hours until the beef is fall-apart tender.

Transfer the roast to a cutting board and shred using two forks. Remove the onions and set aside. Strain the juice and remove as much fat as possible. Return the roast, juice, and onions to the crock pot.

Heat the broiler. Place the split sandwich rolls on a lined baking sheet and toast for 1 minute or just until the bread begins to brown. Remove the tops from the pan. Scoop the beef onto the bottom of the rolls and top with cheese. Return to the oven just until cheese is melted. Top with sandwich halves and serve with small bowls of jus.Yield: 7 large sandwiches.

Nutrition Information (per sandwich): 495 calories; 20.9 g. fat; 125 mg. cholesterol; 952 mg. sodium; 36.7 g. carbohydrate; 2.4 g. fiber; 48.1 g. protein

Result: These were simple to make and sooooo good! Don’t be too put off by the nutrition stats – these sandwiches are no joke! The actual sodium content is less as you won’t use all the jus, but I don’t know by how much so I assumed the worst and didn’t adjust the total. To keep this meal calorie-control, serve it with a salad or side of vegetables. If you’re a beef-lover, or just love a great sandwich…make’em! Enjoy!

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Classes start today (tonight) – ahhh! And this week’s insanity just keeps on coming. I ended up taking yesterday off to take my car in (issues with the radio/clock after getting rear-ended awhile back…) and 3 hours later, I had lesson planned 2 of my 3 classes this week. But…my car was left unfixed. It has to go back in on Monday and I have to get a rental (ugh). Driving to Chicago without a radio should be a blast. Thank you God for Pandora and iHeartRadio.

From the dealership, I shot up-state for a meeting with a physician. It went really well and it seems like he is a very caring doc who values comprehensive care and sees great benefit in medical nutrition therapy and nutrition counseling. 😀

I slugged through the door by late afternoon and knew that my tush couldn’t touch down until I pounded out a workout. Between an insane schedule and somewhat restless nights, a workout was basically the last thing I wanted to do. But as the saying goes, you never regret a workout…and of course, that was the case. I wound down with a lightened up Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipe from Food Network’s magazine and a quick DVR sesh before bed.

My class tonight is almost full – it will be my largest class yet. But, first to the clinic…and then to class. Thank goodness tomorrow is my Friday! Have a good day!

Question: Do you/did you enjoy the first day of school?

Lots of love,

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21 Comments

  1. Chrissy
    September 21, 2011 / 6:44 am

    Glad you liked them! They are ridiculously easy to make ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. Erika @ The Teenage Taste
    September 21, 2011 / 6:51 am

    French dip sandwiches are the best! I order them whenever they are on the menu whne I go out to eat!

  3. Gina (The Candid RD)
    September 21, 2011 / 7:12 am

    You’re a busy women!! Good luck on the first day (I’m happy to hear you have a class this time, and even a FULL one!).

    The sandwiches sound amazing. The only issue is that 1000 mg cholesterol, yikes, but hey, every once in a while it’s not such a big deal. You could even use less beef if you really wanted to. We recently got in grassfed beef at MD (we used to only have one kind and it wasn’t really great). We now carry a brand that is called Rain Meadow…or something, and it’s a very reasonable price and I can’t WAIT to try it!

  4. Samantha @ Bikini Birthday
    September 21, 2011 / 8:46 am

    I think it’s pretty sad that here in the west we value our food by quantity not taste. It’s not the fault of the cattle farmers, they’re just supplying what people want– more meat, not better meat.

    I have to admit that when it comes to meats, lamb is my favourite and beef is a close second. I kinda hate chicken (especially breast! It tastes like nothing!) and pork is just ‘meh’. But I hardly eat any meat, so I rarely pay attention to it’s nutrition stats– I just go for taste.

    Oh, and way to go with the workout! Sounds like you had a really tiring day so it’s awesome that youi squeezed it in!

  5. katie
    September 21, 2011 / 8:57 am

    I have never had a French Dip sandwich before, I might have to give them a try.

    Best of luck with your classes! I was always nervous on my first day of school.

  6. Lolly's Sweet Treats
    September 21, 2011 / 9:12 am

    Your sandwiches look delicious. I’ve been attempting to buy more grass-fed beef as well. Best wishes for you during this busy time! I was always anxious for my first day of classes.

  7. Michelle
    September 21, 2011 / 9:51 am

    They look delicious, I will try them sometime ๐Ÿ™‚

  8. Shawnda
    September 21, 2011 / 9:58 am

    I knew very little about where our food came from two years ago. Now, it’s really important to us and we found a farm nearby that ethically raises grass-fed beef, open range chicken, and pastured pork.

    Glad you liked the French Dip – it’s one of our very favorite meals!

  9. Anne Marie@New Weigh of Life
    September 21, 2011 / 11:44 am

    Looks so tasty! I liked the first days of school when I was in high school but in grade school, forget it!

  10. Leah @ Why Deprive?
    September 21, 2011 / 3:10 pm

    I’ve never been a big fan of beef, but I have to say, french dip sandwiches are freaking good.

  11. Holly
    September 21, 2011 / 3:21 pm

    French dip sammies are one of my favorite things ever. Looks delish! ๐Ÿ™‚

  12. Anna @ On Anna's Plate
    September 21, 2011 / 7:56 pm

    Ooooh, I loved a good french dip before I went veg. Time to bring them back into rotation!! ๐Ÿ™‚

  13. Kristen @ Swanky Dietitian
    September 21, 2011 / 8:30 pm

    Oh yum! I don’t eat beef often but I agree with you..grass fed all the way! I love animals way too much.
    Good look with class! I can’t wait to hear how it goes.

  14. Melinda
    September 22, 2011 / 2:14 am

    I am a nerd and I love the first day of school, both as a student and as a teacher. Good luck! My largest class was about 50 students. It’s tough, but some will usually drop (not because they don’t like you, usually because they realize they signed up for too much of that it is actually a science class) and at least that helps.

    I don’t eat beef, but on the island I think all cattle were grass fed. I saw a lot of cows, and not one that I saw was grazing on anything other than grass. In fact, who do you think mowed my lawn for two years LOL!

  15. Pingback: Should You Eat CAFO Beef or Grass Fed Beef? | Keep Going Green
  16. Holly
    January 15, 2012 / 8:14 pm

    I finally tried these sandwiches today and they turned out really well. Very easy to make and not too terribly unhealthy for such a treat. Thanks for another great recipe!

    • Nicole, RD
      Author
      January 16, 2012 / 12:22 am

      Holly: I’m glad you enjoyed them! ๐Ÿ™‚

  17. Pingback: French Dips | Living Well Kitchen
  18. Lesley
    September 14, 2012 / 5:37 pm

    Just FYI, you left out the amount and type of mustard on the ingredient list. When I saw it in the instructions I went to the original recipe and got it from there, but thought you might want to add it. Thanks!

    • Nicole, RD
      Author
      September 17, 2012 / 1:16 pm

      Oops, thanks Lesley! ๐Ÿ™‚

      • Lesley
        September 17, 2012 / 1:23 pm

        Sure! Just an update, these were a hit with both me and my husband. We both had leftover sandwiches, and the meat was good by itself too. I think we both got three full meals out of it! Yummy!

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