Some say it’s strictly a Southern dish. Others say it’s a truck stop favorite. Whichever the case may be, when travelers know where to find good beef barley soup on a frequently traveled route, they plan to stop at that restaurant for sure.
There’s no need to save the pleasure for your travels, because you can put the ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning and have a great dinner ready when you get home from work.
The health benefits of beef, onions, carrots, and celery are well known, but few people realize the powerhouse hidden in those little grains of barley.
Barley is one of the richest sources of the antioxidant tocotrienol, a form of vitamin E which reduces free radicals that damage the body, say researchers at the University of Toronto. In fact, they have 50 percent more power than other forms of vitamin E.
In addition to stopping free radical oxidation, this nutrient works in the liver to reduce the body’s production of dangerous cholesterol.
Barley also contains lignans, compounds that have antioxidant ability, providing even more protection. And barley is rich in fiber content.
Though pearl barley found in grocery stores is a healthful food, its nutrients have been decreased by refining. It still makes a great soup, but hulled barley is richer in B vitamins. It is found in health food stores.
Beef Barley Soup
If your crockpot is large, this recipe can be doubled.
Cut one pound of lean stew meat into 1/2-inch cubes. (If chuck roast or chuck steak is on sale, that can be used.)
Put it into the crockpot and add 1/2 cup chopped onion, 2 ribs of celery, 2 medium carrots, 3/4 cup barley, 1 bay leaf, 6 cups of beef broth, 1 teaspoon salt, or salt and pepper to taste.
Cook beef and barley soup on LOW in the crockpot for 6 to 8 hours. Taste, and add any additional salt and pepper you need to please your taste buds. Remember that barley expands to four times its original size. Be sure your cooker is large enough.
All you need for dinner: beef barley soup
Retire early lose a bundle in benefits
Those who retire early but live long lose a bundle in Social Security benefits
Only about 5 percent of retirees wait until full retirement age to claim Social Security benefits.
Retiring early can cost dearly, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA), especially if you live a long time.
The SSA calculates that retirees who live to age 90 would lose $39,000 in benefits if they retire at age 62.
Some financial analysts say retiring early would cost far more because of the cost-of-living increases that boost Social Security checks. They figure the loss would be $83,000 for those who take benefits at 62 and live to age 90 and nearly $149,000 for those who live to age 95. The reason: Cost-of-living adjustments would apply to larger sums if a person retires at age 66.
Age 77 is the SSA’s estimated break even point. If you think you will die before age 77, retire early. If you think you will live past age 77, delay retirement as long as possible.
People are, in fact, living longer. There is a 41 percent chance that a 62-year-old woman will live to age 90. A 62-year-old man has a 29 percent chance.
For a married couple, there’s a 58 percent chance that one of them will live to age 90, and a 29 percent chance that one will reach 95. If you don’t think you’ll live very long, taking benefits early could hurt your spouse. A married beneficiary can continue receiving his or her own benefits or the deceased’s benefit, whichever is more. So spouses who take benefits early also reduce the amount the surviving spouse could receive.
People who want to retire early and can afford to live on their retirement savings until age 66 may also save on income tax.
Married couples with $32,000 in combined income face income tax on half of their Social Security benefits.
The most common eating disorder: bingeing
Researchers at Harvard have found that binge-eating disorder (BED) is more common than anorexia and bulimia nervosa combined. It’s the most common eating disorder in the United States.
Binge eating is defined as single bursts of uncontrolled eating that last less than two hours and occur at least twice a week. Because of its association with obesity, it is a major public health problem. About 30 percent of cases are male.
Symptoms may go back to childhood, where cases begin as early as age 8. In his new book, The Good Eater: The True Story of One Man’s Struggle With Binge Eating Disorder, Ron Saxon says secret eating and unexplained weight gain are symptoms of BED. Evenings are when binge eaters most often lose control.
Saxon left his career as a model when pressure to be thin was too much. Previously, he was able to hide the disorder, but then he gained almost 120 pounds.
The condition has no proven cause, but is linked with depression and anxiety. Therapy, particularly cognitive behavioral therapy, (nacbt.org) can help.
401(k) advice: Be part of the plan
Last August, Congress passed the Pension Protection Act. It encourages companies to sign up employees automatically for 401(k) plans.
Previously, only a third of eligible employees participated, but the new rules are changing that. The 401(k) plans have three compelling benefits:
- Investments are made with pre-tax dollars. Investments and interest earned are not taxed until you withdraw your money at age 59-1/2 through age 70.
- You get “free money.” Employers can match contributions dollar for dollar. Typically, however, they match 50 cents on the dollar up to 6 percent of your salary, according to Fortune. Some match 25 cents on the dollar.
- The federal limit on your contributions is $15,000 per year or $20,000 for those age 50 or older. The minimum contribution is set by the plan.
A plan generally has a set of default options for investing your money. They are primarily balanced mutual funds and investment pools that include a mix of stocks and bonds. Some companies include target-date or lifecycle funds, which change the mix of stocks and bonds according to how long it will be before you retire.
Fund tracker Morning Star reports that balanced funds returned an average of 9.7 percent a year since 2004, making them a good choice.
Most 401(k) participants depend on the plan to make their investment choices. Participants who feel knowledgeable about investments, however, can make or change their own choices from various investments available within the plan.
Advisors at Fortune say letting your investments grow on “autopilot” with the plan’s choices has paid off for most people over time.
Greens are the biggest bargains for health
Like everyone else, you have read it in many directions for good health: Eat plenty of dark, leafy greens. But what are they, and what do you do with them first?
They include kale, Swiss chard, (the queen of all greens), dandelion greens, beet greens, mustard greens, spinach, and turnip greens. But unless you live in the South, you’ve probably done little more with greens than sprinkle spinach on a salad.
If that’s the case, you’re missing out on wonderful side dishes and main dishes.
We won’t dwell on the health benefits because they’ve been so widely documented, from their huge vitamin and mineral content to those very important phytochemicals. They are important for cancer prevention.
In parts of the world, where vegetarianism is a way of life, people meet their daily calcium needs not by drinking milk but by eating greens.
To cook any kind of greens, clean them well, cut them up, and boil for about 4 minutes. Even better, put them in the microwave for a couple of minutes. For large-leafed greens like Swiss chard, run a sharp knife alongside the stem and center rib, separating the leaf from the stem.
Sauteing in olive oil and with garlic cloves and red-pepper flakes is also recommended.
Try this delicious recipe.
Creamed Swiss chard with onions
In a large no-stick skillet over medium heat, warm 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Add 1 medium onion, sliced.
Cook stirring frequently for 5 to 6 minutes or until softened.
Add 1 pound of Swiss chard, cut into bite-size pieces. Cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the chard starts to wilt.
Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour and gradually add 1 cup of canned evaporated skim milk.
Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Add 2 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of ground nutmeg. Stir to mix.
Makes 4 servings.