Roasted Root Vegetables

I hope more of you are being brave and trying something new to cook and eat now and then. Do you ever eat parsnips? What about rutabaga?   EVERY vegetable has different nutrients so expanding our repertoire is a very good idea.  This Roasted Root Vegetables recipe is a great way to try something new. You can also throw sweet potatoes or organic white potatoes into this mix.

I covered a baking sheet with foil so that cleanup would be easy.

I cut into big bite-sized pieces:

4 carrots
2 large parsnips
2 large rutabagas

I melted 2 TBSP of grass fed butter and rubbed it on the vegetables and the foil and then spread the vegetables out evenly.

I sprinkled them with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

I roasted them in a 425 degree oven for 30 minutes.

I wish I'd thought to put fresh herbs in top after roasting them. Parsley is especially good with them but some like cilantro or basil better on this versatile side dish.

                                 Good advice, in the kitchen, and everywhere else.....

Paleo Lemon Ice Cream Pie with Raspberry Sauce

This is a very special recipe. What I mean by that is that no one would think it was paleo.....it tastes like a serious cheat-dessert! It's going to be amazing this summer when it's hot out, too, but I couldn't wait.

I rubbed a tarte pan (or an 8 inch square glass pan) with coconut oil.

 I stirred up the following ingredients all at once:
1 1/2 cups almond meal
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 heaping TBSP coconut oil, melted
2 TBSP honey
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp lemon zest

I spread this out in the prepared glass pan and baked it in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.  I put it on a rack to cool completely.

Next, I mixed the following ingredients in a sauce pan:

1 can organic coconut milk
2 egg yolks
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup fresh organic lemon juice squeezed and then poured through a strainer to catch the seeds
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp grass fed butter
pinch of salt

I cooked it over medium heat, never stopping the stirring, until it came to a simmer. (I'll be trying this one in the Vitamix I have ordered asap....and my Paleo Blueberry Lemon Bars and Paleo Mango Bars.....)

As soon as it cooled a little, I put the sauce pan in the fridge a few minutes and then into the freezer. Then, I set a timer for 30 minutes and whisked it. I repeated this for 1  1/2 hours which was three times. Then it was ready.

I spread this soft ice cream on top of the crust and covered the taste pan with aluminum foil. Then I tried to put it in the freezer and my taste pan was wider than my freezer door!!! So, I ran to the garage and rearranged the deep-freezer shelves and made room for it there. (You might want to check first - lol)  I left it in there a couple of hours but it could stay for weeks if you need for it to.

I took the Paleo Lemon Ice cream Pie out of the freezer and let it thaw about ten minutes before I cut it into slices and drizzled the Raspberry Sauce on top just before serving.

Raspberry Sauce
I put these ingredients in a tiny sauce pan:
1 6 oz container of fresh raspberries
1 tsp honey
1/4 tsp arrowroot powder 
1 tsp lemon juice ( orange juice works, too)

I smashed the raspberries with a fork and stirred on low heat until warm and thickened.


This recipe will also be amazing if you just want the Paleo Lemon Ice Cream by itself, too.  I know - I licked the bowl and the spatula.  

Cherry Balsamic Mustard Grass Fed Strip Steak

Grass fed strip steaks. Let's start there.

They are worth the money and this is a great way to treat them (and yourself) right.

First, I stirred up:

1 TBSP Cherry Balsamic Vinegar
1 TBSP organic stone ground brown mustard

I swirled this around in a small glass baking dish and then placed 2 grass fed strip steaks in there. I flipped them over a couple of times and let the steaks come closer to room temperature in this mixture, about 15 minutes.

I rubbed coconut oil on my grill pan and let it heat up a few minutes over medium heat. Then I placed the steaks in, listening for a little sizzle.

I added Cherry Wood Smoked Sea Salt (salttraders.com) and freshly ground black pepper.

I cooked them 5 minutes on each side, turned off the heat, and let them sit there another 3 minutes, flipping them to coat them in the Cherry Balsamic Mustard Sauce.

Perfect.
Perfectly simple with Cheesy Kale Chips with No Cheese. (They don't take long in the oven)

Fuel up and eat like the athlete you are.

Meal Prep for the Week from Feeding Ger Sasser -A

I've never heard anyone say they've regretted prepping meals for the upcoming workweek. Busy people love it afterwards - their week doesn't have to get stuck on bad food choices, or being tired and frazzled when trying to decide what to cook, or spending too much money eating out.

So, here's a week of ideas. If you see something on here that doesn't appeal, or you don't eat, just choose something else and substitute.

As you look through the recipe links, make your shopping list. Write down what you don't already have on hand. It's also a good idea to check in the kitchen to make sure you do have the other items.

While things are cooking, get your containers out. (and their lids.) You could label everything. You could stack them according to the week, too. Keep it simple until you find your groove.

PROTEIN:

Rotisserie Style Crock Pot Chicken

Paleo Pork Tenderloin   with   Blackberry Reduction

Grass Fed Burger Skillet

SIDES

Buttered Sweet Potatoes with Molasses

Broiled Asparagus

Paleo Roasted Cauliflower

Paleo Broccoli Salad  (cold - separate container)


SNACKS OR BREAKFAST HELP

Lemon Lime Protein Balls

Grab and Go Snack Bags


Let me know if you have any questions. Really. Message me on the Feeding Ger Sasser Facebook page or find me on Instagram.

Now, go be AWESOME!

Blueberry Chia Energy Bites

They might look weird but they are so yummy and pack such a nutritional boost that no one should care how they look. When you make them maybe they will be....rounder?  They are shaped like the inside of my fist. I had to squeeze them so they would stay together.


I stirred up the following ingredients into a large mixing bowl:

1 cup old-fashioned oats (I love McCann's Quick Oats)
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut chips (chips is a misleading word here - it's just the big chunky coconut, not shredded)
1/2 cup almond butter (or peanut butter or pecan butter)
1/2 cup dried blueberries (I used Wild Dried Blueberries from stevespaleo.com)
2 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
2 TBSP raw honey

I put the bowl in the fridge for maybe half an hour and then smashed them into balls, making sure that everything stuck together. I'd hope to be able to use my cookie scoop but it needed to be smashed together.

If yours won't stick together well, add more honey or nut butter. This recipe comes out stickier or drier because nut butters can be more liquid sometimes and thicker sometimes. Also, the difference in raw honey and local honey can effect outcomes so adjust as needed. 

You will love having these around as you prep for a healthy week of meals. These make great breakfasts or snacks.

                                                  TBT - Mikko sure has grown......

Salad is an Art Form.

Salad is an Art Form

Salad is an art form.

Lettuces are the canvas.

Nuts are abstraction.

Seeds? Constructivism.

Raisins and dried cherries give pigment to this art.

Broccoli, textured medium.

Garlic, rebel.

Basil? A hint of sweetness in the foreground.

Salad Dressing? Emulsion.

And Bacon? Bacon is love.

 Bacon is necessary.

Make a salad.

Creative juxtaposition.

Salad is an art form.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie

You know we eat clean a very high percentage of the time.
You also may know my oldest son, Ger Sasser, and his wife Cassie, work very hard in all that they do. For instance, two weekends ago Ger took 4th place in the OCT Men's Elite Division. Here's my favorite photo from SWEAT from all the social media coverage.

Just this last weekend Ger and Cassie were in Miami. She worked with doughnutsanddeadlifts.com and Ger was on the SF Fire Men's Elite Team. Ger, Ben Gerard, and Hunter Britt took second place on the podium!   Here's a favorite photo of two of them, photo by Jason Espeut.

Back to the Skillet Cookie that's not even in the REALM of paleo.  Here's the thing - when Ger and Cassie come over for dinner and they ask for a REAL dessert, I just might get a little carried away. I might feel guilt until I realize it wasn't a cheat day, or even a cheat meal, just a cheat dessert. 

I took a recipe I used to make in a baking dish and tweaked it since I'm all about the cast iron skillet.  I hope you try this one - it's easy and totally worth it.

Here's what I did:

I rubbed coconut oil in my big cast iron skillet.

I whisked these ingredients in a large mixing bowl:

1/2 cup grass fed butter, melted

3/4 cup brown sugar (don't judge me lol)

1 egg

2 tsp vanilla

Then I stirred in just until combined:

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats

3/4 cup flour (I know, I know)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

pinch of salt

I put about 2/3 of this mixture into the skillet, saving the rest to go on top.  I spread it out a little with the wooden spoon.

In a small bowl I mixed:

1  14 oz can sweetened condensed milk (I told you I went a little crazy....)

1/2 cup peanut butter, maybe a little more

I poured this into the skillet next.

Next I put the rest of the first mixture on top, in spoonfuls her and there. The last thing to go in was:

1 cup Ghirardelli dark chocolate chips.

I baked it in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.  

We ate it while it was all warm and gooey and wonderful. We wondered if ice cream might make it even better.

I think it would be good in the fridge for 5-6 days but I'm never going to know for sure.

Aerogarden 7 LED Early Adventures

I wanted fresh herbs. Lots of them. More than I could afford.

I've wanted them since summer was over.

It's winter.  January.   January in Kentucky.

So, I bought myself a Christmas present. (At least it was half-price - an Amazon Deal of the Day)

It took no time at all to set up.

I worried that I'd wasted my money - that it wouldn't grow fresh herbs at all.

But, this was after one week. I felt hope.

Week two showed growth and I thought maybe I would be soon eating fresh herbs in my kitchen, in January, in Kentucky.

This is the week three photo and these herbs have become happy overachievers. I already had to move the lights up. I'm enjoying fresh herbs on my farm-raised fried eggs, and best of all, I'm glad that I bought myself that Christmas present.  

I'm thinking I'll try organic lettuces next........

Kombucha - Make It Yourself

Do you love kombucha? Cassie, Jess, and I all do.  Have you tried it?  It's trending and they even have GT's at my small-town Kroger now but it's $3.99 a bottle!  I've read a lot of research about how good it is for us, so I started looking into how to make it myself.

There's lots of great information out there. You might want to check out How To Make Kombucha Tea at Home - they have lots of photos and that helps when you are first starting out because it looks so weird.

I also HIGHLY recommend Kombucha Mamma over on kombuchakamp.com. She has great videos and if you don't have someone to give you a scoby or want to take the time to make your own, she is where to go. (Unless you want to swing by Crossfit Countdown - maybe I'll have one to share, right?)

I started with a scoby given to me and as I left this stranger's house with a gallon-sized Ziplock bag that looked like it held some sort of organ floating in blood........ I wondered what I was getting into!

 But, I was hooked immediately. I kept a batch going constantly, drinking what I'd bottled. I've even got a few scobys out there making kombucha in other kitchens, too, now. I'm proud of that. It's like a kombucha family-tree.  BUT, after a few months I didn't feel like my batches were strong and the new scobys were so thin each time.

 I did more research.

So, I bought a nice fat scoby from Kombucha Momma and now my kombucha is better than ever!

Ok. I use a gallon jar from Target that cost under $5.  I keep my brew on top of the fridge because it's supposed to be warm and still and safe there. My scoby seems to like it there. I'm going to get another gallon going in the next couple of weeks.

I bottle my kombucha in all those GT's bottles and I am so glad I kept them. I use Paul Newman Organic black tea bags. (usually 6-7) and 1 cup of organic sugar with filtered water.

I bottle every ten days usually unless I'm crazy-busy but then I bottle on day 9 or day 11.

I am enjoying playing with flavoring now. This current  batch is Mango Ginger and I love it! I just put one small piece of organic mango and some peeled fresh ginger, cut into match sticks into each bottle. I leave these out for 36-48 hours before I place them in the fridge. I keep them in a cooler just in CASE they might bust. - Kombucha Mamma says to do this so you contain the mess if it ever happens.... but I still can't get enough carbonation in my own batches yet to quite suit me.  I'm still working on it.

I'm enjoying Instagram conversations with PaleoFatKid about his first scoby he's making. He said he looks at it SO often and I TOTALLY understand!

I'm keeping notes so I can look back over what I tried and what I liked.

Next, I'm making blackberry ginger.

I want to figure out and try to make a PUMPKIN KOMBUCHA. If you know how to do that, please share.

The best part of making your own kombucha is how fresh and nutritious it is. Or, maybe it's the creative outlet that it gives me. It could be that since I make it myself, I can drink all I want!$!$!

Nutty Cherry Chia Energy Bites

These little energy bites are so tasty I couldn't stop eating them so I put them in snack bags, two at a time, and placed them into the freezer. They are different from all my protein balls in that they don't have coconut oil or protein powder - just real and healthy ingredients.

I'm already thinking of many variations!

I stirred up the following ingredients into a large mixing bowl:

1 cup old-fashioned oats (I love McCann's Quick Oats)
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut chips (chips is a misleading word here - it's just the big chunky coconut, not shredded)
1/2 cup nut butter (peanut butter, almond butter, pecan butter - any would work)
1/2 cup dried cherries
2 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
2 TBSP raw honey

I stirred and kind of smashed the ingredients around until everything stuck together. It took a while, so don't give up. Now, if your nut butter was very thick, you may need to put a little more in there to get it to stick together......

I put the bowl in the fridge for maybe half an hour and then smashed them into balls, making sure that everything stuck together. I'd hope to be able to use my cookie scoop but it needed to be smashed together.

                                                 
                                                    Beautiful ingredients, beautiful food.

I wish I could magically transport them to Ger and Benny and Hunter  - I bet they could finish them up in no time. They must be very hungry - they're sitting in FIRST PLACE at the end of day 2 of WODapalooza 2015 Men's Elite Team.  #onfire

Paleo Crock Pot Beef Tips with Quinoa

I love the Paleo Beef Tips recipe that I'd come up with and had been thinking about making it again soon but things have been so busy I haven't found time. This made me realize that I needed to come up with something equally tender and delicious but in a crock pot format. I like to put everything into the crock the day before and then keep it in the fridge until the next morning. Then, all I have to do is move the crock from the fridge to the crock pot cooker and plug it in. This is a great time-saver when I am trying to get out the door so early and it's  great thing to know that dinner will be ready (and healthy and delicious) when I get home.   So, here's another great way to fuel up!


I put 2 tsp of coconut oil into the bottom of my crock pot and rubbed it around.
I added:

2-3 lbs grass fed stew meat
1 large sweet onion, diced
2 green peppers, diced (other colors are fine, too)
1 package baby portobello mushrooms
2 TBSP coconut cream concentrate (optional - it thickens things but the quinoa will, too)
1 can coconut milk
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 tsp cherry wood smoked sea salt (salttraders.com)
1/4 tsp turmeric
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 TBSP Garlic Gold Nuggets (or a little fresh garlic minced)
1 cup organic quinoa

I set the crock pot for 7 hours on low.

I took the thyme out and gave it a stir before serving.  This one is easy and seriously good enough for feeding important guests.

Mikko kept looking up at the crock pot and then at me.....and doing the head-turn....he always thinks there should be a bone for him in my crock pot!


You can use 1 box of quinoa including the flavor packet but no other additional liquid if you don't have quinoa in the house; any of the flavors will work - I've used the garlic one. I think the brand is Near East?

Paleo Crock Pot Tender Pork Chops

Don't you love pork chops that just fall apart with a fork, all tender and moist and delicious? What if they were easy and had simple ingredients, too? This recipe is all that.

I rubbed 1 tsp coconut oil in the bottom of my crock pot.

I placed 4 bone-in pork chops into the bottom of the crock pot. (boneless pork can certainly be used, too, but I think anytime you can cook with the bone in there, you're getting strength from the bones into your food and you're getting a great flavor)

I added:

1/2 tsp Garlic Gold Nuggets ( or however you might want to garlic them up - I didn't have fresh)

1/4 tsp turmeric

 smoked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

In a small bowl, I whisked up the following ingredients:

3 TBSP raw honey

3 TBSP balsamic vinegar

1 TBSP organic brown mustard

1/4 tsp ground chipotle chili pepper

After whisking it, I poured it over the pork chops and put on the lid. I cooked them on low for 6 hours.  If you have more pork chops or thicker ones (mine weren't quite 1/2 inch) you could go 7-8 hours.  

You're going to love these!

Paleo Baby Bok Choy

It's good to try new things. Baby book choy was new to me and now I know I like it.  Everything we eat has different nutrients so you want to push yourself and not eat the same things all the time, right?   The baby bok choy looked so fresh and healthy and...well, cute.  So it came home to my skillet.

I stirred up the following ingredients into a skillet over medium heat:

1 tsp coconut oil
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 TBSP Garlic Gold Nuggets
1 TBSP Cherry Balsamic Vinegar  (flyingolive.com)
1/2 tsp arrowroot powder, sprinkled over so it won't lump (if you don't have that, you can substitute cornstarch)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Then I cut the bottom off of 2-3 book toy plants and then sliced them in half, top to bottom. I rinsed all the stalks because dirt can be hiding down in there. I shook off the excess water and put them into the skillet. I stirred them often and cooked them for about 6 minutes. De-hunking-licious.

I realize some people are going to want to cook the stalks for the first 5 minutes and then add in the leaves part because they cook more quickly but I like it just fine all cooked at the same time. There's still a little crunch to it and it paired very well with a skillet of organic potatoes and onions with smoked ham leftovers thrown in there. See?