Turkey Bone Broth Soup

Sometimes I just don't have time to simmer bone broth for 24 hours so I try to keep some in the house. There are several brands you can buy or order online. I use Pacific Organic Turkey Bone Broth in this recipe and it also works fine with chicken broth.

Bone broth is so mineral rich. It should turn into a jellylike substance when you put it in the refrigerator. I've been using it as often as possible while feeding Ger Sasser and I know it strengthens him. He and Cassie are both great cooks and I am proud of them for cooking things with bones in them. AND, bone broth is very important for people like me. Let's face it, you can't eat whatever you want as your age increases. My bones and joints need all the support they can get and I can really feel the difference.  So, I made this soup today, concentrating on ease and speed and nutritional content. (It's also seriously delicious)

I browned 1 lb of organic ground turkey in a skillet.
While that was browning I put the following ingredients into a stock pot over medium heat:

32 oz turkey bone broth
1/4 cup quinoa
3 carrots, peeled and sliced

When the carrots begin to soften, about 20 minutes, I added the browned ground turkey into the stock pot. Then I added these ingredients and simmered another 20 minutes:

1 red pepper, chopped
1 bunch kale torn from the stems
1 tsp dried onion
1 tsp Garlic Gold Nuggets (if you'd rather use fresh garlic, add it to the skillet when browning turkey)
1/4 tsp turmeric
pink Himalayan sea salt (more than you might think - bone broth isn't salty)
freshly ground black pepper

So, be strong and get some bone broth into your system.

Paleo Snow Cream Flavors (Coffee, Cocoa, and Strawberry Snow Cream)

What do you do when life gives you lemons? We all know the answer to this one - Make lemonade. What do you do when life gives you record amounts of snow? Make snow cream. Here's my classic recipe:  Paleo Snow Cream
What do you do when it's a week and a half later and school is still out, snow is still here and water lines are breaking all over the area? You keep working and stay positive, that's what, and you make many different versions of Paleo Snow Cream.

Paleo Coffee Snow Cream
I stirred the following ingredients in a huge bowl:

1/4 cup strong coffee, cooled 
1/3 cup coconut milk from a can, CHILLED ( or almond milk if you prefer)
1 tsp real vanilla
1/4 cup real maple syrup  ( you can also use 1/4 cup local honey instead if you prefer)

I added 4-5 cups of fresh snow and stirred it all up. (You will want to add 4 cups of snow and stir it up and taste it just to see if you need more. Different moisture levels in the snow make a big difference.

To make Paleo Cocoa Snow Cream, just add cocoa to the original snow cream recipe, starting with 1 TBSP and adding until it's as chocolaty as you like it. (Kids love this!)
You could add cocoa to the coffee version, too.

Here's a photo from Abigail Edwards. She adds strawberries to Paleo Snow Cream. Try smashed blackberries, little wild blueberries and whatever else you might think of.  Leave a comment or send me a photo on the Feeding Ger Sasser Facebook page or tag me on Instagram @feedinggersasser.

Make the most of whatever the weather throws at you.

Slow Cooker Smoked Ham

Ger's been so busy lately - 4th place Men's Elite in the Orange County Throw Down, 2nd place Men's Elite Team at Wodapalooza Miami 2015, and he and Cassie just got back from training in Miami. We are days from the Open and then he'll be playing for the San Francisco Fire for the National Pro Grid League Season 2.
 In other words, it's go-time. I fed Ger some quality farm-raised protein yesterday when I made this beautiful smoked ham.

I poured 12 oz apple juice into the slow cooker.
I stirred up a glaze with the following ingredients:

1 TBSP stone ground brown mustard
1 TBSP cherry balsamic vinegar
3 TBSP honey
1 tsp arrowroot powder
(optional - sometimes if it's a big holiday I add 2-3 TBSP organic brown sugar)

I rubbed this mixture into the big ham and then placed it cut side down into the slow cooker. This ham was so big I had to work to find a way for it to fit and it's a big oval slow cooker! (Cut a pice off if yours is too big)

I added a bit of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and put the lid on. I cooked it on low for 9 hours overnight.

It made for a wonder get-together for 6 people and I still have leftovers.
Feed the athlete within yourself what it deserves - what it needs to run on for an optimal life. So, find a good butcher and order a smoked ham or two, or find a farm-sourced pig. It's worth it.

The Best Nut Butter Bars

I am happy to be snowed in with an entire week off from teaching school - as long as the groceries last, I'm happy to have time to spend on creative recipe development. Look what happens! These bars happen. They are gluten-free, no-bake, vegan, practically raw, easy, and delicious. You notice I didn't say paleo - they have a few chocolate chips melted on the top. Oh, well. They are really nice without the top layer, but I think they make it the Best Nut Butter Bars.

I put the following ingredients into a small sauce pan:

1/2 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup almond butter

1/2 cup peanut butter (or one cup of either nut butter)

1/2 cup maple syrup ( or honey)

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp sea salt

I stirred this mixture up on low until smooth and then stirred in:

1/2 cup pecans

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut (the big chunky stuff)

1/3 cup cranberries

1/2 cup almond flour

I put parchment paper into an 8 x 8 glass baking dish, pushing it into the corners. Then I poured the mixture into the dish and placed it in the freezer for 45 minutes.

You could eat it just like this but I like to have a little chocolate layer on the top so in ia small sauce pan I melted:

1 cup Ghirardelli dark chocolate chips

1 TBSP coconut oil

I stirred this over low heat until it was warm and smooth and then poured it over the bars from the freezer.  I put them back into the freezer for another 45 minutes.

I took them out and cut them into 9 big pieces but 16 small pieces would work, too.

Heaven. They are the Best Nut Butter Bars!

Paleo Crock Pot Chili

We are living through Snowstorm 2015 and as long as the power stays on, it's actually OK. When it's cold outside (possible -17 tomorrow....) nothing warms the belly better than soup or chili.  I made this Paleo Crock Pot Chili today and we are nourished and happy.

I browned 2 lbs of grass fed beef in a skillet and then put it into the crock pot.
I added:

24 oz tomato juice
2  28 oz cans of organic diced tomatoes
6 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 small onion, diced
1 can pumpkin (optional - I slip it in if no one's watching....)
1 TBSP cumin
1 TBSP Garlic Gold nuggets (or minced garlic)
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chipotle chili pepper
1 tsp sea salt
freshly black pepper, to taste

                                                  This should keep us going for a while.

This was WAY before it stopped snowing for this round. They are predicting another 2-4 inches of snow tonight, too. As long as I've got food to cook, I don't mind at all.  

Fried Eggs in Portobello Mushroom

I love to try different breakfast ideas and sometimes they make a great dinner, too. This is one of those fast and easy things. I started off with the portobello mushroom with egg cracked in it baked in the oven BUT the portobello got too juicy for the egg to bake properly and it just didn't work well.  So, I tried it all in the skillet and it was much better.

I put 1 tsp butter in a skillet over medium heat, letting it melt and swirling it around.
I added 2 large portobello mushrooms that I'd taken the stem out of. I smashed them down with a spatula and flipped them often until they were done, but still firm.  I put them out on 2 plates.

I added a bit more butter to the skillet and cracked 4 eggs into the skillet. I ran the edge of the spatula between them as they cooked so I would be able to flip them separately.
I sprinkled them with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

When they were done I placed them on top of the mushrooms, added parsley and 1 TBSP of guacamole.
Done. This can easily be halved for just one person or doubled for 4. It's beyond delicious with Buttered Sweet Potatoes with Molasses on the side. Seriously, this is a beautiful meal that's easy and economical.


So, this recipe didn't work out the first time but I tried a different approach. Life is like that. You sometimes have to let the old habits just fall away and be brave enough to try new things. Who knows what you might uncover?

Green Protein Smoothie

Sometimes you get so busy a smoothie is about all you can handle.
 Sometimes your job has a crazier week then usual.
You have appointments every single day after work and you've taken on a 5-day blog challenge with the most wonderful writer, Lisbeth Darsh, and some big appetites are coming over for dinner.
 So, you find that you can still make up a great smoothie, throw a little high-quality protein in there and just keep going.
You find that you can do more than you thought you could.
 So many times, having the energy to get things done simply lies in the choice to get things done.

When you find yourself in that spot, make this Green Protein Smoothie, like I do, and then get back to all the things that you need to do.

I put the following ingredients into the Vitamix in this order:

1 cup cold water
4 mint leaves
1 cup kale, torn from the spines
1 small banana
1 scoop vanilla protein
1 cup pineapple chunks, frozen

I put the lid on and pressed the Smoothie button.
Good things come to those who work hard.

Honey Garlic Chicken Dinner

Some of my best meal creations happen when I turn up the music and dance around my kitchen while I cook. Singing with abandon helps a lot, too.  I love to stream Celtic things or New Age music, but this meal is brought to you by Aerosmith, so Walk This Way, and try it for yourself.

I melted 1 heaping TBSP coconut oil in a big skillet and added two large organic chicken breasts.

While they were cooking I peeled and cut 3 organic sweet potatoes into bite-sized pieces. I threw them into the skillet and stirred them around, coating them with the coconut oil and singing Back in the Saddle Again.

Next, I washed and sliced two organic zucchini and added them to the skillet, stirring everything again and flipping the chicken breasts.

I stirred up a little sauce to coat everything with next, and it was not the Same Old Story, Same Old Song and Dance, My Friend - it was extremely delicious:

1 TBSP honey (I like raw honey, even if I'm going to heat it)
1 TBSP stone ground mustard
1 TBSP Garlic Gold (the oil with the garlic nuggets in it garlicgold.com)
1 tsp Cherry Wood Smoked Sea Salt (salttraders.com)
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

I spread this sauce over the chicken breasts and stirred the rest into the vegetables. I let it all simmer together until I could cut into the thickest part of a chicken breast and find no pink, just to ensure that it's done to perfection. That gave me time to dance and sing to a few more favorites.

Sweeeeeet Emotion!

Italian Kale Smoothie

Everyone told me to just go ahead and get the Vitamix already.

"Haven't you ordered yourself a Vitamix YET?"
 "Get the one you want."
"You'll never regret it."
"What are you waiting for? It will help with your blog."

 I read reviews. I researched. I worried about the cost. (even though I was putting some Christmas money from my mom toward it)
  Even after I ordered it, received it, unpacked it, washed it, and read the directions, I still wasn't feeling great about it.
 Angst, I tell you.....

Know what sold me?  The first green smoothie.
Why did I wait so long?  I LOVE my Vitamix 750 Pro.

I put the following ingredients into the container in this order:

1 organic orange, peeled and no seeds
1/2 lemon, peeled and no seeds
1 cup Italian kale, torn off of the stems
1/4 tsp turmeric
4 fresh basil leaves
1 cup frozen pineapple chunks
2-3 ice cubes, if needed

I hit the Smoothie button, poured it in a glass and enjoyed!

 (If your orange and lemon aren't very ripe you might need to add a little water or coconut water)

Now go out there and be awesome. Quit worrying so much and don't put things off!

Sausage Soup

"Millions of wall balls and then we ran!
How can I get excited for Fran?
Split jumps and pistols made my butt sore,
But Paleo-ish recipes shouldn't be a chore!"

Crossfit WODs - it's like you throw all these things together and let them simmer...... and in time your body responds. You get stronger physically AND emotionally.

I feel the same way about good food. I love to throw different things together and let them simmer....and in time the body responds. Your health and your immune system get stronger. 
I see the correlation to programming in my recipes. Take this soup, for instance...

I put these ingredients into a stock pot:

1  28 oz can of organic diced tomatoes
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 of a small yellow onion, diced
8 organic carrots peeled and sliced (please peel your own carrots and stay away from those "baby" carrots that have been sprayed with chlorine)
1/2  small cabbage, chopped
1 package frozen Cascading Farms Organic Blend Vegetables (optional, if you don't want a tiny bit of organic corn....)
8 organic baby red potatoes, quartered 
1 tsp Cherry Wood Smoked Sea Salt (or your favorite)
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder
freshly ground black pepper

I put the lid on the stock pot and brought it to a boil. Then I turned it down to simmer. 

Meanwhile, I browned 1 lb of off-the-farm sausage in a skillet. I poured off the excess grease and put the crumbled sausage into the soup.
I let the soup simmer until the carrots were soft and the flavors had melded into each other and my offspring were coming into the kitchen saying, "What smells so good?"

Meal Prep for the Week from Feeding Ger Sasser -C

This is one of my favorite throwback photos. Crossfire Countdown was one of the sponsors of a local 5k fundraiser and Ger had encouraged many of us to run. It was my first 5k and part of me didn't want to do it. When I took 1st place in my age division they caught this photo and that made it all worth it. Ok, it was a small 5k and a lot of people my age don't run. Still, it's a great memory.  The point I'm trying to make is to keep going. Keep running and lifting and eating real foods and prepping your meals.

So, here's another week of ideas. If you see something on here that you don't like, just choose something else from the corresponding page 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.)
Even if you just prep two or three things, it still helps out a lot. Build up your food prep stamina and don't be hard on yourself.

PROTEIN

Paleo Pineapple BBQ Sauce on Pork Chops

Paleo Honey Mustard Chicken Breasts

Paleo Crock Pot Beef Tips with Quinoa

SIDES

Paleo Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Bacon and Black Sesame Seeds

Zucchini and Kale Skillet

Oyster Mushroom Blend

SNACKS AND BREAKFAST HELP

Apple Sausage Patties

Black Forest Ham and Egg Cups

Fresh Strawberry Protein Balls

Now, remember, the biggest room is the room for improvement. I read that somewhere this week and it stuck with me. Five years later, I'm still running (or rowing) 5ks. Fuel up and get busy.

Sausage Pecan Quinoa

This dish isn't paleo, so if you're in a strict mood, come back to it later on. It's quinoa and it has just a bit of grass fed cheese, but it's still some FINE FUEL compared to a lot of things, right? But, Ger's been asking for quinoa so I make it.

I browned 1 lb of off-the-farm pork sausage in a large skillet, then drained off most of the grease.

In a saucepan I made 1 cup of quinoa and 2 cups of water like the package directions, bringing it to a boil and then simmering for 15 minutes until the water was absorbed.

I poured the quinoa over the cooked sausage in the skillet.
I added:

1 can Rotel Original Tomatoes, drained
the juice of 1 lemon
4 TBSP fresh dill
1/2 tsp Cherry Wood Smoked Sea Salt (salttraders.com)
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup pecan pieces
3 TBSP KerryGold grass fed cheese (I used Ballyshannon)
1/4 cup organic raisins

I stirred it over low heat until warmed through.

Can you say ahhhhhhh? Everyone did Friday night. Cassie wasn't the only one who just took a little and then came back for more! I love when that happens.

Dill Lemon Quinoa Salad

We like quinoa now and then. This is an interesting way to eat it.

I made 1 cup of quinoa and 2 cups of water like the package directions, bringing it to a boil and then simmering around 15 minutes until the water was absorbed.

I stirred in:

1 can Rotel Tomatoes, drained (fresh cherry tomatoes would be great instead...)
the juice of 1 lemon
4-5 TBSP fresh dill, cut from the stems (I can't use up the dill from my Aerogarden fast enough...)
pinch of smoked sea salt
1 tsp balsamic vinegar

That's it. It's great cold. It's also great warm as a side dish. All the kids will be here tomorrow night for dinner - I bet this gets the Ger Sasser seal of approval.

Here is is as part of a great breakfast, hiding under crumbled sausage and a fried egg. Delicious!

Meal Prep for the Week from Feeding Ger Sasser -B

My Meal Prep for the Week from Feeding Ger Sasser plans aren't as big as some of the others. This is on purpose.  I think if you get this much prep done, you are well on the road to eating healthy foods and being less stressed about it. I also know that you will want to pick up Panera one night or whatever your go-to meal is when you just can't do much else. If you don't get any snacks or breakfast prep done, that's ok, too. It's something to shoot for another week. Be ok with it. ANY prep is GOOD prep.

So, here's another week of ideas. If you see something on here that doesn't appeal, or you don't like  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

Yak Burgers (or use grass fed burger)

Paleo Salmon Croquettes

Paleo Crock Pot Chicken Thigh Dinner

SIDES

Baked Eggs in Roasted Tomatoes

Constantly Varied Vegetables

Roasted Acorn Squash

SNACKS AND BREAKFAST HELP

Bacon Wrapped Pineapple

Goji Berry Breakfast Bars

Chocolate Chip Cherry Protein Balls

Now, go be awesome and go to the box.

Paleo Steak Tenders

I took 2 lbs of cubed steak (or you can pound your own) and cut it into long strips and set it aside.

I took two containers and prepped them like this:

One has 3 eggs, whisked.  The other has:

1/4 cup almond flour (like the almond flour that is not blanched but either works)
2 TBSPS coconut flour
1 tsp smoked sea salt
fresh dill (optional; another herb you might like better. If not using fresh, just 1/4 tsp dill will work)
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

I heated a skillet over medium heat and added 3-4 TBSP coconut oil.

I took each steak tender and barely laid it in the dry mixture, both sides. Then I dipped it in the egg mixture. THEN I rolled it in the dry mixture again and laid it on a plate. I continued this process for all the tenders before I put them into the skillet.

I cooked them a few minutes on each side in the skillet, until browned.

Ger said, "Mom, these are good. Mom, these are REALLY good." Isaac agreed and finished the leftovers up with fried eggs the next morning.

Yesterday was a banner day for Crossfit Countdown as it was moved from Greenup Ave to 2409 Carter Ave. I made 2 batches of Pumpkin Paleo Crunch and bought a dozen fancy cupcakes. (Yes, cupcakes)   My heart is full from all the many people who came and helped Ger and Cassie in so many ways. They gave HOURS and trucks and power tools and knowledge and many are at it again today. Love my Crossfit family.