A new Twist (err.. Roll) on Meat and Veggies. Try these delicious Asparagus wrapped Lemon and Garlic Venison Tenderloin. They can be made ahead of time and cooked when needed. I love marinating Venison as long as possible to help the flavors soak up into the meat. This is a fresh and light weekday dinner that I generally make on nights I want something light but don’t feel like having protein on a cold salad again!

Ingredients:

• 2 Pound Venison Tenderloin
• 1/2 Lemon, juice only
• 2 tsp. Salt
• 1 tsp. Black Pepper
• 2 fresh Garlic Cloves, minced or 2 tsp. Garlic Powder
• 2 Tbsp. Coconut oil or Butter (melted)
• 1/3 C. Water
• 3 – 4 Asparagus Spears per roll
• Olive oil for drizzle

Process:

1. Pour Lemon Juice, Spices, Coconut Oil and Water in a bowl and mix well
2. In a Large Ziplock bag, place Venison Tenderloin
3. Use a Meat Pounder to flatten the tenderloin into a thin 1/2″ thick piece.
4. Pour the marinade into the bag and shake/ coat the meat well
5. Place the Venison in the refrigerator for 4 hours
6. After 4 hours, place the meat on a cutting board and slice it into 3″ wide pieces
7. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
8. Cut the ends off of your asparagus and drizzle some olive oil on them
9. Roll 3- 4 Asparagus spears gently in the venison pieces and hold them together with a toothpick
10. Place Asparagus wraps in a lightly oiled pan and place them in the oven
11. Bake Venison for 18 minutes at 400 Degrees (remember not to overcook venison)
12. Serve with your favorite side dishes

* Venison recipes can be replaced with any type of red meat. Just use the same cuts that are in the recipes. i.e. roasts, tenderloin, steaks. Cook times will vary with the meat you choose so watch your oven carefully. Venison has a short cook time.*

This is my new favorite way to eat venison. I had Pomegranates and oranges left over from  my holiday decorations and decided to get creative with dinner. While the recipe is a bit lengthy to read, it was very simple. Don’t over cook the venison and this will be a family favorite! ( You could use on any tenderloin, we just always have venison thanks to my hunting hubby!)

Pomegranate Venison Tenderloin 

Marinade:

• 2 Cups Water
• 3-4 lb. Venison Tenderloin
• 1/4 C. Applesauce
• 1 Orange, Juice of the orange only
• 1 Tsp. Salt
• 1 tsp. Black Pepper
• 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp. Onion Powder
• 1 Tbsp. Maple Syrup
• 4 Bay Leaves

Glaze:

• Half a Ripe Pomegranate, seeds and juice
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1/4 C. Maple Syrup

Process:

1. Place 2 Cups of Water in a baking pan and place your Venison Tenderloin and Bay Leaves in the pan
2. In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the Marinade
3. Pour this thick Marinade evenly on top of the venison Tenderloin
4. Cover Tenderloin with tinfoil and place in fridge for 4-6 hours.
5. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
6. Roll the Tenderloin in the water to remove all of the marinade off of the tenderloin, dump the marinade and keep tenderloin in the baking pan. (May help to move tenderloin onto a separate plate while you clean out the baking pan)
7. Squeeze half the pomegranate over the tenderloin, you want the juice and the seeds to be on the tenderloin.
8. Sprinkle the meat with Salt and Pepper
9. Drizzle 1/4 C. Maple syrup evenly over the tenderloin
10. On the stove, warm a pan in medium heat and place the tenderloin gently in the pan.
11. Lightly Brown the Venison on all sides to lock in the juices
12. Place the venison back in the baking pan and pour any juices or seeds that fell off back on top of the Tenderloin
13. Place the Venison Tenderloin in the oven at 425 degrees for 20 min.
14. You want to really watch and check your Tenderloin so that you do not overcook. You want a nice pink center, the ends will be more well done but the center should be hot and pink. Overcooking Venison will make the meat chewy and tough.

Ingredients:

• 2 Large Chicken Breasts ( 1 Breast makes two rolls)
• 2 Kale leaves
• 1 Roma tomato, sliced thin
• 4 Tbsp. Bacon pieces
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 Egg
• 1/2 Cup Almond Meal

Process:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Place Chicken between two pieces of parchment paper and flatten with a Meat Tenderizer
3. Slice the breast in half so you have 4 pieces
4. Salt and Pepper each piece
5. Layer each breast with 1 Tbsp. of Bacon, Kale and Tomato slices
6. Roll each Chicken gently and hold together with a tooth pick
7. In a bowl, whisk an egg and and dip each Chicken roll in the egg
8. Lightly coat/ pat each chicken roll with almond flour
9. Place Chicken Rolls on a Tin Foil lined cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 25 minutes
10. Remove toothpicks and serve with your favorite sides

*These can be made ahead of time by following all of the process’ and freezing them in a parchment lined tupperware container before you cook.

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken breasts
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon Paprika
• 1/2 tablespoon red pepper flakes
• 1 Red pepper
• 1 yellow pepper
• 2 Cups Chicken stock or Water

Process:

1. Place all ingredients except the peppers in your crockpot and cook on low heat for 3 1/2 hours.
2. Slice and chop red and yellow peppers.
3. Add peppers to the crockpot and cook for another 1/2 hour.
4. Serve with lettuce, tomato, fresh salsa, your favorite guacamole and your favorite Mexican toppings.

We followed up with a little dessert platter to watch the ball drop and bring in the New Year!

Happy 2013 to all of you! We are excited to see what the year brings us!

It is official, we are training for a half marathon in December. This time I am training with a paleo diet. We did 7 miles today and I have not eaten any bread, grains or gluten! So excited with my energy and achievements so far. I don’t feel like I am lacking in my training and I am definitely training harder and better than my pre- paleo trainings. I’ve been using Practical Paleo‘s book to guide my meal planning for athletes. It is so informative and has great meal guides. I was nervous training because I was used to the classic “carb- load” training!

Savory Venison Roast 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup backstrap molasses

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3 cups water

1 teaspoon sea salt

Two apples sliced

3 to 4 pounds of venison roast

Process:

1.) In a crockpot add backstrap molasses, apple cider vinegar, cinnamon and water, and sea salt. Mix well.

2.) Add apple slices and venison roast. Use a ladle to cover roast with liquid mixture.

3.) Slow cook on low for eight hours.

4.) Shredded roast before serving.

This venison is so moist and savory! I Served it with roasted green beans and cauliflower rice for a nice winter meal. We enjoyed this meal next to a cozy wood stove during hurricane Sandy. It was the perfect comfort food for a cold rainy day!

1. In a skillet, Cook bacon to a crisp.
2. Slice carrots, onions and Cucumbers into long thin slices (this will give it a nice crisp in every bite.)
3. Slice thin slices of tomato and avocado.
4. Prepare 4 Big leaves of Romaine for wraps
5. Cut chicken breasts into bite size pieces. 
6. On one Lettuce leaf, stack your ingredients in the center. Then top it with a 2nd lettuce leaf.
7. Roll it into a burrito shape and eat or roll it into tin foil for a picnic meal. 

     For our picnic dinner we had these wraps, a bowl of strawberries and blackberries and sweet potato chips. We enjoyed a nice walk along the lake and some bird and people watching on a bench while we ate. I hope that Brandon’s  pre-race nerves were calmed and he is all set for his Swimming weekend. 

Black Tar BBQ sauce drizzled on top gave this roast a juicy spicy flavor but not overpowering.

Pulled BBQ Roast


Ingredients: 


1 Roast (any kind- we used Venison Roast)
2 Tbs Garlic Powder
1 Tbs Sea Salt
2 tsp Pepper
1/2 Cup BBQ Sauce
2 Cups Water
1/2 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar


Process: 

1. Place all ingredients in a Crock Pot for  8-12 hours on low heat. 
2. Take a fork and pull it apart. Allow it to soak in all of the juices for another 1/2 hour – 1 hour on Warming setting.

I did the roast last night so when I woke up my house was full of the Roast aroma. I can use one roast for several meals throughout the week. The smell was driving my crazy this morning so I had to try it and it was great. I never would have thought to put pulled roast in my eggs. 

Pulled Venison Omelet


Ingredients: 


2 Eggs
1 tsp BBQ sauce, for drizzle on top
1-2 Arugula leaf stems
As much Roast as you want. I used about 1/4 Cup.
Salt and Pepper to taste
*Onion and pepper optional*


Process:

Pour into greased skillet

1. In a bowl whisk together 2 eggs, Salt, Pepper, Pulled Roast, Onions and peppers. 
2. Grease a skillet and turn on medium heat.
3. Pour in the egg mixture and allow it to cook on one side for 3-4 minutes. 
4. Using a spatula, fold the egg in half like a burrito. 
5. Allow the egg to cook all the way through (3-4 more minutes) Egg should be lightly browned sides. 
6. Drizzle with BBQ sauce and Enjoy!

Easy enough to make when running late to work.