Italian Style Cabbage Rolls with Ground Venison.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. Venison (or ground meat of your choice)
• 5- 6 Cabbage Leaves
• 1/2 C. Kale
• 1/2 tsp. Fresh Rosemary
• 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1 tsp. Sea Salt
• 1/2 tsp. Fresh Oregano, minced
• 2 C. Pasta Sauce
• Salt Water for Boiling Cabbage

Process:

1. Grease an 8×8 baking dish
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
3. Remove the stem of the cabbage and gently remove the layers of leaves- If they are hard to remove without breaking, boil the whole cabbage for 2 minutes to help loosen the leaves.
4. Set cabbage leaves aside
5. In a skillet, on medium heat, sautee garlic, Kale and Rosemary for about 4 minutes, until Kale is soft. Remove and set aside to let it cool
6. Bring a large pot of salt water to a boil. Add Cabbage leaves and boil 5-7 minutes, until leaves are soft
7. Remove leaves and pat dry with a paper towel, set aside
8. Chop Kale, Garlic and Rosemary mixture finely
9. In a Bowl, combine Venison, Salt, Oregano, 1/2 C. Pasta Sauce and Kale mixture. I like to use my hands to be sure it is combined well
10. Lay out your cabbage leaves so that the end of the stem is facing up at you. Take 1/3 C. of the Venison mixture and place it in the leaf.
11. Roll the top of the leaf over the mixture and then the sides and roll gently and tight.
12. Place the cabbage rolls in the prepared baking tray close together and top with the left over Pasta sauce.
13. Cover with tin foil and bake at 350 for 50 minutes.

Serve with your favorite sides or check out this quick and easy Brazilian Cheese Bread recipe.

We love NC BBQ and this is my play on Coleslaw for my BBQ. I layer it right on top of the meat and enjoy it with great sides like deviled eggs or Sweet potato fries.

Carrot, Brussels Slaw with Bacon 

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Carrots
• 2 Cup Brussels Sprouts
• 2 Tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 tsp. Sea Salt
• 1/2 tsp. Black Pepper
• 1/2 tsp. Cumin
• 1/2 Cup Fresh Bacon bits

Process:

1. Place Carrots and Brussels in a Chopper and chop finely.
2. Place Carrots and Brussels in a bowl and add Vinegar and seasonings.
3. Mix well, cover and place in the refrigerator for about 3 hours to let flavors marinate.
4. Add the bacon bits and mix well.

*This slaw is how I get baby boy to eat more veggies. This is one of his favorite side dishes.

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.*

Ingredients:

• 3 lb Venison Roast
• 2 TBSP. Coconut Oil
• 1/2 Green Pepper, diced
• 15 oz. Can of Tomato Sauce
• 5 1/2 Cups of Water
• 1 TBSP Tapioca Flour
• 1/2 tsp. Celery Seed
• 1/2 tsp. Onion Powder
• 1 Tbsp Salt
• 1 tsp. Black Pepper
• 1 tsp. Garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp Fresh Rosemary, chopped
• 1 Parsnip
• 1 cup Carrots, chopped
• 1 Celery Stalk, chopped
• 1 cup Kale, chopped
• 2 cups Peas or green beans

Process:

1. Cut off all of the membrane and gristle from the Venison roast. Cut the roast into 1 inch cubes
2. Dice half of a Green Pepper
3. In a Skillet, brown Venison, Green Pepper and Coconut oil
4. In a Crock Pot, add Tomato sauce, Water and Tapioca Flour, whisk well
5. Add the spices and whisk well
6. Chop Vegetables and add all of the vegetables to the Crock Pot and stir
7. Add cooked Venison and Peppers to the crock pot
8. Add 2 Tbsp. of the pan juices
9. Stir and cook on low for 5 hours

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.

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!

I went to Giant today and saw some locally grown eggplant from the farm down the road. I haven’t eaten Eggplant since I was younger. I remember my mom made us try it and of course as a little kid we thought it was gross!! The only thing I liked about it was that we boiled it down to make purple dye for our easter eggs- pretty cool.

After reading about the benefits of eggplant, I decided to give it another try.

Gourmet Eggplant Venison Burgers

Ingredients:

• Ground Venison
• salt, pepper, your favorite burger seasonings
• Coconut aminos (if non- paleo, Worcestershire sauce)
• Onion
• Balsamic Viniagrette
• Eggplant
• Tomato
• Lettuce
• Dijon mustard

Process:

1. In a large bowl, combine ground venison and your optional spices, coconut aminos. Combine and make into burger patties.
2. Place burgers in a pan and cook on medium heat for about 4 minutes on each side, or until slightly pink in the center. *You do not want to over cook venison*
3. Lightly oil a second pan with coconut or olive oil.
4. Sprinkle and brush each side of the eggplant with balsamic vinaigrette.
5. Place thin slices of eggplant (enough for each burger you made) and onions to the pan.
6. Sprinkle a little balsamic and Sea Salt on the onions and eggplant.
7. Cover Vegetables and allow them to cook on medium-low heat for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, flip them and cook for another 5 minutes.
8. Slice tomato and prepare lettuce wrap.
9. When everything is cooked and ready, you can plate it.
10. First place lettuce on a plate, next the burger, top it with 1 eggplant slice, 1 tomato, sautéed onions and a dollop of Dijon Mustard.

Deconstructed Zucchini Lasagna

Ingredients: 

• 2 Green Zucchini
• 1 Lb of Ground Venison or any ground meat
• 1/2 Jar of Pasta Sauce, I use Classico Tomato, Garlic, Basil
• 1/4 Purple Onion, diced
• 1 Tbsp Parsley, diced
• 1 Tbsp Sea Salt
• 1 tsp Black Pepper
• Sea Salt, Pepper and Garlic Powder to taste on Zucchini
• 2 cloves Fresh Garlic, minced
• *Primal- Top with grated cheese

Process:

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Slice Zucchini into thin spears and place on a lightly oil cookie tray. Sprinkle with Salt, pepper and Garlic Powder (to taste). Bake for 30 minutes.
3. In a saucepan, lightly brown Venison.
4. Add Onions, Pasta Sauce, Parsley, Garlic, Salt and Pepper to the venison and allow it to simmer for 5-7 minutes.
5. When Zucchini is tender, remove it from the oven and top it with the meat sauce (*and Cheese if desired).
6. Bake the Deconstructed Lasagna for another 5-7 minutes or until cheese is melted.
7. Serve warm and enjoy!

Venison soak

• 1 cup Water
• 2 TBS Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Sea Salt

1. Put all 3 ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Place your steaks in the bowl and let them soak for 20 min.
2. Do this 1-2 times. I generally soak them 2 times. Rinse steaks and place them in the marinade.

Sweet and Savory Marinade
1cup Water
2 tsp Sugar Free meat spices (any) or just mix up some Garlic, sea salt, thyme, pepper and rosemary. We use Chef Leo’s Game and Meat Rub 
1 tsp Honey
1 tsp Molasses
1 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 Chili Powder

1. Pull steaks out of fridge and pour some of the marinade.
2. You can cook the steaks on a grill or in a skillet.
3. Tonight we did them in a skillet.
4. Pour some of the marinade in the skillet to coat the bottom.
5. Turn the temperature to medium heat.
6. When marinade starts to bubble, put the steaks in.
7. Cook 6 minutes on each side for medium well or 8 minutes on each side for well done. You may need to adjust times based on your temperature. As steaks are cooking continue to pour the marinade over top of the steaks.

*The key here is to watch your steaks cook and cut them in the middle when you think it is finished to check the “doneness”. Do not burn them or overcook them- this will result in tough, dry steaks.

Buttery String Beans
Place beans in a pot with 3/4 cup water.
Cover and Bring the beans to a full boil.
Turn Temperature down and let beans simmer covered for 6-8 minutes.
Add Salt, Pepper and 1 TBS butter (Grass- Fed if Paleo)

Plate and Enjoy!