Roasted Veggies

This is another of our staple side dishes that doesn't really have a recipe.
 It doesn't look like much, but it is delightful on the tastebuds.

Any root veggies are free game here.
Onion, Garlic, Rutabaga, Turnip, Parsnip, Carrot, Sweet Potato, Beet ( I go light on the carrot and beet due to carb count)
I had never even used some of those before going gluten free. Boy was I missing out.
Buy or grow organic so you don't have to peel off the outside. The skins are edible and have a lot of nutrition and antioxidants. (and it saves time and energy)
Give them a rough chop. I try to shoot for a little larger than bite size.
Put them in a heavy pan, cast iron or roast pans work great.
Toss them will Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sprinkle sea salt and pepper
Bake at 400 degrees until you can smell them.
If pressed I would guess around an hour and a half.

They will have a yummy, darkened carmelized color when they are done.
Pair with your favorite meat and Voila!
Happy tastebuds.

Salsa Verde Elk

My husband is a hunter.
I love this.
I know my red meat is pasture fed. In fact, I stood in the pasture and helped field dress the last Elk he brought home.
The butcher charges one dollar for each pound of hung weight. Hung weight includes the bones which are discarded. Add that cost to the hunting license ($32.50) and Elk tag ($170 ), the fuel to get the truck into the woods and the deep freezer purchased ($150.00) years ago.  I figure a rough estimate is slightly above $2/lb for humane, pasture fed red meat.
We rarely purchase beef because we have a large freezer full of Elk. Any of the recipes where I use Elk, Beef can be successfully substituted.
Or, you can become a hunter yourself.

2 lbs Elk Round Steak (or a Beef cut of any kind)
1 bottle Salsa Verde

Place in crock pot, high for 5 hours or low for 8.
Pull apart with a fork and shred the meat. 

There are multiple good choices for Salsa Verde. You can obviously make your own. Or check out one of these brands if you don't have a Trader Joe's by you.

They work just as well.I usually keep several on hand. This is my go-to meal when I will be busy all day and don't have time to fix a meal. It literally takes minutes to make.
As you can see, 2 pounds of meat is a lot for one meal, but it is just as easy to throw two in the crock pot, then I have left overs for lunch or breakfast.
This is how we ate it one night. Though I ate some for breakfast without the cheese or coleslaw.

Orange Chicken

When I need an easy, tasty meal I often turn to a variation of this Chicken dish.

 

Add to the crockpot:
2 chicken breasts (chicken thighs work well too)
2 Tablespoons Orange Fruit Spread
1 Tablespoon Tamari

Cook on High for 5 hours or low for 8.

Shred the chicken with a fork.
Add in:
1 Package of Mixed Frozen Stir-fry Vegetables
1/2 head of chopped cabbage

Mix well and let cook for an additional 1/2 hour until vegetables are warm through.

As you can see, I tossed some cashews in the mix.

This is a "cheat" meal for us considering the Tamari and fruit spread. I haven't yet tried it with Raw Coconut Aminos. The fruit spread, while heavy on the carbs, has no refined sugar or HFCS and delivers a fantastic orange flavor.