Whole30 Day 15: Sausage and Veggies

Super easy! This is especially nice when the heat has zapped you of all your energy but you have a lot of veggies in the fridge that need to be cooked.  You can use what ever veggies you want!

Ingredients:

• brussel sprouts, halved
• broccoli, chopped
• onion, rough chopped
• carrots, cut in 1" chunks
• chicken apple sausage - I used Applegate - cut into 1" chunks
• oregano
• thyme
• salt 
• pepper

Directions:

1. Toss all the veggies together in EVOO or ghee or oil of your choice
2. Season with salt and pepper + any other seasonings you like
3. Pour into a baking dish and bake at 400˚F for 10 min.
4. Add sausage, stir together
5. Return to oven and bake for 10 more min.

Thanksgiving 2013 Menu

This year our Thanksgiving will be a much needed low-key, super mellow family day.  And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Colossians 3:17 HCSB

Our menu:

Alton's Roast Turkey 

see recipe below

Stuffing Stuffed Acorn Squash

Traditional Cranberry Sauce

Roasted Root Vegetable Salad

 Bacon Garlic Green Beans

Mom's Pumpkin Pie

Apple Crumble

Good Eats Roast Turkey with minor modifications:

Photo: Food Network

Ingredients:

• 1 14-16 lb frozen organic, free range turkey

For the brine:

•  1 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1 gallon bone broth
• 1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries
• 1 teaspoon chopped ginger
• 1 gallon heavily iced water

For the aromatics:

• 1 red apple, sliced
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 cup water
• 4 sprigs rosemary
• 6 sage leaves
• melted butter

Directions - 2 to 3 days before roasting:

1. Begin thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38˚F.
2. Combine the bone broth, salt, coconut sugar, allspice berries, and ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat.  Stir occasionally to dissolve solids and bring to a boil.  Remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.
3. The night before combine the brine, water, and ice in a 5-gallon bucket.  Place the thawed turkey (innards removed) breast side down in brine.  If necessary. weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover, and refrigerate or set in a cool area for 8 - 16 hours, turning the bird once half way through brining.

Directions - day of:

1. Preheat oven to 500˚F.  Remove bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water.  Discard the brine.
2. Place the bird on a roasting rack inside a half sheet pan and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes.  Add steeped aromatics to the turkey's cavity along with the rosemary and sage.  Tuck the wings underneath the bird and coat the skin liberally with melted butter.
4. Roast the turkey on lowest level of the oven at 500˚F for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and cover breasts with a double layer of foil.  Insert a probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350˚F.  Set the thermometer alarm to 161˚F.  A 14-16 lb bird should require a total of 2- 2/12 hours of roasting.  
5. Let turkey rest, loosely covered with foil for 15 minutes before carving.

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

I started attending a women's bible study with my god-daughter.  It's in the morning so the ladies attending take turns bringing breakfast for her table.  Well, now that we are such particular eaters, I really don't get to enjoy the breakfasts unless I bring them myself.  Today was my turn.

I tested these Apple Cinnamon Muffins (modified from always underfoot) on my kids, of course.  They loved them so I made them hoping the ladies at my table would, too.  I think they did.  Turns out I have a paleo friend at my table and two girls who are not eating dairy and were pleased to be able to partake in these yummy muffins.

photo: always underfoot

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Batter

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon stevia

4 eggs

1/3 cup canned coconut milk 

1/2 cup apple sauce

1 apple, cored, peeled and finely chopped

Mix dry ingredients. Mix wet ingredients.   Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients until well combined. Fold in finely chopped apple. Prepare muffin pan with liners and fill cups about 3/4 full.

Topping

2 apples, cored, peeled and roughly chopped

1 tablespoons cinnamon

2 tablespoons apple sauce

1 tablespoon maple syrup

In a separate bowl, combine apple cinnamon topping ingredients until apples are coated. Scoop mixture over top of muffins and gently poke the topping into the muffin batter. Bake at 350º for 20 – 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Makes 12 muffins.