It's that time of year - Paleo-friendly Venison Recipes

Leaves changing, cooler air, holidays, bonfires, oysters and deer hunting... What's not to love about the cold weather season?! While hunting is not for everyone, I come from a family of hunters and farmers. So I guess it's for us. I enjoy eating fresh eggs every morning, seasonal veggies from the garden and meat that was caught or hunted by my loved ones. Doesn't get much more paleo than that (lol)!

Whenever my dad gets a deer, he takes it to a local butcher to prepare for him. We get some steaks, some roasts and a majority of it ground in to burger. Ground meat is very versatile but you can't go wrong with a good tenderloin! Here are some recipes that I have rounded up and that are absolutely delish. Feel free to chime in with any recipes that you have tried! Also note that if venison is not for you, you can use any other meat to substitute.

Paleo Crock Pot Minestrone Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 sweet potato, diced
• 1 c carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 zucchini squash, diced
• 2 shallots, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 28 oz chicken or vegetable broth
• 28 oz can diced tomatoes with juice
• 1/2 c frozen spinach, or 1 c packed fresh spinach, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 tsp parsley
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1.5 lb ground meat (venison, pork, any meat that you like!)

Instructions:

Pour the olive oil in the bottom of the crock pot. Add the prepared potatoes, carrots, celery, zucchini, shallots and garlic. Pour in the broth. Add the entire can of tomatoes. Add the frozen spinach (no need to thaw or drain). Add in he spices.

Stir everything together, add bay leaves, cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

About 2 hours before the soup is down, brown the meat and add it to the crock pot, mixing it in.

Remove the bay leaves before serving.

Serves 6-8 people

Paleo Baked Venison Meatballs

Ingredients:

1.5 lb ground meat

1/2 c of almond flour or meal (you can use breadcrumbs if you aren't Paleo)

1 egg

1 tbsp Italian seasoning

2 cloves minced garlic

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit. Using your hands, mix all ingredients in a large bowl.

Roll meat mixture in to about tablespoon-size portions and place an inch apart on an oiled cookie sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes for larger meatballs, 15 minutes for smaller. Serve with sauce and whatever else sounds yummy - pasta, spaghetti squash, sandwiches, or just by themselves!

Serves 4

Venison Steak Salad with Cranberry Dressing

Ingredients:

• 1 lb venison steak, cut into strips
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 8 cups mixed salad greens (I make my own mixture of spinach & kale)
• 1 c of cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 c walnuts, chopped
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 gorgonzola cheese, if you aren't being Paleo
• Cranberry dressing
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/3 c EVOO
• 1/2 c cranberries (if frozen, thaw)
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp water

Instructions:

Baste the venison strips with the olive oil and grill, saute or broil until cooked to your taste (I prefer mine a little rare, so it only takes about 3 minutes to grill).

Put two cups of greens on a plate and add the tomatoes, walnuts, (*cheese) and onions. Top with the strips of meat and drizzle a tablespoon of dressing.

For the dressing, add all ingredients to a food processor (or blender). Note- this is a thick dressing. If you prefer it thinner, add more water or red wine vinegar.