Roasted Sunchokes, Brussel Sprouts and Carrots (sugar free • gluten free • low carb)

Roasting in the oven is a wonderful way to enjoy vegetables during the winter and to help heat up your kitchen a little. While winter comes back for (hopefully) one last visit before spring is here for good, last night I decided to cook up the bag of Jerusalem artichokes I had picked up earlier in the week. Also known as the sunroot, sunchoke or earth apple.



They are some gnarly looking fellas... almost like ginger roots. Their names are misleading, as they are not from Jerusalem, nor are they artichokes. They were a Native American staple but are now more popular in Europe. They are the tubers of a plant that is related to, and similar in looks to, a sunflower. They were actually linked to leprosy at one point and shunned only because they looked similar to the deformed fingers of people with the disease. Ewe. Now that you have worked up an appetite, maybe I should tell you about some of its more appealing attributes.

Sunchokes (I like this name for them best) are very rich in inulin (not insulin), a carbohydrate which is linked to good intestinal health because of its prebiotic properties. This also breaks down as fructose in the body, instead of glucose, which makes this a great substitution for potatoes for diabetics. They are a good source of Thiamin, Phosphorus and Potassium and an excellent source of Iron.

They can be cooked and eaten just like potatoes except sunchokes can actually be eaten raw. Slice them thin and try them in a salad, dips or salsa. They have a somewhat nutty flavor, somewhere between an artichoke heart and a sunflower seed, and are similar in texture to a water chestnut.

One warning: Apparently they can make you a little gassy. Maybe not. Maybe don't eat a half a pound on your first try. Just sayin.

I decided to cook them up with some brussel sprouts (which I have been obsessed with lately) and some carrots. First scrub the sunchokes under running water with a brush and cut them into 1/2" to 1" cubes. Leave the skins on. Next, trim off the ends of the brussel sprouts and halve them. Clean, peel and cut up your carrots. Toss everything together in a bowl with a generous amount of olive oil and sea salt.



Lightly coat a cookie sheet with more olive oil. Then Spread the vegetables in a single layer on the pan. It's okay if they are touching, but try not to have them on top of each other. Sprinkle more salt across them.


After 15 minutes, remove pan and stir everything around, then return to even. Repeat every 15 minutes until the veggies have cooked for 45 min - 1 hour. They will be browned and crispy on the edges when they are done.


Put the veggies in a bowl and add a few tablespoons of butter and grated parmesan cheese (don't add too much cheese, just sprinkle some around).


Serve immediately and enjoy!

This Recipe is part of Food Renegade's, Fight Back Friday

Steak Butter (sugar free • gluten free • low carb • gaps)

I love me some steak butter! The first time I ever had it, it was at one of our favorite steak restaurants served on top of filets. Then I used to always buy it at the meat market when we would would pick up steaks. After I realized I can make my own even better, I usually do. I make up a big batch and keep it in the fridge. Here's my quick, basic recipe.

Steak Butter

• 1/2 C (1 stick) Butter, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/2 tsp Minced Onion
• 1/4 tsp Paprika
• 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
• 1/4 tsp Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

Mix together all of the ingredients in a bowl.

Move to a smaller dish with a lid and store in fridge for several hours before using.

Easy Peasy.

Cook up your steak and serve topped with the steak butter. Yum!
You could also use it to rub all over your steak before cooking it.
It's also delicious on bread.
Or licked right off of a spoon. Just kidding (sort of).

Anyone else make their own steak butter? Any recipe suggestions?

Also, if anyone is interested in learning more about fats and oils and what you should be cooking with and why, here is a really great article I found that really summed things up in an easy to understand way with references for more information.

The Complete Guide to Fats and Oils - What to Cook With (or not), What to Avoid and Why.

This is part of the Nourishing Gourmet's Pennywise Platter

Spring-To-Dos

The weather outside is making it really hard to work today. I just want to sneak out and play! It's also got me making lists everywhere! Spring cleaning anyone? Seems like there's so much to do all of a sudden after being dormant for most of the winter.

Yesterday, Joe was on a roll, and as exhausted as I was, I had to try to keep up as that rarely happens. Not that he's lazy, he's just always so busy between work and school. He fixed a couple of things around the house and then asked me if I wanted to clean out all of the Munchkin's clothes that were too small for her so we could put away all of the new stuff I had picked up for her on Saturday. This was HIS idea! The thought of him possibly taking some sort of speed did cross my mind. Granted, he is the one who gets her dressed in the morning and it would definitely make things easier, but still, I couldn't believe it! He also asked me this as I was mid cleaning out the refrigerator, which I had thought was my last chore for the day. Boo.

So we removed everything she had grown out of. Which turned out to be pretty much everything. Since I haven't done this in a while, we filled up two huge tubs. Now her closet and drawers are practically empty with what little I picked up for her over the weekend. She was down to only a few things left that would (sorta) fit her and knowing how much it was going to cost, we had been putting it off. This weekend though was the annual Give and Get program and I had a 30% off my entire order at Gap and Old Navy (while supporting a wildlife protection agency, bonus!). I scoured the clearance and sale items, and with my coupon I managed to get her quite a few really cute things for some really great deals. Score! I mostly bought 24 mos and 2T. I can't believe she is already wearing 2T! Girlfriend is tall though and although the clothes may be a bit loose on her, they work and will last longer then if I bought her more 18-24 mos stuff. Now I don't have to feel so bad sending her to the sitter with her belly hanging out and ankles showing. I might have also found a pair of pants for myself. Just one. Maybe a pair of earrings too. Oh and some socks. Ya know, things I NEED.

I also felt really guilty about all of the clothes we packed away that she had never even worn or had only worn once or twice. What a waste of money! I am going to try to mostly only get her stuff that will be worn on a regular basis, that she can mix and match more and really try to avoid those super tempting adorable dresses that cost too much and aren't very practical. Sigh. Well, maybe just a few dresses.

I also have a stack of clothes that I am going to donate. Like ones people gave us that we didn't really like. You know the ones. I just can't dress her in the frilly stuff with doilies hanging off. It's just not her thing. The munchkin has standards. Plus Joe likes to dress her in the mornings in things he thinks she will be comfortable in while she takes her nap. He doesn't want her to be uncomfortable while napping! I think it's cute he even thinks of that stuff.

So tonight, maybe I'll try to check some more things off that to do list. Maybe while I am on a roll with clothes, I'll go through mine. How does spring bring about such an impulse and need to get a million things done right away?

Maybe I'll just sit outside and enjoy this weather instead with a nice glass of wine after the munchkin goes to bed.

Yes I think that plan sounds much better.

Danger of GMOs

I hate being a debbie downer, but this video is something everyone should watch. I don't know about you, but I am sick and tired of being a guinea pig all for money and greed. Seriously.

A Day at the Park

Spring is finally here! I called up my sister, we grabbed our families and took the girls to the park today. They had a blast!

My New Lens Finally Came In!!

My new lens finally came in the mail today! It's been on back order for what seems like forever. I actually wasn't expecting it for a few more weeks, so getting it earlier was pretty fantastic. Here's some pics I shot with it. Obviously I am a big ametuer, but I gotta say, these didn't turn out half bad!

I hope everyone is having a fantastic weekend!

A Birthday Party and Some Fun With the Cousins!

Last weekend we went to my friend Gina's son's bday party. The munchkin had a blast. I couldn't believe how much fun she was having! It was a big room with HUGE inflatable slides, bounce houses, animals, really just a bunch of stuff to run around on and jump in and on.

It was definitely her idea of the perfect party.

It was fun playing around in there with my new camera. The lighting was so weird due to all of the crazy colors reflecting off of everything and the fluorescent lights, but it's all a learning process.

On a side note, my new lens that I have been waiting for and that has been on backorder forever has finally shipped!! I should have it by Monday. Yay!!

Here she is peering into the entrance of one of the giant slides.

Crawling around checking things out.

She's always been a sucker for a ball pit.

It was fun for us too! We got to carry her up and slide down with her.

After a few times, she was even brave enough to climb up on her own.
We still slid down with her though.

Crawling through an obstacle course...

Here's Gina and her adorable little man G. Seriously, how cute are they?

The munchkin just loves to feed people.
Here she is sharing her crackers with another little girl.

Snuggling up with daddy.

She pulled some "food" out of Joe's shirt and fed it to Michele (that's her new thing).
I bet Michele loved eating whatever was found in Joe's shirt.

Feeding dad.

She was so wiped out after the party. We came home, ate lunch and she crashed. I think I thanked Gina and her hubs B for planning a party at 10:00am, several times. It might seem early to some but it really couldn't have been more perfect for us. The munchkin takes a nap like clockwork every day at 1:00. And girlfriend gets crabby if things are thrown off schedule. Seriously crabby. The party was from 10am-12pm, and after going home and eating lunch, she was down for her nap by 1:00.

Sunday my family came over for dinner. Both of my sisters came and brought their girls. My parents and my grandparents were in attendance as well. I love it when all of the girls get together. The munchkin has so much fun with them.

Here's her oldest cousin Aubrey. Isn't she sweet?

Starting from the back left, The Munchkin and her (6 weeks) younger cousin Q (Amy's daughter), then in the front Aubrey, who will be 4 in June and Alex, who just turned 2 in December (Erin's girls).



I am excited for the munchkin. She gets to grow up with all her cousins, so close in age and living so close by. Me and my sisters are pretty close with one another, so these kids are gonna be together alot!

It's amazing how much destruction four little girls can do to a house. By the end of the evening, it definitely looked as if a small tornado had made its way through our home! Ahhh to have that kind of energy again!

I am so glad it's Friday. It's been a long hellish week at work and I am so ready for the weekend. My bestie Anna has agreed to blow off work early and meet me for some retail therapy. I am really excited! I haven't seen her much lately and I miss her gobs. Plus she's pregnant and I need to rub her belly. We are going to head to the outlet mall to hit up Gap and Old Navy with our 30% off coupons. I haven't bought the munchkin clothes in a while either and poor girl is looking sad with her short pants and belly-showin-out-the-bottom shirts. We went to a friends house last night and I caught grief for her super short skirt. Yeah it was a 12 months skirt... I still thought it was cute. Ooops. Hopefully I can stock up on some new clothes for her this weekend!

Happy Friday Everyone!!