Venison Meatloaf Wrapped in Bacon



Last night at my CrossFit Box I had one of the most frustrating WODs (work out of the day) yet. It consisted my full foot box jumps (okay, no worries), push ups (one of my arch nemesis), and toes to bar (generally, no worries). Well, to my dismay, the push ups went over relatively fine, but the toes to bar literally held me back about 5 minutes. My kip (the swinging motion to gain momentum) was totally off and I  was so caught up in my frustration that I could not mentally get up on the bar. It was horrible. Yes, I scrapped two toes to bar because my toes didn't hit, and I wouldn't have it any other way. But I was determined to finish. And finish them well. When I did, I felt better.

Frustration can be a very beneficial thing. Maybe not in the moment, but it is a total signal of something that needs attention. What is causing the frustration? How can the frustration be overcome? From here you can set goals and make plans. Starting Wednesday at our box we have been on a mission to identify and "beat" our "goats". Colloquially defined as "things you hate to do or need improvement on", they are the source of your frustration. I certainly have quite a few. The WOD we did yesterday identified a huge goat that I need to work on- toes to bar.

So now that I identified my goat I made a goal to complete 3 sets of 15 toes to bar unbroken by April 15. My plan is to work on my kip this coming week, then 3 sets of 5 unbroken, 3 sets of 10 unbroken, and reach my goal the following class.

That's nice, you're thinking, but what does it have to do with me? Well, I've just demonstrated a S.M.A.R.T. goal and given an example of an execution plan. First, lets talk S.M.A.R.T. goals. This should be the only way you ever set goals.

Hunters Pie



In honor of the Great St. Patrick's Day, I raise my glass of stout to you, and cheers for the feasts and festivities that this day brings!

I love holidays. Any of them. Especially ones like St. Patrick's Day that are observed globally, even though it is a traditional Irish holiday. There is something about it that reminds us that we are all part of the same human race. We all get together, regardless of background, and celebrate whatever the occasion may be.

They are also a great time to show your appreciation for others. Whether you pick up some green-iced cupcakes from the supermarket to share with co-workers, cook a corned beef brisket for your family, pick up a 6 pack of Guinness for your buddies, or just simple and say "Thanks! Happy St. Patty's Day!" to the stranger who held the door for you, doing things without expectation of return will reward you ten fold in the future.

I made a primal-style Irish Soda Bread for my CrossFit Gym's St. Patrick's Day party tonight; did you do something similar?

For the Love of Marinated Venison Tenderloins

Valentine's Day is right around the corner, a time to show your love and appreciation to those closest in your life. That's right, don't just focus on your partner- tell your mom and dad, siblings, close friends, co-workers, neighbors, the post man... anyone who means a lot in your life, that you love and appreciate all they do for you.

Venison Ham with Onions and Sweet Potatoes, Slow Cooker Style

When you want to go all natural with your meats there is hardly a better way to do it than venison. Deer, moose, elk, and other big wild game have completely organic and natural diets and not a trace of antibiotics or hormones. Constantly on the move, these animals sport very lean mean. They are also rather large, so one harvest can feed a decent amount of appetites for quite some time.

Fortunately, I know quite a few hunters who tend to harvest a bit more than they need for their own freezers and I get to reap the benefits of their miscalculations. I was recently informed that a bit more would be coming my way soon, so in preparation I pulled some my back stock out. I came across a venison ham that just sounded like it would hit the spot!

Never having cooked a venison ham before (not like what you think of a pork ham; this is a cut from either the shoulder or the rump of the deer and cooks like a beef roast would), my first idea was to roast it in the oven low and slow for a few hours. However, my plan for the day also included baking several dozen cookies (and no, they were not paleo style, but it's a Christmas tradition! By next year they will all be, though :) and I did not think that venison aroma would bake into snickerdoodle's very well. Low and slow, though, huh..... Slow cooker! Perfect!

Venison Ham with Onions and Sweet Potatoes, Slow Cooker Style

The Food
- 1 venison ham
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Medium white cooking onion
- 2 medium sweet potatoes
- 1 can beef broth (low sodium if you can find it; if not, don't add any salt to the dish)
- Pepper
- Dried chopped onions
- Dried sliced garlic
- Red pepper flakes

The Prep
Cut onion into 1/8 wedges
Peel and slice sweet potatoes about 1/3" thick
Season meat with pepper



The Method
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sear the meat on all sides
Add the meat to the slow cooker
Surround with onion wedges and sweet potatoes
Sprinkle pepper, dried onion, dried garlic, and red pepper flakes to taste over meat and vegetables
Add can of beef broth
Set cooker to low
After about 2 hours flip meat (if you're home)
After another 2 hours flip meat again (if you're home)
Between 5-6 hours the ham should be fully cooked; when done the meat will simply fall apart (internal temperature should be over 160°)
For ease of serving, remove vegetables with slotted spoon to a serving plate/bowl and shred meat in liquids
Either add the vegetables back to the meat and liquids or serve individually

Enjoy :)