- He's here today for a very special challenge.
To help one of our very special Vet's
Every Vet is special,
but this one had a special wish.
To make thanksgiving healthier for himself and his family.
- That's epic, that's awesome.
- So we're working with Wounded Warrior Project.
My mom actually turned me on to Wounded Warrior project.
- Oh, yeah.
(audience clapping)
- Anyway, for you guys
that are not familiar with their work,
it is so, like 360.
They help our Vets one on one
with their mental, physical, and nutritional health.
That's what makes them so special.
So, they have been a big part of our next guests life,
since he got back from the service.
We want you guys to get to know Big Sarge.
Watch this.
- I'm William Hansen, aka the Big Sarge,
and I'm in Sacramento, California.
(dramatic instrumental music)
So I served for 12 years in the United States Marine Corp.
I was a Heavy Weapons Infantryman,
and then I served for 10 years
in the California National Guard.
I did a tour in Egypt
where we were part of the Peace Keeping tour,
and then I went to Iraq and while I was in Iraq
is where I was injured.
(suspenseful instrumental music)
I was dealing with pain 24-7.
I was prescribed some pain-killers,
and I became addicted to the pain killers.
By the time I got home,
that's when I realized that it hit me
how badly I had been hurt at that time.
And what happened to me, is I fell into my couch.
And I put on nearly 150 pounds
of extra weight in 19 months.
(inspirational instrumental music)
My reactions to my family became more and more sharp.
And I started hiding away from them
because I saw this big guy who wasn't active,
who wasn't engaged, who wasn't in his children's lives.
Who was missing things that he normally never would miss.
One day, my daughter Amanda said something to me,
and to this day I don't even know what it was,
and I snapped at her and I yelled.
I never, ever yell at my kids.
And my daughter did something very amazing.
She didn't run away.
She didn't scream.
She got really quiet, she put her hands on my face,
and said, Dad, what's the matter?
You're not you.
And that was that light bulb moment where I said,
ah, you gotta stop this.
(inspirational piano music)
I threw out the pills
and I called Wounded Warrior Project.
I went through Wounded Warrior Project's
physical health and wellness program,
which focuses on improving physical health
and smarter eating habits.
They believe that every warrior has a future
and they went above and beyond
to make sure that I attained mine.
They took care of me and they started helping me
with some of my fitness stuff.
(inspirational instrumental music)
And I started doing cross-fit
and I started doing some strong man events
and I started lifting weights again.
And then my weight slowly but surely started coming down
and eventually, I became a certified trainer.
(air and chimes whooshing)
- We have a mission here to make a healthier Thanksgiving.
- All right. - This is your wheel house,
you know how to do this.
- And this is good
because it's not just about keeping off the holiday weight,
but it's also about feeling good physically
but also mentally-- - Mentally.
- In your mind because what you eat
effects how you feel. - Of course it does.
- That's how you do it. (air and chimes whooshing)
- I'm gonna cut this up, peel it, chop it up
and then boil it for about 15 minutes,
make it nice and soft.
Toss in some vegan butter.
We're gonna make this a plant based recipe.
Put the whole thing in, some cinnamon.
- All right. - We're going for flavor.
- We're going for flavor. - All right.
- Can I mash? - And then some coconut sugar
I want Bill to mash, - All right.
- Because he can mash it up really well, nicely.
All right, get the spatula moving in there.
- All right. - Mix it together.
All right, then you're gonna put this into a casserole dish
and then bake this for 15 minutes, comes out like this.
Really nice and fragrant. - Beautiful!
(air whooshing) (chimes tinkling)
- This is gonna be our nice, crunchy pecan topping.
- And what's this for, the crunchy pecan topping, for this?
- Yeah for that, yeah. - For that same dish.
- Okay, so dump that in. (nuts clacking)
All right. - Some maple syrup.
- Maple syrup, oh yum. - Yum!
You had me at maple. - Good job!
All right, pour in some coconut oil.
- Coconut oil. - Love coconut oil.
- Perfect. - Gotta love it.
- This is some cardamom. - Oh I love cardamomum.
- That helps with the inflammation.
- Okay, see, Bill is Mr. NBC bro!
- He is on it! (audience clapping)
- Woo! - Dream team, dream team!
- And a pinch of salt, a pinch of salt.
- Just a pinch, all right.
- Get your salty action on bro,
you gotta do it like this. - Okay ready?
- Hey! - Woo-hoo!
Wait over the shoulder for luck.
- All right now pulse blend this.
- There ya go.
- Pulse blend it. (blender pulsing)
Pulse blend it, don't be heavy handed, oomph like that.
And I want you to put it on top
of this casserole right there.
- So this, all right. - That goes right here,
that's a spoon bro. - On that,
here use a spatula. - Or a spatula, yeah.
- All right.
- I would just stick my paw in there.
- Yeah. - Yeah.
(audience laughing)
- I'm probably gonna end up doing that.
- That's right, that's right. (laughing)
- All right now spread it out there,
mix it up together. - Pop this in the oven boys?
- Pop this in the oven, we're gonna bake this
for about 25-30 minutes at 350.
(audience cheering) (chimes tinkling)
(chimes tinkling) (audience clapping)