Day 1

The first meal I made Monday morning was something I would have made for myself even if I wasn't Paleo. Eggs, spinach and bacon all scrambled together (except this time I didn't add the cheese). It is my go to, because it keeps me full until lunch time. To make up for the lack of flavor that the cheese would normally provide, I added a little bit of Frank's Red Hot. A lot of people but hot sauce on their eggs, personally I have never been a fan of spicy things until recently, good thing because it does really boost the flavor of a lot of dishes.

I snacked on almonds and crasins during work and had tuna over a salad for lunch. Very simple but very filling and flavorful. I love those single serve Starkist tuna packets! They are so convenient and full of protein. 

For dinner I worked with what I had in the fridge. I hadn't done my first paleo shopping trip yet, so it was a little challenging (especially since my mother and brother are bread freaks). I like to get creative in the kitchen and put ingredients together that are kind of unexpected, that is basically what this dish is: unexpected deliciousness. 

This is what I am calling a beautiful mess. Shredded chicken and kale over sweet potatoes with a mandarin chili sauce.

Ingredients: (2 servings)

Chicken (1 package of tenderloins)

Kale (Small frozen bag)

2 Sweet Potatoes

1/2 cup Chili Sauce (Heinz)

1/4 cup of Mandarin Orange slices in its own juice 

1 tbl spoon Crushed Garlic

Olive Oil

Seasonings:

Salt

Pepper

Cayenne Pepper

Cinnamon

Onion Powder

Lets start with the chicken:

I used tenderloins because they cook quicker and shred easily.

1. Coat your pan with a little Olive Oil and set it to a medium heat.

2. Sprinkle Salt, Pepper and Onion Powder on each side of tenderloin

3. Cook through (4 minutes or so on each side)

4. Let the chicken sit for a couple of minutes then shred apart with a fork.

I usually buy fresh Kale, but I had a pack of frozen Kale in the freezer for smoothies so I just used about half of the big bag (comparable to 1 small frozen bag)

1. Coat your pan with a little Olive Oil and set it to a low heat

2. Put in the garlic first to infuse the oil

3. Toss in the Kale 

4. Sprinkle on Salt, Pepper and Cayenne Pepper to taste (I like my Kale spicy).

5. Saute until you get it at the consistency you like, personally I hate soggy vegetables so I don't cook them 

    for too long.

For the Sweet Potato I don't do much, I buy a couple wrap them in plastic wrap and toss them in the microwave for about 6 minutes. They come out perfect. Who wants to wait 40 minutes for them to bake?! Not me. 

When the Sweet Potatoes are done, I take them out of their skin and mash them with salt, pepper, cinnamon and a little of the juice from the mandarin orange we will be using for the sauce.I learned a couple years ago that orange juice compliments Sweet Potatoes really well and when you mash them its better to use OJ instead of milk or cream or butter.

The Chili Sauce is simple. Add the 1/2 cup of Chili Sauce into your food processor, pour in a little of the mandarin juice and a almost all of the slices, salt and pulse it until it is all blended together.

To plate, I made a bed for my Chicken and Kale out of the Sweet Potatoes, next went the Kale, then the shredded Chicken. Top with the sauce and garnish with a slice of Mandarin Orange! Enjoy!

***Bonus Meal***

Any left over Chicken and Kale?! Make some chicken salad for lunch the next day. Take the left over Chicken (I had about 4 tenderloins left over) and about a 1/4 cup of Kale (depending how much chicken you have left) and put it in your food processor with 3 table spoons of Apple Cider Vinegar, 1 table spoon of Olive Oil, and 1 table spoon of low fat mayo. I don't really like mayonnaise unless its for chicken salad, event then I barely use any. I don't mind my chicken salad being a little "dry" (it's not really dry, its just not sopped in mayo). Add salt and pepper to taste! This made enough for 2 lunches!