Teriyaki Wings w/ Sweet Potato Chips & Asparagus

I bought chicken drumsticks from Costco- Foster Farms brand. They were big and so good! This works for wings too so just choose your favorite or mix it up. Be careful with the sweet potato chips...you may want to eat them all...

Ingredients:

For the Teriyaki Sauce (10 wings worth):
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup raw honey
1/2 fresh squeezed orange juice (about 1 whole orange)
4 tbs rice vinegar
2 tsp tapioca starch
1 1/2 tbs fresh grated ginger
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbs sesame oil
red pepper flakes


For the sweet potato chips:
2 large sweet potatoes
2 tbsp melted coconut oil
2 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp sea salt

Asparagus- as much as you desire!


Directions:

For the teriyaki sauce: 
Combine all ingredients in saucepan over medium heat.
When mixture begins to boil, stir for 2-3 minutes.
Remove saucepan for heat and let cool down. It will thicken as it cools.



To grill wings:
Scoop 1 cup of sauce and save to brush on wings while grilling.
Marinade wings for 24 hours for best flavor.
Brush leftover sauce on top and bottom of wings.
Cook 15-20 minutes, turning 4 times total.

To bake wings:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Brush coconut oil on bottom of baking dish.
Place chicken in dish and brush teriyaki generously on all sides of chicken.
Save 1 cup of sauce to brush on top when ready.
Bake in oven 20-25 mins, baste with sauce and turn over halfway.
Top with sauce set aside.

For the sweet potato chips:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Slice sweet potatoes- the thinner the crispier. I prefer about 1 cm width.
Mix coconut oil with salt and rosemary in medium bowl.
Pour sweet potato slices in mixture and mix around with hands until well coated.
Lay out a single layer of slices on a baking sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes each side and bake for an extra 5 if you love them crispy!


 


 Plate with asparagus cooked in olive oil or butter for a vegetable that works perfectly with the wings and sweet potatoes. Enjoy!





Paleo Version:
Substitute soy sauce with Coconut Aminos.

Balsamic Salmon with Spinach Garlic & Mushrooms and Quinoa

Ingredients:

For the salmon:

2 salmon filets (3-4 oz each)

1/2 tablespoon coconut oil

1/2 tablespoon honey

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Salt and Pepper to taste

For the spinach:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup spinach

1/2 cup sliced or diced mushrooms

2 minced garlic cloves

For the Quinoa:

1 cup red quinoa

1 cup water

1 cup chicken broth

Directions:

For the salmon:

Heat coconut oil over medium heat. 

Season both sides of salmon filets with salt and pepper.

Add salmon to skillet and cook 2 minutes per side.

While salmon is cooking, whisk together honey, vinegar, and red pepper flakes in small bowl.

Add vinegar to skillet and simmer for 5 minutes.

Reduce heat to low and flip salmon over to simmer for 5 more minutes. 

For the spinach:

Heat olive oil in pan over high heat and pour garlic into pan.

Stir constantly for 1 minute until garlic is brown.

Add mushrooms and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add spinach and turn heat to medium. Cover pan.

Cook for 3 minutes and stir. Cook for 3 more minutes until spinach is soft.

For the Quinoa:

Rinse quinoa with water before putting into a pot.

Pour water and chicken broth into pot.

Bring to a boil, then cover pot, turn to low, and cook for 15-20 minutes until quinoa is soft.

To finish: Plate dinner with salmon and pour extra sauce over top. Then add the spinach and side of quinoa. Pour extra sauce over quinoa if desired. Enjoy!!

Paleo Version:

Skip quinoa. Double spinach for a more filling plate!

Avocado Egg Chicken Salad

This lunch is so good. SO good. And so healthy! I could not get enough of it.
Yes it includes mayonnaise, which is grain-free already, but I sincerely hope you choose to not eat regular mayo. Check out my post for paleo mayo. It is time consuming, so you can substitute with greek yogurt instead!

Keep in mind this is for 5 days of lunches! Cut back the portions if needed.

Ingredients:

For shredded chicken
2 large or 3 medium sized boneless chicken breasts
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper

For avocado egg salad
2 medium avocados, pitted and peeled
4 tablespoons paleo mayonnaise (or greek yogurt)
3 teaspoons lemon juice
6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 tablespoons of chopped chives
salt and pepper to taste

1 cup black beans
Feta

Directions:

For shredded chicken
Place the chicken breasts in the crock pot.
Pour the chicken stock over them and sprinkle with garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Cook on low for 4 hours.

When finished, use a fork or a whisk to peel apart breasts to make shredded chicken. Set aside.

For avocado egg salad

Mash avocados, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt and pepper together in a bowl.
Stir in the eggs, celery, and chives.

            


For the lunches:

Layer in this order- shredded chicken, avocado egg salad, beans, then top with feta! Enjoy :)

                


Paleo Version:
Skip the beans and feta and make sure you use paleo mayonnaise! Top with walnuts instead for a crunch or double the celery.

Paleo Granola

Ingredients:                                                                                                                                              

1/2 cup Pecans

1/2 cup Almonds

1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/4 cup raisins

Directions:

Put all ingredients into a food processor. Pulse until desired consistency.

Put into almond milk for cereal, into greek yogurt for some flavor, or on top of celery with almond butter for a super yummy healthy snack!

Bacon Egg Bowls

These bacon egg bowls are so easy to make and even easier to heat up in the morning for breakfast on the go!!

(Makes 12 Cups)

Ingredients:

12 slices of bacon

8 eggs

1 cup Vegetable of your choice (green onions, peppers, mushrooms)

1/2 cup cheese (optional)

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk together eggs, salt, and pepper. Then add veggies and cheese if desired.

Cut a small tip of a slice of bacon off and lay it on the bottom of the muffin cup.

Then wrap the rest of the bacon slice around the muffin cup. Repeat for all 12 cups.

Pour egg mixture into each cup about 3/4 of the way full.  Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Best of all- put in the microwave in the mornings for 30 seconds for a super easy and quick breakfast out the door!

Paleo version:

Cage free or organic eggs

Nitrite free bacon (like Applegate brand)

No cheese

Double the veggies for more flavor!

Week 1 Meal Plan & Shopping List

The key to weight loss/maintaining is PORTION CONTROL!!! This is my number one thing I need to work on and my resolution this year is getting control down. I can make clean food every day, but if I eat 2500 calories, I am blowing my chances of losing weight! I am planning on paying more attention to my body when I eat in order to figure this out. It will take time.

Moving on! This week's meal plan is posted below. Recipes for each meal/entry are on their way. Have a wonderful week!!

Here is the shopping list below to make everything for the week. Don't get intimidated! A lot of ingredients are spices or oils you should already have in your kitchen. Buying a spice rack is an amazing investment! I LOVE mine!!

*Note: I make dinners for me and my husband. For 4 people, double the meats, and for 1 person, half the meats. The lunches are 5 day portions for one person. Double if making lunches for two. Yes, I eat the same thing every day for breakfast and lunch. It does not bother me!