Protein has acquired a publicist.
It is in the cereal, the water, and possibly the conversation you were trying to have about something else.
You do not need to turn every meal into a counting exercise to make a satisfying paleo plate. Start with food you already cook, add a useful portion of protein, and let lunch remain lunch.
Start with the meal, not the number
Eggs, chicken, fish, beef, pork, and seafood can all do the job. So can leftovers. A tin of salmon is not less useful because it did not require a marinade and a small emotional commitment.
Build the rest of the plate around what makes the meal enjoyable: vegetables, fruit, a potato or sweet potato if that fits your version of paleo, and a sauce or seasoning you actually like.
If you are hungry again almost immediately, the answer may be a more complete meal. It does not automatically mean you need a new supplement with a name like a spaceship.
A quick chicken, greens, and sweet potato skillet
This makes two lunches or a very straightforward dinner. Use leftover cooked chicken if that is what the fridge has arranged for you.
- 300 g cooked chicken, sliced or shredded
- 1 medium sweet potato, cut into small cubes
- 2 handfuls of spinach or chopped kale
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and half a lemon
- Optional: a spoonful of avocado or chopped herbs
Let the pan do the work
- Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sweet potato, season, and cover for about 8 minutes, stirring once or twice, until tender. Add a splash of water if the pan gets dry.
- Stir in the chicken and paprika. Cook until hot, then fold in the greens until just wilted.
- Squeeze lemon over the pan and taste. Add avocado or herbs if they are handy. They are optional, not witnesses.
For tomorrow, keep the greens and lemon separate until serving. The warm part reheats well; the spinach does not need to experience two rounds of cooking.
Keep the useful part
A protein-forward meal can be simple: something substantial, something colourful, and enough flavour to make you want it again. There is no prize for making it complicated.
Start with the next meal you were going to cook anyway.
