High Protein meals are a great way to eat healthy and to give your body optimum nutrition because these meals supply an important macro-nutrient to your body–protein.
The protein found in meals high in protein helps repair and rejuvenate muscles and tissues in your body, keeping you healthy.
Protein rich meals help you cut down on carbs and sugar, which can cause weight gain and other health problems, and they also help to keep you full for longer, giving you more energy to keep yourself physically active.
And, if you’re looking to lose weight and get fit, high protein meals are a must. This article presents 10 delicious and easy-to-make high protein meals that are also healthy.
Cooking FAQ
This section explains what high protein meals are, what ingredients you need to make protein-rich meals, and addresses other frequently asked questions surrounding these meals.
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1. What Are High Protein Meals?
Meals high in protein must provide you at least 20 grams of protein per meal, and must comprise high quality protein sources such as meat, fish, poultry, beans, and other sources of protein.
2. What Are Top Sources of Protein?
Foods that are good sources of protein include items such as eggs, chicken breasts, fish such as salmon, sardines. You can also opt for grass-fed lean beef or lamb as part of high protein meals.
Black beans, almonds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, lentils, quinoa, etc. are excellent sources of protein for vegans. You can also get protein from dairy sources such as milk, cottage cheese, and Greek yogurt.
3. What Are the Top Benefits of Protein-Rich Meals?
The top benefit of high protein meals is fat loss and reduced calorie intake while eating foods that help your body attain optimum nutrition.
Meals high in protein aid in muscle development, when combined with weight training, to help you build lean muscle mass. Protein-rich meals provide you with increased energy and prevent muscle injury.
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4. What Are the Best Protein Sources for Vegans and Vegetarians?
If you’re a vegan, nuts such as almonds, walnuts, almonds, and more, and seeds such as chia, hemp, pumpkin, and more, are great protein sources.
Beans, lentils, tofu, chickpeas, and veggies such as broccoli, peas, avocados, and more, are ideal protein sources for vegans. If you’re a vegetarian, besides the above mentioned foods, you can also get quality protein from diary such as milk, yogurt, and more.
5. Are There Any Negative Side Effects of a High Protein Diet?
If you’re just beginning a high protein diet, you may experience minor discomfort such as bloating, constipation, headache, and muscle cramps, and possibly other symptoms.
You can minimize or eliminate most of these minor side effects by drinking plenty of water and consuming high-fiber foods such as veggies and fruits.
Top 10 Recipes for High Protein Meals
Protein Thai Turkey Wraps
Ingredients:
1 small head cabbage
2 carrots, shredded
3/4 cup red cabbage, shredded
1/4 cup scallions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
Salt to taste
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
Ingredients for Peanut Sauce:
1 teaspoon sriracha sauce
1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
1 lime juice
2-3 tablespoons water
Directions:
- Combine ingredients for the peanut sauce together, whisk until smooth and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Saute garlic and red pepper flakes until fragrant, then add ground turkey and fish sauce.
- Cook turkey, while cooking continually break apart into tiny pieces, cooking the turkey through. Set aside.
- To serve, arrange cabbage leaves on a plate and add shredded carrots, red cabbage, and scallions evenly among cabbage leaf "cups."
- Add the cooked turkey and top with peanut sauce over the turkey.
- Garnish with chopped green onion, cilantro and crushed peanuts.
Garlic and Miso Pork Chops
Ingredients:
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup white miso
3 tablespoons dry Sherry
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
2 cups baby arugula
1 bell pepper, seeded, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
Salt to taste
Black pepper
Directions:
- Place pork chops in a shallow dish.
- Apply minced garlic thinly on all sides of chops, then spread miso all over the pork chops.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle with Sherry and allow to stand for 5 minutes.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add pork chops. Sauté until just cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.
- To make the accompaniment salad, combine arugula and bell pepper in a medium bowl.
- Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 of vinegar. Season salad with salt and pepper.
- Toss gently so the salad is well-coated with dressing.
- To serve, place a pork chop, arrange the salad on the plate, and drizzle with leftover pan juices.
Turkey Marinara Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
Ingredients:
4 large Portobello mushrooms
1 lb ground turkey
1 cup Pepper jack cheese, shredded
1 1/2 cup Marinara sauce
1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Remove stems from mushroom caps and bake face up on a baking tray until cooked for about 15-20 minutes.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet, cook turkey for 7-10 minutes, until nicely browned.
- Add minced garlic and saute for one minute until fragrant.
- Add marinara sauce, basil, salt, and black pepper. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, until heated through.
- Fill mushrooms with the prepared turkey mix, top with shredded cheese and broil till the cheese melts and is lightly browned.
Steak and Peach Salad with Blue Cheese Crumbles and Red-Wine Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
2-3 cups baby spinach
12-ounce sirloin steak
3 peaches sliced
4-ounce pecans
4-ounce blue cheese crumbles
Ingredients for Red-Wine Vinaigrette Dressing:
1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Directions:
- Grill steak to desired doneness, allow to rest 10 minutes.
- Grill sliced peaches until slightly warm, ensure not to over-cook the peaches.
- Slice steak thinly against the grain.
- To assemble salad, add spinach to a bowl, add the sliced steak, peaches, pecans, and blue cheese.
- To make the red-wine vinaigrette, combine all ingredients, except olive oil to a bowl and whisk to combine.
- While whisking vigorously, slowly incorporate the extra-virgin oil in a steady stream to complete the dressing.
- Drizzle red-wine vinaigrette over the steak salad.
Sesame Beef
Ingredients:
1 pound round steak
2 tablespoons sesame oil
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 scallions, chopped
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Salt to taste
Black pepper
Directions:
- Mix soy sauce, brown sugar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, garlic, and scallions in a large bowl.
- Set aside. Grill the steak, allow to rest for 10 minutes.
- After this, cut steak into strips and add the prepared soy sauce mix to the sliced steak.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Heat remaining sesame oil in a wok and cook the sliced beef until brown for about 5 minutes.
- Add sesame seeds and cook for additional 2 minutes.
- Serve over a bed of brown rice or spiralized zucchini.
Lemongrass Thai Ground Pork Stir Fry
Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground pork
6 cups fresh or frozen veggies such as zucchini, carrots, green beans and peas, spiralized or cut into matchsticks
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 stalk lemongrass, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
2 shallots finely chopped
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
Directions:
- In a large skillet, add olive oil, and cook ground pork for 5-8 minutes, until done and then set aside.
- Add the spiralized vegetables to the pan and cook until veggies crisp, yet done, but crisp.
- Set aside.
- Add olive oil to skillet, and cook the lemongrass, garlic, ginger and shallots for 3-4 minutes, until soft and fragrant.
- Add fish sauce and brown sugar and combine well.
- Return cooked pork to the pan and toss to coat in sauce.
- Finally, add cooked veggies to the pan and stir combine everything together.
Healthy and Easy Beef Fajitas
Ingredients:
1 pound beef stir-fry strips
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt to taste
Black pepper
2-3 teaspoon lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 avocado
Directions:
- Heat oil in a cast-iron skillet, stir-fry bell pepper strips for a minute or two without over-cooking them, and then set aside.
- Heat remaining oil in the skillet, and saute chopped onions until they turn translucent.
- Add beef strips and cook until well-done. Season with salt, pepper, paprika, and cumin powder.
- Add the cooked bell peppers and combine everything well.
- Serve with sliced avocado, a drizzle of lemon juice, and chopped fresh coriander.
- You can serve the beef fajitas wrapped in lettuce cups.
Balsamic Roasted Pork Chops
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound Boneless pork chops
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup honey
3 tablespoons dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil.
- Add pork chops, and sear on each side for 2 minutes, until golden brown.
- Transfer seared pork chops to a large baking dish.
- To make the glaze, combine balsamic vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.
- Pour the glaze over the pork chops. Bake at 350F degrees for 10-12 minutes.
Pesto Baked Chicken
Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper to taste
4 teaspoons basil pesto
1 medium tomatoes, sliced thin
6 tablespoons shredded mozzarella cheese
2 teaspoons grated parmesan cheese
Directions:
- Wash and pat dry chicken breasts.
- Slice each chicken breast horizontally to create thin slices.
- Season lightly with salt and fresh pepper.
- Place thin chicken slices on a baking tray and spread about 1 teaspoon of pesto over each piece of chicken.
- Bake in a pre-heated oven at 400F for 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven, and top with sliced tomatoes, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese.
- Bake for an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until cheese melts.
Mexican Tuna Salad with Avocado
Ingredients:
2-3 cups canned tuna
1/2 cup cucumber, peeled and diced
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 avocado, for serving
Directions:
- In a large bowl, add tuna, diced cucumber, onion and bell peppers.
- To make the salad dressing, combine cilantro, lime, olive oil and cumin.
- Add to the tuna and veggies and season with salt and pepper.
- Serve tuna salad with sliced avocado.
Verdict
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High protein meals are a boon for those looking to lose weight and get fit and healthy. Meals high in protein are necessary for athletes and those who perform strength-training exercises.
High protein meals are also beneficial for those suffering from diabetes, cardiovascular problems, and high blood pressure.
To promote greater health and fitness, eating more protein in each meal can help you cut down on carbs and sugars, things we know can cause weight gain and insulin spikes.
Among the 10 high protein meals reviewed above, the Mexican Tuna Salad is ideal for novice cooks and beginners, since it involves no complex cooking techniques.
Recipes such as the Garlic and Miso Pork Chops, and Balsamic Roasted Pork Chops are ideal for advanced to expert cooks, who know the art of searing and grilling pork chops.
Featured Image via Pixabay
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