3 delicious recipes for a protein diet
The protein diet is one of the best ways to lose weight while gaining muscle. To maximize your daily protein intake, choose your snacks carefully and don’t forget them! Here are 3 sources of protein that are both healthy and delicious.
Poultry breast: chicken or turkey, alternate for fun!
• Advantages: it is a lean meat, low in calories and very rich in proteins.
• Nutritional value: 100 g of chicken/turkey breast provides about 21 g of protein and barely 2 g of fat, for about 100 calories;
• Advice: vacuum-packed meat should be avoided, as it is too high in sodium (due to preservatives). You can eat chicken breast for lunch and save a portion for later;
• How to eat it? For a healthy snack, choose to cook it in the oven, en papillote or on the grill, with a minimum of fat. Use spices and herbs to enhance the taste and serve with a green salad or a serving of crunchy vegetables;
Easy recipe idea:
1/ Lemon chicken breast en papillote
You need 150g of chicken, a lemon, thyme, a little olive oil, salt and pepper;
Preheat the oven to 200°C (~400°F) and place the chicken breast on a sheet of aluminum foil previously coated with olive oil. Drizzle oil and lemon juice over the chicken and season. Place a few slices of lemon on the meat before closing the foil. Bake for 25 minutes;
Steam some vegetables to accompany it.
Tofu for a good dose of vegetable protein
• Advantages: very good alternative to animal meat and fish, with a 40% pure protein content as well as fiber, vitamins (A, B, D, E), essential fatty acids, magnesium, iron and calcium. Tofu would also help against the decrease of estrogen and to reduce the level of bad cholesterol;
• Nutritional value: 100 g of tofu contains 15 g of protein and 8 g of fat, for a total of 160 calories.
• Tips: Tofu absorbs the taste of the ingredients that accompany it, so dice it for more flavor. Silken tofu is the leanest (2 g fat and only 47 calories per 100 g);
• How to eat it? There are a multitude of recipes to suit all tastes, the main thing is to choose the right ingredients and cooking method. For a fresh snack, we suggest tofu in a salad;
Easy recipe idea:
2/ Tofu, cucumber and tomato salad
• Dice a tomato, a cucumber (without seeds) and 100 g of tofu;
• Mix them in a bowl and add half an onion and some finely chopped coriander and basil leaves;
• Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and season (salt and pepper) just before serving.
Tuna: an excellent source of protein
• Benefits: Tuna is rich in protein, omega-3, vitamins A, B and D, phosphorus and selenium (antioxidant effect). It contains the nine essential amino acids for our body. Tuna is good for the heart and would prevent depression
• Nutritional value: 100 g of natural tuna contains 27 g of protein and only 0.3 g of fat, for 120 calories;
• Advice: choose oven-baked or grilled tuna, as frying reduces the omega-3 content of the fish and promotes the oxidation of lipids. As for canned tuna, choose it without oil;
How to eat it? Ideally grilled, baked, in carpaccio, in salad or half-cooked Japanese style (tataki) ;
3/ Red tuna with sesame seeds tataki style and sautéed vegetables
• The sauce: mix a little rice vinegar, soy sauce, wasabi and sake;
• Roll a tuna steak in sesame seeds and sear it quickly (about 30 seconds on each side) in a pan with a little olive oil. Then slice it with a suitable knife;
• Finally, cut some carrots into thin strips and sauté them in a wok with a little olive oil. Season, pour in a little water and reduce before adding chopped chives. Place the tuna pieces on the vegetables and drizzle with the sauce.
Convinced? Don’t hesitate to include these foods in your snacks to fill up on protein and lose weight while sculpting your body!
Where to find help to lose weight?
It’s not that difficult to eat a healthy and varied diet! Revisit these menus according to your desires by favoring healthy cooking methods (steaming, grilling, etc.), fresh vegetables and foods rich in protein but low in fat, olive oil and light sauces. You can also get professional help to lose weight safely (recommended for a prolonged diet with important weight loss goals).
