Protein Staples to Build Meals

Prioritising protein in your meals is one of the best things you can do for a stable diet. For some, it can be a little challenging to come up with ideas to build meals around a protein source. This week, we’re keeping things real simple as Coach Mitch provides a few of his staple protein sources and his favourite meals to build around them. Please note that every person has different energy requirements, so serving sizes will vary between people.

– Greek Yogurt

Breakfast Parfait – Greek yogurt (1-2 servings), frozen blueberries for volume and flavour, heaped teaspoon of peanut butter, heaped teaspoon of raspberry jam, quarter cup of Pumpkin Seed & Flax granola. Granola can be swapped for any other granola or cereal of your choice. Makes for a delicious, protein dense start to the day!
Oreo Pudding Dessert – 1 serving of greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon sugar free chocolate Jell-O Pudding mix, 3-4 Oreo Thins crushed/broken. Light and tasty dessert after dinner, or a mid-day snack!

– Ground Turkey

Tacos – Ground turkey, sweet corn, black beans, salt, pepper and taco seasoning (feel free to make your own seasoning, I’m lazy). Lightly brown the ground turkey, add corn and black beans, season and simmer until cooked. Serve on soft or hardshell tortillas of your choosing. I like to serve with some form side salad – usually a large handful of broccoli slaw seasoned with salt and pepper, mixed with salsa. This helps to increase the volume of my meal without adding lots of calories.
Turkey Burger – Pretty straightforward. Season the ground turkey to your preference, ball up your burgers, flatten them and gently fry until cooked. Personally, I like to serve on a sourdough or brioche bun. Dress with your preferred condiments, and serve with a side salad. Leaner than ground beef, turkey burgers can make a great alternative for those who prefer to allocate calories elsewhere, such as dessert!

– Chicken Thighs

Sandwiches – A staple dinner of mine because it’s delicious, and extremely easy. Season chicken thighs with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and a little paprika. Fry chicken thighs until cooked, then set aside to rest for a few minutes. Serve on lightly toasted sourdough bread dressed with arugula, balsamic vinegar and a dash of dijon mustard. Pair with a homemade quinoa salad, or buy one from Costco for convenience, no shame here.
Rice bowl – Boil your desired serving of rice, season chicken thighs with your choice of seasoning. Fry chicken thighs until cooked, set them aside to rest, then cut into small pieces. Keep the leftover flavours in the pan. In the same pan, lightly toss some broccoli slaw and season the same as your chicken. Throw it all into a bowl and mix together. The beauty of this meal is every component is scaleable, and it’s easy to cook for multiple people.

These recipes are not written as vegan or plant forward, but each of these meals can easily be replicated with meat-free alternatives such as: tofu, tempeh, chickpeas/legumes, lentils, and more! Keep in mind, the best diet is one you can stick to for the long term. Something that is sustainable for you, built around foods you enjoy. If your day to day eating, meal structure, or nutritional knowledge is something you’re looking to improve, email kate@groundworkathletics.ca to book your FREE Nutrition Assessment today!