Category Archives: protein

protein, recipe, starch

Green Lentil Quinoa Pilaf

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On this overcast day, I decided to make a satisfying vegetarian lunch bowl. The following recipe can be served solo or as a tasty and protein packed vegetarian side dish! The chewy quinoa and lentils have a wonderful texture, while the tomato, garlic, and cumin bring the dish to life with a big burst of flavor.

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Ingredients:
1/2 c dry green lentils
1/2 c dry quinoa
2 c vegetable broth
1 tbs olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp tarragon
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbs minced onion
1 c tomato sauce

1. Being quinoa, lentils, and vegetable broth to a boil.

2. Add olive oil and seasonings (everything except tomato sauce). Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until all liquid is absorbed.

3. Stir in tomato sauce and adjust seasonings to taste. Serve warm or chilled.

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protein, recipe, starch, vegetables

Salmon, Quinoa, and Veggies in 20 Minutes

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Try this meal when you only have 20 minutes to get a balanced dinner on the table! Salmon cooks quickly in the oven, quinoa is a breeze to prepare on the stovetop, and veggies are sautéed to perfection in under 10 minutes. Here we go!

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Ingredients:
2 marinated salmon filets, 6 oz each
1/2 cup quinoa
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1 tsp + 1 tbs olive oil
2 tsp minced garlic, divided
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
2/3 cup grape tomatoes

1. Place 2 salmon filets on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes until fork tender. (I used Costco’s wild Alaskan marinated salmon)

2. While the salmon is in the oven, heat dry quinoa in a saucepan until hot and fragrant. Add water, chicken broth, 1 tsp olive oil, and 1 tsp minced garlic. Bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.

3. Once the quinoa is cooking, slice the veggies. Heat 1 tbs olive oil in a skillet. Add the onion and bell pepper. Move around the pan for a few minutes until golden. Add a splash of water if the pan is getting dry. Add the grape tomatoes and 1 tsp minced garlic to the pan and continue to sauté for a couple minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. The salmon and quinoa should be done shortly after the veggies are finished. Split everything between 2 plates and serve!

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protein, recipe

Pizza Meatballs

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So I had all this string cheese in the fridge and had to come up with a way to use it up. String cheese isn’t great on quesadillas because it’s the wrong shape. Plain string cheese is a boring snack. I think melted cheese is just so much better in texture and flavor. This recipe was born from my love of melted cheese, pizza, and ground meat. I hope you like it too!

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Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground turkey
1/2 cup old fashioned oats, ground in a food processor
1.5 tsp dried basil
1.5 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
6 slices salami or pepperoni, finely chopped
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
2 sticks of low fat string cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and cut string cheese into bite sized pieces:

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2. In a mixing bowl, combine all remaining ingredients and smush together with clean hands.

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3. Wash your hands and using wet fingers, make a ping pong ball sized meatball. Gently press a piece of cheese into the inside of the meatball and re-form.

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4. Place the formed meatball on a lightly greased baking sheet. Repeat with all the remaining meat and string cheese pieces. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the meatballs are no longer pink inside and the cheese is melted.

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5. Serve the meatballs with your favorite marinara sauce on a hoagie roll, over spaghetti, or atop zucchini noodles!

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breakfast, protein, recipe

Epic Breakfast Scramble

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Ever wonder how many vegetables are too many for a scramble? Well, this scramble is pushing the limits in the best kind of way!

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Ingredients:
1 egg
4 egg whites
1 tbs olive oil
2 tbs diced onion
2 tbs diced tomato
2 tbs sliced mushrooms
2 tbs sliced green onions
2 tbs diced bell pepper
1 tbs sliced jalepeño
1 tsp minced garlic
2 tbs diced ham
Handful of spinach
Sprinkle of shredded cheese
1/4 cup salsa

1. Sauté all vegetables and ham together in 1 tbs olive oil over medium heat for 3-4 minutes.

2. Add the egg and egg whites. Gently move the eggs around until set.

3. Sprinkle with cheese and transfer to a plate. Top with salsa and serve alongside fresh fruit.

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protein, recipe, vegetables

Spinach Artichoke Chicken Dip

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This dip is made healthier by putting the cheese where it has the biggest impact on flavor- the surface! Cheese mixed into casseroles and dips doesn’t taste much different than yogurt or milk. Inside the dip, you’ll find a heaping portion of veggies, reduced fat cream cheese, greek yogurt, and a flavor boost from shredded chicken and Sriracha!

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Ingredients:
8 oz package of frozen chopped spinach
14 oz can of artichokes in water
2 oz cooked or canned chicken breast, shredded
1 tsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
3 oz low fat cream cheese
1/4 cup nonfat plain greek yogurt
1 tsp Sriracha sauce
Salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup shredded lowfat mozzarella (or parmesan)

1. Thaw the spinach in the microwave and squeeze out all the excess moisture. Drain and chop the artichoke hearts. Drain the shredded chicken, if using canned. Set aside.

2. In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil. Sauté the garlic in the hot oil for about a minute before adding cream cheese and yogurt. Stir until melted. Add sriracha, spinach, artichokes, and chicken. Stir to coat and heat through. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Transfer the dip to a small baking dish and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Broil for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese is golden and bubbly.

4. Serve with raw vegetables or flatbread for dipping… Or just eat it plain! Check out the nutrition facts for 1/4 of the recipe:

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With that much protein in so few calories, this snack will fill you right up!

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protein, recipe, vegetables

Paleo Spaghetti

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Yesterday was a rainy day that begged comfort food- a perfect day for Spaghetti! I was excited to try out this great Italian spice blend, Spezia 11, from a tasting party last weekend. This fresh, handmade blend of herbs and seasonings is delicious on chicken, flatbread, meatballs, vegetables, and just about anything needing Mediterranean flair.

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The herbs made my spaghetti sauce outstanding!

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Ingredients:
1 summer squash, spiralized
1 tbs olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
6 oz ground turkey
2 tbs Italian seasoning (such as Spezia 11)
1/2 cup sugar-free marinara sauce (such as Victoria’s White Linen Marinara from Costco)

1. Sauté the onion and bell pepper in olive oil until softened. Add garlic and sauté for a minute more. Set aside.

2. In the same pan, brown to ground turkey. Once no longer pink, add the Italian seasonings. Add the sautéed vegetables back in. Stir in the marinara sauce and heat until bubbling.

3. Serve over lightly sautéed or raw summer squash. This sauce is great on regular spaghetti or zucchini noodles too!

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breakfast, protein, recipe

Sweet Potato Protein Pancakes

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These pancakes are the BEST! They’re ridiculously easy to make, are super high in protein, and gluten free. The batter is just right for light, fluffy pancakes!

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You see? Perfect!

Ingredients:
1 medium sweet potato (150 grams)
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
3/4 cup egg whites
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp nutmeg (optional)

1. Prick holes in the sweet potato and microwave until tender, about 3-5 mins.

2. Once the potato is cool, peel it and place it in a blender or food processor. A small one like the Magic Bullet works well.

3. Add the egg whites, protein powder, cinnamon,and baking powder. Pulse until a smooth batter forms.

4. Heat a lightly greased skillet or griddle. Make a test pancake by pouring about 2 tbs of the batter on the pan. Once bubbles start to form, flip the pancake.

*If it seems too runny, add more protein powder to the remaining batter. If it seems too thick, add more egg whites. If the bottom is too dark, turn down the heat. If it’s not golden, turn up the heat!

5. Make the rest of the pancakes. Serve them with maple syrup, almond butter, bananas, or whipped cream!

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These pancakes are pretty legit! I thought all those egg whites would make them taste eggy, but that wasn’t the case at all. Only 340 calories and a whopping 44 grams of protein in the whole recipe! Share them or eat em all yourself :)

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protein, recipe

African Roasted Pork Loin with Mint Yogurt Sauce

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This is a recipe for the best dinner I’ve ever made (according to Colby). I think you’ll love it too! The idea for juicy African pork tenderloin with Harissa sauce came from an issue of Cooking Light magazine a few years back.

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Ingredients:
1 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed
1/4 c roasted red peppers
2 tsp minced garlic
3 tbs olive oil, divided
3 tbs lemon juice, divided
2 tsp cumin, divided
3/4 tsp salt, divided
1 tbs sambal olek (fresh ground chili paste)
6 oz plain greek yogurt
Small handful mint leaves, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a food processor, pulse together roasted bell pepper, garlic, 2 tbs olive oil, 2 tbs lemon juice, 1 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp salt, and sambal olek to make Harissa sauce. Place in a large bowl.

2. Heat 1 tbs olive oil in a skillet. Sear the pork tenderloin on all sides.

3. Place the pork in the bowl of Harissa sauce and coat well. Transfer the pork to a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Pour the remaining sauce on top. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees (medium) or 165 degrees (well done).

4. To make the mint sauce, combine yogurt, chopped mint, 1 tbs lemon juice, 1 tsp cumin, and 1/2 tsp salt.

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Try this dish with curried cauliflower, Israeli couscous, or tomorrow’s recipe… Tostones! Here’s a sneak peek:

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protein, recipe

Baked Paleo Swedish Meatballs

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It’s time for the weekly lunch cook up! This week we’re going with a Eurpean theme. I picked up some organic ground beef at Costco to turn into easy baked Swedish meatballs and packed them up with roasted mushroom cauliflower risotto for my workday lunches.

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Ingredients:
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
3/4 lb ground beef
3/4 lb ground pork (or turkey)
1 egg
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
(For the optional sauce:)
1/2 c beef broth
1/4 c heavy cream or coconut milk
1 tbs arrowroot starch

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sauté chopped onion in 1 tsp olive oil to soften. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mash with your hand to combine.

2. Roll the meat into 1 oz balls (a little smaller than a golf ball) and place on a baking sheet.

3. Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature of the meatballs reaches 160 degrees.

4. If you’re looking to make the Swedish meatball sauce, pour the drippings into a sauté pan, add 1/4 cup beef broth, and heat to thicken. Dissolve 1 tbs arrowroot starch in another 1/4 c beef broth and add to the pan. Heat and stir to thicken. Add heavy cream or coconut milk and continue to stir until the sauce has thickened to desired consistency. Season to taste and serve over meatballs.

I didn’t make the sauce for the meatballs this morning, but I might make it fresh for the leftovers tonight. I think I have enough meatballs for 6 meals!

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