You might often have seen people you know go on an all-protein diet or try to incorporate more protein-rich foods in their daily meals. Recent years have seen a rise in protein fixation, as it has been synonymous with health and goodness. Indeed, adequate protein intake is essential for your overall health as it helps you feel full, reduce weight, improve your metabolic health, and gain muscle mass and strength.
Today, in the midst of our hectic daily routines, it can be easy to overlook the importance of our diet. Therefore, preparing meals for yourself and your family is essential to promote healthy eating habits. Protein is naturally found in lean meats, fish, dairy, eggs, nuts, and certain grains. So, here are some easy-to-make recipes that use protein-packed ingredients to help you prepare meals, sides, desserts, and snacks that are not only healthy but tasty as well:
High-Protein Meals
Ideal high-protein meals provide more energy and satisfaction by including moderate to large portions of protein balanced with healthy carbs and fats.
Instant Pot Beef Tips and Gravy
This instant pot beef tips and gravy dish is a must-try this winter if you’re looking for an easy-to-make, protein-rich comfort food to share with your family. To cook this instant pot dish, you will need beef tips, which are small pieces of beef tenderloin, sirloin, or other cuts; basic seasonings such as onion powder, garlic powder, and salt; sauces like Worcestershire and soy sauce; beef broth; vegetable oil; cornstarch; and sliced onions. Follow the instructions and tips in this instant pot beef tips recipe to create this hearty meal. Begin by rubbing the dry seasonings on the beef tips and then sautéing them in batches on a high to medium flame. Remove the caramelized beef tips and cook the onions till they are soft. Simmer in red wine, transfer all the ingredients to an instant pot, and pressure cook for twenty minutes. To thicken the gravy, add cornstarch and serve with mashed potatoes or on a bed of boiled white rice.
Roasted Salmon with Quinoa and Vegetables
This healthy recipe is a complete meal as it includes omega-3-rich salmon, protein-rich quinoa, and lots of veggies. First, roast veggies like squash, cauliflower, and shallots with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Once done, push them to the side of the pan and add the salmon fillets, roasting until the fish is cooked through. Cook the quinoa separately and combine lemon juice, maple syrup, and olive oil to make a lemon-maple dressing. Serve the roasted fish and vegetables over a bed of cooked quinoa. Drizzle with the dressing, and top with any toasted nuts of your choice.
Grilled T-bone steak
With grilling season around the corner, it is the perfect time to try this classic T-bone steak recipe. The T-bone’s unusual structure, which includes both filet mignon and NY Strip, gives it great flavor. To begin, select a 1 1/2″ thick steak from your local butcher. Allow the steak to come to room temperature before grilling, and season with salt, pepper, and oil. Heat the grill to high and grill the steaks for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side, checking whether or not the meat is done using a meat thermometer. Brush with cilantro, parsley, and garlic-mixed herb butter to enhance flavor. Serve alongside traditional sides like roasted potatoes and asparagus.
Sides
Tasty, high-protein side dishes not only complement main meals but also help add vegetables and fruits to your diet.
Mexican Bean Salad
This high-protein, colorful salad is a perfect side dish to round out meals like meat, pasta, and tacos. You can make this recipe in as little as 15 minutes by tossing black beans, kidney beans, cannellini beans, corn kernels, chopped red onions, and colorful peppers in a salad bowl. Mix with a spicy dressing made with olive oil, vinegar, cilantro, lime juice, chopped garlic, sugar, salt, cumin, hot sauce, and black pepper.
Tofu Salad
Enjoy a flavorful, vegan, and grain-free salad with healthy amounts of plant-based protein and fiber. It includes marinated tempeh and baked tofu, along with fresh arugula, broccoli, cucumber, avocado, hemp seeds, and chickpeas. Simply bake the tofu and tempeh, steam the broccoli, and then assemble the salad with veggies and your preferred dressing. This recipe can be personalized with various vegetables and dressings.
Desserts
Satisfy your sweet tooth with protein-filled desserts that provide essential nutrients and are surprisingly mouth-watering.
Cottage Cheese Cheesecake
This healthy Cottage Cheese Cheesecake recipe, which is low in calories and sugar, uses ingredients such as reduced-fat cream cheese, low-fat cottage cheese, vanilla protein powder as a sugar substitute, cornstarch, unsweetened almond milk, and eggs. In a food processor, add graham crackers, almond butter, and sugar-free maple syrup. Transfer to a bowl and mix one egg white; then line the pan, create the crust, and bake it. Whip the cottage cheese and cream cheese to prepare the cheesecake filling, and bake it in a water bath. Cool and chill before serving.
Chocolate Chip Brownies
Indulge in this easy, one-bowl protein brownie recipe that is rich, fudgy, and nutritious. These flourless, gluten-free, and dairy-free brownies are naturally sweetened and packed with an impressive amount of protein per brownie. They are made with almond butter, eggs (or flax eggs for a vegan version), pure maple syrup, unsweetened almond milk, vanilla extract, chocolate protein powder, cocoa powder, sea salt, baking powder, and chocolate chips. For best results in baking, always use a weighing scale to measure ingredients. Mix the ingredients, bake, cool, and enjoy guilt-free protein brownies.
Snacks
Snacking doesn’t have to be unhealthy. Keep yourself full between meals with healthy, protein-packed snacks.
No-Bake Peanut Butter-Cereal Bars
Combine 4 cups of your favorite gluten-free cereal, 1 cup of honey-roasted peanuts, and 1 cup of peanut butter chips to make no-bake peanut butter cereal bars. Heat 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter, 1/2 cup honey, and two tablespoons butter in a microwave-safe bowl until it is boiling and slightly thickened. Pour this over the cereal mixture, stir until well combined, and press firmly into an 8-inch square pan lined with foil or parchment paper. Allow to cool for about one hour before cutting into bars. You may keep it at room temperature for up to a week.
Conclusion
Today, we want to live better, healthier lives, and the secret to that is to eat healthy, well-balanced meals. High-protein recipes are an excellent way to increase your protein consumption since they keep you full and satisfied throughout the day. These eight high-protein recipes offer a variety of flavors and ingredients to suit any palate and are easy to prepare. So, try them to enjoy the benefits of meals rich in proteins without compromising on taste.
