Eating enough protein doesn’t mean living on dry chicken and shakes alone.
Rachael DeVaux, a registered dietitian who aims to eat 100 grams of protein a day, finds it easier to stick to your protein goals when you actually enjoy your dinners.
“I don’t want healthy eating to feel boring, or for people to think that they have to eat plain chicken and broccoli for every meal,” DeVaux, the author of “The High-Protein Plate,” told Business Insider.
A common rule of thumb is to get between 0.5 and 0.7 grams of protein per pound of body weight each day, adjusted for goals like muscle gain or fat loss. For a person who weighs 150 pounds, that breaks down to about 25 to 35 grams per meal when eating three times a day.
DeVaux likes to prep a few protein sources at the beginning of the week (like grilled chicken breasts or hard-boiled eggs) as well as a few sauces (such as homemade pesto or a dijon-and-olive oil vinaigrette). Bases like quinoa, farro, or rice noodles can also be cooked in advance.
“It’s really easy to throw together a quick meal if you have just veggies in the fridge,” she said, as those can take 10 to 15 minutes to cook. “That’s how I make a lot of my meals.”
She also has a few recipes she leans on for quick high-protein meals. DeVaux shared three of her favorites from her new cookbook, including the full recipe for a 30-minute turkey skillet she makes every week.
Honey-blackberry overnight oats pack in the protein and fiber
DeVaux loves prepping overnight oats.
“It really takes away that decision fatigue of what to make for breakfast,” she said. “You can grab it as you’re running out the door, but it’s full of protein, and it keeps you satiated for a couple of hours.”
She makes a honey-blackberry version using gluten-free protein oats, unsweetened almond milk, vanilla protein powder, unsweetened Greek yogurt, hemp and chia seeds, almond butter, and almonds.
Per serving, it packs in about 35 grams of protein, with plenty of fiber from the oats, seeds, and frozen blackberries.
Canned chicken is the MVP of a 5-minute lunch
When DeVaux is busy, she likes to whip together a flavorful chicken salad.
Her secret is using canned roasted chicken breasts. She adds pesto and avocado for healthy fat, then incorporates hemp seeds, chopped pepperoncini, and red chili flakes for extra flavor and texture.
On its own, it provides about 32 grams of protein per serving.
“You can put it on a piece of toast. You could use it as a dip with crackers,” she said. “That’s what I have in between meetings.”
She makes her ‘weeknight hero’ turkey skillet once a week
DeVaux loves making her ginger-garlic turkey skillet at least once a week, usually when she’s in a pinch.
“I just make sure I have the ingredients in my fridge because I always get to the point where it’s 6 p.m. and I’m like, ‘I haven’t planned dinner yet,'” she said.
She cooks ground turkey in a skillet, gradually adding diced vegetables, garlic, ginger, coconut aminos, and seasonings. One serving is about 24 grams of protein.
“It’s great for people who are very busy, and you could make it into so many different things,” she said. “You can make it into tacos, lettuce wraps, put it over rice or potatoes. It’s very versatile.”
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