Protein--For Health & Performance

High Protein—Low Protein diets, just how much protein do we really need?  Most researchers, nutritionists, and the USDA recommend that sedentary to moderately active people consume about .4 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day. Active people require between .5 to .8 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day.

Some research suggests that highly active people and athletes may need even more.  A few years ago (lol) when I was a competitive athlete I doubled the amount of protein I was consuming to provide for the repair and maintenance of my muscle mass and to help build strength (I was a powerlifter J .) Protein is an essential nutrient that you need to consume every day!

Through our daily diet we get protein from both plant and animal sources such as: nuts, bean, grains, meats, poultry, fish and seafood.

“Find a recipe for a main dish that uses a variety of foods to provide 10-20 grams of protein per serving”—that was the challenge I presented to my Performance Foods classes this week.  The results were fantastic! Students made a  variety of tasty dishes including  rice and bean burritos, ricotta and flax seed pancakes, macaroni and cheese and chicken and corn stir-fry. These healthy dishes were within our budget too! J

The following are links to a few of their favorite recipes. Try them! Let us know how they turned out or what variations you made.

Fiesta Chicken Soup

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Fiesta-Chicken-Soup/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Thumb&e11=dinner&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Recipe&scale=4&ismetric=0

Tip:  Season to taste.  You may want to add some cumin, jalapeno pepper or salsa to give this dish a little extra zip.  Enjoy the lime! Homemade pita wedges or tortilla strips go well with this soup.

Ravioli with Tomatoes, Beans & Spinach

http://www.health.com/health/recipe/0,,10000001046868,00.html

Tip: Season to taste. The recipe uses little salt or spice--the students thought is was bland and added salt and pepper. You may want to add a little more oregano and basil too.  

Chicken Pesto Florentine

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pesto-chicken-florentine/

Tip:  One of the class favorites!  A low-fat version of the Alfredo sauce helps to keep the saturated fat down (I suggest to make your own.)

 Christmas-Brunch Casserole

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/hashbrown-breakfast-bake/

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Christmas-Brunch-Casserole/Detail.aspx?evt19=1

Tip:  Both of these recipes turned out great.  You can vary the meat and vegetables and the amount of cheese used.  We left the cheese off the Christmas Brunch recipe and it was still really good.

Shrimp (or Chicken) & Corn Stir-Fry

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/shrimp-stir-fry-recipe/index.html

Tip:  We used chicken instead of the shrimp which cut the cost of the dish and still tasted great.   Be creative--add black bean or spice to your taste! This dish can be served with a side of  rice or pasta.

Helen's High-Protein, Low-Carbohydrate Pancakes



http://www.food.com/recipe/helens-high-protein-low-carb-pancakes-448497

Tip:  A great recipe for those looking for low carb recipes. These have a quiche like flavor (lots of eggs.)  There are a number of recipes online for ricotta pancakes that incorporate oatmeal or wheat flour in the recipe which changes the texture. A little syrup or fruit and yogurt topping completes these pancakes.

Happy, healthy eating!!!

References:

Protein Quality, Quantity and Timing

http://blog.nasm.org/nutrition/protein-quality-quantity-and-timing/

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/protein

http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/protein-foods-amount.html

http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/basics/protein.html

http://thepaleodiet.com/

What are Proteins and Why do we Need Them?
http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=dailytip&dbid=348&utm_source=rss_reader&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss_feed