Last month, I mentioned that we wrapped up a Nutrition Kickstart and that this month I would highlight our first focus. The first week of the kickstart we focused on protein! Protein is an essential macronutrient. It helps us build and fix our tissues, grow muscles, make hormones and enzymes, and fight sickness.

I believe that eating healthy and creating good habits can be easy! I want to share some of those habits here with you. If you are wanting to focus on protein; aim to eat some lean protein the size of your entire hand three times a day! Especially if weight loss or painting muscle is your goal. Here are some additional reasons why protein is important:

1. Building and fixing tissues
2. Protein helps fix and grow our muscles, bones, skin, hair, and nails. It’s extra important for kids, pregnant women, and people who are sick or hurt.
3. Muscles need protein to grow and stay healthy. This is really important for people who play sports or exercise a lot. Eating enough protein can keep muscles from breaking down too much.
4. Protein helps make hormones and enzymes. These things do important jobs in our bodies like digesting food, making energy, and copying DNA.
5. Protein can help people lose weight. This is because our bodies burn more calories when we eat protein than when we eat other things like carbs or fat.
6. Protein makes antibodies that help us fight germs. These antibodies protect our bodies from bad things like bacteria and viruses.
7. Eating protein can make us feel full for longer.  This is helpful for people who are trying to lose weight because it helps us keep the snacking to a minimum.

When you are looking for recipes; search for things that have lean meats, lower fat dairy (yogurt and cottage cheese) and fish. Here are two recipes you can try to get a good serving of protein in! If you need help with your nutrition; click this link to have a free no obligation conversation with us.

Breakfast- Protein-Packed Egg and Avocado Toast

Ingredients:

• 2 slices of whole wheat bread
• 2 large eggs
• 1 small avocado, sliced
• 1/4 cup of cottage cheese
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Optional: hot sauce or sliced tomatoes

Instructions:

1. Toast the slices of whole wheat bread.
2. While the bread is toasting, heat a small non-stick skillet over medium heat.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and cottage cheese.
4. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and cook until the eggs are set, about 2-3 minutes.
5. Season the eggs with salt and pepper.
6. Mash the sliced avocado with a fork and season with a pinch of salt.
7. Spread the mashed avocado on the toasted bread.
8. Top each slice with the cooked eggs.
9. Add optional hot sauce or sliced tomatoes, if desired.
10. Enjoy your delicious and protein-packed breakfast!

By adding cottage cheese to the eggs in this recipe, we’ve increased the protein content while keeping the dish low in carbs. Cottage cheese is a great source of protein and also provides calcium and other nutrients. This breakfast provides a balanced mix of protein, healthy fats, and fiber to keep you feeling full and energized throughout the morning.

Salmon and Veggie Sheet Pan Meal

Ingredients:

• 4 salmon fillets
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
• 1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, garlic, thyme, salt, and black pepper.
3. Place the salmon fillets in the center of a large sheet pan, and arrange the sliced veggies around the salmon.
4. Drizzle the olive oil mixture over the salmon and veggies, and use your hands to coat everything evenly.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through and the veggies are tender and slightly charred.
6. Serve the salmon and veggies hot, with a squeeze of lemon juice over the top.

This sheet pan meal is a simple and delicious way to incorporate protein and veggies into your dinner. The salmon provides a good source of omega-3 fatty acids and protein, while the colorful veggies add fiber, vitamins, and minerals. You can easily customize this recipe by using different veggies, such as broccoli, cauliflower, or green beans, and adjusting the cooking time to ensure they are cooked to your liking.