Protein. It makes the world go ‘round. Doesn’t it? When people ask me about my quest for better health, more energy and improved mood and how I consequently lost 100 pounds and kept it off, 30 of those pounds being during the 2020 quarantine, I tell them it’s because I focus on protein from a variety of sources that aren’t reliant on red meat and high fat. (Sorry Dr. Atkins and Dr. Keto, but there can be too much of a good thing.) It’s a no brainer (and a no bawker - chickens bawk, yeah?) that chicken is a great source of lean protein. And, I’m not knocking chicken, but there are only so many boneless skinless breasts I can look at in a day. (Hey, I’m not a plastic surgeon and I can assume neither are you.)
So, here’s where I turn to for additional healthy protein sources
(1) Turkey! Chicken’s meaner, equally leaner and more dinosaur-like cousin. And Not deli meat turkey. (In fact, avoid deli / preserved meat if ya can, y’all. Now, note to self, practice what I preach and stop chowing down on Costco Turkey Jerky.) I am a big fan of ground turkey - I make a meatloaf with it and a ton of onions, peppers and frozen shredded spinach along with a bit of Dijon mustard and Keto barbecue sauce (thank you to local Baton Rouge legendary chef and author Holly Clegg for the ketchup alternative) or of course, you can always do a turkey breast “Thanksgiving style” any time of the year because Thanksgiving food is awesome. Some grocery stores even sell turkey breasts already cooked up by the rotisserie chickens.
(2) Cod and Salmon. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. That’s what a family friend responded when I moved from Louisiana to New Jersey (by way of Long Island and Brooklyn) and told her that “I am obsessed with cod and salmon.” See, down in Louisiana we have so many other fish to choose from like catfish or red snapper or grouper. So cod and salmon are considered a “Yankee fish.” But these Yankee fishes are my saving grace when I need a light dinner in a flash.
And, speaking of seafood...
(3) Gulf Coast Shrimp. I specified Gulf Coast shrimp because there really is nothing like them. Assuming y’all aren’t in the Gulf or that you don’t want to drop $20 on a pound of these lil boogers at Whole Foods, check grocery stores such as Trader Joe’s or my new favorite Lidl to see if they have frozen shrimp that are specifically “Gulf Coast Shrimp”. But, prior to being such a Gulf Coast shrimp snob, in college my roommate / best friend and I would down a shrimp cocktail ring from our local Pathmark grocery store like two crazy flamingoes.
And, for my vegetarian friends, I’m not forgetting y’all...
(4) Orgain vanilla protein powder with super foods (pictured) - and no they aren’t sponsoring me to say that. Though, Orgain marketing team, here I am. It’s low in sugar and plant based, peas specifically. Not to mention it comes with a ton of super foods. Hellooooo spirulina! However, I don’t recommend using the FULL serving (2 scoops) in a smoothie - a half serving (1 scoop) is plenty unless you like things a little chalky. (Side bar -Sarah Chalke, fine actress.)
(5) Kind chocolate granola with protein. And, again, Kind is not sponsoring me either though I would be most grateful, y’all. Let’s talk about granola first. It usually is a wolf in sheep’s clothing because it is marketed as a healthy food but many bags of granola have the same amount of sugar as a candy bar. However, this one is very low in the sugar realm - the chocolate one in particular is the lowest at just 3 grams for 1/3 cup. I always tell people to check their fiber to sugar to protein level. Sugar should not be higher than both. Otherwise that “healthy” food is definitely a big bad sugary wolf.
(6) Cottage Cheese. Yes, I’m 80 and play canasta. But, lately I’m digging a 1% cottage cheese scoop* on a wedge of roasted pepper. It has 16 grams of protein and I just love its curdy cottage cheesy goodness. Side bar, I must note for my health gain / weight loss one big thing I did was stop cheese. But, I just couldn’t quit cheese from the cottage.
(7) Black Eyed Peas (I don’t mean Fergie) A long time family favorite and not just to check off the health component for the New Year (though my friend Amy from Mississippi does make a mean Garam Masala Indian Style black eyed pea dish at her annual New Year’s Day party (if you’re completely clueless as to what I am talking about, check this out Why Do We Eat Black-Eyed Peas on New Year’s Day? – Garden & Gun ) They’re delicious and cute to eat - cuter than a chicken, for sure. And they are loaded with protein - 13 grams a serving to be exact.
(8) Cha-cha-cha-Chia seed pumpkin pudding with a dollop of non fat* Greek yogurt on top. Chia and Greek yogurt alone are protein super stars but together, double the pleasure, double the protein! This recipe is a new favorite of mine. I basically combine a can of pure pumpkin with about a half cup of chia seeds, a half cup of almond milk, a splash of vanilla and a big dash of cinnamon and let it do its thing overnight. Then, I top with a big ole dollop of non fat Greek yogurt to feel like a fun fall inspired #treatyourself
(9) Protein Bars. Not all protein bars are created equal and I do suggest referring back to #5 for the fiber to protein to sugar ratio situation here. One protein bar that feels like a treat but is loaded with protein AND has my favorite big armed chef as its creator are the Robert Irvine chocolate peanut butter bars. (Found at Costco, price gouged on Amazon.)
(10) Farty Vegetables! Brocolli and Brussels Sprouts, the vegetables that are the fartiest are also the heartiest for protein - 4 grams and 3 grams in a serving of each to be exact. Combine a serving of one of these with black eyed peas and you’re set for your protein intake...and for a night of gassy fun!
*Note how I condone low fat or no fat dairy here. You’ve probably heard a ton of people as of late recommend full fat dairy to be more satiated. But, for me I rely on the protein itself to make me full because if you’re doing full fat dairy several times a week, your arteries won’t love that in the long term. I’d rather save the full fat for the fun stuff like avocados, cashews and lard (kidding).