6 (VERY) easy ways to get 30g of protein
Hi friends! Last week my esteemed friend Cyndi sent me to a resource for protein snacks. It was good, for what it was, which was snacks, as advertised. It got me thinking this:
What a lot of people need, tho, is a resource for protein-y MEALS. Protein snacks are a nice-to-have, a garnish, but the backbone needs to be meals. For stability! Like our actual spine.
It's been shown that humans need a certain amount of protein to function and feel satisfied. If we fill up on low protein foods, science says, what we actually do is just keep eating until our body registers enough protein on board. (This information comes from Giles Yeo if you're interested in reading more.)
I do love me some low-protein food, like pastry. But I can't deny that prioritizing protein keeps both my mood and my energy levels steady. I'm crashing and burning quickly after a breakfast pastry.
Opinions on protein requirements vary, especially between vegetarians and carnivores. I won't present the arguments. You probably already have an opinion.
I take my personal trainer's advice for getting protein, because has a doctorate in physical therapy, not the usual run of affairs at your neighborhood gym. He is all about muscle and bone health.
Dr Mike's recommendation is: get 1 gram of protein for every pound of lean body weight. Every day.
If that sounds like a lot of protein to you, well it is. For me that would be well over 100g of protein, and I can't do it every day. It would require me to give up the carb-heavy meals that I relish so.
But also I want to be able to take out my trash until I die. I don't want to die surrounded by piles of rubbish that I can't lift. Thus, I try for 30g at most meals, especially the ones I make myself.
If you are persuaded that getting protein is a good idea for you and you find it difficult to do so, here are some ways I do it.
All of these ways are delicious, quickly become easy with a little practice, and are relatively inexpensive.
6 ways to get 30g of protein at a sitting.
1. You've heard of this one, let's get it out of the way, it's a cup of cottage cheese. The brand makes a big difference—there are some thoroughly terrible brands of cottage cheese out there. I like Friendship brand. Love it, in fact. The full fat version. I put some capers in there. It's not sexy, it's just cheap, filling, reasonably tasty and there for you when you can't cook.
And if you have time to cook, cold cottage cheese over hot fried potatoes is amazing. Add green onions on top! Thank you for this, Ronald Johnson, poet and author of poet-budget cooksbooks.
2. 3 ounces of chicken breast. Plain chicken breast goes great with a baked potato a.k.a. God's gift. Here's how I cook it: take 3 to 6 chicken breasts, patted dry, don't wash them, it's just gonna get raw chicken everywhere, a little bit of oil in the bottom of your pan salt and pepper the oil put the chicken breasts in there. Turn them over salt and pepper some more if you want. Then into the oven at 365 for about 25 minutes or until an instant read thermometer stuck in the fat end of the breast reads 170. Because your oven will vary, mine is a mess.
Let it sit a few minutes before slicing, and you've got meals for days. In a green salad, in a chicken salad sandwich, in fried rice (see below). This is extremely low-effort, but if you have even a little time, you can marinate in garlic and lemon juice and that will be very nice.
3. 3 ounces of chicken thighs. Tinga is a great staple recipes here (you can use breasts, if you prefer). I use the recipe from the handsomest man on the Internet. He's got an absolutely beautiful voice too. And he's full of smart advice. His version uses a slow cooker, but you can make this on the stove top in less than an hour and that's what I do.
Tinga makes a great taco filling, and freezes well. I also really like it on top of a baked white potato or a baked sweet potato.
4. A can of tuna. Most people's staple carb is rice. Mine is the potato, as you may have begun to suspect. My favorite recipe for protein-n-potatoes is from Melissa Clark: smashed fried baby potatoes + tuna + herbs + garlic-caper-anchovy butter (you'll have leftover butter and it taste incredible on, wait for it, baked potatoes). It's a bit of a faff the first time you make it, and then it gets a lot easier.
Notes: I make the potatoes on the stovetop, not the oven, it's faster. Also, I use a WHOLE can of tuna per person. (I like Tonnino brand.) Also, I've tried different layering, and the best order is potatoes on bottom, then tuna, then butter, then herbs, then shallots.
5. Fried rice. Everybody has their own way of making fried rice but if you add 3 ounces of chicken and an egg and whatever else you wanna throw in there for color and excitement—I like Momofuku's chili crisp—you've got yourself well over 30 g of protein, and it only takes a minute. That is, if you have a pot of stale rice in your fridge at all times, which is not hard. (I especially like Nishiki brand seven grain rice. You can buy it online if your H Mart doesn't have it.)
6. Finally, you may find that the easiest way to get protein is to supplement with a powder. These are not all created equal! Some have a horrible texture—DM for the naming of names. My advice is to try the expensive single serving packet that they often have at the grocery store—see if you like it before splashing out for a giant jar or bag.
And check out the per gram of protein cost, too. Some of the more expensive jars might actually be a better bargain. Vega Sport is $$$ but watch for sales, and you'll get 30g of vegan protein cheaper than a lot of those 20g-per-serving brands.
Vegetarian and vegan swaps abound, though protein counts will vary. But this is a start for you!