high protein dinners to make this week
Here’s 8 protein packed, easy dinners you can make this week! All recipes are linked or posted below, along with the macro and calorie counts.
Lightened Up Chicken Pad Thai: recipe is linked here on the blog!
Higher Protein Lemon Pasta:
serves 4, macros: 25g p / 38g c / 9g f
8 oz @eatbanza pasta
1 tbsp salted butter
1/2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup + 2 tbsp @fairlife ultra filtered milk
juice of 1 a lemon (and grated zest)
1 cup @good_culture cottage cheese, blended
1/2 cup grated parmesan
2 cups cooked/steamed cauliflower
parsley for topping
directions:
Prepare you pasta according to directions. Blend cottage cheese until smooth and set aside. Add butter to a large pan over medium heat. Once melted add the flour. Let cook for 1 minute, and then add garlic and salt/pepper. Let cook for 30-40 seconds, stirring frequently.
Whisk in the chicken broth, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Let simmer for 1 minute. Then add in the milk and cottage cheese
After adding the cottage cheese, let it thicken, stirring occasionally. Stir in the grated parmesan and mix until smooth.
Add the cooked cauliflower (i just steamed mine in the microwave), mix well until it’s coated in the sauce and then add in the cooked pasta.
Make sure everything is coated evenly with the sauce and let it all heat on low for a few minutes.
Serve with more grated parmesan if desired, and fresh parsley, and enjoy! I like to pair this pasta with fresh grilled chicken for a complete meal.
Fiesta Lime Taco Bowls:
serves 4, macros: 39g p / 37g c / 6g f; 384 cals
ingredients:
12oz thawed shrimp
1 packet siete taco seasoning
2 cups jasmine rice
4 cups shredded romaine lettuce
8 tbsp pico de gallo/salsa
1 cup frozen corn, cooked (i use steam-able corn in the microwave!)
4 tbsp reduced fat feta
1/3 cup lowfat cottage cheese blended
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 lime, sliced
directions:
prepare your shrimp — once it’s thawed, toss in 3/4 of the taco seasoning and cook in a pan with a little EVOO spray until the shrimp is cooked through and pink. set aside.
prepare your other ingredients — i use microwavable rice and steam-able corn to make things easy! for the sauce, mix the 1/3 blended cup cottage cheese and the rest of the taco seasoning. it makes the creamiest, chipotle-ish sauce!
then build your bowls: in each of the 4 bowls add lettuce, 1/2 cup rice, 1/4 cup corn, 1 serving of the shrimp, 2 tbsp salsa, 1 tbsp feta, 1-2 tbsp of the sauce, and then top with the cilantro and lime on the side to squeeze. hope you love this one!
Sticky Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs:
makes 21 meatballs; macros per meatball: 5g p / 3g c / 2g f
ingredients:
meatballs:
16oz ground turkey
1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 large egg
glaze:
1/3 cup @ghughessugarfree teriyaki sauce
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
1/8 cup soy sauce
drizzle of honey
1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp ginger powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
to make each bowl:
4-6 meatballs
1/2 cup basmati rice (i just used an microwave packet!)
1 cup frozen broccoli, cooked
combine all your meatball ingredients together, and form meatballs into 1 inch balls. i use a cookie scoop to keep them the same size!
place meatballs on a baking tray and bake for 18 min at 400*
after meatballs are cooked through, make the sauce. add sesame oil, teriyaki sauce, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, ginger powder, and garlic powder in the pan and mix. cook on medium low until you start to get a glaze type sauce (usually a few minutes) and then add in cooked meatballs and coat in the sauce. reduce to simmer and let simmer for a few minutes.
once meatballs are coated and simmering in the sauce, prep broccoli and rice. i used a premade rice packet and steam-able frozen broccoli.
to serve: place 1/2 cup of rice in a bowl plus a serving of meatballs and 1 cup of broccoli each.
finish off with sesame seeds and that’s it!
Lightened Up Lasagna Soup:
macros (without toppings): 37c p / 39g c / 11g f
ingredients:
1 Ib ground 93% lean turkey
1/2 diced large white onion
1 tbsp minced garlis
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup cottage cheese, blended
32 oz chicken broth
6 oz broken lasagna noodles
2 large handful spinach
fresh basil, parmesan & pepper for the top!
directions:
prep your ingredients. dice your onion, blend your cottage cheese, and break your noodles. set aside.
in a large pot over medium heat, cook ground turkey. once halfway cooked, add in diced onion, garlic, and tomato paste and continue cooking. once turkey is fully cooked, dump in blended cottage cheese and evenly coat all of the turkey. then, dump in 32 oz of chicken broth and stir. let it come to a boil and dump in your lasagna noodles. boil until pasta is al dente and add in the spinach.
once spinach has wilted, serve. i topped with fresh basil leaves, some shredded parm, and lots of pepper
Spicy Shrimp Power Bowl: recipe is linked here!
Easy Sheet Pan Chicken Sausage & Veggies: recipe is linked here!
Spicy Salmon Roll Bowl: recipe is linked here!
