Game Changing High Protein Meals & Snacks

A friend I haven't seen in a while told me she actually reads these and I'm currently stuck at home with COVID, so I got inspired to write again :) I'm six months into my journey with my nutrition coach. Although I haven't snapped back into shape like I had hoped at this point, I've learned — and unlearned — so much, including to be patient and trust the process.

One thing I've adapted into my everyday life since working with a nutrition coach is being more mindful about my protein and fiber intake. My goal has been to consume 130 grams of protein and 20 grams of fiber per day, so I try to set myself up for success with a high protein, high fiber breakfast that I don't mind eating frequently.

My Favorite High Fiber & Protein Breakfast Combo

My current go-to breakfast has been a strawberry banana protein smoothie made with:

• 3 scoops Aloha organic plant based protein powder

• 3.5 ounces strawberries

• 1/2 ounce bananas

• Water
  

Nutrition Facts Overview

1 strawberry banana smoothie

• Calories: 229

• Protein: 27 grams

• Carbs: 22 grams

• Fat: 4 grams

• Fiber: 9 grams

I also pair my smoothie with an egg salad toast consisting of:

• 2 slices of Nature's Harvest Healthy Habits white bread made with whole grain

• 3 eggs

• 5 grams of kewpie mayo

• 2 grams white sugar

• salt

• white pepper

When my nutrition coach told me to incorporate more fiber into my diet, I scoured the bread shelf at Safeway for the most appealing high fiber bread. After looking at the nutrition facts of about a dozen loaves of bread, the one I listed above is what I ended up going with because you get 3 grams of fiber per slice!

Nutrition Facts Overview

egg salad toast

• Calories: 341

• Protein: 23 grams

• Carbs: 19 grams

• Fat: 18 grams

• Fiber: 6 grams

The smoothie and egg salad toast alone gives be 50 grams of protein and 15 grams of fiber a day — and it's safe to say I'm not sick of it yet, six months later. But breakfast alone won't help me achieve my nutrition goals, so here's another high protein meal I make on a regular basis.

Good Eggs Coconut Fish Curry

This year, I discovered the meal kits from Good Eggs and I think they're great for meal prep! You can choose a dish from their rotating selection, then Good Eggs sends you all the ingredients with a recipe card that outlines how to make each dish. Their coconut fish curry is a quick and easy recipe that makes 3 to 4 meals in about 20 minutes.

Here's your grocery list, if you don't have access to the whole meal kit:

• 20 ounces rockfish

• 16 ounces Dosa Kerala Coconut Simmer Sauce — it's also dairy free!

• 2 medium zucchini

• 1/2 medium onion

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• cilantro

• white or brown rice

• salt

• pepper

• garlic powder

• onion powder

I make it a little differently than the recipe on the Good Eggs site, if you're curious:

1. Cook your white or brown rice separately. I personally have a rice cooker.

2. Cut the zucchini into bite-sized pieces.

3. Chop up the 1/2 onion and a handful of cilantro.

4. Cut the rockfish into bite-sized cubes.

5. Add olive oil to a medium-sized pot, then add the zucchini and cook for about 4 minutes on medium.

6. Toss in onions, then cook for another 4 minutes.

7. Add all of the coconut curry into the pot and increase the heat medium-high until the sauce bubbles.

8. In a separate bowl, season the cubed rockfish with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.

9. Once the sauce starts to bubble, toss in the rockfish and stir. Let the fish cook all the way through for 5 to 7 minutes.

10. Add cilantro and serve with rice!

This typically takes less than 20 minutes to cook and I split it into 3 servings, with the nutrition facts below. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts Overview

1 serving of coconut fish curry with 180 grams of white rice

• Calories: 538

• Protein: 42 grams

• Carbs: 62 grams

• Fat: 8 grams

• Fiber: 5 grams

High Protein Snacks

Two high protein snacks I keep in my pantry include prosciutto and Trader Joe's spicy porkless plant-based snack rinds. If I'm going somewhere like the movies or the beach, I typically measure out about 1 ounce of each so I have something to snack on. Other days, if I'm just at home and need to hit my protein goal at the end of the day, I typically indulge in one or the other.

Nutrition Facts Overview

1 oz Boar's Head Prosciutto and 1 oz Trader Joe's Snack Rinds

• Calories: 210

• Protein: 14 grams

• Carbs: 16 grams

• Fat: 10 grams

• Fiber: 0 grams

Egg Drop Miso Soup

Another thing I learned from my nutrition coach is that flavors of umami help mitigate the urge to snack more, so one of my go-to snacks is egg drop miso soup.

Ingredients:

• 1 egg

• 1 packet Kikkoman Instant Tofu Miso Soup

All you have to do is boil 1.5 cups of water, then mix in the miso soup packet. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg. Once the soup starts to bubble, slowly stir in the egg and continue to mix for about 2 minutes until the egg cooks into solidified swirls! That usually does the trick for me.

Nutrition Facts Overview

1 egg and 1 miso soup packet

• Calories: 106

• Protein: 9 grams

• Carbs: 3 grams

• Fat: 5 grams

• Fiber: 0 grams

If you happen to have any high protein or high fiber snacks you want to put me on, let me know on Instagram @__endorphinenthusiast 💛