There comes a time when everyone runs out of ideas on how to vary their daily diet. We have prepared 3 recipes for delicious meals that provide more than 30 g per serving, or enough to optimise muscle synthesis. Those dishes are perfect for the enthusiasts of various sports. You can choose from a meat option, a vegan option and a vegetarian option. But before we move on to the recipes, please read some information.
How much protein should there be in an athlete’s meal?
The amount of protein in an athlete’s meal depends on the purpose of your workout and the sport discipline you pursue. Cyclists or marathon runners need less protein than, say, triathletes or sport amateurs who want to lose some weight. The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) recommends that athletes should consume from approx. 1.4 g to 2 g protein per kilogram of body mass. A specific value depends on:
- the sport discipline pursued,
- the type of diet (for example, higher values are selected for plant-based diets),
- body mass content,
- training purpose (do you work out to build body mass or to lose weight?),
- a person’s medical condition (it is a good idea to check whether or not there were, for example, any kidney issues in the past).
Whatever the exact amount of protein per kilogram of body mass is, it is worthwhile to spread the proteins evenly in your main meals. That means that a “protein meal’ is any meal that provides 25 g (or more) of good quality protein. Here are our proposals of delicious protein meals that are perfect for athletes.
Not all proteins are created equal... so which one to choose?
The PDCAAS (protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score) defines the quality of protein in terms of the amino acid profile and the body’s ability to use them. The highest score a protein can get on that scale is 1. Protein of that type is very valuable for an athlete’s body because it is easy to digest and use effectively. Products with the highest PCAAS score (from 1 to 0.9) are as follows:
- cow milk – 1.0
- hen egg – 1.0
- casein (milk protein) – 1.0
- soy protein – 1.0
- silkworm larvae (!) – 1.0
- whey – 1.0
- mycoprotein (protein isolated from fungi) – 0.996
- potato protein concentrate – 0.99
- chicken – 0.95
- beef – 0.92
- soy – 0.91
Please note that there are not too many plant sources of protein; however, it does not mean that you cannot plan a protein meal for an athlete using plants only. Meals that are fully plant-based simply use various protein products (for example, soy + lentils, rice + beans). This allows the amino acids to complement one another and to get a nutritious, well-digestible protein meal that will be used in full.
Let’s get cooking!
Meatballs in tomato sauce with mozzarella – a classic meat-based protein meal
This meatball recipe provides as much as 54 g protein per serving! This amount more than doubles the demand for protein of a sport amateur working out in the gym. The meatballs made using this recipe are big enough so you can easily split the ingredients to make 3 or 4 servings.
Ingredients (2 servings):
- spices: a pinch of freshly ground pepper, a pinch of salt, a pinch of cumin, a pinch of chili powder, a pinch of oregano, a few leaves of fresh rosemary,
- a large teaspoon of Dijon mustard,
- 400 g minced turkey meat,
- an egg,
- 3 tbsp cooked basmati rice,
- a handful of leaf parsley,
- half an onion,
- 1 tbsp olive oil,
- a can of tomatoes,
- 200 ml water,
- 1 tbsp soy sauce,
- 1 light mozzarella cheese ball.
An extra side of carbohydrates adjusted to the desired caloric value of the entire meal, for example:
- rice,
- potatoes,
- millet groats,
- pasta.
Preparation:
- Glaze the onion using half the amount of the olive oil.
- Put the spices to the mortar and crush them, or simply chop them with a knife.
- Chop the parsley finely.
- Get a bowl and mix: the meat, the spices, mustard, an egg, and the glazed onion. Add the parsley and knead the mixture by hand.
- Soak your hands in water and form meatballs of the size you want.
- Use the rest of the olive oil, take a deeper frying pan and gently fry the meatballs on each side.
- Mix water with the soy sauce.
- Pour the mixture on the meatballs and stew for a few minutes. Add a can of tomatoes and heat until the sauce boils.
- Shred the mozzarella light into pieces. Put the mozzarella pieces on the meatballs. Cover with a lid and wait until the mozzarella dissolves or put the entire pan to the oven pre-heated at 180 C degrees for about 8 minutes.
- Serve the meatballs with any side of carbohydrates.
Macronutrients of the meatballs (without the carbohydrate side)/1 serving:
- Energy: 537 kcal
- Protein: 56 g,
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fat: 24 g
Chinese chickpea with soy pasta
By combining two types of high-protein plant products, that is: soy pasta and chickpea, the meal gets better quality protein. The meal has plenty of fibre and is very filling, given the caloric value. It is an excellent choice for a weight loss diet. If you have stomach issues after high-fiber meals, add half a portion of frozen veggies and skip the onion.
Ingredients (2 servings):
- 2 tbsp canola oil,
- 300 ml vegetable broth or 300 ml water with 1 tbsp soy sauce,
- 300 ml water,
- 2 cloves of garlic,
- 120 g soy pasta,
- 400 g frozen vegetable mix for Chinese cuisine (or any frozen vegetables),
- 2 tsp of Chinese spice powder or a pinch of: chili powder, sweet paprika, hot paprika, black pepper, cinnamon, turmeric, coriander seeds,
- 1 tsp curry powder,
- 2 cm fresh grated ginger,
- 2 celery stalks,
- an onion,
- 1 tbsp lemon juice,
- 1 can/jar of cooked chickpeas (400 g after straining).
Preparation:
- Strain the canned chickpea. Sprinkle it with lemon juice and add all the spices. Mix and set side.
- Heat the canola oil in a wok or any other deeper pan.
- Add the chopped onion, sliced celery, pressed garlic and ginger.
- Sauté until they brown.
- Add the chickpeas with spices, the broth and warm water.
- Cover with a lid and stew for approx. 15 minutes.
- After that time, add the soy pasta to the mixture and cook until it becomes soft.
Macronutrients/ 1 serving:
- Energy: 555 kcal
- Protein: 47 g
- Fat: 11 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
Millet pudding with fruit
Milk and milk protein provide some of most valuable proteins for athletes. It is a good idea to use them frequently, for example, by preparing natural millet- or rice puddings. This meal is quite rich in calories and the serving can be eaten at one go, so it is excellent for athletes with higher energy needs. It contains a lot of carbohydrates and a sufficiently large portion of proteins. After some minor modifications, it can be eaten by any athlete:
- people who pursue sport disciplines that require intense, long-term effort – for regeneration and to replenish carbohydrates: long-distance runners, soccer players and cyclists (you can skip the cottage cheese, add some honey or jam);
- people who build body mass: triathletes and enthusiasts of strength training (you can add more cottage cheese, less millet groats);
- for people on a weight loss diet (you need to skip the banana and the flaked almonds, add some low-calorie fruit, such as blackberries or strawberries).
Ingredients (1 serving):
- 100 g millet groats,
- 200 ml milk, 2% fat
- 80 g light cottage cheese,
- 10 g flaked almonds,
- a banana,
- any fresh fruit (ideally from the list of Polish superfruit),
- optional toppings: turmeric, cinnamon, vanilla, cocoa.
Preparation:
- Rinse the millet groats carefully under cold water.
- Cook the millet groats with water and 100 ml milk.
- When the groats are cooked, strain them and put them in a blender. Add the remaining milk and a banana.
- Give it a good blend until you get the right consistency. You can add some cinnamon or a pinch of turmeric or cocoa.
- Serve hot or cold with cottage cheese and fresh fruit. Sprinkle with flaked almonds.
Macronutrients:
- Energy: 690 kcal
- Protein: 31 g
- Fat: 13 g
- Carbohydrates: 111 g