When it comes to muscle-building nutrition, it’s hard to beat grilled chicken or beef, brown rice, and assorted vegetables. Add a heaping helping of oatmeal and eggs for breakfast, and you’ve got the basic meal plan of many pre-contest bodybuilders. The motive is simple—these fundamental provisions are proven nutritional forces that can help keep you pumped up and lean. But hell if it isn’t boring. Even if your diet plan offers a little more diversity, you could probably still use a few options for variety’s sake. With that in mind, here are 17 sneaky, palate-pleasing ways to improve the protein content or boost the health, fat-fighting, or workout-recovery benefits of your typical meals, by either adding an ingredient or making an all-out food swap.
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Add Ricotta Cheese to Scrambled Eggs, Smoothies, Pancakes, and Toast
Payoff: Make your scrambled eggs whey cool by adding a dollop or two of ricotta cheese. Unlike most cheeses that are made from milk curd, ricotta comes from the bodybuilding superstar whey protein. “Just half a cup of ricotta has 14g of this high-quality protein,” says Leslie Bonci, R.D., director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and nutrition consultant for the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers. Whey also contains cysteine, an amino acid that helps produce a big-time cancer-fighting antioxidant called glutathione. Not to mention it’s rich in branched-chain amino acids, which boost muscle growth.
Make it better: “Part-skim, low-fat ricotta is a little more protein-dense than full-fat versions because more nonfat milk solids are added,” Bonci notes. Try spreading ricotta on toasted whole-grain bread or English muffins, and dust with cinnamon.
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Add Almond Butter to Oatmeal, Protein Shakes, and Bagels
Payoff: It’s hard to get sick of peanut butter, but the almond version is a winning alternative. Jazzing up foods such as oatmeal and shakes with a spoonful of almond butter adds several grams of protein along with fiber, bone-building calcium (more than peanut butter) and plenty of kind-hearted monounsaturated fat that can increase your body’s production of testosterone.
Make it better: Liven up a salad by mixing creamy almond butter with soy sauce, lemon juice, and honey, and pour it on your greens.
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Swap in Beans for Rice
Payoff: At the risk of stating the obvious, brown rice trumps white as a side dish. But with plenty of iron, 15g of protein, and 15 or more grams of appetite-squashing fiber per cup, beans reign supreme. “When you do serve rice, you can easily mix in some canned beans for a protein boost,” says dietitian Susan Kleiner, Ph.D., owner of High Performance Nutrition in Mercer Island, WA, and author of Power Eating (Human Kinetics, 2007). Go with half a cup of both.
Make it better: Scan the freezer section of your local market for edamame, soybeans in the shell. “Edamame provides a more complete protein than any other bean,” Kleiner says. Toss shelled edamame, black and kidney beans with olive oil and chopped garlic for a super-fast three-bean salad side dish.
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Add Shrimp to Salads, Soups, and Pasta
Payoff: Although small, shrimp pack a big nutritional punch, so keep your freezer stocked with a bag at all times. “Shrimp is a great source of protein with little fat,” Bonci points outs—indeed, for only 90 calories and a measly gram of fat in a 3-oz serving, a meal can be 18g of protein richer. “Pre-cooked frozen shrimp is easy to add to almost any meal,” Bonci notes. This crustacean is also an excellent source of the antioxidant selenium and one of the few food sources of natural vitamin D (many foods rich in vitamin D are fortified, such as milk)—a critical hormone that’s not only a potential tumor-tamer, but is also key for muscle strength.
Make it better: Toss a handful of shrimp into a plastic baggie with a pinch each of chili powder, black pepper, oregano, and sea salt, and carry in a cooler for an on-the-go, protein-packed snack.
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Swap in Eggs for Egg Whites
Payoff: Sure, egg whites are almost pure protein, but there’s no reason to be chicken about eating the whole thing. Egg yolks contain choline, an essential nutrient for brain health; lutein and zeaxanthin, key phytochemicals for healthy vision; extra protein; vitamin B12 for fat breakdown; and vitamin D, “a vitamin needed to maintain the integrity and composition of muscle tissue,” Bonci explains. What’s more, research has nixed any notion that cholesterol in egg yolk raises cholesterol levels in the body. In fact, egg yolk may be indispensable for muscle growth and strength. One study from Texas A&M University (College Station) found that subjects who had three egg yolks per day gained about twice as much muscle and strength as those who ate no more than one egg yolk a day while following a 12-week weight-training program.
Make it better: Crack open an Eggland’s Best egg and your omelet will be awarded extra omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E.
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Add Ground Flaxseed to Oatmeal, Yogurt, Shakes, and Baked Goods
Payoff: According to Bonci, flaxseed contains cardio-protective omega-3 fatty acids, cholesterol-lowering fiber and plant compounds called lignans that can reduce the risk of prostate cancer. You could also douse your bowl of oats with flaxseed oil, but “the oil lacks the fiber, lignans, and nutty crunch of the seeds,” Bonci says
Make it better: Whole flaxseeds pass right through your system. For proper digestion and absorption, purchase ground flaxseeds, or grind them yourself with a coffee grinder. One tablespoon of ground flaxseeds contains 37 calories, 1g of protein, 2g of carbs (almost all of it’s fiber), and 3g of fat.
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Add Oregano to Pasta Sauce, Eggs, Soups, and Chili
Payoff: According to researchers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, oregano contains higher antioxidant levels than other herbs and even most fruits and vegetables. By mopping up pesky free radicals, oregano’s antioxidants can help prevent cancer, heart disease, and stroke, plus accelerate post-exercise muscle recovery.
Make it better: Adding fresh oregano to a bottle of extra-virgin olive oil infuses the oil with the herb’s aromatic flavor.
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Swap in Kale for Iceberg Lettuce
Payoff: “You get a lot of wonderful water with iceberg,” Kleiner remarks. In other words, it’s a big nutritional dud. Kleiner says that kale and other dark, leafy greens such as Swiss chard, spinach, and collard greens provide tremendous nutrient density for very few calories. This includes plenty of beta-carotene, fiber, immune-boosting vitamin C (kale contains the most), vitamin K, and manganese, a trace mineral that helps produce energy from protein and carbohydrates.
Make it better: Try sautéing kale leaves with olive oil and garlic for 30-60 seconds. “I also like to add a dash of lemon juice, rice vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or soy sauce,” Kleiner adds.
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Swap in Smoked Salmon for Deli Sandwich Meats
Payoff: Smoked salmon may be the best thing to happen to your sandwich since, well, sliced bread. “The omega-3 fats found in salmon appear to have a positive effect on mobilizing abdominal fat,” Kleiner says. The 16g of protein in 3oz is a great bonus.
Make it better: Like the clean and jerk, cream cheese and smoked salmon are a dynamic duo. But sack a bit of fat and opt for a slimmed-down cream cheese such as Philadelphia Light.
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Add Cocoa Powder to Protein Shakes, Oatmeal, and Chili
Payoff: Here’s some sweet science: Various studies have determined that magnesium is effective at reducing insulin resistance and improving blood-sugar levels, both of which are vital to keeping fat storage in check. Few foods contain more magnesium than cocoa. By choosing cocoa powder, you skip the fat, sugar, and excessive calories found in chocolate bars.
Make it better: Look for cocoa powder produced without Dutch processing, which greatly reduces the levels of good-for-you flavonoids and polyphenols.
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Swap in Salsa for Sauces
Payoff: Served atop chicken or fish, salsa adds plenty of flavor, a vegetable serving and almost no belt-stretching calories, fat, or sugar. The latter rarely applies to most marinades and gooey sauces. “You also get a bit of the phytonutrient lycopene that may reduce prostate cancer risk,” Bonci adds.
Make it better: Muir Glen Black Bean & Corn salsa adds oomph to any bird, plus a bit of fiber. Extra-hot salsas contain chili pepper, which provides the fat-burning molecule capsaicin.
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Add Walnuts to Salads, Cottage Cheese, Pancakes, and Cereal
Payoff: Chomping on nuts regularly may cut your risk of gaining unwanted weight by up to 30%, according to a study in the journal Obesity. Kleiner thinks various components of nuts, such as monounsaturated fat, minerals, and fiber, may be the reason. Stock your pantry with walnuts, since these provide more omega-3s than any other nut.
Make it better: Roasted walnuts will leave your taste buds begging for more. Bake them at 350° for 5-10 minutes.
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Swap in Apple Butter for Jam
Payoff: As a highly concentrated form of apples, apple butter has less added sugar and more fiber than most jams. Studies show an inverse relationship between fiber intake and obesity, so it’s no wonder it helps put the kibosh on the munchies.
Make it better: Swirl apple butter into cottage cheese, add a sprinkle of cinnamon, and you have a flavorful, protein-rich snack.
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Add Wheat Germ to a Pre-workout Protein Shake
Payoff: The embryo of the wheat grain is a good source of chromium, which improves glucose uptake into muscle cells, allowing you to hoist more poundage. Wheat germ also supplies arginine, an amino acid needed for the production of nitric oxide, which boosts blood flow to muscles so more nutrients can get to them. In addition, it’s a good source of octacosanol, an alcohol that can increase muscle strength.
Make it better: Place wheat germ at the bottom of your blender before adding liquids. This makes your shake less likely to be gritty.
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Swap in Red Bell Peppers for Green Bell Peppers
Payoff: This is one case in which green is not cool. With 60% more vitamin C, a generous addition of chopped red bell peppers can make your post-workout meal better for your recovery. “There’s some data to support the idea that antioxidants such as vitamin C may aid muscle recovery at the cellular level,” Bonci says. She adds that red bell peppers are also sweeter and provide much more lycopene.
Make it better: Cooking red bell peppers makes them more potent because heat improves the absorption of lycopene, so try adding them to pasta sauce.
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Add Turmeric to Quinoa, Rice, Canned Tuna, and Pasta Sauce
Payoff: Whatever grub you’re using to recharge your muscles post-exercise, don’t forget the yellow. A chemical in turmeric called curcumin can reduce inflammation (which in turn aids joint recovery) as well as improve insulin sensitivity, so nutrients that aid in recovery have an easier time entering muscle cells.
Make it better: Mix cooked grains or beans with raisins and cashews, then season with turmeric, cumin, and coriander.
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Swap in Water and Whey Protein for Plain H2O
Payoff: Gulping down plenty of water before exercise is recommended, but to get the most bang for your workout buck, stir in some protein. “Whey protein before weight training can reduce muscle breakdown and soreness, and it stimulates greater muscle growth afterward,” Kleiner advises. You do want to get bigger, stronger, and faster, right?
Make it better: As one of the fastest-acting proteins, whey protein isolate is your best bet here. Pure isolate mixes well with water, so you’re spared those irksome clumps. Go with 20g pre-workout. Also consider adding 20g of a fruit-flavored whey to a 20- or 32-oz bottle of water, and sip on it throughout the day to stay hydrated and anabolic.
