High Protein Dinners for BodyBuilders

Bored of plain old chicken and rice dinners?

Try out these tasty meals that are packed with protein, and balanced with healthy carbs and fats.

Recipes by CrazyBulk athlete and IFBB Pro Competitor Claire Aves.

• SALMON WITH GARLIC BUTTER HASSELBACK POTATOES
• PARMA HAM WRAPPED CHICKEN WITH MOZZARELLA
• LAMB AND APRICOT TAGINE
• TURKEY MEATBALLS IN TOMATO SAUCE
• HEALTHY CHICKEN CURRY

SALMON WITH GARLIC BUTTER HASSELBACK POTATOES

(Per Serving) Calories 490 / Carbs 32g / Protein 32g / Fat 26g

A great dish if you’re having guests around! The baked salmon goes really well with the garlicky hasselback potatoes, which make for an impressive and tasty side dish. The potatoes are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside like the salmon. A sure-fire winner!

Serves 1
Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 40 mins

Ingredients:

• 200g (7oz) New Potatoes
• 15g (1/2oz) Butter
• 1 tsp Olive Oil
• 1 tsp Rosemary
• 1 Garlic Clove Salt & Pepper
• 130g (4 1/2oz) Salmon Fillet
• 100g (3 1/2oz) Vegetables or Side Salad

How To Cook It:

Preheat oven to 200°C.

Part slice the top of the potatoes several times and place on a baking tray.

Melt the butter in the microwave, mix in the olive oil, rosemary, finely chopped garlic, salt and pepper and stir.

Brush half the mixture over the potatoes and put in the preheated oven for 20 mins.

Remove the potatoes from the oven and place the salmon on the baking tray with them.

Sprinkle a little salt and pepper over the salmon and the brush some of the butter mixture onto the salmon.

Brush the remainder of the butter mixture onto the potatoes and cook for a further 20mins.

With 5 minutes to go, prepare your chosen vegetables. Serve up and enjoy!

Why It’s Great For BodyBuilders:

Omega-3 fats in salmon (& other oily fish) help protect against low mood & depression. Two portions of oily fish per week can also reduce your risk of heart disease – tick off one portion with this dish.

PARMA HAM WRAPPED CHICKEN WITH MOZZARELLA

(Per Serving) Calories 520 / Carbs 28g / Protein 57g / Fat 20g
This easy baked chicken will quickly become one of your favourite meals. The texture of the parma ham goes brilliantly with the tender chicken and the creamy mozzarella. Serve with new potatoes and broccoli.

Serves 2
Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 40 mins

Ingredients:

• 300g (10 1/2oz) New Potatoes (cut in half)
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• Pinch of Salt & Pepper
• 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
• 1 tsp Rosemary
• 2 x 150g (5 1/4oz) Chicken Breast
• 60g (2oz) Mozzarella (cut into slices)
• 6 Slices Parma Ham
• 100g (3 1/2oz) Broccoli
• 100g (3 1/2oz) Sugar Snap Peas

How To Cook It:

Preheat oven to 200°C.

Place the new potatoes in a bowl. Add the olive oil, salt, pepper, smoked paprika and rosemary to the new potatoes and mix.

Spread the potatoes on a baking tray and place in the preheated oven for 40 minutes (you will add the chicken after 20 minutes).

Meanwhile, create a slit down the side of the chicken breasts.

Cut 4 slices of mozzarella and place 2 slices inside each chicken breast.

Layout 3 pieces of Parma ham making sure they overlap and place the chicken in the center, then wrap the Parma ham around the chicken. Repeat with the other chicken breast.

Place the chicken in the oven, along with the potatoes, for the last 20 minutes of cooking time.

Cook the vegetables and serve up

Why BodyBuilders Love It:

A protein-packed dish, which should stave off hunger for a good few hours! Increase the portion size of the green vegetables for extra fibre – which helps nourish the good bacteria in your gut.

LAMB AND APRICOT TAGINE

(Per Serving) Calories 429 / Carbs 50g / Protein 28g / Fat 13g

Originating from Morocco and similar to a casserole, tagine is a satisfying, delicious one-pot wonder. Using a variety of aromatic spices creates a lovely depth of flavour that brings out the best in the lamb and apricots. Serve with rice and broccoli for a hearty dinner.

Serves 4
Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 100 mins

Ingredients:

• 1 1⁄2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 600g (21 1/4oz) Diced Lamb
• 1 Large Onion
• 2 Garlic Cloves
• 200g (7oz) Carrot
• 400g (14oz) Tinned Chopped Tomatoes
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Turmeric
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 240g (8 1/2oz) Drained Chickpeas
• 1 Chicken Stock Cube
• 600ml (2 1/2cups) Boiling Water
• 80g (2 3/4oz) Apricots
• 200g (7oz) Broccoli
• 250g (8 3/4oz) Microwave Rice
• Optional: Coriander (cilantro)
  (roughly chopped

How To Cook It:

Preheat oven to 210°C.

Add half the olive oil to a frying pan over a medium to high heat. When hot, add the lamb and brown the meat.

Put the lamb to one side to rest while you prepare the rest of the meal. Add the remainder of the olive oil to the frying pan over a medium heat.

Roughly chop the onion and, when the pan is hot, add the onion to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, or until the onions start to brown.

Then finely chop the garlic and add to the pan for 1 minute.

Peel the carrots, cut the ends off then quarter the carrots and put in the pan along with the tinned tomatoes, cinnamon, turmeric, cumin, drained chickpeas, chicken stock cube, boiling water and lastly the browned lamb meat.

Stir all the ingredients together, cover with foil and place in the preheated oven for an hour.

Chop the apricots, add to the casserole and stir before placing back in the oven for 30mins, without the tin foil.

Meanwhile, prepare and cook the broccoli for 5 minutes and the rice for 2 minutes in the microwave. Serve.

Optional extra – Chop up some coriander (cilantro) and sprinkle over the casserole.

Why BodyBuilders Love It:

Chickpeas and apricots are a great source of gut-friendly fibres – teamed with antioxidant-rich spices, vegetables and wholegrain rice this is a nutrient-dense meal.

GINGER & SPRING ONION STEAMED COD

(Per Serving) Calories 319 / Carbs 35g / Protein 38g / Fat 3g

An Asian inspired approach to cooking fish – steam cod with pak choi, ginger, garlic and rice wine and serve topped with crunchy spring onions and fragrant coriander, basmati rice and broccoli. The flavours are light and zingy – a tasty and different way to eat cod!

Serves 2
Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Ingredients:

• 6 Leaves of Pak Choi
• 360g (12 3/4oz) Cod Fillet
• 1 Large Garlic Clove
• 5cm Thinly Sliced Ginger
• (peeled)
• 2 tsp Light Soy Sauce
• 1 1⁄2 tsp Mirin Rice Wine
• 100g (3 1/2oz) Broccoli
• 250g (8 3/4oz) Cooked Basmati Rice
• 1 Spring Onion (scallion)
• Pinch of Coriander (cilantro)
• 1⁄2 a Lime

How To Cook It:

Preheat oven to 200°C (392°F).

Tear off 2 pieces of foil and lay on a flat surface.

Lay your Pak Choi into the centre of your foil.

Place your cod on top of the Pak Choi.

Finely chop the garlic and ginger and place on top of the cod.

Drizzle over the soy sauce and Mirin rice wine.

Create a parcel out of the foil, make sure the foil is secure at the top and sides.

Place in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Cook the broccoli for 5 minutes.

Cook the rice as per the instructions on the packet.

Plate up the food, add chopped spring onion (scallion) and coriander (cilantro) to the cod along with a squeeze of lime.

Finish off by pouring the juice from the foil over the fish and serve.

Why Bodybuilders Love It:

Cod is a good source of vitamin 12, which we need for making healthy red blood cells. White fish is also rich in protein but low in fat, making this a low calorie but satisfying meal.

TURKEY MEATBALLS IN TOMATO SAUCE

(Per Serving) Calories 544 / Carbs 50g / Protein 41g / Fat 20g

Light, succulent and low in fat, these tender meatballs are ready in less than thirty minutes for an easy midweek meal. Replacing beef with turkey meat creates a leaner, healthier dish which doesn’t affect the delicious, classic, rich flavours.

Serves 2
Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 400g (14oz) Turkey Mince
• 1⁄2 Onion
  1 Garlic Clove
• 400g (14oz) Can of Tinned Tomatoes
• Salt & Pepper
  Pinch of Dried Rosemary
• Pinch of Dried Mixed Herbs
• Pinch of Dried Oregano
  4 x 50g (1 3/4oz) Vegetable
• 250g (8 3/4oz) Microwavable Brown Rice

How To Cook It:

Heat 1 tsp of olive oil in a frying pan on a medium to high heat.

If using pre-made turkey meatballs, place them into the pan and brown all the sides.

If making from scratch, roll the turkey mince into balls then place them into the pan and brown them off.

Once done, place the meatballs to one side.
Heat a tsp of olive oil in a large frying pan on a medium heat.

Peel and finely chop the onion, place into the pan and cook until the onion starts to brown.

Peel and finely chop the garlic and place into the pan, cook for 30 seconds.

Add the meatballs back into the pan along with the tinned tomatoes, salt and pepper, dried rosemary, dried mixed herbs and dried oregano and stir well. Cook for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.

While the meatballs are cooking, heat a pan with water and cook your chosen vegetables and microwave your rice.

Serve and enjoy!

Why Bodybuilders Love It:

A great option for a post workout meal – tomatoes are rich in lycopene, an antioxidant shown to help with muscle recovery.

HEALTHY CHICKEN CURRY

(Per Serving) Calories 628 / Carbs 47g / Protein 47g / Fat 28g

Swap your take away for this deliciously healthy chicken curry. This twist on the classic recipe includes peas, cashew nuts and fresh coriander to make it stand out from the crowd. The Greek yogurt base keeps the calories down. Serve with coconut rice for extra flavour.

Serves 2
Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Ingredients:

• 1tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 250g (8 3/4oz) Chicken Breast
• 3⁄4 Onion
• 1 Garlic Clove (finely chopped)
• 1 tbsp Curry Powder
• 1 tsp Tomato Purée
• 3 tbsp Greek Yogurt
• 200ml (3/4cup) Chicken Stock
• Pinch of Salt and Pepper
• 300g (10 1/2oz) Coconut Grains
  Or 250g Microwaveable Rice
• 25g (3/4oz)Cashew Nuts
• 75g (2 1/2oz) Frozen Peas
• 8 Sprigs Coriander (cilantro)

How To Cook It

Put half the olive oil in a pan over a medium heat.

Cut the chicken into even-sized chunks and place in the frying pan. Do not cook through but part cook and then remove from the heat.

To speed things up, in a separate pan, while the chicken is cooking, heat up the remainder of the olive oil.

Finely chop the onion and place in the pan and cook until it starts to brown.

As soon as the onion starts to brown, add the crushed up garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

Then add the curry powder, tomato purée, Greek yogurt, chicken stock, salt, pepper and chicken into the pan, stir well and then leave to simmer on a low heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through (don’t leave the Greek yogurt in the pan for too long without stirring, otherwise it separates).

Prepare your coconut grains in the microwave, as per the package instructions

For the last 2 minutes, add the cashew nuts and peas to the curry and cook through.

Plate up the coconut grains and curry, garnish with the coriander (cilantro) and serve.

Note: If you can’t get hold of the coconut grains, just use normal rice.

Why Bodybuilders Love It:

Adding peas to meals is a great way to boost your fibre intake, which helps protect against heart disease and bowel cancer. 100 grams peas = 20% of the recommended daily intake.