Cooking Healthy with Protein

Protein is the staple of most of our meals. We certainly don't just eat potatoes and green beans for dinner - we center those around the meatloaf! Shish kabobs are just skewers of vegetables that compliment juicy pieces of steak. And what would Thanksgiving dinner be without the turkey? Just a bunch of fattening side dishes! Protein is the center of our meals, but in order to keep ourselves healthy and losing weight, we must make smart choices when it comes to our protein.

We all know we should be sticking with leaner proteins. Chicken, lean turkey, fish, and other seafood are all smart choices when it comes to our protein. These are low fat, low calorie, good for you, and delicious. But there are other types of protein that are even better because they come from the earth! Beans and legumes provide a rich source of protein. Kidney beans, chick peas, black beans, black-eyed peas, and soy beans are all excellent sources of protein and can easily take the place of meat in a variety of dishes. Tofu and tempe are both bean/plant based proteins that are especially good at taking the place of meat by being a hearty, delicious center of our meal.

Getting creative with all forms of proteins are a good way to lose weight and stay healthy. Try experimenting with mashing, roasting, pureeing and infusing your proteins with other flavors for delicious and nutritious meals!