I’ve said this before but honestly…the food part of weight loss is the hardest part for me. I get tired of overthinking protein, trying to make “healthy” meals taste good, and figuring out what to cook every single night (especially with two toddlers). So here are a few easy, realistic meals and snacks I’ve been making lately that are high-protein-ish, simple, and actually enjoyable.
Cheeseburger Helper Pasta
makes 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 box chickpea pasta shells
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 cheese sauce packet from deluxe mac & cheese (I used Annie’s)
- Salt + pepper
- Optional: 1 cup broccoli for extra veggies
Directions
- Cook pasta according to package directions.
- While pasta cooks, brown ground beef in a large skillet and season with salt and pepper.
- If adding broccoli, steam or boil during the last few minutes of pasta cooking.
- Drain pasta and combine pasta, beef, broccoli, and cheese sauce packet in the skillet.
- Stir until warm and coated evenly.
Hot Honey Chicken Bowls
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 4 tbsp hot honey
- 1 tbsp chili crunch oil
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- Salt, pepper, paprika
- 4 cups cooked white rice
Mango Salsa
- 1 cup diced mango
- 1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
- Juice of 1 lime
- Chopped cilantro
- optional add ins: cucumber, onion, pineapple, avocado, etc.
Directions
- In a bowl, mix hot honey, chili crunch oil, avocado oil, salt, pepper, and paprika.
- Coat chicken thighs in mixture.
- Air fry at 380°F for about 15 minutes or until cooked through.
- Cook rice according to package directions.
- Toss mango, bell pepper, lime juice, and cilantro together in a bowl.
- Serve chicken over rice with mango salsa on top.
Protein Salted Honey Latte
Makes 1 serving
Ingredients
- 1/2–1 cup Protein Plus milk
- 2–4 oz espresso
- 1–2 tbsp honey
- Pinch of flaky sea salt
Directions
- Add honey and sea salt to a glass.
- Pour in hot espresso and stir well.
- Add milk and ice if serving cold.
- Mix and enjoy.
Protein Rice Crispy Squares
Makes 18–20 squares
Ingredients
- 1 tub Coco Whip
- 2 scoops vanilla protein powder
- 4 cups Rice Krispies cereal
Directions
- In a large bowl, stir together Coco Whip and protein powder until smooth.
- Fold in cereal until evenly coated.
- Press mixture into a parchment-lined pan.
- Freeze until firm.
- Cut into squares and store in fridge or freezer.
Crispy Rice Chicken Salad
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked rice, cooled
- 2 tsp chili crunch oil
- 2 tsp soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 5 mini cucumbers, sliced
- 1 cup shelled edamame
- Small handful cilantro, chopped
- Small handful basil, chopped
- 8 cooked breaded chicken tenders
- Optional: green onion + avocado
Dressing
- 2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
OR - 1/3 cup Greek yogurt + 2 tbsp mayo
- 1 tbsp soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp sriracha
- 2 tbsp chili crunch oil
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- Sesame seeds
Directions
- Toss cooled rice with soy sauce and chili crunch oil.
- Spread onto a baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 20–30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until crispy.
- Cook chicken tenders in air fryer at 400°F for 15–20 minutes.
- In a large bowl combine cucumbers, edamame, cilantro, basil, and optional avocado/green onion.
- Mix dressing ingredients together until smooth.
- Chop chicken and add to salad mixture.
- Top with crispy rice and toss with dressing before serving.
Meal Prep Tip
Store dressing and chicken separately until ready to eat so everything stays crispy.
