10 Meat-Based Meals Guaranteed To Build Muscle
It’s all about the cut of the meat that you buy.
People are scared of red meat, but if you eat the right kinds in the right amounts, it’s totally fine. In fact, it’s a great source of quality, muscle-building protein. Just take the recipes from the 21-Day Shred Cookbook for example. The Steak with Salsa recipe packs a whopping 89 grams of protein while the Pork Loin and Potatoes recipe has 62. But, for your non-red meat days (yes, there should be some of those), there are plenty of other protein-packed recipes to try (Lemon and Herb Chicken sound good? How about a Turkey & Egg White Scramble?) So, stock your kitchen with the ingredients on the 21-Day Shred Cookbook Grocery List and get ready to sculpt the best body of your life.
1. Perfect Breakfast Sandwich
INGREDIENTS:
2 slices Canadian bacon
½ red or green bell pepper, sliced and seeded
2 eggs
½ cup no-salt-added, low-fat cottage cheese
½ cup spinach (raw or cooked)
1 7-inch whole-wheat pita
½ cup shredded reduced-fat cheese
Salt and fresh ground
black pepper to taste
1 tbsp salsa
DIRECTIONS:
1. Cook bacon in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Set aside.
2. Place peppers in the skillet and saute lightly.
3. While they cook, beat eggs in a small bowl with a fork.
4. Add eggs to pan and scramble. When eggs are nearly cooked, add cottage cheese and continue cooking until done.
5. Layer bacon, egg mixture, and spinach inside pita pocket. Top with cheese, salt, pepper, and salsa to taste.
SERVES: 1
NUTRITION: 460 calories; 42 g protein; 25 g carbs; 22 g fat
***
2. Turkey & Egg White Scramble
INGREDIENTS:
3 slices turkey bacon such as Jennie-O Extra Lean Turkey Bacon
1 ½ cups egg whites such as All Whites 100% Liquid Egg Whites
¼ cup diced tomato
¼ cup diced onion
¼ avocado, sliced
1 oz low-fat cheese, shredded
DIRECTIONS:
1. Cook turkey bacon in microwave for 60 seconds or until crisp.
2. In a large bowl, combine egg whites, tomato, and onion. Microwave two minutes, stir, then cook two more minutes.
3. Add crumbled bacon, and top with avocado and cheese.
SERVES: 1
NUTRITION: 521 calories; 56 g protein; 40 g carbs; 11 g fat
***
3. BBQ Chicken Salad
INGREDIENTS:
8 oz chicken such as Tyson Grilled & Ready Refrigerated Fully Cooked Grilled Chicken Breast Strips
2 cups green salad
1 oz fat-free Feta cheese, crumbled
2 tbsp slivered almonds
2 tbsp low-fat dressing
2 tbsp barbecue sauce
DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat chicken for 3–4 minutes.
2. Combine salad, cheese, almonds, and dressing.
3. Brush barbecue sauce on chicken strips and add to salad.
SERVES: 1
NUTRITION: 515 calories; 63 g protein; 32 g carbs; 5 g fat
***
4. Egg Burger with Garlic Spinach
INGREDIENTS:
1 egg
2 tsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup spinach
4 oz lean ground beef
Salt and pepper to taste
½ tomato
DIRECTIONS:
1. Submerge egg in water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover saucepan, turn off stove, and remove pan from burner. Allow to sit for 10 minutes, then place egg in a bowl of cold water. Peel egg.
2. Heat 1 tsp oil in a nonstick skillet over high heat. Add garlic and saute until golden brown. Add spinach and stir frequently until wilted, about 5 minutes. Remove from skillet.
3. Shape beef into patty around egg and add seasoning.
4. Add 1 tsp oil to skillet, increase heat to high, add patty, and cook for 2 minutes each side. Remove patty.
5. Using a grater or microplane, grate tomato into a small bowl. Plate patty over spinach, top with tomato, and serve.
SERVES: 1
NUTRITION: 371 calories; 41 g protein; 4 g carbs; 21 g fat
***
5. Mediterranean Cucumber Chicken Slider
INGREDIENTS:
½ large cucumber
8 oz chicken breast, diced
Salt and black pepper to taste
4 tbsp hummus
1 cup baby spinach
½ large tomato, diced
2 tbsp red onion, slithered
DIRECTIONS:
1. Cut cucumber lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out seeds and some of the flesh.
2. Sear chicken in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for about 1 minute and then reduce to medium and cook until done, about 12 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.
3. Spread hummus on inside of both cucumber slices.
4. On one slice, layer spinach, chicken, tomato, and onion. Close and serve.
SERVES: 1
NUTRITION: 608 calories; 45 g protein; 59 g carbs; 24 g fat
***
6. Elk Burger
INGREDIENTS:
1 ½ lbs ground elk
Black pepper and kosher salt to taste
¾ cup Feta cheese, crumbled
½ cup Napa cabbage, sliced thin
1 serrano chili, thinly sliced
4 hamburger buns
CARAMELIZED ONIONS:
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion sliced
1 tsp kosher salt
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat broiler setting in your oven to medium heat and insert large oven-safe pan.
2. Form 4 equal-size patties. Season elk with pepper and salt, then place as many patties as will fit comfortably in the pan. Allow to brown on one side, approximately 2–3 minutes, and flip. Add crumbled Feta. Broil to desired doneness.
3. For onions, set a skillet to medium-low heat on your stove while burgers cook. Add oil, then onions, followed by salt. Toss together and allow to cook slowly for 45 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes to ensure even cooking. Once browned and softened remove from heat, transfer to a bowl and set aside.
4. Assemble the burger, stacking onions, cabbage, and seranno chilli onto burger and bun. Serve hot.
SERVES: 4
NUTRITION: 528 calories; 42 g protein; 29 g carbs; 24 g fat
***
7. Lemon and Herb Chicken
INGREDIENTS:
½ fresh whole chicken
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 tsp oregano
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 parsnip, peeled and diced
½ cup brown rice
¼ cup black beans, drained and rinsed
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Rinse the chicken and pat dry with a paper towel.
3. Grease a baking tray and lightly brush chicken with olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, oregano, and lemon juice.
4. Place chicken on baking tray and bake until it browns, about 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350. Cook for additional 20 minutes per pound of chicken.
5. Insert a meat thermometer into a thigh. The chicken is ready when it’s in the 165–180 degree range. Remove from oven and allow to rest for five minutes.
6. While chicken cooks, bring an inch of water to a boil in a medium skillet over high heat, add parsnips, cover, and boil for 10 minutes. Mash with a fork.
7. Cook rice according to package instructions and combine with parsnips and beans. Serve alongside chicken.
SERVES: 1
NUTRITION: 990 calories; 109 g protein; 97 g carbs; 16 g fat
***
8. Old West Muscle Burger
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb ground buffalo (bison) meat or any lean, grass-fed ground beef
¼ cup quick oats
¼ cup mushrooms, diced
¼ cup onions, diced
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried parsley
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Sea salt to taste
4 whole-wheat hamburger buns
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a bowl, combine the first eight ingredients and shape into four 1/4–inch-thick patties.
2. Grill the patties at medium-high heat, 4 to 5 minutes per side.
3. Serve on a whole-wheat hamburger buns (or eat as is, if you’re watching your carbs) with your favorite vegetables and condiments.
SERVES: 4
NUTRITION: 336 calories; 37 g protein; 29 g carbs; 8 g fat
***
9. Steak with Salsa
INGREDIENTS:
½ tomato
1 tbsp red onion, diced
1 tbsp cilantro, diced
1 tbsp jalapeño, diced
½ avocado, diced
2 tbsp black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp olive oil
8 oz steak
Salt and freshly ground
black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
1. Squeeze tomato juice into a bowl. Dice remainder of tomato and add to bowl.
2. Add onion, cilantro, jalapeño, and avocado to bowl, along with black beans and lemon juice. Toss.
3. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over high heat. Season steak with salt and pepper and add to skillet. Cook 4 minutes each side.
4. Plate steak, top with salsa, and season with salt and pepper.
SERVES: 1
NUTRITION: 668 calories; 89 g protein; 22 g carbs; 24 g fat
***
10. Pork Loin and Potatoes
INGREDIENTS:
4 tbsp canola oil
1 cup diced red potato
1 large sweet potato, diced
8 oz pork loin
1 cup white rice
½ red pepper, sliced
2 tbsp red onion, sliced
1 cup broccoli florets
½ cup carrots, chopped
DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a nonstick skillet over medium high. Saute red and sweet potatoes, stirring frequently, until slightly browned, about 12 minutes. Clear skillet, add 2 tbsp oil, and cook pork loin for 3 minutes each side.
2. Cook rice according to packaging instructions.
3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Saute red pepper, onion, broccoli, and carrots, stirring frequently, until tender and slightly browned, about 10 minutes.
SERVES: 1
NUTRITION: 846 calories; 62 g protein; 16 g carbs; 14 g fat
***
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