5 high-protein meals you can make in under 20 minutes

Protein is an essential part of a healthy diet. We recommend eating at least 60g of protein per day to support you to maintain muscle mass, stay nourished and energised, and reduce your risk of chronic illnesses like cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. Not only that, but it’s key to weight loss as it increases satiety, improves your sleeping metabolic rate and prevents weight regain. Keep reading to find out our top tips for increasing your protein intake, and some of our favourite high-protein meals to make the most of this all-rounder nutrient.

Tips to increase your protein intake

• Make it convenient: Keeping protein easily to hand helps reduce your temptation to reach for something less healthy when you need a quick fix. Tinned fish, eggs and Greek yoghurt are great options to have at home to top up the protein of your meals. On busy days, protein bars or protein shakes are ideal for keeping on hand.
• Plan ahead: Pre-plan your meals using a tool like The Fast 800 Programme to track how much protein you’re getting in your day. This way you can fill in gaps and map out where to add additional nutrients into your meal. Plus, having a meal plan alleviates the need to decide what meals to make every day. Bonus!

• Mix it up: Try different protein sources in your high-protein meals for variety. While protein is most commonly found in animal products like meat or eggs, there are many plant foods out there that are rich in this macronutrient, like tofu and beans.
• Make simple swaps: Arguably the easiest way to start increasing your protein intake is to make some simple swaps in your existing diet. For example, swap out plain yogurt for Greek yogurt which contains over double the protein, and opt for quinoa, which is a complete protein, instead of white rice.

High-protein meals in under 20 minutes

• Chicken and Chickpea Salad: This high-protein meal is as easy as it is delicious. With zero cook time, it couldn’t be quicker to get in half your daily recommended amount of protein and a healthy 8.9g of fibre. In fact, it involves just one step: mix all the ingredients together and enjoy!

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• Halloumi Fritters: These delicious fritters serve up 25g of protein, as well as plenty of healthy fats to keep you energised and satiated all afternoon. They’re fasting and keto-friendly, packed with vitamins and minerals that target eye health, muscle growth and immunity.
• High Protein Pasta: Pasta can feel like a go-to when you need a comforting meal but you’re short on time. Though white pasta is typically high in carbohydrates, this recipe makes some simple swaps to reduce your blood sugar spikes and up the protein content. One bowl provides 27g of plant-based protein.
• Grilled Spicy Salmon with Avocado Salsa: Salmon and avocado are a match made in heaven, making the perfect combination of flavour, healthy fats and protein. This combination is sure to keep you full until your next meal, and feel free to mix it up with different seasonal vegetable sides.
• Prawn Fried Cauli Rice: This speedy recipe is rich in protein and low in carbs, switching out white rice for keto-friendly cauli rice. It’s a great way to use up leftover non-starchy vegetables, and makes use of freezer staples like frozen prawns and beans.

For more delicious high protein recipes, as well as meal plans to track your nutrient intake and automated shopping lists for the ultimate convenience, sign up to your 7-day free trial of The Fast 800 Programme here.