Weight Loss Recipes

6 Super-Fast Muscle Meals



Proper nutrition is the key to a fit physique. Fuel your power workouts with these easy, customizable recipes that prove you can stay on track without spending hours in the kitchen.
I get it. You want to maintain or build an amazing physique, but spending countless hours cooking each meal and shelling out a fortune on food is just not practical. I agree—"ain't nobody got time fo' dat !" So, here are 6 customizable meals that won't break the bank and that you can easily prep at the beginning of the week—and then freeze—so you can stay on track and accomplish your goals.
These six meals are quick, affordable, and chocked full of the macros you'll need to power through a week of grueling workouts. An added bonus: They're time efficient. Each meal can be prepared in mass in less than 25 minutes and can be customized to complement your diet and goals. Just prep, freeze, and defrost.

1 / BBQ Chicken Wrapped Asparagus

Hands down, this is one of my favorite meals. It's a super easy way to get your daily dose of veggies, and it's easily customizable so you can really make the meal your own. Go seasonal with your farmer's market faves or put a new spin on flavor by mixing in different spices.

Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Set oven to 405°F.
  2. Measure and cut chicken breasts into thin, 2-3 oz pieces. Feel free to further flatten the chicken with a mallet.
  3. Season chicken cutlets with 1 tbsp barbecue sauce (for each piece) and your choice of seasonings.
  4. Chop the ends off asparagus and wrap the chicken around 6 asparagus spears.
  5. Place the chicken on a baking sheet with the open facing down.
  6. Bake in the oven for about 8-10 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
(without fruit)
Calories 378
Total Fat3 g
Total Carb41 g
(18 g carbs from rice)
Protein46 g

2 / Wild Game and Black Bean Stuffed Bell Peppers (with Goat Cheese)

You 'mirin?! Well, if not, you should. Wild game is a fantastic protein source that's generally much lower in fat than beef and is often a better source of iron, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids. Not sure how to cook that gamey meat? Mix it with some black beans and a little salsa, stuff it in a bell pepper, and BOOM—certified muscle-building meal.

Ingredients
  1. 6 oz ground wild game (i.e., bison, kangaroo, elk, etc)
  2. 1/2 cup black beans
  3. 2 bell peppers
  4. 4 tbsp pico de gallo, salsa, or diced tomato
  5. 2 tbsp goat cheese crumble
  6. Pinch of fresh parsley; diced red onions
  7. Seasonings: garlic, onion powder
  8. Optional additional carbs: 1/4 cup brown rice
  9. Fruit (optional): fresh pineapple and mango slices
Instructions
  1. Set oven to 405°F.
  2. Cut tops off bell peppers and remove the seeds inside.
  3. Spray a baking sheet and place the bell peppers on the sheet with the open-side facing down. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
  4. Lightly spray a skillet with Kelapo Coconut Oil and place on medium heat. Add the diced onions.
  5. Add ground wild game meat to the skillet. When the meat is nearly finished, add in beans, fresh parsley, 2 heaping tbsp of pico de gallo, salsa, or diced tomatoes. Mix with a spatula.
  6. Remove the bell peppers from the oven and flip them over. Add in game and beans mixture. Top with goat cheese (or low fat mozzarella cheese) and fresh parsley (if desired)
  7. Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
(without fruit and optional ingredients, using 6 oz ground kangaroo)
Calories 355
Total Fat5 g
Total Carb44 g
(23 g carbs from beans)
Protein49 g

3 / Stuffed Muscle Eggs with Pita Bread

Don't be fooled by the looks of this meal. Between the eggs, yogurt, and fish, it packs quite a protein punch. Eat it for breakfast or lunch, and I guarantee you'll feel energized to attack your daily workouts.

Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Boil 2 eggs. Peel them and slice them in half. Remove the yolk from 1 egg (or both eggs) and add to a bowl.
  2. Add 1/2 can wild salmon to the bowl along with 1 tbsp Greek yogurt, onions, and your other choice of seasonings.
  3. Mix the ingredients together; then stuff the eggs. Or, add egg whites to the mixture to create a salmon salad.
  4. Eat the meal with pita bread or stuff the pita with the salad, lettuce, and tomatoes.
Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
(without fruit)
Calories 399
Total Fat9 g
Total Carb24 g
Protein55 g

4 / Spicy Flank Steak Kabobs with Sweet Potato, Blueberries and Almonds (Honey)

If I could only prep 3 meals per week, they'd definitely be breakfast, lunch, and my post-workout meal. The last thing you want after an amazing training session is to be unprepared. Use this post-workout meal—full of vitamins B, E, iron, and antioxidants—to refuel your body, replenish nutrients, and aid in muscle building and recovery.

Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Set oven to 405°F.
  2. Wrap the sweet potato in foil and place in the oven. If you cannot find a whole sweet potato close to your serving size, then simply cut the sweet potato into small pieces, measure them to ensure your serving size portion and bake them on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake for about 45 minutes depending on the size. If they are cut in chunks, then bake for only 25-30 minutes.
  3. Cut flank steak into very small pieces. Season with your choice of seasonings.
  4. Chop 1 zucchini and 1 bell pepper into small pieces for the kabob.
  5. Assemble the kabobs, alternating between beef, bell pepper, and zucchini.
  6. Place the assembled kabob on a baking sheet/pan and bake for 8-12 minutes depending how well you like your meat cooked.
Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
(without fruit and optional ingredients)
Calories 475
Total Fat11 g
Total Carb45 g
Protein35 g
Note: when preparing this meal for the week, if you choose to add blueberries and almonds, keep those items separate and do not freeze.

5 / Turkey Meatloaf with Spinach and Whole Wheat Pearl Couscous

Time to dust off your muffin pan! Steer clear of sugary carbs and use your baking tray for good with this easy meal you'll prep in virtually no time at all. Add your own swag and flavor with optional seasonings like olive tapenade and fruit.

Ingredients
Utensils
  • Muffin pan
Directions
  1. Set oven to 405°F.
  2. Season ground turkey with your choice of seasonings. Add in your choice of diced veggies.
  3. Lightly spray your muffin pan with Kelapo Coconut Oil. Place the ground turkey inside of the muffin holders. Depending on how big your muffin pan is and your singular serving, you may have to use 2 muffin holders for each serving.
  4. Top each serving with 1 tbsp marinara sauce.
  5. Bake in the oven for about 8-10 minutes. If you use less lean ground turkey, you can consider increasing the cooking time to 10-12 minutes.
  6. Boil couscous using water and low sodium chicken or vegetable broth. Add cilantro or onions while cooking for added flavor. Set aside, and allow to cool. Add 1 tbsp olive tapenade to couscous if desired.
Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
(without fruit and optional ingredients)
Calories 357
Total Fat4 g
Total Carb38 g
Protein41 g

6 / Sesame Tahini Shrimp and Raw Zucchini Linguine Pasta Salad

One of my mottos: "No boring food. Ever." That's especially true for salads. Spruce up that lowly bed of lettuce with good-for-you protein and fresh, raw veggies. In the right amount they can be satisfying, filling, and supply your body with the needed vitamins, antioxidants, and enzymes to aid in digestion, heart function, and overall health.

Ingredients
Utensils
  • Julienne Shredder
Directions
  1. Cut zucchini using a Julienne shredder in order to make the raw linguine.
  2. Slice veggies for pasta.
  3. In a bowl, mix tahini, sesame oil and Bragg's Liquid Aminos.
  4. Place all ingredients into a large bowl, including cooked shrimp. Pour the Tahini sauce you made over the meal. Toss it to make sure all sides are covered in the sauce.
  5. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top. And then devour!
Nutrition Facts
(without fruit and optional ingredients)
Amount per serving
Calories 470
Total Fat19 g
Total Carb28 g
Protein48 g
If you're concerned about the fat content, then simply remove the sesame oil which adds about 60 calories with 7g of fat.

5 Healthy Versions Of Famous Ice Cream Treats!

If you're the type who has to struggle not to steer into the drive-thru for a shake, hurry home and make these copies instead. They've got all the taste, none of the junk, and protein to spare!There may be someone, but I haven't met them yet. These treats aren't just popular because they taste good; it's because they're good in so many ways. They're cold, sweet, creamy, and crunchy all at the same time—not fair!—and they the classic texture of frozen dairy with whatever else you're craving at the moment.
What could possibly be wrong with this scenario? Well, I think we can all agree that these delicious treats are far too high in calories, fat, carbs and sugar. So is the answer to live wantingthem but not having them? Not a chance. The answer is to fake them!
You can make these healthy versions of my favorite ice cream concoctions in less than 20 minutes apiece. Each one is big on taste but low in calories, fat, carbs, sugar, and guilt! Don't believe me? Just check the stats! I use a few ingredients you might expect, like protein powders, and a few that might just blow your mind, like ... well, read on!

How to Make Soft Serve Ice Cream


If you're serious about your frozen treats—healthy or otherwise—an ice cream maker is well worth investing in. You can find a decent one for about $50 online, which may sound like a lot, but costs just the same as a dozen Blizzards or pints of Ben & Jerry's. Once you get the hang of making these healthy substitutes, you'll be eating profits in no time. But until then, I've also included the tried-and-true DIY plastic bag method.
Method 1 /// Ice Cream Maker Method
  1. Remove your ice cream maker's bowl from the freezer. (You're supposed to keep it in the freezer all the time, and at least for 24 hours before the first time you use it. Yeah, I was pretty angry about waiting 24 hours the first time, too). Set the bowl onto your ice cream stand according to the directions.

    2.
  2. Pour the ice cream mixture into your ice cream machine for 10-15 minutes, or according to the machine's directions. Keep an eye on it. If you're going for a Blizzard, you want the ice cream to have a soft-serve consistency, not a hard ice cream consistency, so don't leave it in the machine for too long.
Method 2 /// Ziploc Method
This may seem too simple to work, but trust me, it does—as long as you do it right. When you add salt to the ice, it lowers the freezing point, so more energy has to be absorbed from the environment for the ice to melt. This makes the ice colder than it was before, which is how your ice cream freezes.
Be sure to use kosher or rock salt rather than table salt, because their larger crystals are key to ending up with true soft serve texture. Larger crystals take longer to dissolve in water around the ice, which allows for consistent cooling of the ice cream.

  1. Stuff a huge Ziploc bag half-full with ice. Add 6 tbsp of kosher salt or rock salt and mix.
  2. Add all the ingredients in the desired recipe into a small Ziploc bag and seal it.
  3. Bury the small Ziploc bag inside the salty ice in the large Ziploc bag. Seal the large bag.
  4. Shake the bags vigorously for 5-15 minutes until ice cream forms. Hold with a towel to prevent frostbite!

1 / Strawberry Cheesecake Protein Shake

This shake takes Dairy Queen's Strawberry CheeseQuake Blizzard as its flavor inspiration, but strips away the sugar and calories. Quest Nutrition's Strawberry Cheesecake Quest Bar gives you that crucial crust texture, along with GG Bran Sprinkles, which are a flaked form of GG Bran crispbread. Both are low in net carbs and diabetic-friendly.

Ingredients
Directions
  1. Blend all of the ingredients except the Quest bar in a blender, Magic Bullet, or other mixer.
  2. Pour this mixture into your ice cream machine for 10-15 minutes.
  3. While you are waiting, cut 1/3 of a Strawberry Cheesecake Quest Bar into small pieces using scissors.
  4. Once the soft serve is ready, serve in a cup and add your Quest Bar pieces to the top.
Nutrition Facts:
Dr. Sara Solomon's Strawberry Cheesecake Protein Shake
Amount per serving
Calories 275
Total Fat8.3 g
Saturated Fat1 g
Trans Fat0 g
Cholesterol51.7 mg
Sodium425.3 mg
Total Carb22.8 g
Fiber10.7 g
Net Carbs12.1 g
Sugar3.4 g
Protein33.6 g
Nutrition Facts:
Dairy Queen Strawberry CheeseQuake Blizzard
Amount per serving
Calories 600
Total Fat21 g
Saturated Fat14 g
Trans Fat0.5 g
Cholesterol70 mg
Sodium280 mg
Total Carb92 g
Fiber0 g
Net Carbs92 g
Sugar76 g
Protein12 g

2 / Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Dough Shake

Just say the title of this shake three or four times out loud and try not to start jumping around like a little kid. My healthy chocolate treat is topped with Quest Cravings Protein Peanut Butter Cups and nuggets of Quest's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Bars. These gems raise this creamy treat to a whole new level of guilt-free decadence. The peanut butter cups taste just like candy, but because they're not made with sugar and are high in protein, you can have one without compromising your healthy lifestyle.
If you look at the ingredient list, you'll probably notice that my chocolate protein soft serve has another secret ingredient: zucchini! This requires a couple of disclaimers:
  • I swear you cannot taste the zucchini
  • The zucchini is the reason why the soft serve is so creamy, so use it!

Ingredients
Directions
  1. Blend the protein, almond milk, and zucchini together in a blender, Magic Bullet, or other mixer. Ensure the zucchini is completely pureed.
  2. Pour this mixture into your ice cream machine for 10-15 minutes.
  3. While you are waiting, cut peanut butter cup and Quest bar into tiny pieces with scissors.
  4. Serve in a cup and drizzle with 2 tbsp Walden Farms Sugar Free, Calorie Free Pancake Syrup (this is optional, but delicious) and add your Quest pieces.
Nutrition Facts:
Dr. Sara Solomon's Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Shake
Amount per serving
Calories 308
Total Fat12.4 g
Saturated Fat3.8 g
Trans Fat0 g
Cholesterol52.3 mg
Sodium544.1 mg
Total Carb17.9 g
Fiber7.9 g
Net Carbs10 g
Sugar5.5 g
Protein37.5 g
Nutrition Facts:
Dairy Queen's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Blizzard
Amount per serving
Calories 580
Total Fat24 g
Saturated Fat13 g
Trans Fat1 g
Cholesterol50 mg
Sodium300 mg
Total Carb80 g
Fiber1 g
Net Carbs79 g
Sugar68 g
Protein15 g

3 / Muscle Monkey Shake

Ben and Jerry's Chunky Monkey ice cream is one of their oldest and best-selling flavors. Why? Because, for those of us who have a palate for banana ice cream, nothing but banana will do. This recipe is simplicity itself, so you'll come back to it again and again.

Ingredients
Directions
  1. Mix the first three ingredients in a blender, Magic Bullet, or other mixer.
  2. Pour this mixture into your ice cream machine for 10-15 minutes. Add chopped walnuts in the final minute.
  3. While you are waiting, cut 1/3 of a Chocolate Brownie Quest Bar into small pieces with scissors.
  4. Once the soft serve is ready, serve in a cup and add your Quest Bar pieces to the top.
 Muscle Monkey Shake PDF (55.8 KB)
Nutrition Facts:
Dr. Sara Solomon's Muscle Monkey Shake
Amount per serving
Calories 332
Total Fat10.9 g
Saturated Fat1.7 g
Cholesterol51.3 mg
Sodium513.9 mg
Total Carb33.1 g
Fiber10.2 g
Net Carbs10.7 g
Sugar10.7 g
Protein33 g
Nutrition Facts:
Ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey Ice Cream
Amount per serving
Calories 580
Total Fat34 g
Saturated Fat20 g
Cholesterol110 mg
Sodium90 mg
Total Carb60 mg
Fiber2 g
Net Carbs58 g
Sugar54 g
Protein8 g

4 / Pumpkin Pie Shake

Pumpkin scares some people off because it has a high glycemic index of 75. Your immediate reaction may be to boycott it because it could cause a marked increase in your blood sugar, ultimately leading to fat storage. However, pumpkin has a low glycemic load of 3 because of its low carbohydrate content. This means pumpkin has a smaller impact on your blood sugar levels than its GI suggests, so don't hesitate to include this nutrient-dense vegetable into your diet.

Ingredients
Directions
  1. Mix all ingredients in a blender, Magic Bullet, or other mixer.
  2. Pour the mixture into your ice cream machine for 10-15 minutes.
 Pumpkin Pie Shake PDF (57.5 KB)
Nutrition Facts:
Dr. Sara Solomon's Pumpkin Pie Shake
Amount per serving
Calories 232
Total Fat5.9 g
Saturated Fat1.1 g
Cholesterol50 mg
Sodium470.2 mg
Total Carb20.4 g
Fiber7.9 g
Net Carbs12.5 g
Sugar5.1 g
Protein26.7 g
Nutrition Facts:
Dairy Queen Pumpkin Pie Blizzard
Amount per serving
Calories 540
Total Fat18 g
Saturated Fat9 g
Cholesterol45 mg
Sodium350 mg
Total Carb85 g
Fiber2 g
Net Carbs83 g
Sugar66 g
Protein10 g

5 / Mint Chocolate Chip Brownie Shake

Here's that zucchini again! You'll believe me after you try it, I swear! And because we're including the healthy peel this time, it'll also make your mint shake green.
This decadent shake also uses erythritol, is a naturally-occurring sugar alcohol that is naturally found in trace amounts in various plants, fruits and mushrooms. It's virtually calorie-free, has a low glycemic impact, doesn't contribute to tooth decay, and it tastes just like sugar. What's not to like?

Ingredients
Directions
  1. Blend all ingredients except for the Quest Bar in a blender, Magic Bullet, or other mixer. Make sure that the zucchini is completely pureed.
  2. Pour this mixture into your ice cream machine for 10-15 minute
  3. While you are waiting, cut Quest Nutrition Chocolate Brownie Bar into tiny pieces with scissors.
  4. Serve in a cup and add your Quest pieces to the top.

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