The chicken version might be more famous, but if you want to pack on muscle, salmon teriyaki should be your snack of choice. In addition to a big whack of protein, it also contains high levels of omega 3 fatty acids, which help you to recover after a tough gym session. For extra MF-approved goodness, this recipe also substitutes blood sugar-spiking noodles with high-fibre cucumber ribbons.

More meals that you can make in just 10-minutes. 

Salmon teriyaki with cucumber ribbons

Ingredients (serves 1)

2 fresh salmon fillets / 1tbsp soy sauce / 1tbsp dry sherry / 2tsp olive oil / 1tsp caster sugar / 2tsp grated root ginger / 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped / 1 cucumber / 2tsp rapeseed oil

To make

• Cut the cucumber into long, thin ribbons using a potato peeler.
• Mix the soy sauce, olive oil, sherry, caster sugar, ginger and garlic.
• Marinate the salmon in half the mixture and the cucumber ribbons in the other half for at least three minutes.
• Fry the salmon in the rapeseed oil over a medium heat for three minutes on each side.
• Serve the salmon on top of the cucumber.

Salmon provides vitamin B12, which boosts energy

Cucumber provides silica, which strengthens ligaments and tendons

Garlic provides manganese, which toughens up bones 

It’s the conundrum of egg-eating: the yolk is the best bit but without bread to mop it up, how do you make sure you get it all? Here’s how: by baking it in an avocado holder, which will give you a decent hit of healthy fats alongside your muscle-building protein. This combination will also boost your energy and help keep you full so you avoid the temptation to snack mid-morning.

Check out our dedicated 10-minute meal page for more quickfire recipes. 

Avocado baked eggs with pancetta

Ingredients (serves 1)

1 large avocado / 2 free-range eggs / 70g pancetta / Small handful of cress /Pepper to taste

To make

• Preheat the oven to 200˚C/gas mark 6.
• Halve the avocado and remove the stone.
• Crack the eggs into the holes where the stone was.
• Place in a casserole dish with the lid on and bake for eight minutes.
• Meanwhile lightly fry the pancetta in a non-stick pan over a medium heat for four to five minutes, stirring throughout, until it’s crisp.
• Remove the pancetta from the pan and place it on kitchen roll to remove any excess oil.
• Sprinkle the cress, pepper and pancetta on the avocados and serve.

Nutritional info

Avocado provides fibre, which improves digestion

Pancetta provides vitamin B6, which boosts energy levels

Eggs provide zinc, which increases testosterone production

Watercress provides vitamin K, which strengthens bones

 Struggle getting your eggs perfect. This should help. 

Scampi: it’s not just something on pub menus, you can make this version yourself in around ten minutes. The classic breaded prawn dish is high in protein as well as being filling and delicious. Like our other protein-rich salads, this is an ideal meal to make if you're following a muscle-building training plan. As well as being a high-protein food, prawns are environmentally sound and chefs such as Heston Blumenthal are making the scampi into a gourmet delight. 

This easy-to-cook version offers 50g of muscle-building protein, while wholemeal batter ensures you won’t suffer blood-sugar spikes and tartare sauce provides insulin-regulating chromium. 

Wholemeal Battered Scampi And Salad Recipe

764 calories

Ingredients (Serves One)

• 75g wholemeal flour 
• 100ml milk 
• 200g raw king prawns, peeled 
• 2tbsp rapeseed oil 
• 1tbsp diced shallots 
• 2tbsp diced gherkins
• 1tsp chopped parsley 
• 1tbsp capers
• 1tbsp mayonnaise 
• Juice of ½ a lemon, plus slices to serve 
• ½ a bag of mixed salad leaves

Method

Whisk the flour and the milk together in a bowl. Dip the prawns in the mixture. Fry them in the oil in a deep pan for three to four minutes. For the tartare sauce, mix the shallots, gherkins and parsley with the capers, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Serve the scampi on a bed of salad leaves. Garnish with the sauce and lemon slices.

Nutrition

We used Myfitnesspal, one of the best weight-loss apps for calorie counting, to calculate the approximate nutritional values of this recipe. This meal contains 764 calories, and provides 64g of carbohydrates, 53g of protein, 32g of fat and 9g of fibre.

Prawns

As well as being a low fat source of protein, prawns provide selenium which boosts immunity.

Lemon

Packed with vitamin C, lemons also provide flavonols which protect against cancer.

Gherkins

 These pickled cucumbers provide silica which is necessary for strong ligaments and tendons. 

More Seafood Recipes

• Try this crab and parsnip chips recipe
• This low-carb lemon crab salad is full of punchy flavours
• Prepare a protein-packed prawn and scallop dish in minutes 
• Support your training with this muscle-building prawn curry recipe

Meat and seafood are both high-protein foods that make for an excellent muscle-building combo, but you don’t need to cook an entire paella to reap the benefits. Featuring classic Spanish flavours, this dish boasts a monstrous 65g of protein to help you pack on size, and it only takes minutes to prepare. Serving it with edamame beans provides a bonus hit of protein – and filling fibre too.

Chorizo And Scallop Skewer Recipe

696 calories

Ingredients (Serves One)

• 100g chorizo 
• 150g scallops 
• 70g edamame beans 
• 2tsp olive oil

Method

Split the oil evenly between two pans and heat them both over a medium heat. Fry the chorizo in one pan and the scallops in the other for two to three minutes, turning to ensure they cook on both sides. Skewer the chorizo and scallops and serve with the edamame beans.

Nutrition

To get an approximate nutritional breakdown for this meal, we used Myfitnesspal, one of the best weight-loss apps for calorie counting, to crunch the numbers for us. It contains 696 calories, and provides 65g of protein, 38g of fat, 21g of carbohydrates and 4g of fibre.

Chorizo provides iron, which is needed for growth and development.

Scallops are high in protein, and contain a wide variety of vitamins and minerals, including omega-3 and selenium, which helps with cardiovascular health and thyroid function.

Edamame beans provide iron, calcium and vitamin K, which helps strengthen bones. These little green beans are also high in protein and fibre.

More About Nutrition 

• What to eat after a workout and when to eat it to get the most from your training session
• Upgrade your post-workout protein shake: these protein shake recipes use protein powder to make delicious smoothies
• Get an instant hit of the essential muscle-builder with these high-protein snacks
• Take the hassle out of eating healthily with the UK’s best healthy meal delivery services

It was created in the New York hotel of the same name in the 1890s, and over a century later this classic salad can still make for a quick, easy, fitness-boosting lunch. This MF version adds protein-rich chicken to encourage muscle growth, while the dressing – which contains insulin-controlling lemon juice and metabolism-boosting mustard – will aid fat loss.

Ingredients

Salad

½ a red apple, sliced / ½ a stalk of celery, peeled and chopped / 100g cooked chicken, chopped / 15g walnuts / ½ a head of baby gem lettuce, chopped / 1tsp chopped parsley

Dressing

2tbsp natural yogurt / 1tsp Dijon mustard / 1tbsp lemon juice

To make

Mix the salad ingredients in a bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients.

Garnish the salad with the dressing, season with salt and pepper to taste and serve

The nutritonal value

Walnuts are a source of joint-soothing omega 3 fats

Natural Yoghurt is rich in energy-boosting vitamin B12

Apples contain around 4g of filling fibre each

What’s the easiest way to convert a veg-packed, nutrient-rich soup into a filling, muscle-building meal? Add a pile of meat. The ham hock added to this pea soup is a high-protein food, containing 26g of protein per 100g, which will help you build lean muscle as well as making you feel full so you resist the temptation to snack. The ingredients in this recipe are fairly low in carbs, so you’ll avoid fat-storing blood sugar spikes.

You’ll need some sort of blender for this recipe – here’s our pick of the best food processors and handheld blenders on the market. This soup is ideal if you’re looking to pack in more protein with a muscle building diet, and it works if you’re following our weight loss diet plan for men or weight loss meal plan for women – just swap it for a meal of a similar calorie count.

Pea And Ham Soup Recipe

594 calories per serving

Ingredients (Serves Two)

• 2tbsp rapeseed oil 
• 1 medium-sized onion, chopped 
• 1 medium-sized sweet potato, cut into small cubes 
• 300g frozen garden peas 
• 300ml vegetable stock 
• 100ml semi-skimmed milk 
• 200g shredded ham hock 
• 1 small handful of fresh mint leaves 
• 1tsp chopped chives 
• Salt and pepper

Method

Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and sweet potato, season with the salt and pepper and fry for three minutes, stirring continuously. Add the peas and stock, bring to the boil and simmer for four minutes. Add the milk, bring back to the boil and then take off the heat. Blend the soup in a food processor until smooth. Serve it in a bowl and garnish it with the ham, chives and mint leaves.

Nutrition

We used Myfitnesspal, one of the best weight-loss apps for calorie counting, to crunch the numbers for us to get approximate nutritional values for this recipe. This soup contains around 594 calories, and provides 36g fat, 35g of carbohydrates, 34g of protein and 6g of fibre.

Sweet potato is rich in heart-healthy beta carotene, as well as copper, which helps the body generate energy from carbs.

Peas are high in bone-strengthening vitamin K and manganese, as well as filling fibre.

Onion is a source of anti-inflammatory quercetin and blood sugar-stabilising biotin.

Ham offers metabolism-boosting thiamin, while the fat it contains helps you absorb beta carotene.

More High-Protein Soup Ideas

• Help your muscles repair and grow with this chicken noodle soup
• Try this warming spiced parsnip, sweet potato and lentil soup 
• This healthy seafood soup is jam-packed with lean muscle-building protein

Legend has it that the mighty club sandwich, like so many enduring meals, was invented by a hungry gent slinging together everything he had in his kitchen. That man obviously had a well-stocked fridge – the combination of chicken, bacon, fruit and veg is ideal for keeping you alert and happy, as well as building muscle. In this version, we’ve made the club sandwich even better by including a few healthy extras. Scoff and grow.

Ingredients 

3 thin slices of wholemeal toast / 2 rashers of smoked back bacon / ½ a chicken breast, grilled and sliced / ½ an avocado / 1 tomato / Handful of spinach / 1tbsp onion jam

To make

• - Grill the sliced chicken breast for four minutes each side under a medium heat.
• - Grill the bacon for three minutes on each side. 
• - Cut the tomato and avocado into four thick slices each.
• - Toast the bread and spread half the onion jam on the first layer.
• - Add a layer of chicken and bacon, then a second layer of toast. Spread it with the remaining onion jam.
• - Add a layer of avocado, tomato and spinach followed by the final layer of toast. Press it, slice it and serve.

The nutritional value 

Bacon contains 12g of muscle-building protein per 100g, as well as testosterone-boosting zinc.

Avocado is high in heart- healthy fats and a variety of anti-inflammatory antioxidants.

Wholemeal Bread provides filling fibre and energy-sustaining slow-release carbs.

Many men turn their noses up at the very concept of ‘salad’ in favour of the more rugged charms of, say, steak. But salad doesn’t have to mean limp leaves. Take the mighty Cobb, named after an American restaurant owner who supposedly invented it by throwing together kitchen leftovers – it contains protein-rich chicken, bacon and egg to fill you up and boost muscle growth. The MF version has a home-made dressing with heart-healthy olive oil and insulin-controlling lemon juice. For more ingredients that will help you pack on lean muscle, read our guide to the best high protein foods. 

Ingredients

Salad: 1 chicken breast / 3 rashers of bacon / 1 hard-boiled egg /
Handful of cherry tomatoes, halved / 30g blue cheese, crumbled / Handful of iceberg lettuce, sliced / Handful of Romaine lettuce, sliced / Handful of watercress, sliced / 1tbsp chives, chopped / Salt and black pepper to taste

Dressing: 2tbsp olive oil / 1tbsp red wine vinegar / 1tbsp fresh lemon juice / ¾tbsp dry mustard / ½tsp Worcestershire sauce / 1 garlic clove, crushed / Salt and black pepper to taste

To make

- Grill the chicken breast for four minutes on each side under a medium heat.

- Grill the bacon alongside the chicken for three minutes on each side.

- Add a pinch of salt to a pan of boiling water and boil your egg for eight minutes.

- Meanwhile, mix the cheese, tomato, lettuce, watercress and chives

- In a separate bowl, mix the dressing ingredients, then add the dressing to the salad bowl and mix well.

- Peel and slice the egg and slice the chicken

- Top the salad with the chicken, bacon and egg.

The nutritional value

Chicken is full of energy-boosting B vitamins, as well as infection-fighting selenium.

Tomato contains immunity-boosting vitamin C
as well as biotin, which helps you metabolise sugar and fat.

Blue cheese is high in muscle-building protein and calcium to strengthen your bones.

Egg is rich in joint-soothing omega 3 fatty acids and is a leading source of choline, which is vital for cell health.

The traditional BLT makes for a tasty midday meal but isn’t the most nutritionally advisable option for the hard-training sandwich connoisseur. This variation brings a little more nutritional balance to the table: by replacing iceberg lettuce with avocado you get a creamy hit of fibre and oleic acid, which help to fill you up and reduce hunger pangs, alongside monounsaturated fats that are good for the heart. And, of course, by taking the open-face option you avoid excess calories from bread, 
so there’s no need to skimp on the bacon. 

This delicious lunch option is ideal if you’re looking to pack in more protein with a muscle building diet, and it works if you’re following our weight loss meal plan for men – just swap it for a meal of a similar calorie count.

Healthy BLT With Avocado Recipe

416 calories

Ingredients (Serves One)

• 2 slices lean, smoked back bacon 
• 
1 slice wholemeal bread 
• ½ ripe 
avocado, sliced 
• 5 cherry tomatoes, halved 
• 1tsp unsalted butter 
• 
Ground pepper to taste

Method

Grill the bacon under a medium heat for eight minutes or until crisp, turning halfway through.

Meanwhile, toast the bread. Butter the toast, place the bacon on top and layer with the avocado and tomato. Season to taste with black pepper and serve.

Nutrition

We entered this recipe into Myfitnesspal, one of the best weight-loss apps for calorie counting, to get approximate nutritional values. This meal contains around 416 calories, and provides 26g of fat, 24g of carbohydrates, 24g of protein and 9g of fibre.

Black 
pepper 
works as an antioxidant to improve digestion.

Wholemeal 
toast 
is rich in slow-release carbs to maintain your energy levels.

Tomato 
contains immunity-boosting vitamin C and heart-healthy vitamin B3.

Bacon 
is full of muscle-building protein and also contains choline, which improves brain function.

More Healthy Lunch Ideas

• No need to stick to soups and salads, we’ve got four healthy, protein-packed sandwich recipes for you
• These five healthy take-to-work lunches will make you the envy of all your desk buddies
• Make this healthy club sandwich in 10 minutes and help your body build more muscle

Think squid belongs in an aquarium rather than on a fork? Well, consider this: a 100g serving of calamari provides more than 15g of protein, despite containing just 90 calories and 1.4g of fat, making it one of the leanest muscle fuels available. It’s also extremely low in mercury – a toxic substance commonly found in seafood that can be poisonous if ingested in large quantities. Add squid rings to a chorizo and chickpea salad for an energy-enhancing pre-workout lunch.

Ingredients

2 red peppers, sliced / 400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained / 1 bunch parsley, roughly chopped / 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped / 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped / 50ml olive oil / 300g squid, sliced into 1cm rings / 100g chorizo, sliced / Juice and zest of half a lemon

To make

Grill the peppers under a medium heat until they’re slightly charred.
Mix the peppers, chickpeas, parsley, chilli and garlic in a large bowl and set to one side.
Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat until it’s smoking. Add a splash of olive oil and stir-fry the squid for around 30 seconds.
Scatter the chorizo over the squid and continue to cook for another 30 seconds, then remove from the heat and add to the bowl of peppers.
Season with salt and pepper, dress with lemon juice, zest and remaining oil, and serve.

Squid is also high in energy-giving vitamin B12 and bone-strengthening calcium.

Chickpeas are a great source of metabolism-boosting manganese and filling fibre.

Red peppers are full of vitamins A and C, which help repair the cell damage caused by intense training.

The offal truth: 
calf innards can 
be fantastic for 
your health. To be more specific, liver gives you some 
of the best possible bang for your nutritional buck because its cheap and packed with protein and a host of other nutrients. Add bacon and onions and you’ve got a muscle-building take on a traditional 
British feast.

Ingredients

¼ onion, finely sliced / 1tbsp olive oil / 2tbsp red wine / 150ml beef stock / 3 rashers streaky bacon / 200g calf’s liver, thinly sliced

To make

• Fry the onions with half the olive oil in a pan over a low heat.
• Add the wine and stock and leave to reduce until thickened.  
• Meanwhile, grill the bacon under a medium heat for eight minutes or until crispy, turning halfway through.
• Pan-fry the liver in the remaining oil over a high heat for eight minutes, turning halfway through.

Ingredient breakdown

Onions are rich in quercetin, which helps to soothe aching muscles.

Liver contains a hefty 28g of muscle-building protein per 100g.

Bacon provides a hit of energy-boosting B vitamins to fuel your gym sessions.

Olive oil offers a dose of omega 3, which improves joint health.

It may be considered traditional pub grub, but you don’t need to visit your local boozer to enjoy a good ploughman’s.
The home-made version here has over 20g of muscle-building protein, heart-healthy fats and slow-release carbs to boost your gym efforts. Skipping the traditional accompanying pint will increase your chances of actually training too.

Ingredients

Wholemeal baguette / 15g unsalted butter / 50g York ham / 50g mature cheddar cheese / 3 pickled onions / 2tbsp chutney / 2 tomatoes / 3 spring onions / 1 apple / 1tbsp mustard / A pinch of salt and pepper

To make

There's no prescribed method to making a ploughman's. Just slap it on a plate and munch however you like.

Ingredient breakdown

York ham is a good-quality ham that provides  protein to boost your muscle-building efforts.

Tomatoes are high in vitamin K for strong bones and manganese to control blood sugar.

Spring onions contain sulphur compounds that keep blood healthy and lower LDL (‘bad’) cholesterol.

Apples contain filling fibre and phytonutrients that keep your digestive system healthy.

Ham and eggs: it’s the breakfast of champions. And truckers. But while the classic double-header is a fine source of protein in its own right, the traditional diner accompaniment – chips – won’t do your waistline any favours.

The solution? Replace spuds with samphire. The nutrient-rich vegetable grows along the British coastline and offers a variety of fat-fighting benefits, including high levels of folate, which helps your body convert sugar into energy. Just give it a good rinse first to wash off the salt water.

Ingredients

4tbsp white or white wine vinegar / 2 eggs / 1tbsp olive oil / 50g samphire / 3 slices Serrano ham

To make

Bring a pan of water to the boil over a medium heat, then reduce to a simmer.
Add the distilled vinegar and stir.
Crack the eggs into the pan and simmer for three minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the samphire and sauté for two minutes.
Serve the ham and eggs on a bed of samphire.

Ingredient breakdown

Samphire is a source of vitamins A and C, which work to boost your immune system.

Eggs are full of omega 3 fatty acids, which improve joint health and reduce inflammation.

Who says salads can’t be manly? This Spanish dish contains protein-packed chorizo, added to a healthy base of antioxidant-packed greens. Try it post-workout – siesta optional.

Ingredients

100g green beans, halved / 75g chorizo, sliced / 1 onion, sliced / 1 garlic clove, crushed / 1tbsp sherry or red wine vinegar / 5 cherry tomatoes, halved / 1tbsp olive oil / 20g watercress / Wholemeal bread, to serve

To make

Boil the green beans in a pan for three to four minutes.
In another pan, heat the oil and fry the chorizo for three to four minutes.
Add the onions and garlic to the same pan and fry for a further two minutes.
Add the vinegar and tomatoes to the pan and sizzle for 30 seconds.
Toss the chorizo mixture with the watercress and cooked green beans and serve with the bread.

Ingredient breakdown

Tomatoes contain vitamin C, which helps your body form strong tendons, ligaments and bone.

Green beans are a source of the mineral silicon, which keeps bone and connective tissue healthy.

Onion is packed with quercetin, an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties.

Bored with scrambled eggs? Try this spicy Turkish dish to add some variety to your morning meals. As well as the protein provided by the eggs, you get a hefty dose of muscle fuel from the yoghurt. The other ingredients provide both delicious flavours and more health benefits.

Ingredients

2 eggs / 1½ cloves garlic, crushed / 100g Greek yoghurt / 20ml extra virgin olive oil / 10g unsalted butter / ½tsp dried chilli flakes / 1 stalk fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped / 25ml white wine vinegar

To make

• Mix the garlic with the yoghurt and half the olive oil. Whisk for ten seconds and put to one side.
• Melt the butter in a small pan until it is a nutty brown colour. Remove from the heat, add the chilli and stir, allowing it to sizzle.
• Add the remaining oil and parsley, then set aside.
• Add the vinegar to a deep pan of simmering water and poach the eggs.
• Serve the eggs in a bowl on top of the yoghurt mixture and pour the olive oil/butter mixture over the top.

Ingredient breakdown

Eggs are a great source of essential amino acids and testosterone-boosting zinc.

Greek yoghurt is low-GI, so it helps to keep blood sugar levels steady and prevent energy crashes.

Chilli flakes are a source of capsaicin, which increases your metabolic rate, causing your body to burn more calories.

Olive oil contains plenty of heart-healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

Who says you need meat for muscle-building protein? This vegetarian salad contains feta cheese and cannellini beans, both of which offer a decent serving of protein, making it a perfect lunch or post-gym snack – particularly since it’s quick and easy to make.

Ingredients

50g carrots, sliced / ½ red onion, sliced / 80g green beans / 80g feta / ½ can cannellini beans / 1tbsp olive oil / 1tbsp lemon juice / 1tbsp chives

To make

• Bring a pan of water to the boil and blanch the carrots and green beans for two to three minutes.
• Cut the feta into cubes and drain the cannellini beans.
• Mix the salad ingredients and dress with the olive oil, lemon juice and chives.

Ingredient breakdown

Feta 
is a great source of muscle-building protein and bone-strengthening calcium.

Carrot 
has betacarotene, which the body turns into vitamin A to strengthen the immune system.

Red onion 
is a source of chromium, a mineral that helps to control the body’s insulin response, preventing hunger cravings.

Green beans contain the mineral silicon, which is essential for keeping bone and connective tissue healthy.

Enjoying a club sandwich needn’t require a trip to Greggs. This healthy recipe includes freshly cooked chicken and bacon for maximum flavour, but it’s still quick and easy enough that you can make it at home.

Ingredients

½ chicken breast / 1tbsp olive oil / 2 rashers lean bacon / 3 slices chunky wholemeal bread / ½ avocado, sliced / 1 tomato, sliced / 25g lettuce, chopped / 1tsp Greek yoghurt

• Butterfly the chicken, brush with olive oil and grill under a medium heat for eight minutes or until cooked throughout, turning halfway through.
• Grill the bacon for five to seven minutes, turning halfway through.
• Lightly toast the bread.
• Assemble the sandwich to your preference, spreading the Greek yoghurt on the underside of the top slice of bread.

Ingredient breakdown

Chicken is an excellent source of lean protein and vitamin B3, which helps to prevent fat storage.
 
Avocado is packed with mono- and polyunsaturated fats for a healthier heart.
 
Tomato contains plenty of vitamin C, which helps your body to form strong tendons, ligaments and bone tissue.
 
Greek yoghurt has twice the muscle-building protein of standard low-fat yoghurt and just half the carbs.

Poached eggs make for a tasty, protein-rich breakfast, but sticking them on toast or with a slice of bacon all the time isn’t the most inspiring meal. This straightforward eggs Florentine recipe will allow you to add a lot of flavour-packed ingredients to your dish – and it takes just a few minutes, so you can have it even when you’re in a rush.

Ingredients 1 wholemeal muffin / 1 medium egg / 2tbsp hollandaise sauce (shop bought) / A handful of spinach / 1tbsp olive oil / A pinch of salt / 4tbsp white wine vinegar / A pinch of cayenne pepper / 1tsp fresh chives, diced

To make

• Bring a pan of water to the boil and add the salt and white wine vinegar.
• Crack the egg into the pan and let it simmer for three minutes.
• While the egg is cooking, slice and lightly toast the muffin, heat the hollandaise sauce in a pan over a low heat until warmed through and cook the spinach in a pan with the olive oil for two minutes, also on a low heat.
• Remove the egg with a slotted spoon and serve with the muffin, sauce and spinach.
• Garnish with the chives and pepper.

Ingredient breakdown

Eggs contain all the crucial amino acids your muscles need to build and repair themselves. 
Spinach is full of iron, which supplies muscles with oxygen, and bone-strengthening vitamin K.
Olive oil is a great source of heart-healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
Cayenne pepper contains capsaicin to fire up your metabolism and help you burn more calories.

Cereals and toast may seem like convenient morning meals but they won’t do your waistline any favours. Porridge, on the other hand, is packed with protein and slow-release carbohydrates to fuel your day. 

What’s more, it’s easy to prepare and can be customised to your taste with a variety of delicious, healthy toppings, such as this version topped with antioxidant-filled blueberries and nutritious pecan nuts – here’s more on why you should eat healthy seeds and kernels.

Mix up your morning routine with one of our best smoothie recipes, or start planning lunch with one of these protein-rich salads.
 

Blueberry And Pecan Porridge With Honey Recipe

497 calories

Ingredients (Serves One)

• 50g porridge oats 
• 200ml semi skimmed milk 
• 1tbsp Manuka honey 
• 2tbsp pecan nuts, halved 
• Handful of blueberries

Method

Put the milk and oats in a pan and cook over a medium heat for eight to ten minutes, stirring occasionally. Top with the remaining ingredients and serve immediately.

Nutrition

We headed over to Myfitnesspal, one of the best weight-loss apps for calorie counting, to get approximate nutritional values for this recipe. This porridge contains 527 calories, and provides 70g of carbohydrates, 19g of fat, 15g of protein and 7g of fibre.

Milk is packed with muscle-building protein and calcium, which helps your body to metabolise fat efficiently.

Manuka honey contains methylglyoxal, an antibacterial agent that helps the body to fight infection.

Pecan nuts are high in muscle-building protein and heart-healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

Blueberries contain pterostilbene, a compound that helps the body to break down fat and lower LDL (‘bad’) cholesterol.

More Healthy Breakfast Ideas

• From bagels to pancakes, these energy breakfasts will set you up for the day
• Here are some healthy breakfasts worth getting up for
• Try this mixed berry, oat and yogurt breakfast mousse
• Bliss bowls, chia puddings and tofu scrambles – try these healthy vegan breakfast recipes from Chef Day Radley

Eating fish when you are in a rush doesn’t have to involve a trip to the local chippy. This simple, tasty and nutritionally balanced salmon recipe by chef Karol Gladki (karolgladki.com) can be prepared in less than ten minutes, making it easy to enjoy the benefits of this oily
fish in your diet regularly.
 
Ingredients 200g salmon fillet / 1 pack of asparagus tips / 100g peas / A handful of spinach / 2tbsp extra virgin olive oil / 

To make

• Preheat the grill to 180°C.
• Place the salmon on a baking tray and grill it for eight minutes, flipping halfway through.
• Meanwhile, warm your pan over a medium heat and add half the olive oil.
• Add the asparagus tips to the pan and fry for three minutes until tender, stirring occasionally.
• Add the peas and cook for another two minutes.
• Add the spinach and cook for a further two minutes.
• Serve the salmon with the vegetables and dress it with the remaining olive oil and lemon.

Ingredient breakdown

Salmon ‘It’s rich in muscle-building protein,’ says Gladki, ‘and omega 3 fatty acids, which help reduce inflammation after a workout.’
 
Spinach ‘This is a great source of iron, which helps to supply muscles with oxygen, and contains bone-strengthening vitamin K.’
 
Peas ‘They’re packed with vitamin B1, which helps reduce sugar cravings. They also provide mood-boosting vitamin C.’
 
Asparagus ‘This contains vitamin E and folate, which help to reduce the risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer.

Just because a meal is straightforward doesn’t mean it has to be bland. This dish may be simple but it’s packed with flavour, along with a host of nutritious ingredients to help you build muscle and burn fat. Just follow the recipe below, provided by chef Karol Gladki (karolgladki.com).

Ingredients

1 organic chicken breast / 1 
red pepper, chopped / 50g cherry tomatoes, halved / 
A handful of spinach, chopped / 50g green beans, trimmed and halved / A handful of 
pitted black olives / 2tbsp 
olive oil / 1tbsp balsamic vinegar / 1tbsp capers
 

To make

• Preheat the grill to 180˚C.
• Butterfly the chicken breast and season it with a little salt and pepper and half the olive oil, then grill it for eight minutes, turning halfway through.
• Heat the rest of the olive oil in a pan on a medium heat, then add the green beans, peppers and capers to the pan and cook for four minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the tomatoes and olives and cook for a further two minutes.
• Add the spinach and seasoning and cook for a further minute.
• Place the veg mix on a plate with the chicken on top and garnish it with the balsamic vinegar.

Ingredient breakdown

Chicken A very lean meat that’s packed with muscle-building protein.
 
Spinach It's full of iron, which supplies muscles with oxygen and bone-strengthening vitamin K.
 
Tomatoes They contain plenty of vitamin C, which helps your body form strong tendons, ligaments and bone tissue.

Prawns and scallops are an excellent addition to any manly diet. Not only are they tasty and packed with muscle-building protein, they can also be prepared quickly and easily for an impressive healthy meal. Just follow this recipe, provided by chef Karol Gladki (karolgladki.com).
 
Ingredients

• 1tbsp olive oil
• 100g of raw prawns, peeled
• 100g of Queen scallops
• 2 pak choi, cut into quarters
• 1 chilli, chopped
• 1tbsp chopped ginger
• A handful of chopped coriander leaves
• 1tbsp low-sodium soy sauce (optional)
• Juice of 1 lemon (optional)

To make

• Heat the olive oil in a wok on a high heat.
• Add the prawns and scallops to the wok and cook for three minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the pak choi, chilli, ginger and coriander and cook for a further three minutes.
• Serve, garnishing with your choice of soy sauce, lemon juice or just a little salt and black pepper.

Ingredient breakdown

Prawns contain plenty of protein and vitamin B12 to help you pack on muscle.
 
Ginger is high in vitamins B5 and B6, which are essential for optimum health.
 
Chillies are a source of capsaicin, which ramps up your metabolic rate, causing your body to burn more calories.

Throwing a salad together is a great option when you’re in a hurry, especially if it’s full of nutrient-rich ingredients that will supplement your training. One of our time-saving 10-minute meals, this Italian recipe provided by chef Karol Gladki is ideal if you’re wondering what to eat after a workout, as with an impressive 50g of protein this salad will help you build and repair your muscles, and avoid the post lunch crash associated with a carb-heavy meal. 

If you’re looking to include more protein in your diet, here are the best high-protein foods, and if you’d prefer to avoid meat, check out the best vegan protein sources.

Bresaola, Peach And Rocket Salad

550 calories

Ingredients (Serves One)

• 150g of bresaola
• 1 peach
• A handful of rocket leaves
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Method

Cut the peach into pieces. Make the dressing by mixing the olive oil and sherry vinegar, and seasoning with salt and black pepper. Arrange the bresaola and peach on the rocket, and pour over the dressing.

Nutrition

We used Myfitnesspal, one of the best weight-loss apps for calorie counting, to get a rough nutritional breakdown for this salad so you can hit your macro goals. 

This salad comes out at 550 calories and provides a whopping 50g of protein, 32g of fat, 16g of carbohydrate and 3g of fibre.

Peach

Provides vitamins A and C, which help reduce the cell damage caused by intense training. 

Bresaola

This very lean, tender air-dried beef is high in muscle-building protein and creatine. 

Rocket

Contains glucosinolates, which have powerful disease-fighting properties.

More About Nutrition

• Find the best protein powder to support your training with expert advice on what to look out for and our tasting notes
• Upgrade your post-workout shake with our top protein shake recipes using protein powder to make delicious, fitness-boosting combos
• Take the hassle out of eating healthily with the UK’s best healthy meal delivery services