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.
