Protein is very important for your health, your energy, your body and your mind. After all, protein is the building block of all muscle and so without it we wouldn’t be able to sculpt better bodies. For those who have purchased my programs, you’ll notice that I will always suggest that you eat some form of protein in each of your meals - I know I do this every day! Since protein comes in many forms, I suggest you mix it up so you don’t get bored. After all, boredom leads to falling off track!

WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO COOK MY PROTEIN?

I love a good roast - doesn't everyone? All types of protein can pretty much be roasted, grilled or baked in the oven. You can mix up your flavours and add vegetables. Oven cooking is very easy to prepare and does not require much monitoring. You can cook a whole turkey, whole chicken, whole fish, loin roast or even tofu and tempeh.

Try to always choose cuts that have little fat. Or cut off the fat before you put it in the oven. However, roasting lean meat can dry out the protein, so it is best to cover the roasting pan with foil to keep in moisture. Otherwise, low fat meats should be cooked in a broth rather than roasted.  Marinating the protein before it enters the oven is a great way to add flavour as well as stuffing the protein with garlic or smothering it in delicious herbs and spices.

GRILLING

Everybody loves a BBQ and the taste of a good grill. You can actually grill on the BBQ or even in the oven. Grilling makes your food crispy, however it can also dry it out so take extra care to watch your grill. If you’ve got the time, use the grill to crisp the edges and give it that barbecue flavour, then place it in the oven to cook through - this is my favourite method when I have the time.

Fish is best cooked on a grill rack because it cooks very fast and it keeps it from falling apart. To add some flavour, marinate your protein first, add herbs and then throw it on the grill. Don’t take your eye off the grill though, because grilling is pretty instant!

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THE PAN

Cooking on the stove is usually the easiest way to cook but it can also be the unhealthiest if you do it the wrong way. The added oils needed to cook protein can add hundreds of calories. So what I recommend is purchasing a very good non-stick fry pan, like the stone-coated ones. With a non-stick pan you don’t really need oil to cook your protein. Always choose olive oil or coconut oil to cook with as it has a high cooking temperature, BUT don’t let it get so hot that it starts to smoke. If you do not have a non-stick pan then you can also cook your food in a small amount of water - this is kind of like steaming.

Make sure you cut your protein and veggies quite small so that they cook faster. Also, add lots of flavour with vegetables like onions and garlic or herbs and spices, as steaming can be quite bland. All the flavour will come from the food, rather than from the cooking method.

STEWING

Stews always remind me of winter. They are always so warm and tasty. Stewing is a slow cooking method that involves putting all your ingredients into a lot of liquid and it is the liquid that cooks the food. Stewing can either be done in a slow cooker machine, on the stove or in the oven. So put together your favourite protein, vegetables, and even carbs and throw them all into a stew. Make sure to add plenty of herbs and spices, as well as some healthy cooking stock. Stewing is great because even low-quality cuts of protein will become extremely tender.