There have been plenty of diet trends and innovations, and, whilst most of them come and go, there are some which have stood the test of time. One trend that is leaving many people happy is the Ideal Protein diet programme. As its name implies, the Ideal Protein diet programme’s premise is that one’s blood sugar can be stabilised and a person can lose weight by consuming more protein. It often involves buying pre-packaged and portioned Ideal Protein food ingredients, which are specially-formulated to be low in fat and carbs. The diet focuses on decreasing carbohydrate consumption so that once your body’s reserves of glucose run out, your body can begin the fat-burning process.
If you want to try the Ideal Protein diet programme, it’s easy to make meals yourself. Here’s a list of some quick and easy Ideal Protein recipes for a great home-cooked meal.
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Pulled Pork
The ingredients you need: barbecue sauce, a kilo of pork roast, and half a cup to a cup of water. Simply put all the ingredients in a slow cooker and let it simmer on medium/low heat for about 6 to 8 hours. Once done, shred the meat and serve over a salad or steamed broccoli or cauliflower.
Jamaican Jerk Chicken
The ingredients for this dish include a teaspoon each of allspice and cumin (ground), ¼ of a teaspoon of cayenne pepper and thyme, 1/8 of a teaspoon of cinnamon, half a teaspoon of salt (preferably sea salt), and half a kilo of skinless chicken breast fillet.
To make the dish, mix the above-mentioned spices until you have a dry rub. Coat the chicken breast fillets on each side with the rub. Pre-heat your grill or a Teflon pan, and grill or fry the meat for approximately 7 to 9 minutes on each side; you can also see if the meat is done if the juices are already clear. Serve the chicken with your choice of vegetables.
Roasted Brussels sprouts
Vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts are rich in protein as well. You can also have your own delicious serving of vegetables with this roasted Brussels sprouts recipe. To prepare, you need about a little more than half a kilo of Brussels sprouts, two tablespoons of olive oil, half a teaspoon of salt (or according to your taste), and half a teaspoon of black pepper.
For this, just pre-heat your oven to about 204o Celsius (400o F), and prepare the Brussels sprouts by cutting off the ends and pulling off any leaves which are yellow. Cut the sprouts in half and mix them, along with the other ingredients, in a bowl. Put the mixed ingredients in a roasting pan and place in the oven for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the sprouts are crispy on the outside yet soft on the inside.
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