What to eat for strong sexy muscles! Recipes Included

i saw this article and had to repost!


The formula: workout + 20 grams of protein = muscle.

The key is to eat the 20 grams of protein after a workout. Doing so boosted muscle building for participants in a recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. There’s more good news: the study found you can reap these muscle-building benefits regardless of your age.

So what should you eat? Depending on what time of day you exercise, try one of these satisfying snacks or meals, which each pack around 20 grams of protein:

If you exercise in the morning, eat...
Citrus Berry Smoothie

Ingredients

* 1 1/4 cups fresh berries
* 3/4 cup low-fat plain yogurt
* 1/2 cup orange juice
* 2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk
* 1 tablespoon toasted wheat germ
* 1 tablespoon honey
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

1. Place berries, yogurt, orange juice, dry milk, wheat germ, honey and vanilla in a blender and blend until smooth.

Nutrition

Per serving: 432 calories; 3 g fat ( 2 g sat , 0 g mono ); 15 mg cholesterol; 77 g carbohydrates; 20 g protein; 7 g fiber; 250 mg sodium; 617 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (175% daily value), Calcium (63% dv), Potassium (18% dv), Magnesium (16% dv).

Carbohydrate Servings: 4 1/2

Exchanges: 3 fruit, 2 low-fat milk


This meal-in-a-glass smoothie gets it's protein from low-fat yogurt and nonfat dry milk and is bursting with berries and orange juice, healthful sources of carbohydrate and powerful antioxidants. Getting plenty of antioxidant-rich foods makes sense for active people, since free radicals are produced any time the body's cells process oxygen.

Scrambled eggs and a glass of milk
Two eggs (or 1 whole egg and 1 white, if you prefer), plus a glass of skim milk will give you 20 grams of protein for a post-workout breakfast. Pair it with a slice of whole-grain toast and a cup of strawberries and you’ll power through until lunch.

If you exercise in the afternoon, eat...
Salmon Salad Sandwich

Ingredients

* 2 6- to 7-ounce cans boneless, skinless wild Alaskan salmon, drained
* 1/4 cup minced red onion
* 2 tablespoons lemon juice
* 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
* 4 tablespoons reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufch
* 8 slices pumpernickel bread, toasted
* 8 slices tomato
* 2 large leaves romaine lettuce, cut in half

Preparation

1. Combine salmon, onion, lemon juice, oil and pepper in a medium bowl. Spread 1 tablespoon cream cheese on each of 4 slices of bread. Spread 1/2 cup salmon salad over the cream cheese. Top with 2 tomato slices, a piece of lettuce and another slice of bread.

Nutrition

Per serving: 286 calories; 9 g fat ( 3 g sat , 4 g mono ); 34 mg cholesterol; 29 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 22 g protein; 4 g fiber; 645 mg sodium; 262 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Folate (22% daily value), Iron & Vitamin C (17% dv), source of omega-3s.

Carbohydrate Servings: 2

Exchanges: 2 starch, 1/2 vegetable, 2 lean meat, 1 fat
This amazing salmon salad on pumpernickel provides 22 grams of protein. Don’t have canned salmon on hand? Try tuna for the same protein punch.

Whole-wheat toast, peanut butter and a glass of milk
You can easily get in 20 grams of protein with 1 slice of whole-wheat toast (2.5 g), 1 tablespoon peanut butter (8 g) and 1 cup skim milk (10 g).

If you exercise before dinner, eat...
Chipotle & Orange Grilled Chicken

Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons orange-juice concentrate, thawed
* 1 tablespoon finely chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, (see Note)
* 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
* 2 teaspoons unsulfured molasses
* 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
* 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts,trimmed
* Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Preheat grill or broiler.
2. Whisk together orange-juice concentrate, chipotle pepper, vinegar, molasses and mustard in a small bowl.
3. Lightly oil the grill or broiler rack (see Tip). Season chicken with salt and grill or broil for 2 minutes. Turn, brush with the glaze and cook for 4 minutes, brushing occasionally with glaze. Turn again, brush with the glaze, and cook until the center is no longer pink, 1 to 2 minutes longer.

Tips & Notes

* Note: Chipotle chiles in adobo sauce are smoked jalapeños packed in a flavorful sauce. Look for the small cans with the Mexican foods in large supermarkets. Once opened, they'll keep up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer.
* Tip: To oil a grill rack: Oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.) When grilling delicate foods like tofu and fish, it is helpful to spray the food with cooking spray.

Nutrition

Per serving: 149 calories; 3 g fat ( 1 g sat , 1 g mono ); 63 mg cholesterol; 7 g carbohydrates; 2 g added sugars; 23 g protein; 0 g fiber; 154 mg sodium; 300 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Selenium (30% daily value), Vitamin C (20% dv).

Carbohydrate Servings: 1/2

Exchanges: 3 1/2 very lean meat
If you work out before dinner, you’ll want a quick and easy recipe to get the protein you need. Ready in under 30 minutes and protein-packed (23 grams), this flavorful chicken recipe fits the bill.

What's your secret to strong, sleek muscles?

By Kerri-Ann Jennings

Kerri-Ann, a registered dietitian, is the associate editor of nutrition for EatingWell magazine, where she puts her master’s degree in nutrition from Columbia University to work writing and editing news about nutrition, health and food trends. In her free time, Kerri-Ann likes to practice yoga, hike, bake and paint.