Want to get the magic 30g protein into every meal? This is the recipe book you need

We love nutritionist Emma Bardwell’s no-nonsense, fad-free approach to dietary advice and the subtitle of her new book The 30g Plan (Vermillion, £13.35)  is typically crystal clear: “How to eat more protein, fibre and plants to lose weight and feel great”. The book is a response to the question she gets asked over and over by clients at her clinic: “How do I lose weight without dieting?”

The answer is, she says, lies in the following easy-to-remember formula:

• Eating 30g of protein at each meal.
• Eating 30g of fibre per day.
• Eating 30+ plants per week (Zoe founder Professor Tim Spector popularised this practice – read more in this article about his cookbook.)
• Eating 300-500 fewer calories than you expend each day (ie being in calorie deficit).

Why is protein important?

Protein, which makes us feel full so can aid with weight loss, helps with muscle growth and repair, hormone production and blood sugar balance, among many other things. And, notes Bardwell, it’s especially important when you’re aged 40+: “Due to lower levels of the enzymes needed to break down protein, we become less efficient at digesting, absorbing and utilising it. So in midlife it’s especially important to be aiming for 30g plus of protein per meal.”

Emma Bardwell’s 5 easy ways to add protein to a meal

• A scoop of protein powder blended into smoothies or mixed into porridge (20g)
• A small cooked chicken breast shredded into soup (30g)
• 100g smoked salmon served in a bagel/sandwich (23g)
• 100ml eggs whites (you can buy cartons in supermarkets) added to omelettes/frittatas (11g)
• A handful of edamame beans added to soups/salads/stir fries (11g)

Why is fibre important?

We hear a lot about protein (the PTs at my gym talk about nothing else) but less so about its duller macro cousin, fibre – “the unsung hero of the nutrition world”, as Bardwell puts it. I recently wrote about how most of us aren’t achieving the NHS daily recommended dose of 30g – which is a missed opportunity as this plant-based nutrient, like protein, promotes satiety, as well as helping reduce the risk of biggies such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and some cancers, plus promoting bowel movements and feeding our good gut bacteria.

3 easy fibre wins

Here’s what Bardwell recommends for a quick fix fibre boost:

• “A tablespoon of psyllium husks gives you a whopping 8g of fibre, nearly a third of your daily target,” says Bardwell. “It tends to be well tolerated as it’s not a fermentable fibre so it won’t make you gassy.” Sprinkle it over porridge or granola, or bread recipes.
• “Swap white bread for sprouted grain, which is higher in fibre and protein,” she says. Or try baking her cottage cheese bread, which has 5.5g of fibre per slice.
• “Look out for red lentil, yellow pea, edamame or mung bean pastas,” she says. “Most supermarkets stock them nowadays. I like the brand Explore Cuisine – it’s a little more expensive than regular pasta but I use less as it’s so filling.” These alternative pastas have around 12g of fibre per 100g, while regular has around 3g.

Hungry now? Bardwell’s book is crammed with tasty and easy recipes – and below is one of them, which is ideal if you’re wondering what to do tonight with that salmon in the fridge . Emma’s harissa chickpeas with pan-fried salmon (or tofu, if you prefer) has 41g of protein and 12.5g fibre, a huge chunk of her daily recommended targets. Oh, and it’s totally delicious.

Harissa chickpeas with pan-fried salmon (or tofu)

Protein 41g, fibre 12.5g, 488kcal per portion

Serves 2 | Total time: 45 – 55 minutes

• 1 tsp harissa paste
• 1 medium white onion, finely diced
• 1 medium carrot, finely diced
• 1 stick of celery, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 400ml vegetable stock
• 2 – 3 tbsp nutritional yeast or 50g parmesan, grated
• A small bag of rocket

Your choice of protein:

• 2 salmon fillets, washed and dried well with kitchen roll
• OR 1 block (225g) smoked firm tofu, cubed, dried well with a paper towel and rolled in 1 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari) and 2 tbsp nutritional yeast, plus plenty of black pepper

Heat a few sprays of oil in a medium sized non-stick frying pan and saute the onion, carrot, celery and garlic with a good pinch of salt for 5–10 minutes until starting to soften.

Tip the chickpeas and vegetable stock in and add the harissa paste and 2 tbsp of nutritional yeast (if using). Stir well to combine. Allow to bubble then turn down the heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes until the liquid starts to thicken.

Meanwhile, cook your protein. For the salmon, add a few sprays of oil to a small frying pan on a medium heat. Lightly score the skin of the salmon 3–4 times and lay skin side down in the pan. Cook for 4-5 mins until crisp and golden then flip over and cook until cooked through and the flesh flakes easily.

For the tofu, preheat oven to 200°C (180° fan)/400°F. Lay the tofu on a baking tray covered with parchment paper (or ideally a silicon mat to get them really crisp). Bake on the top shelf for 20 mins, flip the cubes over and bake for another 20 mins.

Turn off the heat. Add in the parmesan (if using) or the final tbsp of nutritional yeast and stir to combine, making a nice cheesy, fairly thick saucy broth. Taste and season as needed before serving with your choice of protein and a generous side of rocket.

Extracted from The 30g Plan (Vermillion, £13.35) by Emma Bardwell