Fit Friday - Protein Style

Hello! Fit Friday is here and we are talking protein. Ruthie (Cooking with Ruthie) has brought us a delicious omelet recipe that will start those taste buds off happy any morning.

Caprese French Country Omelet is a lovely breakfast or brunch of fresh basil leaves, petite heirloom tomatoes, chunks of fresh mozzarella on a bed of onions and eggs. *caprese-french-omelet 1
 I love french country omelets~ they're fancier than just plain ole' scrambled eggs and they feed a 3-4 people quickly and easily! That's always a plus when everyone is hungry and making lots of individual omelets becomes redundant :) AND I adore fresh basil, heirloom tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella right to death! Oh my. I swear I could live on those 3 things with whole grain baguettes for the rest of my life :) Hahaha. (alright I might need some olive oil too). You'll love these flavors in an omelet too... it's seriously Ahhhhh-mazing! *caprese-french-omelet 3
 Caprese French Country Omelets are healthy, full of good fats, and nutrition to get your day started off well! I love to cook with good quality olive oil... when you are heating it in the skillet make sure to add in the onions just before it hits the smoke point so the quality of the olive oil isn't compromised. There are a few brands for olive oil out there that have a higher smoke point but most are between 325-375 degrees F so just keep a good eye on it and start adding in the onions when it shimmers and begins to let off a bit of smoke. *caprese-french-omelet 4

You'll be surprised how simple this Caprese French Country Omelet is to make, it's even great for week days!


You don't have to be muscle bound to need protein in your diet, everyone needs protein in their diet. This is a discussion I have had a lot over the years with a lot of my female clients. Protein is an essential part of anyone's diet. Protein, fats, carbs, and water are all necessities.
"But I don't really like to eat a lot of meat...." 
That is just fine because protein is not only found in meat. So let's talk about food and protein:

1) Obviously meat is the first thing most people think of. Lean meat, fish, and poultry have approx 7 grams of protein per 1 ounce. One ounce of meat is not a lot of meat, meaning you don't have to eat a ton of meat to get protein.

2) 1 egg = 6 grams of protein. A couple eggs in the morning is a great way to start the day, I love mine with lots of added veggies. I can't wait to try out the Caprese Omelet! If you don't have time in the morning hard boil them and keep them handy for a snack. I do realize some of you just don't like eggs, try sneaking them into things. My husband is great at sneaking eggs into my 3 yr old's pancakes, or on my long run days I mix in an egg with my oatmeal.

3) 1 ounce of milk = 1 gram of protein. This is diary milk but many milk substitutes also have protein. Drink up!

4)100 grams of Greek yogurt = 10 grams of protein. Try to keep it plain and play with add-ins. I love to microwave frozen berries for 30 seconds and mix it in with my plain greek yogurt.

5) 1 ounce of cheese = 7 grams of protein. Just remember different cheeses offer up different amounts of calories and fat. My 6 year old loves feta and goat cheeses. These are lower calorie options with high flavor. The bonus of high flavor means a little goes a long way.

6) 1/2 c of cooked kidney beans = 7 grams of protein. These are great to add to salads and soups.

7) 1/2 c of cottage cheese = 14 grams of protein. Mix it up by adding fruit, yogurt, salsa etc. My 6 year old and I love to share cottage cheese and salsa with tortilla chips.

8) 1/2 c of lentils = 9 grams of protein. You will find these used quite often in Mediterranean diets. they are another great add to soups and salads.

9) 1 ounce of nuts = 7 grams of protein. Just be aware of servings sizes here. It is very easy to overdo it on the nuts!

10) 1/2 c of veggies = 2 grams of protein. Even your veggies have protein, but you are going to need A LOT of veggies to count these as your sole protein source. 

11) 2 Tbs of peanut butter = 8 grams of protein. This one I have got covered.....maybe too well. This is another protein source that is very easy to go overboard. 






I hope this opened up your mind a bit to protein. Remember, you have to have protein in your diet. For some of my female clients the goal is simply 50 grams of protein/day, but even this is on the low end. Eat up!


I hope you have an extra fabulous weekend!! Happy Fit Friday!
Much Love and Peace~
Nichole and Ruthie

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