Editor's Note: Tired of hearing why it's important to eat healthy and what your diet should consist of? If you're a STACK reader, you know by now that certain foods are better than others; but how do you actually apply that knowledge to your daily eating habits?
We are pleased to announce a solution. Each month STACK Expert and sports dietitian Kait Fortunato provides a recipe to STACK athletes right out of her own kitchen! Each recipe is accompanied by a catalog of its benefits to athletes and Fortunato's advice about the best time to consume it. All of the recipes are healthy, quick and easy to prepare and, best of all, great-tasting.
The following recipe is a great example of how easy it is to make cooking healthier. I took a traditional chicken piccata dish, trimmed the fat and amped up the protein and vegetables. It has minimal breading—a 1/4 cup of whole-wheat flour covered five chicken breasts—and I added lemon juice for flavor. The mushrooms, lemon juice and paprika make this one of my most flavorful meals to date! I love the appearance of a buttery crust without actually using any butter at all! Cooking this on the stove top with liquid allows for the natural flavors to come out and the chicken to stay nice and tender.
This is a great dinner for athletes. The chicken and egg provide lean protein and B vitamins for energy. Replacing the butter with olive oil provides a good source of heart-healthy fat. Using whole-wheat flour provides complex carbohydrates for a slow release of energy into the bloodstream.
I often encourage clients to use low sodium broth or bouillon cubes, but athletes might benefit from the extra sodium, depending on their activity intensity. The addition of lemon juice not only adds flavor but also packs vitamin C, which helps boost the immune system. The lemon combined with the paprika and garlic provide such intense flavor that portion control is usually not an issue when the meal is this tasty.
Enjoy!
