High Protein Tuna Cucumber Boats
Does anyone else struggle to get their daily protein requirements in?
If you didn’t already know, the rule of thumb for how much protein you need to be eating daily if your goal is to build lean muscle and lose body fat is around .8-1x your body weight in grams of protein. That means, for a 160lb woman, her goal would be to eat around 128 - 160g protein daily… or, around 25g protein in all 3 meals and 2 snacks.
It feels like a lot, right?
I know. I totally get it. Typically, this number is a LOT more than my clients tend to consume naturally.
However, as someone who doesn’t believe in simply “shovelling protein shakes down the hatch” to make up for any missed protein in my meals, I’d wayyyyy rather find more creative and tasty ways to get in my protein. Ya feel me!?
That’s why this recipe is so amazing! With 30g protein and only 186 calories per serving - you’re getting a fair bit of protein in your diet, without having it take up a huge chunk of your daily calorie requirements.
Plus, it’s super easy to make. It’s simple, healthy and tastes delicious. And, it’s kinda fun to eat, too! I’d call that a win-win-win.
Recipe + details available below!
INGREDIENTS:
1 cucumber
2 small cans tuna in water, drained
1⁄4 cup carrots, finely-chopped
1⁄4 cup celery, finely-chopped
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
In a small bowl, mix together tuna, carrots, celery, dijon mustard, lemon juice and spices until combined. (You may prefer to add in some more dijon, or a touch of light mayo for creaminess; however, this will alter the nutritional info.)
Next, cut your whole cucumber in half, both width-wise and length-wise, so that you have four equally-sized pieces. (You can cut the ends off your cucumber to keep them all uniform.) From there, use a small spoon to scoop out the middles of each cucumber quarter, creating a vessel or “boat” to hold your tuna salad.
Spoon some tuna salad into the centre of each cucumber. Top with any additional seasonings as desired.
Dig in!
NUTRITION INFO:
Serves 1
Calories per serving, 186
Fat, 2g
Carbohydrates, 9g
Fibre, 3g
Protein, 30g