3 quick, high-protein plant-based recipes that help a personal trainer build muscle and boost her gut health

Eating lots of plant-based protein can help you build lean muscle and boost gut health.

• Gut health experts recommend eating 30 different plant foods a week.

• A personal trainer shared 3 high-protein recipes that help you hit 30 plants easily.

A plant-based personal trainer shared three recipes that help her reach her protein, fiber, and plant diversity goals in one.

Sophie Waplington, who is based in the UK and is also a recipe developer, told Business Insider she buys the same staple ingredients each week, such as beans, nuts, chickpeas, tofu, and seeds, and switches up her fruit and veggies according to what's in season.

These plant-based staples contain fiber, which feeds the "good" microbes in the gut, but are also good sources of protein. This helps Waplington build muscle and care for her gut health without too much thought.

"The beauty of being 100% plant-based is you don't really have to think about fiber that much because all of your plant protein sources contain fiber as well as your vegetables, your fruits, your veggies," she said.

Research suggests that the wider the variety of plants you eat the healthier your gut microbiome — the trillions of microbes that live in the gut — tends to be. Gut health experts recommend aiming for 30 plants a week.

A diverse gut microbiome is linked to many health benefits beyond just better digestion, from a stronger immune system to a healthier brain.

Meanwhile, getting enough protein is essential for health, but particularly if you're looking to build or maintain muscle. The US government recommends women get a minimum of around 46 grams of protein per day, rising to 56g for men — or around 0.36 g of protein per pound of body weight. But data suggests getting 0.7 grams per pound is ideal for building lean muscle.

Waplington shared three high-protein recipes that will get you to 30 plants a week in no time.

Dietitian Nichola Ludlam-Raine said the recipes were great for getting in lots of vegetables as well as lean protein and fiber.

"There are lots of different flavors involved (spices count as plants!), and I approve of the serving suggestion, too," she told BI via email.

One-pan 'English breakfast' beans

Waplington's one-pan 'English breakfast' beans dish contains nine plants.Sophie Waplington

Serves: Four generously

Total time: 35 to 40 minutes

Protein per serving: 21g

Plant count: nine

Ingredients:

• 1 white onion, sliced

• 1 leek, white and light green parts, sliced into half-moons

• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more if needed

• 250g (9oz) chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped

• 5 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp ground coriander

• 700g (1lb 9oz) white beans, plus their juices (if the bean juice is not salted, add ½ vegetable stock cube, crumbled)

• 3 to 4 medium tomatoes, sliced

For the scramble sauce:

• 35g (1¼oz) cashews or sunflower seeds

• 280g (10oz) silken tofu

• 20g (¾oz) nutritional yeast

• 1 garlic clove or 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tbsp sweet white miso

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

• Salt and black pepper

To serve:

• Freshly chopped chives

• Sourdough toast

Method:

1. Start by soaking the cashews in boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

1. In an ovenproof casserole dish on a medium heat, fry the onion and leeks in plenty of extra virgin olive oil with a pinch of salt and lots of black pepper for eight minutes or until it starts caramelizing.

1. Add the mushrooms and more salt, and fry until the water has evaporated. Add the garlic and spices, and more oil if needed. Fry for another two minutes until aromatic.

1. Add the beans and their juices. At this point, if you don't want to use the bean water, you can replace it with 100ml (3½fl oz) hot water, with the veg stock cube dissolved in it. Stir to combine and season to taste.

1. In a small blender cup, blend all the ingredients for the scramble sauce together. Add a little water if needed to loosen the sauce slightly so it's a pourable consistency. Add to the pan. Stir well and season to taste, adding a little more lemon juice, salt or pepper if needed.

1. Heat the grill to its top setting, then arrange the tomatoes on top of the dish, drizzle with olive oil, and add a little salt, then transfer to the top rack and grill for around six to 10 minutes, or until the tomatoes start to catch a small char. This will vary greatly depending on the size of your pan, the strength of your oven, and placement near the top of the grill, so do keep an eye on it as the tomatoes can burn very quickly.

1. Top with fresh chives and serve with sourdough toast.

Tofu Power Bowl with quinoa, broccoli, and edamame

Waplington's tofu power bowl with quinoa, broccoli, and edamame comes together in 30 minutes.Sophie Waplington

Serves: Two

Total time: 30 mins

Protein per serving: 34g

Plant count: 10

Ingredients:

• 300g firm tofu

• 2 tsp cornstarch

• 150g broccoli (Waplingston uses Tenderstem)

• 1-2 spring onions, white parts finely chopped

• 60g edamame

• 150g dried tricolor quinoa, cooked

• 1/2 a vegan stock cube or 1/2 a tbsp vegetable bullion

For the sauce:

• 2 tbsp sriracha

• 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari

• 1 tsp crushed garlic, 1 tsp crushed ginger

• juice of one lime

• 1/2 tsp sesame oil

To serve:

• Sesame seeds

• Coriander leaves

• Fresh chiles

• Avocado slices

Method:

1. Put the quinoa on to boil in a medium saucepan, and cook according to the packet instructions with half a tablespoon of vegetable bouillon powder or the half a stock cube.

1. In a small bowl, mix the sauce marinade ingredients together and set aside.

1. Press the tofu, or give it a good squeeze, wrapped in kitchen paper or a tea towel. Break the tofu into small chunks with your hands.

1. Toss in the cornstarch and fry in a non-stick saucepan on a medium heat in olive oil for a few minutes, turning every now and then until the edges are golden. Add the spicy salty sauce you mixed up earlier, cover well and turn down the heat. Move the chunks around the pan until the sauce is thick and glossy. Take off the heat.

1. Lightly fry off the broccoli and spring onion until bright green, in olive oil with a pinch of salt.

1. Assemble quinoa first, then broccoli, tofu, and the toppings.

Ultimate chickpea smash sandwiches

Waplington's ultimate chickpea smash sandwiches contain 11 plants.Sophie Waplington

Serves: Makes three sandwiches

Total time: 20 mins

Protein per serving: 44g

Plant count: 11

Ingredients:

• 200g (4 oz) firm smoked tofu

• 2 to 3 medium-large tomatoes

• 6 to 8 lettuce leaves

• 1 large ripe avocado

• 6 slices of wholewheat sourdough bread

• 6 tbsp plant-based (or other) cream cheese

For the chickpea smash mixture:

• 480g (1lb 1oz) chickpeas from a can or jar, drained and rinsed

• 4 spring onions, finely chopped

• 3 tbsp tahini

• 2 tsp Dijon mustard

• 2 tbsp chopped sun-dried tomatoes, plus 1 tbsp oil from the jar

• 1 tbsp chopped red chile (optional)

• 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

• Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tbsp)

• ½ tsp salt, plus more to taste

• Lots of freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine all the chickpea smash ingredients and mash with a potato masher or fork until they are well mixed. Season to taste. Leave in the fridge whilst you prep the rest.

1. Thinly slice the tofu, tomato, and avocado. Separate, wash, and dry the lettuce leaves.

1. Toast the sourdough, then drizzle with a little olive oil and season with a small pinch of sea salt.

1. Layer three slices of sourdough with the chickpea smash, then the remaining slices with the cream cheese, then the lettuce leaves, tomato slices, tofu and avocado slices. Carefully sandwich the two layers together, wrap up, slice down the middle with a serrated knife.

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