A Real Power Lunch!

With it being my birthday I thought I would treat myself to one of my favorite lunches.  I worked out just prior to this meal.  I usually work out pre-breakfast early in the morning but today I had to run some errands.  This lunch is easy to throw together and is packed with good fats and lots of protein.  There is a small amount of good carbs as well.  There are only 5 ingredients:

1 pre-shaped grass fed bison burger from Earth Fare (Earth Fare is like North Carolina's version of Whole Foods)

1 avocado (or in this case a packet of spicy Wholly Guacamole).  I used premade guacamole today as the avocados in the local markets have been disappointing lately.

1 generous slathering of Gator Sauce.  Gator sauce by Gator Hammock is my favorite sauce.  You can use your own sauce but make sure it is not loaded with MSG, artificial colors and preservatives.  Gator sauce, while not organic uses only natural ingredients.  Visit their site here.  Btw, if you love mustard, their Swamp Mustard is awesome as well.  I have been using Gator sauce for many years now and never get tired of it.  I always order it directly from Gator Hammock by the case so I always have a good supply of it.

1 heaping tablespoon of hemp seed nut.  I have touted the benefits of hemp seed nuts all over this blog.  See my previous post on where and how to buy it.

1 good size serving of organic baby lettuce

If you never had a bison burger, it has less fat and calories than a regular hamburger and more protein.  It tastes just as good to me - especially with the gator sauce.  Here is good article on bison compared to other meats.

What I do is cook the bison burger in my tabletop convection oven - as I would a regular burger.  Place a healthy amount of baby lettuce on the bottom of the plate then put the burger on top of the lettuce and slather the burger with my gator sauce, add the hemp seed nut on top and then add the guacamole.  Then it is time to chow down.  This is what mine looked like:

Yes I know it will not win any culinary awards for presentation but man that was one good lunch.  For those of you watching your weight go with the recommended serving sizes for bison and guacamole - and easy on the sauce.  The serving sizes I used were for someone who just had a very intense workout.  Remember to eat slow and chew your food.  I didn't take this advice and inhaled it - I couldn't resist.  Heck, it's my birthday and I could do what I want - at least for today!  I will have this photo so I can fondly remember it.  **Sigh**

Benefits of Hemp Seed Nut

What's so good about hemp seed?  Plenty!  I have two to four heaping tablespoons (sometimes more) every morning.  Two tablespoons provide 11 grams of protein - and it is a complete protein.  It also has a great ratio of Omega-9/Omega-6/Omega-3.  If you want to get your nutrition from food, hemp seed is the place to start.  I buy mine in 5 pound cannisters at Amazon.com.

Buy a 5 pound cannister of Manitoba Harvest Hemp Seed Nuts at Amazon.com  for $41.15
Nutritional Profile and Benefits of Hemp Seed, Nut and Oil by Gero Leson
Hemp Seeds - The Perfect Food

Simple Breakfast Packed With Protein and Good Fat

I like keeping it simple when it comes to breakfast. I usually have this particular breakfast right after a morning workout. It has only three ingredients and yes it is vegetarian for all you vegans out there, provides a healthy amount of fiber, complete protein, and good fats including omega-3s! It also contains no SOY and it tastes fantastic!  Impossible you say!  I think not! Here are the ingredients:

1 Organic Apple (I like Gala and Fuji) (80 calories)

4 tablespoons or more or organic peanut butter (Substitute almond or cashew butter if you have allergies) (360 calories)

4 tablespoons of Hemp Seed Nut (I buy this on Amazon.com in a 5 pound cannister for around $41 dollars -it lasts me about 2-3 months eating it everyday.) (320 calories)

I usually slice the apple with one of those apple cutter/corers. With each bite I dip the apple in the peanut butter then I dip the apple into the hemp seed.

Total calories = 760 calories
I am not a big calorie counter- especially after a workout.   What I look for is nutrient density in the calories I eat.  If you are watching your calories you can cut my serving sizes for the hemp seed nut and peanut butter in half.  That will bring the calorie count to 420 calories. 

The apple puts simple sugars back into my body lost during my workout and also privides fiber and vitamin C. The hemp seed nut has a crazy amount of nutrients - it is like whole food multivitamin and mineral supplement - and is a complete protein and excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids.  In my serving the hemp provides 22 grams of protein and the peanut butter provides 14 grams for a total of 36 grams of protein!

Hemp seed has a nutty flavor that is not very strong so when I mix the hemp with the peanut butter it does not alter the peanut butter flavor and only adds more crunch.  Wash it down with some water and you are all set to go!  This meal will also make you feel full for quite awhile.  It is perhaps "The Perfect Breakfast"!