Each of these meals have foods that are rich in Selenium, Silicon, and Iron to support muscle growth and blood flow around your body.

Lunch: Brown Rice Salad with Roast Vegetables
(adapted from Recipes-Plus)

Ingredients

  • 1 large carrot, chopped into 2cm cubes
  • 1 beetroot
  • 1 cup pumpkin, chopped into 3cm cubes
  • 1/2 capsicum
  • 1 cup spinach leaves
  • Handful of alfalfa sprouts
  • 2 tablespoons pepitas
  • 1/2 cucumber, diced
  • 1/4 cup, frozen peas
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tsp honey
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne
  • 1 cup brown rice
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • (optional) 1 Hard boiled egg

Method

Preheat oven to 200C.

In a baking dish, combine carrot, pumpkin, and capsicum. Drizzle with 2 tbsp oil and honey. Sprinkle with cayenne and season.

Stab whole beetroot with a fork and wrap in foil with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast vegetables and beetroot for 20-25 mins, until tender and lightly caramelized

Meanwhile, cook rice according to package instructions, adding the frozen peas with five minutes to go.

Dice beetroot and capsicum once cooked.

Transfer rice mixture to a large bowl along with roast vegetables. Toss with spinach, cucumber and pepitas.

Combine vinegar and remaining oil. Top with alfalfa sprouts (and egg if using) to serve.

Dinner: Seared sirloin steak with Quinoa Salad
(adapted from MarthaStewart)

Ingredients – Steak

  • 2 one-inch-thick boneless sirloin steaks
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Salad

  • ½ cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
  • ⅓ cup slivered almonds or pepitas
  • 1 medium raw beet, peeled
  • 1 medium-to-large carrot. peeled
  • 2 cups packed baby spinach, roughly chopped
  • 1 avocado, cubed
  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint or coriander
  • 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
  • ½ to 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method – for steak

With paper towels, dry steaks. Rub meat all over with oil, salt, and pepper.

Heat a cast-iron skillet on medium-high until a drop of water sizzles when it hits the pan. Cook steaks in hot skillet 5 minutes. Flip; cook until medium rare, 5 minutes more. Transfer to a plate, and tent with foil; let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

To serve, cut steak against the grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices, and arrange on a platter.

Method – for salad

Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh colander under running water for a minute or two. In a medium-sized pot, combine the rinsed quinoa and 1 cup water. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then cover the pot, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the quinoa from heat and let it rest, still covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover the pot, drain off any excess water and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Set it aside to cool.

Grate the beetroot and carrot.

Whisk together apple cider vinegar, lime juice, olive oil, sweetener, and mustard until emulsified.

Assemble the salad in a large serving bowl. Combine the almonds/pepitas, prepared beetroot and carrot, roughly chopped spinach/arugula, cubed avocado, mint/coriander and cooked quinoa.

Finally, drizzle dressing over the mixture (you might not need all of it) and gently toss to combine. You’ll end up with a pink salad if you toss it really well! Season to taste with salt (up to an additional ¼ teaspoon) and black pepper. Serve.

Looking for snacks between meals? These healthy treats will also support muscle growth and satisfy your cravings!

  • Apples and Peanut Butter
  • Brazil nuts and almonds
  • Oranges