Muscle & Fitness

Alternative Fuel Sources

February 2007

Add to your training table with these six exotic high-protein foods loaded with muscle-building nutrients.

Face it you’re a food snob. No, you are. You eat chicken, beef and salmon. Maybe some rice or a yam. And that’ about it. Anything else, your thumb your nose at. Too much fat, you say. Too many carbs. Not enough protein. The problem is, forcing down the same grub day in and day out is a dangerous game that leads to burnout. One day you’ll wake up, glance at a chicken breast and make a beeline for Dairy Queen. Never to return. To save yourself from a flabby demise (or just dietary boredom), start adding some alternative muscle foods to your meal plan. True, they may seem a little eclectic, but they’re not as strange, costly or hard to find as you might think. So try them out. They’ll give your palate a much-needed respite from chicken and rice. They’ll also help you grow.

OSTRICH

6 oz. (ground, raw): 197 calories, 37g protein, 0g carbs, 4g fat (1g sat fat)

Reason to Eat It: Protein without the fat

A feathered red meat, ostrich has that same crimson glow and meaty texture as steak, but with one big difference. It’s leaner. Way leaner. Need proof? Look at beef tenderloin, which contains about 10 grams of fat for 6 ounces. The same portion of ostrich has as much protein and only 4 grams of fat. “It’s a very protein-dense food, will less ‘baggage’ than other meats,” says Leslie Bonci, RD, director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburg Medical Center and food coach for the Pittsburg Steelers.

Where to Find It: Some markets now carry ostrich. If you can’t find it in your area, you can buy ostrich burgeres and steaks online at blackwing.com.

How to Cook It:Grill to no more than medium doneness, with an internal temperature of around 145 degrees F, says Devin Alexander, chef and author of Fast Food Fix (Rodale Press, 2006).” Because it’s high in iron, ostrich meat will appear red inside even when sufficiently cooked. (Don’t sweat the redness; unlike beef and chicken, ostrich doesn’t readily attract E. coli and Salmonella). Because it’s low-fat, ostrich is a little weak on taste, Alexander warns. Season the meat with a marinade or rub.

ARCTIC CHAR

6oz (raw): 232 calories, 36g protein; 0g carbs, 10g fat (2.4g omega-3 fats)

Reason to Eat It: Joint Relief

A fresh water fish that swims in icy waters, Arctic char has long been a protein staple for the Inuit. Its flesh color varies from bright red to pale pink. Char is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which, Bonci says, have strong anti-inflammatory properties that may sooth sore joints and muscles. As a bonus, it tastes less “fishy” than salmon. Being a close relative of salmon and trout, char’s taste is often referred to as a mixture of both.

Where to Find It: Look for arctic char in its farmed and wild forms at most well-stocked fish markets, or at  gortonsfreshseafood.com or isisarcticchar.com. It’s pricey, so make sure you get a good cut. “Thicker cuts are more tender, and the edges should be as brightly colored as the center,” Alexander says.

How to Cook It: Arctic char can be used in any recipe calling for salmon. Cook ii a skillet over medium-high heat until slightly brown, then flip and repeat on other side. Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking until the fish appears light pink on the inside. To spice things up, rub in sea salt, black pepper and garlic with a dash of lemon juice before cooking.

Cajun Arctic Char

Makes two servings

2 6-8oz arctic char fillets
1/2 tsp each black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, dried thyme, dried basil, dried oregano
¼ tsp each cayenne pepper and onion powder
2 Tbsp olive oil

Mix all dry ingredients together. Brush flesh side of fillets with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Rub dry ingredients into fillets. In a skillet, heat remaining olive oil on medium-high, add fillets skin side down. Cook for about 5 minutes. Flip and fry for another 3-5 minutes or until color starts to change from translucent to opaque. 
Nutrition Facts (per serving):  370 calories, 37g protein, 0g carbs, 24g fat

BUFFALO

6oz. (lean cut, raw): 185 calories, 37g protein, 0g carbs, 3g fat (1g sat fat)

Reason to Eat It: Delivers Oxygen to Muscles

Bison is so healthy, it gets the stamp of approval from the American Heart Association. Its cuts are low-fat and nutrient-dense, with more protein than regular beef. What fat it does have tends to be mostly the good kind, such as omega-3s and conjugated linoleic acid, which may fight cancer and abdominal fat as well as boost muscle growth. What’s more, because bison are put down later in life than cattle, they contain more iron, the mineral needed to deliver oxygen to working muscles. And, unlike with cattle, the FDA allows zero antibiotics or hormones in buffalo meat.

Where to Find It: Buy buffalo steaks and burgers at a good butcher shop, or find them online at exoticmeats.com or wildideabuffalo.com. It’s also available at some restaurants.

How to Cook It: Use buffalo in any recipe that calls for beef, such as chili or meatloaf Like ostrich, buffalo is lean and cooks quickly, so it’ll turn into a hockey puck if you don’t pay attention. Use a food thermometer, Alexander advises, and remove from heat when it reaches 150 degrees F.

TEMPEH

6oz.: 328 calories, 32g protein, 16g carbs, 18g fat (4g sat fat)

Reason to Eat It: Provides Energy

Need a meat break? Go with tempeh. Essentially fermented soybeans, tempeh has “all the essential muscle-building amino acids that are found in animal meats, but with a lot more calcium, magnesium and potassium,” Bonci notes. Magnesium plays an essential role in enzyme reactions needed for protein synthesis and energy production. Plus, tempeh – like yogurt and other fermented products - contains beneficial bacteria, which breaks down protein for easier digestion and improved immunity. And it tastes more like meat than tofu does.

Where to Find It: Pick up tempeh in the freezer section at most health-food stores or online at tofurky.com. For tempeh newbies, buy milder-tasting version fermented with rice and other grains.

How to Cook It: Tempeh absorbs surrounding flavors well, so crumple into chilis, stir-fry’s and pasta sauces. Or pair it with a spicy Szechuan marinade or healthy barbecue sauce and grill it like a burger.

Tempeh Sloppy Joes
Makes two servings

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 8-oz package tempeh, chopped 
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1 Tbsp each chili powder, dry mustard
1 tsp cumin

Dash salt
1 tomato, chopped
2 large whole grain pitas, cut in half
¾ cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Sauté onion and pepper for 2-3 minutes. Add the tempeh, turn heat down and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring often. When the tempeh is browned, add the tomato sauce and seasonings and cook for another 10 minutes. Stir in tomato just before serving. Serve in pita topped with cheese.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 565 calories, 39g protein, 59g carbs, 24.5g fat

HEMP

1 oz. hemp seed nuts: 160 calories, 11g protein, 7g carbs, 10g fat (1g sat fat)

Reason to Eat It: Muscle Recovery

Time to get high – nutritionally, that is. Almost all the fat in hemp is the healthy polyunsaturated type.  Hemp seeds contain more protein than other nuts and seeds and are packed with vitamin E, an antioxidant needed for muscular recovery, Bonci says. And because hemp cultivated for food production contains virtually no THC (the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana), you’ll get all these benefits without funky side effects. 

Where to Find It: Manitoba Harvest (manitobaharvest.com) offers a full assortment of hemp foods, including hemp protein powder.

How to Prepare It: For a protein boost, add hemp seeds to salads, yogurt and oatmeal. Use hemp flour to make and hemp oil as a healthy alternative to olive oil.

Ostrich Burgers with Hemp Pesto

Makes 2 servings

Burgers:

1 pound ground ostrich (or buffalo)

1/2 cup dried bread crumbs

1/2 teaspoon salt 

Ground black pepper to taste

1 egg

Tomato, sliced

Whole-grain buns

Pesto:

1/2 cup hemp oil
3 Tbsp hemp seeds
1/8 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup walnuts or pine nuts
Pinch of salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup basil leaves

In a large bowl, mix meat, bread crumbs, salt and egg. Gently form into two 3/4-inch-thick patties. Preheat lightly oiled pan to medium-high heat. Meanwhile combine all pesto ingredients except hemp seeds in a blender and blend until finely chopped. Mix in hemp seeds. Grill patties for roughly 5 minutes per side, testing doneness with a thermometer that should read 145-150°F.  Top patties with a dollop of pesto and tomato and serve on bun.

Nutrition Facts (per serving):  610 calories,  72g protein, 43g carbs, 17g fat.

LAMB

6 oz. (loin cut, fat trimmed): 248 calories, 35g protein, 0g carbs, 11g fat (4g sat fat)

Reason to Eat It: Maintains testosterone levels

Lambs reputation as a fatty meat has kept gym rats away for decades, but it’s actually one of the best muscle-builders you can eat. Bursting with protein (as much as 50 grams in some 6-ounce cuts) and highly absorbable iron, lamb is also high in zinc, which helps keep testosterone levels up, and Vitamin B12, which ensures that the body properly uses fats, carbohydrates and protein.

Where to Find It: Pick up lamb in the meat department at your local grocery store. To keep fat down, choose the leanest cuts - leg, loin and shank.

How to Cook It: To preserve its tenderness and flavor, cook lamb as is, then cut away the fat from the edges. Sweet sauces such as hoisin and rubs such as olive oil mixed with garlic, rosemary and sea salt work well, Alexander says. The oils and sauces don’t just add flavour, they also help the lamb stay juicy.