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The protein boost protocol

The protein boost protocol

+ trendy soda brands, stainless steel vs. nonstick, & more.

Ethan Chlebowski & Keith McBrayer
May 12, 2024

Good morning. If you haven’t subscribed to the newly launched Cook Well YouTube Channel yet, the first video is dropping this week. Don’t miss it.

LIFESTYLE PROTOCOL 🍳

The protein/carb swap maneuver

What is this protocol?

Swapping a portion of carbs in a dish with lean protein to make a dish fit your lifestyle or macro needs better.

Why does it matter?

Classic dishes are carb-heavy from their base component of pasta, rice, or bread. Replacing a portion of the carbs with protein makes it more calorie-dense and satiating without compromising on the flavor or experience of the meal.

What dishes can I do this with?

The ratio swap method works with any carb or starch forward recipes:

Pasta
Fried rice
Noodle dishes
Rice bowls
Burritos
Sandwiches

Here’s how it works:

Step 1: Understand the recipe

Start with a carb-heavy recipe, like pasta salad for example. Understand the components that make up that style of dish:

Step 2: Modify the ratios

Identify where you can reduce the carbs and swap in a portion of lean protein:

Step 3: Make it your own

It’s all bonus points from here:

Modify the flavorings or make any condiments or dressings even higher protein/lower cal (more on this in future editions).
Make the vegetables more prominent, not just background flavorings with additions or extra quantity.

RECIPE RECCOMENDATIONS🥡

Your turn…

Traditionally starchy recipes don’t have to be carb bombs once you understand how to modify them. Here are some situations to try this on:

Upping the protein in this Green Chili Chicken Mac & Cheese
Adding more chickpeas to the Za’atar Marinated Pasta & Chicken Salad
Swapping rice for more beans & chicken in the Chipotle Pollo Asado Burrito
Increasing the vegetables and lean protein in this Healthier Shrimp Fried Rice
Modifying Traditional Tteokbokki with Higher Protein Version

Check out Ethan’s original video on pasta salads, or visit our newly published collection of recipes to try this protocol out with:

FOOD TRENDS EXPLAINED 🚀

“Better-for-you” soda brands

Why do sodas have trendy packaging and prebiotic ingredients?

In the past few years, new soda brands have broken into a space historically dominated by legacy corporations.

Why?

1) Consumers are increasingly concerned with the health effects of their products.

Newer brands position themselves as something more like a supplement than an indulgence.
Instead of just offering another “diet” option, brands are capitalizing on specific consumer preferences, like adding prebiotic ingredients to appeal to the current dialogue around gut health.

But their success isn’t solely because of their ingredient list…

2) The human and visual elements of food matter. People choose products with their eyes and emotions.

In this age of social media/online shopping, customers care about ingredient branding. Companies like Graza Olive Oil have broken into saturated markets with great packaging.
New soda companies are doing the same by innovating the design of their cans to stand out.

Zoom out: Food products are more than just about delivering flavor or calories for sustenance. Instead, brands are making products that speak to our emotions, identity, and health trends through branding and marketing instead of just their recipe.

READER Q&A 🧠

Non-stick vs stainless steel

Question: “Is non stick pan really so much worse than carbon steel pan or cast iron pan when it comes to searing meat?” - Saul R

Answer: If you’ve ever seared protein in a nonstick pan, you might have noticed an uneven browning and a lack of crust.

With stainless steel, proteins adhere and stick to the surface of the pan naturally — and release conveniently when enough browning has happened to break the metal-protein bonds.
In a nonstick or slick (well-seasoned) carbon steel pan, proteins simply won’t adhere in the same way to the hot surface, and you’ll get uneven browning unless you apply pressure or weight to flatten and manually keep the protein in even contact with the pan.

Next time you’re looking for a textbook crust on a steak — consider reaching for the stainless steel. Alternatively, use weights or a spatula to press down the steak for better contact and crust development on pans with slicker surfaces.

You can find our recommended stainless steel pans and other equipment on the Cook Well shop page:

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