![Key protein tip 👉👉👉
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If you're an athletic women over 40 who's trying to build strength and muscle, you need the right combination of nutrition, training and recovery.
Protein intake is one very important aspect of performance nutrition.
You need enough quality protein daily to supply the essential amino acids (EAA) necessary for muscle protein synthesis (MPS).
[Note: Leucine is one of the 3 branched chain amino acids and it's important for triggering MPS. However / and all the EAA are needed to fully carry out MPS.]
Estrogen has an anabolic (building) effect on muscle.
As you progress over 40 and into peri/post-menopause, the eventual decline in estrogen means it's even more important to supply enough signal (via lifting heavy, HIIT, plyometrics, etc) and raw material (especially via protein) for you to keep you muscle protein synthesis exceeding the rate of muscle protein breakdown.
There's a lot to discuss about protein but take this tip with you today:
👉 Spread your protein intake more evenly throughout the day.
This will help supply a more consistent pool of amino acids AND also helps with satiety / feeling fuller.
PMID: 28642676, 34515969
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Guacamole Salad is the ultimate summer party dish!
I absolutely love guacamole because it goes on so many things, and this Holy Guacamole Salad captures all the best of the famous dip: It’s got all the same delectable flavors – the zesty lime, the creamy avocado, a little heat from the jalapeño – just in a deconstructed style.
I’ll admit it: I love the Food Network. While I’m more drawn to shows like Chopped! and Iron Chef America, I decided to watch an old episode of Barefoot Contessa yesterday.
Normally, Ina’s food isn’t really up my alley, but her recipe for Guacamole Salad spoke to me right away. The only bummer is that it wasn’t really paleo. A couple of tweaks later, and I had adapted this bowl of vibrant flavors and colors sitting in front of me, perfect for a summer cookout.
Avocados are chock full of healthy fats and key nutrients like Vitamins B6, K, and C. Plus they’re a great source of potassium, folate, and fiber. When combined with the vegetables and herbs in this dish, you’ve got a nutrient-dense powerhouse of a salad that will go with virtually any protein for a complete meal.
In the heat of summer, I like to toss some grilled shrimp on top of my Holy Guacamole Salad for a light and refreshing meal that won’t heat up the kitchen.
I’ve brought Guacamole Salad to many a shindig over the years, and each time, it gets rave reviews. It’s perfect as a side dish for grilled chicken or burgers, and unlike mayo-based dishes, you don’t have to worry quite as much about this salad sitting out for a bit on a warm day.
Much like other salads, Guacamole Salad tends to get better as it sits, and I’ve found that giving it a couple hours before I serve it helps the flavors meld together.
The Persian cucumbers add a nice crunch to the dish. Persian cucumbers have thinner skin and hardly any seeds. If you can’t find them, try using a hothouse or English cucumber instead. If you can’t find either of those, you can just use a regular cucumber. Just halve it and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds which tend to be tough and can give some folks indigestion.
Jalapeño peppers are notorious for their uneven levels of heat: some are milder than Clark Kent while others will burn your face off. Okay, maybe that’s a bit of hyperbole, but when making this Holy Guacamole Salad, start with half a jalapeño and see how spicy the salad is. If you like more of a kick and the pepper seems mild, go from there.
I really love the punchy flavor of grape or cherry tomatoes in this Guacamole Salad. They’re sweet and unlike big tomatoes, you don’t have to worry about seeding them. Just cut them in half if they’re on the bigger side or toss them in whole if they’re smaller.
Don’t worry about the avocado turning brown. You’re using lime juice to create a dressing, and the citrus will deactivate the enzyme responsible for the browning process.
If you’ve been a reader of Stupid Easy Paleo for a while, you may notice this recipe recently got a makeover. Here’s what the photo used to look like:
Alright, on to the recipe for Holy Guacamole Salad. Note that this salad does make a pretty large serving, so if you’re serving one or two people, you may want to cut the ingredient quantities in half. This salad will keep for a couple days in the fridge, no problem, but just be sure to store it tightly covered.
Guacamole Salad is one of my all-time favorite summer dishes! It's fresh, healthy, and super simple to prepare. Paleo and whole30 friendly.
My recipes are all in a meal planner. Check it out!
Nutrition and fitness coach for women, Lord of the Rings nerd, and depending on who you ask, crazy cat lady. My mission is to help you fuel for more, not less: bigger muscles, strength, energy, and possibilities. We’ll do it with my signature blend of science, strategy…and a little bit of sass.
Build muscle, strength & power AND take all the guesswork out of your workout with this 3x weekly written-for-you dumbbell strength program.
For women lifting weights who want to get stronger, build muscle, have more energy, and perform better. Implement the four keys you need to unlock your next level of strength in this 8-week program.
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30 Responses
The jalapeno seeds are the best part! I eat the ones that fall out 😀
Haha!! Awesome! My taste buds like heat but I haven’t gotten around to eating the seeds quite yet!
So glad you posted this, I tried to make something like this once and it didn’t work out real good, but this looks great. Thanks so much.
I hope this one works out for you! It is seriously tasty!
I rarely comment anywhere… but I just found this site, scrolled down to this pic, and audibly went “OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!” lol… Just thought I’d share 🙂
Thank you so much! I’m flattered 🙂 Hope you like it!!
This sounds great. I could eat w roasted shrimp.
Hi, how many does this serve? Thanks!
For one meal, probably 4-6 as a side dish.
Made this salad for a paleo potluck — it was a hit! Thank you!
It’s one of my favorites, Robyn! Always a crowd-pleaser and easy to make a big batch 🙂
I made this salad today … It is amazing absolutely love it . Full of flavor yummy 🙂
Yay!! It’s one of my favorites Jackie! Thanks for writing in 🙂
I made this yesterday and served it with pan-seared Chilean sea bass. SO amazing – and made really good leftovers for lunch!
Yussss! High five!
This looks great, I’m planning to make it for a large get-together. Is there another herb that would work well other than cilantro? Thanks!
Hi Robynn…you could maybe try flat leaf parsley instead. That’s about the only sub I can think of.
Can this be made the day before? Does it hold up well if refrigerated overnight? I want to make this as a side dish for red beans and rice (that someone else is making) for a grieving family next week, but I need to drop it off a day early. I don’t want it to be mushy or spoiled.
Hi Holly! That is so thoughtful of you. I would prep the whole salad except the avocado and throw that in the day you’re delivering it. That way it’ll be very fresh. It will be okay for a day in the fridge once they get it.
Thank you for responding so quickly. This looks so yummy, I’m planning to make some this weekend for my family — purely for “taste-testing purposes” of course. 😉
But, I knew there wouldn’t be any leftovers for a next day meal to see how it held up over night, so I had to ask.
Made this tonight… Absolutely delicious! Thank you for sharing this recipe. I will be making this again for sure!!
Awesome! 🙂
Such a yummy salad!! So much crunch and the avocado helps you cool down from the jalepeno. Nice & light dressing. Easy to make=love it & thank you!!
🙂
Oh my god!! I just made this!!! Amazing!!! So yummy and fresh and the dressing is just to die for! Thank you for posting!
Cassie, I’m excited to hear that you enjoyed it!
I made a double batch of this for a Fourth of July party and it was such a huge hit!! There was almost nothing left by the time I had a chance to eat, so I’ll have to make it again soon to enjoy it myself. ?
Ingrid, Thanks for trying the recipe. I’m glad that you enjoyed it!
Yum! So fresh and delicious, and pretty to boot. Definitely my new potluck go to 🙂
Woohoo! So glad you liked it Katie!