THIS Indian kitchen staple is packed with protein! Recipe cheat sheet to get you built and strong

Effectively tracking your protein intake is no joke. But what if we told you that a quick fix versatile solution is lying around in your kitchen right now

You don't have to convince yourself to pile on the roasted chicken or guzzle down bowls of dal every night to meet your protein goals. Getting your nutrition right by the gram is a very labourious, effortful process and just a little variety actually goes a very long way in ensuring that you meet your daily intake goals — particularly protein. If you're someone who hits the gym hard and thrives on evident muscle gains, we have a secret cheat sheet which will make your lunches and dinners significantly more exciting.

Do you know this desi kitchen staple is actually packed with protein?

As per a WebMD report, a half cup serving of green peas (so about a handful) has as much as 4 grams of protein. Now imagine a few cups of these, packed into a main or side dish for one of your 3 big meals! Now you're not alone if you don't like the mushy texture of peas, but we have here, 3 recipes that will entirely flip your perspective on the humble veggie which also happens to be an Indian kitchen staple. So cook away!

Green pea soup

Ingredients: Olive oil - 1tbsp, diced yellow onion - 1/2, minced garlic - 3 cloves, chopped fresh parsley - 1/3 cup, chopped fresh dill - 1tbsp, thawed frozen peas - 5 cups, light coconut milk - a little more than a can, vegetable broth - 2 to 3 cups, salt and pepper to taste

Pea soup(Photo: From My Bowl)

Method: Warm the oil, saute the onion and add in the garlic and herbs. Now add the remaining ingredients and bring to a bubbling boil, adjusting the salt and pepper. Use an immersion blender to smooth everything out and serve hot.

(recipe from From My Bowl)

Quick pea mash

Ingredients: Frozen peas - 2 cups, garlic clove - 1, butter - 1tbsp, sour cream - 1.5tbsp, salt and pepper to taste

Pea mash(Photo: Sprinkles and Sprouts)

Method: Peel the garlic, cut into quarters and cook with the peas in boiling salted water for 2 minutes before draining the liquid. Blend in a food processor with the remaining ingredients and adjust salt and pepper. Dig in!

(recipe from Sprinkles and Sprouts)

Garlic buttered peas

Ingredients: Unsalted butter - 3tbsps, garlic cloves - 2, frozen peas - 500gms, salt - 1/2tsp, black pepper - 1/2tsp, water - 1tbsp

Garlic buttered peas(Photo: Recipe Tin Eats)

Method: Brown the garlic in the butter, add the remaining ingredients and cook for 5 minutes till the ingredients start sweating in their steam. Serve hot.

(recipe from Recipe Tin Eats)