5 great ways to make the most of your protein powder!
1. "The Quick and Dirty"
For the hard core only! This is truly the quick and dirty protein shake.
This method is great if you're in a time crunch between obligations, need a low calorie snack between your workout and dinner, or are trying to cut out unecessary carbs.
All you need is about 4-6 ounces of water (room temperature preferred) and one scoop of protein, shaken together (and no, you don't need a blender ball). I highly recommend using a basic flavor like chocolate because it's easier to drink down quickly. Don't use vanilla! I always recommend vanilla for blending or baking ( only because it tends to be a little gag worthy on its own! ).
Speaking of blending...
2. Berry Smoothie
This is my favorite shake, especially during the summer. It's not only refreshing and cooling, but super tasty. This is definitely better than your normal shake if you can set a side a little extra time in the morning.
I like my smoothies thick so I only use 1/2 of a cup of milk, but if you like it a little easier to sip, go with 3/4 of a cup. Whichever plant based milk you choose is completely up to you, but I prefer soy with this one. Always use frozen fruit in order to avoid adding ice because it makes your smoothie watery.
My most important tip is to blend all ingredients together first before adding the protein powder. If you add it at the beginning, it causes the drink to foam up which will nearly double in size and make it hard to finish. Instead, first blend all ingredients except for the protein powder. Afterwards, pulse the protein on low speed or stir until just blended.
Feel free to get creative with your fruit choices! You could use blueberries instead of cranberries if you don't want the sour bite, or swap the cranberries for banana. Flavor creativity is all up to you!
How about a smoothie you can sit down and eat as a full breakfast?
3. Protein Powered Acai Bowls
Why not make your own breakfast bowl, but with a protein twist?
These Acai bowls are delicious and allow you to take your creativity to the next level! Packed with antioxidant superfruits and protein, these bowls are great for a sweet breakfast. Here are my some of my favorite topping options:
Strawberries, blueberries, granola
Blueberries, coconut, granola
Banana, almond butter, honey, granola
Strawberries, chia seeds, granola
This recipe makes two servings, so be sure to share with your spouse or freeze half of the base for the next morning. I like to batch prep the base and separate into portions for use during the week and use fresh toppings on each day.
Speaking of batch prep, how about muffins?
4. Protein Berry Muffins
Spending a little extra time on the weekend to make a few grab and go's can make all the diffference during a busy work week.
These little muffins are nice to grab for a quick breakfast or high protein snack. They are great to freeze and they quickly thaw out. Alternatively, you can microwave them straight out of the freezer for about 30 seconds.
The best type of protein to use with baking is a blend of Whey and Casein, or you can buy a blended style protein like this one. Feel free to swap blueberries for the cranberries if you want, but the cranberries do make for a nice sour and sweet bite!
One side note: these are pretty high protein and very low fat, so they do tend to stick to paper muffin liners. I highly recommend using silicone cupcake molds so they don't stick! These are my favorite!
Looking for more prep? Try these pancakes!
5. Packed Flapjacks
My take on classic pancakes are these yummy banana based treats. No blender needed! This recipe can be done all by hand.
Use a 1/4 c measurement or cookie scoop to get your portions just right when your batter is done. As they start to cook on your hot pan or griddle, add a few blueberries by hand for tasty bites! Don't forget the olive oil spray to keep them from sticking to the pan, and always heat your pan for a minute or two before cooking. They are ready to flip when bubbles start to appear.
Feel free to swap blueberries for dark chocolate bites, strawberries, or crunchy nuts to liven up your cakes. To save, freeze overnight and simply microwave when you need them. Don't forget a shake of cinnamon and some sugar free syrup on top!
Please comment below if any of these spark interest or if you have tried them. This will help me keep track on what you guys like to see :).
I would love to see pictures and comments on your take of the recipes!
bet those pancakes would be good with chocolate Powder too!