Banana Raspberry Protein Bread

I had a container of raspberries and some ripe bananas laying around and wanted to save them before they went bad. So, I threw them into this bread and it came out really good!

You can definitely leave out the raspberries and make a regular banana bread instead. Truth be told, I'm not a huge fan of raspberries. Which is probably why they were about to go bad in the first place...

Raspberries are an GREAT source of fiber- about 8 grams per cup! That  is about one third of the recommended daily value for adults. Fiber is helpful for slowing down digestion, making you feel full, and getting rid of waste (aka go #2).

Either way, leave them in or out- up to you.

You can find the protein powder, stevia and flour from Vitacost. Here's a link for a discount off your first order: 

Banana Raspberry Protein Bread

Ingredients:

2 scoop vanilla whey protein (I use Cellucor)
1/2 cup coconut flour 
1 tablespoon granulated stevia (or other sweetener of choice)
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 large bananas (about 150 grams each)
3/4 cup egg whites
1/2 cup unsweetened cashew or almond milk
1/2 cup raspberries


Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a large blender or food processor, blend together all ingredients except the raspberries. Fold in raspberries after.
3. Add batter to a loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake for about 50-60 minutes or until knife comes out clean.
4. Allow to cool, then cut into 8 slices (or however many you like).

Nutrition Information for one slice: 1.5 g Fat, 14.5 g Carbohydrates, 4 g Fiber, 10.3 g Protein

Coconut Flaxseed Pancakes

I had been sticking to my usual pancake recipe all week, but decided to switch it up this morning and use some ground flaxseed in the batter. These came out so delicious and fluffy- I could've had 3 more stacks.

Ingredient note: I buy my flour, flaxseed, stevia, oatmeal, psyllium husk and more from Vitacost. They have the best prices and deliver right to your door. Click the link for a discount off your first order!

Coconut Flaxseed Pancakes

Ingredients:

1/3 cup riced cauliflower (I used my Ninja to finely chop it)
1/4 cup egg whites
2 tablespoons Cellucor Cinnamon Swirl Whey Protein
3 tablespoons coconut flour
1 tablespoon flaxseed
1 teaspoon psyllium husk
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Stevia to taste
Almond milk

1. Microwave the riced cauliflower for 45 seconds (you do NOT taste it- it makes the pancakes moist).
2. Combine all ingredients together in a food processor, except the almond milk. Slowly add almond milk until the batter has a slightly pudding-like consistency.
3. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Once hot, add pancake batter by the spoonful. Cook like regular pancakes (be patient- they take longer to cook than regular pancakes- you don't want to flip too soon!). 

Dark Chocolate Protein Cookies

I woke up this morning at 3:30 a.m. and could NOT go back to sleep. Whenever this happens I usually find something to clean, bake, or cook until the rest of the world wakes up. This morning I decided to stalk Anna's blog for some baking inspiration. Most of my protein cookies have been fails, and I wanted to step up my game. So after reading through some of her recipes and tips for protein cookies, Dark Chocolate Protein Cookies were born! Finally, a protein cookie that's moist, perfectly chewy, and doesn't taste like rubber :)

                         

Dark Chocolate Protein Cookies

1/4 cup chocolate whey protein (I use Cellucor)
1/4 cup quinoa flour (could probably sub oat flour)
2 tablespoons almond flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
1/8 teaspoon butter extract (optional, but adds some flavor)
10-20 drops liquid stevia (depending on how sweet you like it!)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Beat egg. Combine egg with all remaining ingredients (I mixed it in a large bowl).
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Drop cookie batter by the tablespoon onto the paper. Flatten the tops slightly with the back of a spoon for a better shape (don't get too crazy- the batter is sticky!).
4. Bake 10 minutes or until done.

Molten Chocolate Protein Donuts

October 28th: National Chocolate Day. I had no idea. I'm definitely not a chocoholic. I like it here and there. You wouldn't catch me eating a chocolate bar or chocolate ice cream. But, for some reason I woke up October 28th and made Molten Chocolate protein pancakes, THEN baked these amazing Molten Chocolate Donuts. Had no idea it was National Chocolate Day until after I made the donuts. Weird...it's like they knew.

Anyway, these donuts came out way too good. I planned on saving them for snacks, but immediately ate three out of the oven. Probably could've eaten all six.The combination of almond flour and oatmeal gave them such a perfect texture. Great as a snack, topping for a fro-yo, breakfast, or dessert. Fiber, protein, whole grains, and a little healthy fat make this one of the healthiest donuts you'll ever eat :)

I buy my flours, stevia, and chickpeas from Vitacost. Use this link for $10 off your first order!

Molten Chocolate Protein Donuts

Ingredients:

3/4 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup almond flour
1 scoop Cellucor Molten Chocolate whey protein
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup egg whites
1/4 unsweetened almond milk
12 stevia drops

Directions:

1. Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
2. Add batter to a donut pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 F for 12 minutes.

For the frosting, I just mixed together a little Cellucor Molten Chocolate whey protein and sugar-free chocolate pudding mix and drizzled it over the donuts.

For one donut (without frosting): 104 calories, 3.6 grams Fat, 9.5 grams Carbs, 8.3 grams protein

Protein Rice Pudding

I cannot take credit for this recipe, but it is so amazingly delicious that I had to share! This recipe uses zero calorie Miracle Rice. I haven't tried the rice in any other recipe, because I'm officially addicted to this pudding. After trying it the first time, I placed an immediate order for more Miracle Rice. The serving size is HUGE (makes 1 serving), so if you're a volume eater, you need this in your life. You can view the original recipe on Kim's site. 

Protein Rice Pudding

Ingredients:

1 package Miracle Rice 
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 scoop Cellucor Cinnamon Swirl protein powder
1 tablespoon sugar-free vanilla pudding mix
1 packet stevia

Directions:

1. Rinse the Miracle Rice in a strainer (make sure it has super small holes so the rice doesn't fall out!)

2. Pat the rice dry (don't drive yourself crazy, but you want to make sure there isn't a lot of water in your bowl)

3. Add the rice to a large bowl and mix in the remaining ingredients.

I topped mine with fresh fruit, roasted edamame, and peanut butter!

Serves: 1

• 1 whole bag of miracle rice (2.5 servings)
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 scoop cinnamon swirl cellucor protein
• 1 TBSP sugar free vanilla pudding mix
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 stevia packet

- See more at: http://www.thecoconutdiaries.net/protein-rice-pudding/#sthash.UiO8tdEd.dpuf

No-Bake Protein Bar

I ran out of Quest Bars the other day, and wanted to bring a quick and easy snack with me to work. I've always baked my protein bars in the past, but I really didn't have the time. It took seconds to prepare, and I left it in the freezer to firm up while I showered and got ready. You can also just eat this as soon as it's prepared- it tastes like cookie dough!

I used Cellucor protein in the Cake Batter flavor, but any of your favorite whey protein powders will work fine. I highly recommend Cellucor though :)

No-Bake Protein Bar

Ingredients:

3/4 scoop whey protein (~20 grams)
2 tablespoons coconut flour
2 teaspoon unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon almond butter (or peanut butter)
8 drops liquid stevia 
Almond milk as needed

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients except the almond milk in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly. Gradually add almond milk in small amounts until you form a thick dough.
2. Form the mixture into a bar shape. Freeze or refrigerate until set. Or, enjoy as is!

Nutrition Information: 185 calories, 5 grams Fat, 15 grams CHO, 20 g Protein

Chocolate Coconut Protein Pancakes

It has been a long time since I've revisited these flavors, and decided to give my original recipe an upgrade. Both versions are delicious!



Chocolate Coconut Protein Pancakes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup cauliflower, finely chopped (use your food processor)

3/4 scoop Cellucor Molten Chocolate protein powder (or any chocolate whey protein)
2 tablespoons coconut flour

1/2 tablespoon psyllium husk

1 tablespoon reduced-fat coconut flakes

2 tablespoons cottage cheese

3 tablespoons egg whites
8-10 drops coconut stevia (or regular stevia)

Almond milk as needed

Directions:

1. Place cauliflower in the microwave. Cook for 40 seconds.
2. Meanwhile, heat a nonstick pan coated with cooking spray over medium heat.
3. Add the remaining ingredients (protein powder through stevia) to your food processor. Blend until smooth. Add almond milk as needed (add SLOWLY). You want your pancake batter to be thick.
4. Add the batter by the spoonful to the pan. Cook until the edges set. These are thick so be patient! Flip and cook another 3-4 minutes on the other side, or until cooked through.

Top with more coconut flakes if you'd like. I layered mine with almond butter and stevia sweetened Greek yogurt!

I buy my psyllium husk, coconut flakes, coconut stevia, and flours from Vitacost. They have the best prices and everything is delivered right to my door! Here's a link for a discount off your first order!

Apple Pie Protein Pancakes

These have been one of my favorite recipes that I keep going back to. The unsweetened applesauce in this recipe gives the pancakes great flavor and keeps them moist. Applesauce is a great replacement for butter and oil in baking. Other options to replace the butter and oil  in your recipes include Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, banana, and even avocado! Do NOT let the cauliflower in the recipe scare you. You cannot taste it, and it makes the pancakes more dense and cake-like. Read more about the ingredients I use here. You can find the coconut flour and psyllium husk from Vitacost. It's cheaper than the grocery store and delivered right to your door! Use this link  for money off your first order!

Apple Pie Protein Pancakes

Ingredients:

1/3 cup riced cauliflower (I place raw cauliflower in my Ninja food processor and blend until finely chopped)
3/4 scoop vanilla whey protein powder (I used Cellucor)
2 tablespoons coconut flour
1/2 tablespoon psyllium husk
1 stevia packet
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 tablespoons egg whites
2-3 tablespoons almond milk
Nutmeg and cinnamon to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat a nonstick pan over medium heat and coat with cooking spray.
2. Microwave your cauliflower rice for 40 seconds.
3. Add all ingredients to your food processor (including cauliflower). Blend until smooth, but do not over mix! Batter should be thick.
4. Add batter to the pan by the heaping spoonful. Cook until set and small bubbles start to form. Flip and cook on the other side. Be patient. Mine are thick so it takes a little longer than regular pancakes.

I layered mine with stevia sweetened Greek yogurt, warm apple slices, and topped them with more cinnamon :)

Serves 1

Nutrition Information:  3 g Fat, 27 g CHO, 14 g Fiber, 24 g Protein

Red Velvet Cake Batter Protein Waffles

Cellucor... I LOVE YOU ❤️ Cellucor is one of my favorite protein powders for baking and making pancakes and waffles. The flavors are amazing. Cinnamon Swirl, Peanut Butter Marshmallow, Cake Batter, and now Red Velvet Cake Batter! I don't know... This one might be a favorite! Went crazy today and took out the waffle maker. You can easily make these into pancakes too.

Tip: I only order my protein powders from Bodybuilding.com. If your order elsewhere, you're spending too much! Plus, they usually give you free samples :)

                                      

                                       

                                  

Red Velvet Protein Waffles

Ingredients:

3/4 scoop Red Velvet Cake Batter protein powder (by Cellucor)

1/3 cup oatmeal ground into flour (I use my food processor)

2 tablespoons coconut flour 

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 stevia packet

3 tablespoons egg whites

2 T cottage cheese

5 tablespoons almond milk 

Directions:

1. Preheat waffle maker (or pan if making pancakes). 

2. Blend together all dry ingredients in a blender or food processor. 

3. Add egg whites, cottage cheese, and milk. Blend until smooth. Add batter to waffle maker and cook! 

I topped mine with WF sugar-free chocolate syrup, strawberries, and stevia sweetened Greek yogurt. Feels like I just ate cake for breakfast!

Coconut Cream Protein Pancakes

Fluffy, filling, and the perfect amount of coconut flavor. I've been wanting to test out the coconut emulsion I picked up at T.J. Maxx. I like the flavor better than coconut extract. It tastes more....natural? It doesn't have a strong aftertaste. But extract works perfectly fine for this recipe too!

Ingredients: 

2 tablespoons oatmeal 

2 tablespoons coconut flour

2 tablespoons vanilla whey protein 

1/4 teaspoon baking powder 

1 stevia packet

1 tablespoon reduced-fat coconut flakes 

(or regular)

1/3 cup riced cauliflower (pulse in a good processor until finely chopped) 

2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons low-fat cottage cheese 

1/2 teaspoon coconut emulsion (or extract) 

Directions:

1. Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat. Coat with cooking spray. 

2. Microwave cauliflower rice for 40 seconds. 

3. Add all ingredients into a food processor. Blend until smooth.

4. Cook your pancakes! Be patient, flip when the edges have set and little bubbles start to form. 

I layered my stack with Greek yogurt mixed with stevia. You can also add more coconut flakes. 

Cake Batter Protein Pancakes

How can you not love Cellucor's newest protein flavor?! Cor-fetti cake batter- the flavor is spot on. This pancake recipe is really easy with basic ingredients. You can substitute with any protein powder flavor you like and they'll still come out delicious!

Cake Batter Protein Pancakes

Ingredients: 

3/4 scoop Cellucor Cake Batter whey (or any flavor)

1/4 cup oatmeal

1/4 cup cottage cheese (I use Daisy 2%)

1/2 medium banana (50 grams)

3 tablespoons egg whites

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Directions:

1. Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat. Coat with cooking spray.

2. Blend all ingredients together in a blender or food processor.

3. Drop batter by the spoonful into the pan. Cook until edges set and bubbles start to form, then flip. Cook another 2-3 minutes. 

I topped mine with Justin's Maple Almond butter, but it's also good with Greek yogurt sweetened with stevia. Or both :)

Red Velvet Protein Pancakes

I was in Whole Foods the other day when I noticed Melissa's Beets on sale. I picked up the package with one goal in mind: Red Velvet Protein Pancakes. Yes, these are pancakes made with beets (NO they do not taste like beets!). They are delicious AND healthy. How does it get better than that? Make these!

Red Velvet Protein Pancakes

Ingredients:

For the Pancakes:

1/4 cup oatmeal
1 tablespoon coconut flour
2 tablespoons chocolate whey protein (I used Cellucor)
1/2 tablepsoon psyllium
1/2 t baking powder
2 tablespoons cottage cheese
3 tablespoons egg whites
3 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk (or any milk)
1 1/2 medium cooked beets, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
5-10 chocolate stevia drops (or unflavored)

For the Sauce:
1 tablespoon chocolate whey protein
1 tablespoon unsweetened almond milk (or any milk)

 Directions:

1. Blend oatmeal into oat flour (I used my Ninja food processor)
2. Add remaining ingredients. Blend until all ingredients mix thoroughly.
3. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Coat with cooking spray. Once hot, add your pancake batter by the spoonful.
4. Cook until edges set, then flip. Cook another 1-2 minutes on the other side.
5. Mix sauce ingredients. Pour over your pancakes.

Nutrition Info (Pancakes only): 242 Calories, 4 g Fat, 31 g CHO (11.6 g Fiber), 20.4 g Protein

Nutrition Info (With Chocolate Sauce): 266 Calories, 4 g Fat, 32 g CHO (11.6 g Fiber), 25.4 g Protein 

*Note: Nutrition Info will vary depending on the brand of products you use. The links in the ingredient list will bring you to iherb.com which is where I bought my ingredients. If you use the link, or code ZSG766, you can get up to $10 off your first purchase!

Creamy Peanut Butter Banana Overnight Oats

Who doesn't love peanut butter and bananas together? Classic combination. These oats were creamy and bursting with stick-to-your-guts peanut butter flavor. Perfect for a busy morning!

Creamy Peanut Butter Banana Overnight Oats

1/3 cup oatmeal
1/2 banana
1/4 cup Cellucor Peanut Butter Marshmallow protein powder
1 tablespoon peanut butter (or almond butter)
1/3 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
5-6 liquid stevia drops (or to taste)

1. Mash the banana. Add oats, 2 tablespoons of the protein powder, peanut butter, milk, yogurt, and stevia. Mix well. Let sit overnight in the fridge.
2. In the morning, mix together the remaining 2 tablespoons of protein powder with a little water until it has a "sauce-like" consistency. Pour over oats.
3. DEVOUR!

Nutrition Info: 331 calories, 11 g Fat, 29 g CHO, 5 g Fiber, 29 g Protein 

Strawberry Protein Cheesecake

My parents were coming home from vacation yesterday, so I thought it would be nice have a nice meal waiting for them- including dessert. They traveled to Vienna, Budapest, and Prague for the past ten days. My dad posted pictures of their trip everyday on Facebook to keep us updated. The scenery, castles, and old buildings looked like they were right out of a fairytale. Definitely adding it to my LONG list of places I want to go.

They returned bearing gifts : ) . . . and what excited me the most? HUNGARIAN PAPRIKA. Yea, the real deal. I added it to my super egg white omelette that night.

 OK, recipe time. I had to use up some fat-free ricotta cheese, so I thought I'd attempt to make a cheesecake. I have never made a cheesecake in my life. So I knew going in, this could be a complete disaster or a pleasant surprise. Luckily, it came out great! My sister said it tastes just like cheesecake! The one and only downside to this experiment was that it probably would've come out better if I owned a cheesecake pan. I used a small brownie pan instead, so they are kind of more like cheesecake bars. I don't mind the shape at all because they are perfect for crumbling into my protein fro-yo. If you are lucky enough to have a cheesecake pan, I would probably double the recipe to make it fit.

Strawberry Protein Cheesecake 

Ingredients:

1 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
1/2 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt
1 egg
1 scoop Cellucor Strawberry Milkshake protein powder
3 tablespoons stevia (or to taste)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Blend together all ingredients. Pour into a small cheesecake pan sprayed with cooking spray.
3. Bake for 45 minutes, or until set.

How easy is that?!

Serves 6

Nutrition Information (1 slice) : 74 calories, 1 g Fat, 4.1 g CHO, 11.1 g Protein

Cinnamon Swirl Cauliflower Pancakes

These are seriously unreal. I cannot preach enough about how moist, dense, and cake-like that cauliflower makes to your pancakes!! And no, you absolutely DO NOT taste the cauliflower. This recipe was originally posted by Kim, but since I'm not a good recipe-follower, I modified some of the measurements to fit my needs (and to get the batter looking nice and thick). You really need to try these- LIFE CHANGING.

As a side note, many people have asked where I get some of my ingredients. There is a link on my homepage on the bottom right that brings you to a website where I order a majority of my ingredients at incredibly low prices (iHerb). If you use my link, or click on one of the ingredients that I've highlighted, it will bring you to the website and automatically apply a discount for you :) If you just go to the website, my coupon code is ZSG766.

Cinnamon Swirl Cauliflower Pancakes

Ingredients:

1/3 cup riced cauliflower (I used my Ninja to rice it)
2 tablespoons Cellucor Cinnamon Swirl protein powder
1/2 tablespoon pysllium
2 tablespoons coconut flour
3 tablespoons egg whites
2 ounces banana (about half a medium banana)
20 drops vanilla stevia (or any stevia to taste)

Directions:

1. To make riced cauliflower, pulse the cauliflower in a food processor until it looks "rice-like".
2. Microwave the cauliflower for 30 seconds.
3. Blend together all ingredients except the cauliflower. Then, stir the batter into the cauliflower. Batter will be THICK.
4. Cook over medium heat on a nonstick pan coated with cooking spray. Be patient. Flip when the edges start to set.

 Macros: 2.6 g Fat, 28.4 g CHO, 13.3 g Fiber, 19.3 g Protein

Peanut Butter Marshmallow Protein Blondies

My original Peanut Butter Protein Blondies are fabulous. But, I created the recipe before I ever tried Cellucor protein powder. So, I made an updated version using Cellucor's Peanut Butter Marshmallow whey protein. Totally kicks the peanut butter flavor up a notch! Literally tastes like you are eating a soft bar of peanut butter. YUM. Crumbled one into my protein fro-yo today. Happy tummy : )

Peanut Butter Marshmallow Protein Blondies

Ingredients:

1 cup cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 scoop Cellucor Peanut Butter Marshmallow
1/4 cup stevia (or to taste)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup almond milk (I used unsweetened vanilla)

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350.
2. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
3. Eat some of the batter because it taste like cookie dough. Just kidding . . . kinda.
4. Spray a non-stick 8" square pan or bread loaf pan depending on what shape you'd like your bars to be. Pour batter into the pan.
5. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until your knife comes out clean.
6. Place on a cooling rack. Cut into 6-8 slices- or whatever serving size you prefer!

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Protein Pancakes Versions II and III

I have a serious problem. I CAN NOT stop making protein pancakes!! I know there are worse things I could be addicted to. Especially when my pancakes are super clean and healthy. My issue lies in the fact that I can't stop experimenting with the same idea over and over - and making them totally different every time!! How am I supposed to stick to a recipe if I just keep experimenting and never going back to the original?? This is my perfectionism FULL FORCE. I always think I'm going to make something better. However, this philosophy has really hindered me from posting some really wonderful recipes that I've made the past week and a half. So, I've decided to stop thinking so much and just put them out there. You guys can try them and let me know what you think. Then, I can work on "perfecting" them (if there's any perfecting to do) based on your feedback :) Here we go:

The two recipes I'll post today are different versions of my Peanut Butter Pumpkin Protein Pancakes. I'll post my other new pancake experiments separately in order to prevent recipe overload. They all deserve their own chance to be in the spotlight anyway :)

Peanut Butter, Pumpkin, and Oatbran Protein Pancakes

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Cellucor Peanut Butter Marshmallow 
1/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup egg beaters
2 teaspoons oat bran (or ground oats)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla
Cinnamon and Truvia to taste

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients in a blender (I used my Ninja).
2. Cook your pancakes!

Note: The stack was bigger but I ate one :) Oopsie.

Peanut Butter, Pumpkin, and Psyllium Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 scoop Cellucor Peanut Butter Marshmallow
1/4 cup egg whites
1/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 tablespoon psyllium
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
Cinnamon and Truvia to taste

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients in a blender (I used my Ninja).
2. Cook your pancakes!

Nutrition Info: 198 calories, 2 g Fat, 12 g CHO (6 g Fiber), 33 g Protein 

 Psyllium husks just make EVERY pancake better. They swell up and make your pancakes FLUFF like WHOA. They are a pantry STAPLE. The one I use is from Swanson, but Trader Joe's carries their own brand as well. BUY IT.

Whew. I feel better. I really wanted to share these, and I'm not totally sure why because they are so similar. At least you have options if you don't the ingredients for one, you can make the other? More experiments to be posted soon :).