5 Recipes That Can Be Made With Protein

Quarantine eating has most of the population feeling a bit heftier than normal this spring. Gyms are just beginning to open, and everyone is scrambling to get in shape for the upcoming summer. Protein is a key part of any diet if wanting to gain lean muscle, while simultaneously loosing fat, is an end goal. Eating a high protein diet is awesome, and its health benefits are even better.

There are many advantages to eating a high protein diet. High protein foods take longer to digest, therefore making you stay full for longer. Protein powder is a great way to help get those extra grams of calories in, especially since it’s hard for some people to meet their daily protein consumption targets with solid food. Check out these recipes for ideas on delicious, high protein treats made with protein powder.

1. Protein Coffee

One of the simplest ways to get extra protein is by drinking it in your morning coffee. Not only is it convenient, but it tastes amazing! Start out by making a normal cup of coffee. While the coffee is still hot, add a serving of whatever protein powder you have readily available. It’s important to mix the coffee and protein powder together while the coffee is hot because the powder will blend better into the coffee. A good method to help blend the protein and coffee together is to either shake them together in a blender bottle with the metal blending ball, or to use a milk frother. Milk frothers can be found and purchased on Amazon for extremely cheap. Mix the two ingredients together until perfectly blended to avoid chunks of protein powder. Another benefit of using protein in your morning coffee is that there is no need to use a creamer, since the taste of the protein already weakens the taste of the coffee.

2. Protein Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Protein banana chocolate chip pancakes are easy to make, and so yummy. Trust us, these will taste better than IHOP pancakes. There are four primary ingredients. Start with a large banana, one large egg, one large scoop of oats, and one scoop of protein powder. Mix the banana and the egg together in a blender. Blend until you have a smooth consistency. Then, add the oats and protein powder to the blender. Once again, blend until the batter reaches a smooth texture with no chunks. Turn the heat on the stove to medium heat. The heat should be kept at a medium setting to avoid burning the pancakes. Next, begin to make pancakes! The pancakes come out thinner than a normal pancake, but we can assure you they’re just as tasty! Wait until the pancakes are golden brown. Cocoa powder can be added to the batter if you’re in the mood for chocolate pancakes. Adding fruit or chocolate chips makes the pancakes even better—even though the chocolate kind of defeats the purpose of eating healthy pancakes. In the end, it is all about balance!

3. Protein Overnight Oatmeal

Considering they’re made the night before, protein overnight oats are wonderful for saving time in the morning without skimping on your morning fuel! They’re also great for people who are into meal prepping. The best part is they’re just as simple to make as they are tasty. First, grab a bowl to mix the ingredients in. For this recipe, you will need oats, almond milk, protein powder (usually vanilla), chia seeds, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Vanilla protein powder is the best to use in overnight oats, but feel free to use whatever you have on hand. Chia seeds are a great superfood to add to your daily diet, as they are loaded with antioxidants, Omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and protein. With around 6 grams of protein per serving, chia seeds are the perfect add-in for your protein overnight oats. Once all of the ingredients are mixed, transfer the mixture to a sealed container and leave it in the fridge overnight to solidify. The oats are then served chilled in the morning. What an amazing-tasting, quick and easy breakfast! Fruit can be added to add flavor to the oats. In total, these oats have almost 30 grams of protein! Talk about a perfect way to start the day. 

4. Protein Cookie Dough Bites

Who doesn’t love eating cookie dough? While it’s unarguably delicious, it’s unfortunately not in our best interest to eat it. Besides the fact that it can cause salmonella, it is just down right not healthy. Normal cookie dough is high in both sugar and fat. This protein cookie dough recipe, however, is high protein and high fiber. To begin, mix 2 scoops of protein powder with 3 tablespoons of flour. Then, begin to mix in half a cup of water. Melt coconut oil and coconut butter together on low heat, and then add to the bowl of other ingredients. Stir the ingredients until a thick batter forms. Once the dough begins to solidify, take a spoon-sized amount to create a ball shape, and place it on a baking sheet. Do this with the rest of the dough. This should make around 7-8 protein balls. Refrigerate the protein balls for an hour before eating. These protein cookie dough balls are so good and so healthy! They’re also low carb, and no oven is required! 

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5. Protein Cinnamon Rolls

There’s nothing like hot cinnamon rolls for breakfast! Try out these guilt free cinnamon rolls that are just as good as normal cinnamon rolls, but with added protein. Watch out, Cinnabon! Whey protein works best for this recipe, but you can use whichever protein you prefer. To start, combine protein, all-purpose flour, baking powder, unsweetened applesauce, Stevia, cinnamon, and butter into a bowl. Mix until a dough-y consistency is formed, then separate the dough and form into strips. Next, spray cooking spray or spray butter onto the strips. Mix the Stevia and cinnamon together, and sprinkle the mixture onto each of the strips. Add more for a more intense cinnamon taste. Roll the strip into the shape of a cinnamon roll, then place the uncooked bun into a dish. Place the dish in the microwave and cook for one minute. The result will be a soft and warm cinnamon roll. Feel free to add icing to top it off! This recipe is to die for!

Get that summer body by eating healthier foods that make life enjoyable! And, while you’re at it, rid yourself of the mindset that eating a high protein diet strictly means eating chicken and protein bars! There are other options out there, as you can tell from this article. Being successful at eating healthy is all about finding a balance and a way to make that lifestyle sustainable. Eating only chicken and protein bars is not sustainable. These high protein recipes make eating healthy less difficult and more tasty.

Most of these recipes have around 30 grams of protein. Adjustments can be made to each recipe to accommodate whatever diet or lifestyle you’re practicing. We dare you to try out one of these awesome high protein recipes the next time you are craving something sweet! 

Which of these high protein recipes will you try first? What are some of your other favorite high protein recipes? Let us know in the comments below!