Protein powder usually comes in GIANT containers, which is all fine and dandy for a lot of people. But for me, I sometimes get sick of smoothies, and that was the extent of my creative uses for protein powder. I'm just not tough enough to simply mix it with water and gulp, so I prefer smoothies to blend fruit, juice and powder together into something frothy and delicious.
However, I also like to eat a lot... not just drink my meals. So I began the valiant quest of searching for other means to utilize protein powder. Here are my successes (and my failure)!
Banana Protein Muffins
Basically, this recipe can be summed up quite easily: if you like banana bread, you will love these. End of story. Plus, you'll be adding a bit more protein to your diet! Absolutely perfect for breakfast on the go or for that mid-morning snack!
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup ripe banana (about 1 large banana)
- 3/4 cup egg whites
- 1/2 cup plain low fat Greek yogurt
- 3/4 cup oats
- 2 scoops vanilla protein powder
- 1/4 cup baking stevia
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Directions:
- Pre-heat oven to 350° F
- In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients with wet ingredients (you may also blend all ingredients together for a smoother consistency if you prefer)
- Get your muffin tin ready with some unbleached baking cups
- Fill each cup about 3/4 full with the batter (tip: for spill-free filling of the cups, dump the batter into a ziplock type plastic bag, cut off one corner and squeeze batter into the baking cups!)
- Bake 15-18 minutes at 350° F
Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Bars
Okay, there are a lot of ingredients, but bear with me. You just have to mix the dry ones and the wet ones seperately, and then combine them. That's it! Well, then bake it! This recipe was AMAZING. I loved it. I didn't bring any to share with my coworkers because I loved it so much. I've had it for breakfast all week and am so not sick of it! I'm even crumbling it up on top of my yogurt. Seriously, I'm obsessed.
Ingredients: 
- 1/2 cup protein powder
- 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup spelt flakes
- 1/3 cup wheat bran
- 1/4 cup wheat germ
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp cardamom
- 1/8 tsp allspice
- 2 tbsp honey or agave
- 1/2 cup organic dried apples
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup peeled, grated apples
- 2 tbsp coconut butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375°F
- Combine all dry ingredients in one mixing bowl
- Combine all wet ingredients in a separate mixing bowl
- SLOWLY mix the dry ingredient mix into the wet ingredient mix
- Line a 9 x 9 inch pan with parchment paper
- Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes
Seriously, trust me on this one. You must give it a shot!
RECIPE FAIL!!!
Okay. And here is my FAIL recipe. One would think simple, easy, Peanut Butter Protein Bites. No problem, right? Oh. My. Goodness. I couldn't get them to form into a ball for the life of me! I tried everything! I added more of the dry ingredients, I chilled them, I added wheat germ (which wasn't called for in the recipe)! HELP!! I'm so bummed about these PB Bites! They had such sweet potential!
Okay, here's the recipe: Tell me what I could do better...
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup peanut butter
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 cup raw oats
- 1 scoop of protein powder
Directions:
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper
- Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl
- Roll mixture into small 1-inch bite-sized pieces and place them on the baking sheet
- Put baking sheet in fridge and let set
And then you're supposed to just skip off into bliss as they chill in the fridge and you should be able to snack on them all week! Perhaps I needed to incorporate a cooking thickener.
So why did mine turn into a goopy mess!? Obviously a baking travesty! Any suggestions? Comment below! Please!
