In addition to helping with weight loss, protein also reduces cravings, refuels muscles, boosts energy, and builds muscle mass. Protein powders are excellent because they are also low in calories and very easy to mix into the food you are already consuming.
Therefore, it’s time to just start incorporating protein powder into every aspect of your diet after you’re tired of drinking simple protein shakes and are interested in cooking with it.
1. Use it in your pancakes
Add protein powder to your regular pancakes and you will have a healthy breakfast to start the day. You can make them as simple as you want, starting with just 3 ingredients, eggs, bananas and protein powder. But you can also increase the protein intake by adding whole oats, Greek yogurt, milk.
Also, to increase the intake of fiber, a good option would be to use high-fiber ingredients like blueberries and almond flour. Here is a recipe you can use.
2. Prep some protein balls that’ll give you an energy boost
Make some no-bake protein energy balls. Prep a bunch of them and have them for easy snacking during the week. Here is a great recipe for protein balls with rolled oats, protein powder, peanut butter and a touch of honey. If you are a coconut lover, here is another recipe for gluten-free protein balls that contain only 51 calories. They use almond flour, which is low in carbs, full of nutrients, rich in manganese, magnesium, and phosphorus. So, your bones will thank you for that.
3. Have a guilt-free dessert
Brownies, cakes, cookies, and more—there is no shortage of healthy desserts you can add protein powder to! Choose a protein powder with the flavor that your dessert is looking for and mix it right into the batter. Here is a protein brownie recipe that allows you to have a brownie for just 105 calories! It’s one of the easiest ways to start cooking with protein powder.
4. Combine it with chia seeds
You can easily combine chia with any liquid in order to find the consistency of pudding with no unnecessary additives. To make your chia treat even more exciting, toss in a scoop of protein powder to make it more flavorful, as well as some fruit of your choice. Find some inspiration here.
5. Enjoy a protein powder cheesecake
Cheesecake is a dessert that can be high in fat, sugar, carbs and calories, but you can still find a healthy alternative to curb your craving. The other great thing about making cheesecake is that you can pair it with fresh fruit to add an even more delicious taste!
You can add in a scoop or two of pumpkin and some cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice to make this protein cheesecake a fun fall dessert. Or even add some lemon juice or lemon zest into the cheesecake mixture to give a citrus taste. Check out this recipe.
6. Get creative with your oatmeal
If you are tired of plain oatmeal, try adding some more flavor. A warm, protein-packed breakfast in just 5 minutes, perfect for those busy mornings. Besides protein powder, add almonds, chocolate, coconut, or anything you like. Here is a recipe that can help you get started.
7. Have a protein smoothie if you’re craving some ice cream
You can have a healthier version of chocolate soft serve ice cream. For that you only need ingredients like frozen banana, milk, dark cocoa powder and protein powder. It’s effortless to make too. Just place your ingredients in a blender and give this recipe a try.
There are several different ways to add protein to your smoothies. The first and most obvious way is protein powder, and here we listed just a few ways to use it. But, besides protein powder, you can add protein through nuts, nut butter, seeds and chia seeds. If you tolerate dairy free, Greek yogurt is a great way to add protein. In addition, spinach naturally contains about 6 grams of protein per cup, so increase spinach for added protein.
