Snickerdoodle Cookie Protein Bars




If you've been following my healthy treat recipe journey for a while, you know I really am obsessed with cookies. I also love cinnamon! Naturally, with that said, snickerdoodle cookies are among my top favorite types of cookies. I love them because they aren't too sweet and have that subtle cinnamon flavor. I had an idea to make sugar cookie protein bars but thought....why not add cinnamon? And I , of course, thought of snickerdoodle cookies. These bars have a soft and chewy texture, much like the cookie. They also have the perfect amount of sweetness. You can really enjoy these for breakfast (they'd be fabulous with a cup of coffee) or for dessert. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or oat flour)
1/3 cup Vitacost xylitol (or sweetener of choice)
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoon butter extract
2 egg whites
1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x8” baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Stir together oat flour, almond meal flour, protein powder, xylitol, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon in a mixing bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remainder of ingredients. Pour this wet mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients.

4. Stir mixtures together until batter is smooth and well combined. Batter will be thick.

5. Spoon batter into prepared dish and smooth down with the back of a spoon.

6. Sprinkle with more xylitol and cinnamon, if desired, and bake in the oven for 10-14 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes.

7. Cut into 10 even squares. Enjoy!

Makes 10 servings
1 serving is 1 square

Macros for 1 serving
167 calories, 7.7g protein, 16.7g carbs, 9.5g fat, 1.8g fiber, 4g sugar

Nicolette’s Tips
* For a lower carb option, replace oat flour with ¾ cup coconut flour and an additional ¼ cup almond meal flour (¾ cup total of almond meal flour). You can also decrease the carbs by using a zero calorie sweetener instead of using xylitol.
* You can use regular coconut oil instead of liquid coconut oil. You will need to melt the coconut oil first and also make sure the milk and eggs are at room temperature.




Hot Chocolate Protein Cupcakes

I am currently in the mood for a warm, comforting cup of hot cocoa. Most of the time I crave coffee, simply because....caffeine. But hot chocolate gives me that extra feeling of content. Take it easy, Nicolette. I was also in the mood to bake - and when my moods collided, these cupcakes were created. I am in love with these! I must say that an edible cupcake version of hot chocolate is bound to make anyone squeal in delight. Being that they're macro-friendly too, you can enjoy them without any guilt!


Mini Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Protein Donuts





Peanut Butter. Chocolate Chips. Mini. DONUTS!! I am so happy I made these. As I pondered on what kind of donuts to make, I reminded myself of two flavors that always go well together. Chocolate and peanut butter. It's a match made in heaven. Speaking of heaven, these taste heavenly and are packed with some extra protein and healthier ingredients so you don't feel as guilty eating these as your would regular donuts. I enjoyed these for both breakfast and dessert. Enjoy!

Ingredients

½ cup whole-wheat pastry flour (or 1/3 cup oat flour)
2 tablespoons xylitol (or sweetener of choice)
½ tsp. baking powder
1 whole egg
¼ cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk or choice)
2 tablespoons sugar free chocolate chips


Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a mini donut pan with non-stick spray and set aside.

2. Whisk together all of the donut ingredients, except chocolate chips, until smooth.

3. Stir in chocolate chips until well combined

4. Evenly spoon batter into donut pan, filling 12 mini donut molds.

5. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes. Enjoy!

Makes 12 servings
1 serving is 1 mini donut

Macros for 1 serving
67 calories, 3.2g protein, 6.8g carbs, 1g fiber, 3.5g fat, 0.3g sugar

Nicolette’s Tips
* You can make regular sized donuts as well. Just increase the cooking time.
* For a lower fat content, substitute coconut oil with applesauce or plain greek yogurt.


Spinach & Pine Nut Quinoa with Seared Scallops






Ingredients

Quinoa
½ cup pine nuts
2 cups spinach, chopped
¼ cup parsley, chopped
1½ teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons lemon juice
½ tablespoon ghee butter (or regular butter)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
¼ cup yellow onion, chopped
1 cup quinoa, rinsed & drained

Scallops
8 Sizzlefish scallops
Flavor God Everything Seasoning (or seasoning of choice)
½ tablespoon ghee butter

Method

1. Toast pine nuts in an oven at 350 degrees F for 8 minutes.

2. Heat ½ tablespoon ghee in a skillet on the stovetop over medium heat. Add garlic and chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Pour this mixture into a large bowl along with the first 5 ingredients.

3. Bring chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Pour in quinoa then reduce the heat to low and let simmer, with lid on, until all liquid is absorbed, about 8-12 minutes.

4. Spoon cooked quinoa into the large bowl on top of the other ingredients and let sit about 5 minutes then stir.

5. For the scallops, melt ghee butter in a skillet over medium to medium high heat. Make sure the scallops are completely dry then sprinkle each scallop with Flavor God seasoning (or seasoning of choice) on both sides.

6. Cook scallops in the skillet for 2-3 minutes on each side. Serve immediately with spinach and pine nut quinoa. Enjoy!

Makes 2 servings *Note: the quinoa makes 6 servings
1 serving is 4 scallops with ½ cup cooked quinoa

Macros for 1 serving
380 calories, 19.4g protein, 36g carbs, 17.3g fat, 1.8g sugar, 4.1g fiber

Lemon Glazed Sugar Cookies

These are for all of the lemon fans out there, one being myself! These are also for cookie fans, glaze fans, and basically delicious dessert fans. So everyone! Free of gluten and eggs, these soft and sweet cookies can also be made vegan and/or without protein powder. Those options are listed in the notes section at the bottom of the recipe. 




Ingredients

Cookie
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (see notes)
2/3 cups gluten-free oat flour 
2 tablespoons xylitol (see notes)
1 teaspoon lemon zest
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1½ tablespoons lemon juice
¼ cup coconut oil, melted
¼ cup coconut milk
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon butter extract

Glaze
½ scoop vanilla protein powder (see notes)
Juice of ½ lemon
6 tablespoons coconut milk

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a sheet pan with foil and coat with non-stick spray.

2. Place the first 5 ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir together.

3. Pour the remainder of the ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and stir until batter is thick and smooth.

4. Using a small ice-cream scooper or tablespoon, drop about 2 tablespoons of cookie dough onto the sheet pan, making 14 cookies total.

5. Gently flatten each cookie with a fork and bake in the oven for 10-14 minutes or until cookies are golden brown.

6. Whisk the glaze ingredients together and drizzle on each cookie. Serve immediately.

Makes 14 servings
1 serving is 1 cookie with glaze

Macros for 1 serving
80 calories, 3.7g protein, 6.1g carbs, 4.9g fat, 0.3g sugar, 0.7g fiber

Notes
* Protein Powder Free Option: for the cookies, substitute protein powder with an additional 1/4 cup oat flour. For the glaze, substitute protein powder with 1/4 cup powdered sugar. 
* Vegan Option: use a vegan vanilla protein powder.
* You can substitute xylitol with any granulated sweetener of choice. 

Beef & Black Bean Burgers





Can you please take a moment and look at that MEAT!!!! And yes, it is just as delicious as it looks. This ground beef I got from 5280 Meat just melts in your mouth. These burgers are so simple to make but pack on a ton of flavor. The black beans add a bit of protein and fiber to them also. I put some tomato, spinach, goat cheese, and avocado on my burger but regardless of how you make yours, I can guarantee you'll love this recipe. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef (I used 5280 Meat – 85% lean ground beef)
¼ cup cooked black beans, mashed
¼ cup onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 whole egg
3 tablespoons wheat germ
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground pepper
Optional: 1 tablespoon Flavor God Everything Seasoning

Method

1. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

2. Using your hands, mix ingredients together until well combined.

3. Evenly divide meat mixture into 4 sections and, using your hands, form each section into a burger patty.

4. Heat a grill pan on the stovetop over medium to medium high heat. Cook patties on each side about 3 minutes or until desired doneness is reached. Enjoy!

Makes 4 servings
1 serving is 1 burger patty

Macros for 1 serving
264 calories, 26.1g protein, 5.4g carbs, 17.3g fat, 1.5g sugar, 1.5g fiber

Chocolate Walnut Protein Energy Bites






Check these out! Seriously. These little bites of heaven are chocolatey, scrumptious, and decadent treats. They contain NO dairy either. I love treats like this because they are a perfect pre-workout snack that will get you going thanks to the healthy protein, carbs, and natural sugars they contrain. You can also choose not to bake them. I tried them both ways and they're perfect no matter what you decide. Enjoy! 

Ingredients

¼ cup unsalted walnuts
¼ cup oat flour (or whole wheat flour)
¾ scoop chocolate protein powder
2 teaspoons dark cocoa powder
¼ cup dates, pitted
1/3 cup sugar free maple syrup (or regular maple syrup)
Optional Toppings: melted sugar free chocolate

Method

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.

2. Soak dates in a bowl of water for 10 minutes and drain.

3. Pulse walnuts in a food processor until a fine crumble forms.

4. Add dates to walnut mixture and pulse until smooth.

5. Add remainder of the ingredients, except rolled oats, to the food processor and blend until completely smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl a few times to ensure the mixture is well combined.

6. Spoon batter into a mixing bowl, stir in oats, and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

7. Remove from fridge and roll 2 tablespoons of batter into a ball. Repeat until 16 energy bites are made.

8. Place bites on baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately. 

Makes 16 servings
1 serving is 1 energy bite

Macros for 1 serving
82 calories, 2.9g protein, 14.6g carbs, 12.6g net carbs, 1.9g fat, 7.8g sugar, 2g fiber

Tuscan Herb & Feta Turkey Meatballs






I LOVE meatballs. I eat them with a lot of different things...like pasta, salad, rice, veggies, eggs, or by themselves. These are packed with so many bold ingredients. Even so, they aren't overpowering and have a great balance of textures and flavors. Feta and Italian seasoning go so well together. The Tuscan Herb olive oil from Vitacost is delicious and adds a special flavor element to these meatballs. This time, I made some pasta and tomato basil marinara sauce to enjoy with this dish. What will you make? Regardless, I think you will thoroughly enjoy these!

Ingredients

2 lbs. lean ground turkey (93/7)
½ cup low fat crumbled feta cheese
¾ cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs
¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon all-purpose, salt-free seasoning
2 whole eggs (or 3 egg whites)
¼ cup no salt added tomato sauce
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 small onion, diced
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Combine all ingredients, except the ground turkey and olive oil, in a large bowl and stir until mixture is well combined.

3. Add the ground turkey to the mixture and, using your hands, gently mix the ingredients until well combined.

4. Take about 3 tablespoons (or use a small ice cream scooper) of meat mixture and roll into a 1½-inch ball. Repeat until 32-34 meatballs are made.

5. Place meatballs on a non-stick baking sheet and drizzle with Vitacost’s Tuscan herb olive oil.

6. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Let sit for 10 minutes then serve.

Makes 8 servings
1 serving is 4 meatballs

Macros for 1 serving
281 calories, 25.7g protein, 8.4g carbs, 13.8g fat, 1g fiber, 2.1g sugar

Nicolette’s Tips
* To make your own breadcrumbs, add whole wheat bread of choice to a food processor and pulse until crumbs form. Toast in the oven at 325 degrees F until golden brown.
* I ate my meatballs with pasta and Vitacost’s tomato basil marinara sauce. Delicious!

Strawberry White Chocolate Protein Cake


I was initially going to make a breakfast bread with this recipe. But shoot. I wanted cake! I tweaked the recipe a bit so I could make a cake. Strawberry + white chocolate = heaven! This is a sweet treat you won't regret making. Plus, the white chocolate drizzle makes everything better. Enjoy.

Ingredients

1 cup oat flour (or whole wheat flour)
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
Pinch of salt
¼ cup Vitacost coconut sugar (or sweetener of choice)
¼ cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)
¼ cup plain greek yogurt
1 large egg
2 Tbsp. Vitacost liquid coconut oil (or unsweetened applesauce)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
¾ cup diced strawberries

Optional Toppings: sliced strawberries and melted white chocolate chips

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 6” cake pan with non-stick spray and set aside.

2. In a mixing bowl, stir together flours, protein powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and coconut sugar. In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, yogurt, egg, oil, vinegar, and extract and let sit for 10 minutes. Pour wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and stir. Add in the strawberries and white chocolate chips and stir until well combined.

3. Pour batter into the cake pan and bake in the oven for 30-34 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted into center of cake. Let cool for 1 hour then cut into 8 even slices. Add optional toppings, if desired. Serve immediately and store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Makes 8 servings
1 serving is 1 slice of cake

Macros for 1 serving
182 calories, 8g protein, 20.5g carbs, 8.1g fat, 7.9g sugar, 2.2g fiber

Nicolette’s Tips
* You can double the recipe to make a standard sized cake.