Protein Pumpkin Granola Bars

It's certainly sometimes easier to purchase foods like granola bars from the grocery store. I get it. But have you ever made your own? It's like comparing canned fruit to fresh fruit. Fresh fruit always wins, in my opinion. These granola bars taste so much better than store bought bars. I encourage you to try them out and see what I'm talking about. Plus, pumpkin and chocolate chips are a match made it heaven! 

Oat ‘n Honey Energy Bites

These little blissful bights are sure to give you an extra "boost" during that mid-day drag. Loaded with wholesome ingredients, like almond butter, pumpkin seeds, and oats, they both deliver nutritious benefits and taste delicious!

Lemon and Ginger Infused Green Tea Muffins

Have your tea and drink it, too? I don't think that's how the saying goes. But with these muffins, you can enjoy tea by both eating and drinking it! These muffins are infused with a refreshing lemon ginger green tea and lightly sweetened with xylitol and vanilla protein powder. I've never created a muffins like this, but I'm sure glad I tried it - the end result is scrumptious!

Spiced Chai Tea Protein Cookies

I love to curl up on the couch with a warm cup of tea. Chai tea is one of my favorites as it delivers a comforting aroma and taste. That is what inspired me to create a cookie that is made with chai tea. These cookies share the same smell and flavor of the tea, giving me that extra reason to take it easy in my favorite spot on the couch.

Mini Coconut Lime Protein Pies

You. GUYS! I want to first let you know that these little gems are super easy to make. That is, and has always been, a deciding factor for me in deciding whether or not to make a recipe. Second, there are only 5 ingredients, all easy to find. Third, and the most important point being, they are delicious! Melt in your mouth, creamy, sweet, tangy, healthy little bites similar to crustless key lime pies. 

I really encourage you to try these! 

No Bake Coconut Chocolate Chip Protein Cups

If you are a fan of coconut pie, you will also be a fan of these no bake coconut chocolate chip cups. They take on a thick and creamy texture that dissolves into a sweet treat the minute it hits your tongue. The macros per serving are ideal for a pre or post workout snack, so there's no excuse for not making these yummy cups!

Strawberry Banana Protein Muffins

I feel like strawberry banana is one of those classic flavor combinations that make most people smile in delight. I mean...I smile when I taste them together. These muffin's name speaks for itself. Instant smile! They are significantly low in sugar, allowing you to avoid the typical post-muffin sugar spike.

Blueberry Lemonade Protein Blondies

Mmmmmmm!! Blueberries, lemonade, blondies, Oh My! Perfectly soft and scrumptious blueberry blondies topped with a sweet and tangy lemon icing. Let's not forget that they are figure friendly, providing only 144 calories per serving! The deep blue/purple color of the blondie is from the REAL blueberries that are blended in the batter. To artificial coloring over here!

Blueberry Peach Protein Muffins

I'm fairly confidant in saying that when someone hears blueberry and peach, summertime memories fill their head. What I love most about being a recipe developer is utilizing fresh, in-season fruits and veggies for my treats and dishes. This muffins are a great example of that - a perfect summer breakfast or snack! If you want to make these in the winter or fall, however, getting frozen fruit is your best bet. They will still turn out great!

Double Berry and Chia Protein Crumble

There are so many health benefits in these little, yummy dishes! Chia seeds and berries are so incredibly nutrient dense, making these crumble dishes a great addition to your dessert menu. Minus the cooking time, it only takes about 5 minutes to make also. So, when you combine healthy with quick, easy, and delicious, I feel like if you don't make them you're just being so silly!

Vanilla Blackberry Protein Donuts

Have you ever tried cake donuts? If you haven't, I will be the one to tell you that you're kinda missing out. So let me help you with that problem. Oh, well lookie here - the perfect solution to that unfortunate problem. These vanilla blackberry donuts. The texture of these is like a perfectly light and moist cake. The flavor of these is tasty and sweet, too! And if you have tried cake donuts before, you shouldn't need to be told that this recipe is a must make!

Peach and Blueberry Protein Crisp

Ok, you guys! There is seldom a dish that makes me speechless. The minute I had a bite of this peach and blueberry crisp, I was in my own little foodie world. The sweet peaches cooked with the tangy blueberries topped with a sweet oat crumble is perfection. I suppose being a southern girl makes me biased towards traditional southern dessert. But I really don't think many people would find this dish disappointing! I can't wait to hear what you all think about this one! 

Protein Cinnamon Rolls

I mean who on earth doesn't get excited about warm, gooey cinnamon rolls!? Sometimes I wish I didn't love them so much. But that world doesn't exist. For a long time I've had protein cinnamon rolls on my "to-do" list. Once I sat down and typed the recipe, there wasn't a minute wasted! In the kitchen I went. Stirring, whisking, patting, rolling, sprinkling, slicing, making protein cinnamon rolls. Hallelujah! They are virtually sugar-free, high protein, and low carb. Much nicer on your figure than the store bought, or baker bought, cinnamon rolls. Also, what I hoped for - warm, gooey, and sweet!

Dark Chocolate Protein Pudding

Oh dear. I'm in trouble here. I CANNOT stop eating this pudding. I may have a tummy ache soon - errrrr, damn. I can't even grasp at the fact that this dark chocolate pudding has 11g of protein in each serving. You honestly would never know this is a "healthy-fied" version of the ever so loved sugar laden, grocery store packed chocolate pudding. If silky, smooth, rich, decadent, chocolatey treats are your thing, THIS IS YOUR THING!

Lemon Cream Protein Bars

Oh man. Have you ever taken a picture of something and thought "well shoot, this pictures doesn't do that justice"? Totally my thoughts with this dish. There's nothing real magical with how these lemon bars look. Let's discuss how they taste then, shall we. First you've got a perfectly sweet, crunchy crust that almost melts in your mouth when you take a bite. Then you've got a smooth, tangy, and delightful lemon layer that sparks the inner foodie in you. How is this even possible, you ask yourself. NO SUGAR?!?! Only 106 calories?!?! Let me handle that part, since it is mind-blowing. You just sit back, relax, and enjoy yourself a lemon cream protein bar! 

Honey Cinnamon Protein Oat Bread

Imagine a perfectly moist slice of homemade banana bread. Ok, that sounds pretty delicious, right?! I wanted to put a warm twist on traditional banana bread while adding a good dose of protein. This honey cinnamon oat bread turned out ideal. The cinnamon adds a warm component while the honey replaces the sweetness that typically comes from the banana. Being that it's not overly sweet, you can enjoy a healthy slice of this bread anytime of the day! 

Protein Brownie Batter Banana Bread

Ingredients

4 egg whites

¾ cup plain greek yogurt

1 small banana

3 scoops Devotion Nutrition brownie batter protein powder

1 packet Devotion Nutrition Bananas Foster Flex Flavor

1 cup oat flour

¾ cup almond meal flour

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ cup sugar free chocolate chips

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a standard sized loaf pan with nonstick spray and set aside.

2. Add egg whites, yogurt, and banana to a blender or food processor. Blend mixture until it’s smooth. Pour the mixture into a mixing bowl.

3. To the mixing bowl, add protein powder, oat flour, almond flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. Stir all ingredients together until batter is well combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

4. Spoon batter into the prepared pan and smooth down with the back of a spoon. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes. Let cool then cut into 16 slices. Enjoy!

Makes 16 servings

1 serving is 1 slice

Macros for 1 serving
122 calories, 8.4g protein, 9.8g carbs, 5.5g fat, 1.7g sugar, 2.3g fiber

Banana Bread Protein Granola

Ingredients

3 cups rolled oats

2 scoops Lean Body for Her vanilla whey concentrate protein powder

½ cup chopped pecans

½ tablespoon cinnamon

Dash of salt

¼ cup coconut oil, melted

¼ cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 medium ripe banana

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Place coconut oil, maple syrup, extract, and banana in a blender. Mix until smooth.

3. Pour mixture into a bowl and add protein powder. Whisk together until mix is smooth.

4. Add the remainder of ingredients to the mixing bowl and stir until well combined.

5. Spread the granola evenly onto the sheet pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring a couple of times during the baking process.

6. Remove from oven and let cool about 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Makes 12 servings

1 serving is about 1/3 cup

Macros for 1 serving

198 calories, 7.4g protein, 22.1g carbs, 9.7g fat, 6.6g sugar, 2.6g fiber

Cherry Coconut Protein Crisp

Ingredients

Cherry Filling

1 (16 oz.) package frozen dark cherries, thawed

1 scoop Vitacost ARO vanilla whey protein powder

¼ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons cornstarch

¼ cup lemon juice

3 tablespoons water

Crisp

½ cup rolled oats

½ scoop Vitacost ARO vanilla whey protein powder

2 tablespoons coconut sugar

2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut flakes

¼ cup coconut oil

Method

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray an 8x8 inch baking dish with non-stick spray and set aside.

2. Combine protein powder, cornstarch, lemon juice, water, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk together until mixture is smooth and resembles a thick paste.

3. Add thawed cherries to mixing bowl and stir vigorously until cherries are coated with thick lemon juice mixture.

4. Pour cherry filling into baking dish. Evenly spread out, ensuring filling covers the bottom of dish.

5. In a separate bowl, stir together all of the crisp ingredients (except for the coconut oil). Evenly sprinkle on top of cherry filling.

6. Melt the coconut oil and pour on top of crisp ingredients. Try to coat the entire crisp topping with coconut oil.

7. Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes or until top is golden brown. Let cool for 1 hour before serving.

Makes 9 servings

1 serving is about 1/3 cup

Macros for 1 serving

160 calories, 5.1g protein, 22g carbs, 7.4g fat, 13g sugar, 21.5g fiber

Pumpkin Pie Chocolate Chunk Protein Blondies

I am pretty obsessed with how these turned out. The texture is absolutely perfect, the new organic chocolate chunks from Vitacost are seriously delicious, and the flavor of these blondies are so good! These don't have an overwhelming pumpkin flavor - just enough to give you a little taste! I could honestly eat this whole batch. Please make these :) and enjoy!

Ingredients

2 egg yolks

1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk

½ cup canned pumpkin

2 scoops Vitacost ARO vanilla whey protein powder

1 cup oat flour (or whole-wheat flour)

½ cup almond meal

¼ cup Vitacost xylitol (or sweetener of choice)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of salt

½ cup Vitacost organic dark chocolate chunks

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a 9x9” baking dish with parchment paper.

2. Combine egg yolks, milk, and canned pumpkin in a mixing bowl and whisk together until smooth.

3. Add protein powder, oat flour, almond meal, xylitol, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt to a separate mixing bowl. Stir together.

4. Pour liquid ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and stir until well combined. Stir in ½ cup of chocolate chunks.

5. Pour batter into baking dish and smooth down with a spoon.

6. Bake in the oven for 22-24 minutes, or until center is cooked. Let cool for about 20 minutes, slice into 16 squares, and serve immediately.

Makes 16 servings

1 serving is 1 square

Macros for 1 serving

116 calories, 5.6g protein, 14g carbs, 5.1g fat, 4.6g sugar, 1.3g fiber

Nicolette’s Tips

* You can also use an 8x8” baking pan – increase the cooking time by 4 minutes.