Vanilla Protein Cookies

So confession: I first made these cookies like 2 months ago and I'm just now sharing the recipe with you - eeep! Sorry, life just kinda got in the way (you know, I jetted off to Iceland and all) and I selfishly kept these cookies all to myself.

Today I'm FINALLY sharing the recipe and you definitely do not want to miss out on these Vanilla Protein Cookies!

Admittedly, when I first set out to make these cookies I was actually attempting to make an edible cookie dough. Well, it was a bit of a flop and it just didn't have the texture I wanted. However...I added a few additional ingredients, threw them on a cookie sheet then into the oven and....voilà! COOKIES!

The texture of these kind of remind me of those pillowy soft sugar cookies with icing and sprinkles that are sold in almost every major grocery store. You know the ones I'm talking about? The texture of these cookies is kind of dense yet also very soft. 

There are only 9 ingredients in these cookies and they are gluten and egg-free! The main ingredient is Vanilla Pea Protein Isolate and I wouldn't recommend substituting this with any other type of protein. This definitely gives the cookies their soft, pillowy texture and that is what MAKES these cookies. Pea protein gives your batter a thickness you just can't get with whey protein. 

If you've never tried pea protein I highly recommend you give it a taste! Use the code 'MYENG' for 5% off your order at True Nutrition! 

Vanilla Protein Cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Bake Time: 16-18 minutes

Servings: 16 cookies

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp butter, softened
• 1/2 c. coconut palm sugar
• 3 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 scoops vanilla pea protein (3/4 c)
• 1/2 c. all-purpose baking flour (I used gluten free Bob's Redmill 1-to-1 Flour)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 c. nondairy milk (cashew, almond, etc.)
• Sprinkles!

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a cookies sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 
2. In a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, combine butter and coconut palm sugar. Using the stand mixer or a hand electric mixer cream the butter with the sugar. Add applesauce and vanilla, mix to combine.
3. In a smaller mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until well incorporated. Add nondairy milk and mix until a thick cookie doughforms.
4. Roll dough into 16 equal balls and space out evenly on the cookie sheet. Take each ball and small flat between palms or you can use your thumb and press down each ball to a flat cookie. Because of consistency of the dough these cookies don't spread larger than what they go into the oven as. Add sprinkles at this point should you want them!
5. Place in oven and bake for 16-18 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before eating. 

Nutritional Information (1 cookie)

77 calories - 5 g Protein, 9.5 g Carbohydrates, 2.3 g Fat

Chocolate Coconut Protein Donuts

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My protein donuts have always been my most popular recipes. I mean, who doesn't LOVE a good donut, especially when they are a healthier alternative to the traditional fried and sugar-filled treat!?

I've done Pumpkin and Apple Cider, but I hadn't to created a CHOCOLATE protein donut. GASP!! This coming from the girl who has a major soft spot for chocolate. I knew it needed to be changed. 

I also took to Instagram and asked a few of my devoted pronut enthusiasts (you know who you girls are!!) what flavors they would like to see for a new donut creation. Chocolate coconut was suggested and I couldn't agree more with that flavor combo.  

These donuts seriously taste waaaay too naughty to be nice. Nothing is overly complicated about these protein donuts, but the combination of seemingly simple ingredients make these donuts pack a punch of deliciousness. The chocolate donut is a great base, but what really shines are the toppings. 

A simple 2-ingredient glaze sets things off, followed by a small drizzle of chocolate and a sprinkle of toasted coconut. Sure donuts are thought of as a breakfast treat, but these can stand on their own as a seriously awesome dessert.

I highly recommend having one with a hot cup of coffee...or serving one of these up with a scoop of vanilla Halo Top ice cream. 

Chocolate Coconut Protein Donuts

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Bake Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 6 donuts

Ingredients:

Donuts

• 1/4 cup  chocolate whey protein powder (I use Whey Protein Isolate from True Nutrition)
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tbsp butter, melted
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup nonfat plain skyr (Icelandic-style yogurt)
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla

Cream Cheese Glaze

• 1 tbsp Neufchatel cheese (or lowfat cream cheese)
• 12 tsp vanilla cashew milk (or nondairy milk of your choice)

Additional Toppings

• 1 tbsp chocolate chips
• 1-2 tbsp shredded coconut, unsweetened

Directions: 

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease donut pan with coocnut oil or butter (just so the donut don't stick to pan) and set aside. 
2. Mix all dry ingredients (protein powder, coconut flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt) together in a large mixing bowl. In a smaller bowl, combine wet ingredients (butter, applesauce, yogurt, egg and vanilla) and whisk together. Add wet ingredients to the dry and whisk together until well incorporated. 
3. Transfer batter to a large Ziploc bag - we will use this as a piping bag. Snip a very small hole in one of the bottom corners of the bag and evenly pipe batter into donut pan. I like to tab the pan on my counter top to level out the batter and ensure there are no air bubbles. 
4. Transfer donuts to oven to bake for 10 minutes or until a toothpick in inserted into the donut and comes out clean.
5. While donuts are baking, toast shredded coconut. In a small fry pan over medium heat, continuous stir shredded coconut. It will begin to become golden in just a minute or two. Keep an eye on this because it can go from golden and toasted to black and burnt in seconds! Pull from heat and transfer to a small bowl to cool.
6. After the donuts have finished baking, remove pan from oven and remove donuts from pan for cooling. 
7. While donuts are cooling, prepare the glaze. Combine cream cheese and milk in a small flat bowl which is wide enough to dip an entire donut in. Carefully pick up each of the donuts and dunk the tops into the glaze for a light coating.
8. Place glazed donuts on a parchment lined cutting board. Melt chocolate chips either over a double boiler or in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl. Once the chocolate has melted, use a spoon to drizzle over all the donuts, as seen in the photos above. Next sprinkle toasted coconut over donuts. 
9. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container, placed in the refrigerator.

Nutritional Information (1 donut)

115 calories - 9 g Protein, 8 g Carbs (3 g Fiber), 5.5 g Fat

No-Guilt Chocolate Brownies

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When it comes to chocolate, I don't mess around. I love dark chocolate - the more chocolate the better. Some people shy away from dark chocolate or overly chocolate thing (whatever that means?!) but I go straight for them. 

So which chocolate lover are you? Sweet and milk chocolate or dark and rich? 

Regardless, I think we can all join hands and agree that these Double Chocolate Protein Brownies are a really winner. 

Don't let these fool you. While double chocolate desserts are often synonymous with rich and decadent, these brownies pack all the decadence without the guilt. I've shared my love for fudge-like brownies in the past (with my Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies) but these are actually more towards the cake-like side of the spectrum. 

The first time I made these I thought they were too good to be true. I experimented using Hemp Protein  for the first time in these, a plant based protein I hadn't tried before. These are chocolaty, moist and best of all...each brownie is less than 10g of carbohydrates and only 3.5g of fat. THE DESSERT ANGELS ARE REJOICING!!

Or maybe it's just me rejoicing? Either way, do yourself a favor and whip up a batch of these ASAP. And if I can leave you with one final recommendation...these are sinfully delicious when paired with a scoop of ice cream. What more do you need in life?

No-Guilt Chocolate Brownies

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Bake Time: 25-30 minutes

Servings: 9

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c. hemp protein, chocolate 
• 1/3 c. cocoa powder
• 4 tbsp coconut flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 c. nondairy milk (cashew, almond, etc.)
• 1 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8x8 baking dish and then line with parchment paper, this will help the paper stay in place. You could skip the parchment paper but it makes removing the brownies from the pan SO much easier and less messy.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients and whisk together. Set aside. In a smaller mixing bowl, combine all wet ingredients, whisking together to combine. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until well incorporated. Pour batter into prepare baking dish, ensuring to level out the top of the brownies.
3. Place in oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean after testing. 
4. Remove brownies from oven and allow to cool in baking dish for about 15 minutes. Cut into 9 equal brownies.

Nutritional Information (1 brownie)

85 calories - 4 g Protein, 9 g Carbohydrates (4 g Fiber), 3.5 g Fat

Blueberry Lemon Protein Scones

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Breakfast pastries are usually synonymous with high fat and loads of sugar.

But dang it...don't they always look so enticing behind that glass case in the coffee shop?! Sometimes you just want that sweet treat with your cup of coffee - hold the 10 lbs of sugar.

These Blueberry Lemon Protein Scones are the perfect alternative to feed your cravings for breakfast pastries! Bursting with lemon and fresh blueberries, I bet these will rival any scones you'll find in your local coffee shop.

One of my absolute favorite flavors of protein powder recently has been the Lemon Cake Pea Protein from True Nutrition. I'd been trying to come up with a good recipe to use it in and these scones seemed like the perfect match. Plus, you can't go wrong with freshly zested lemons and juicy blueberries!

Blueberry Lemon Protein Scones

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Bake Time: 17-20 minutes

Servings: 8 scones

Ingredients: 

• 3/4 cup Lemon Cake Pea Protein (3 scoops) ** Any lemon flavored or vanilla flavored pea protein would work here as well!
• 1-1/4 cup gluten free flour blend (I use Bob's 1-to-1)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp coconut palm sugar
• 2 tbsp melt butter
• 1/2 c Greek yogurt, nonfat 
• 1/2 c + 2 tbsp non-dairy milk (cashew, almond, soy, etc)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp lemon zest
• 1 c fresh blueberries

Baking Accessories:

• Baking Sheet
• Parchment Paper 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Prepare baking sheet by lining with parchment paper. 
2. In a mixing bowl combine your dry ingredients: pea protein, flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and coconut palm sugar, whisking to combine.
3. In a separate bowl combine all remaining ingredients, except for the blueberries. Stir to combine. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until a dough is formed. Fold the blueberries into the dough gently, ensuring the blueberries are mixed evenly throughout.
4. Form the dough into a round disk, about 10" in diameter, on your parchment paper lined baking sheet. Slice into 8 equal parts and separate slightly before baking. 
5. Place in oven to bake for 17-20 minutes. Test the scones by inserting a toothpick into the center - they are baked completely when it comes out clean. Serve immediately or allow to cool completely and store in an air tight container for later.

Nutritional Information (1 scone):

175 calories - 12 g Protein, 24 g Carbohydrates, 3.5 g Fat

Low Carb Protein Biscuits

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In the time since I've started creating recipes with protein powders, I've experimented with a wide variety of different powder types. While each powder yielding a slightly different end product, but one constant remained: they were all sweet baked goods. This isn't really a surprise, however, given that most of the time you think of flavored powders, which have also been sweetened.

The beauty of baking with protein powder is the ability to substitute a flour with protein powder, sometimes significantly reducing the carbohydrates in a given recipe. Why should that only be limited to desserts and breakfast items? 

I've been on a mission answer this question by creating a savory protein-packed baked good!

Not only is this recipe the FIRST of my experiments in the savory, non-sweet realm of baking with protein powder, it is also my first successful recipe attempt using Beef Protein Isolate!

Now, before you go getting skeptical of this recipe because of the fact it uses a protein powder you likely aren't familiar with, let me clear the air - NO, this does not taste like BEEF.

In fact, I've found that unflavored Beef Protein Isolate is actually quite neutral in taste. This pairs so very nicely with the other main star of these biscuits: coconut flour. I personally love baked goods that use coconut flour - I'm a huge fan of the nutty flavor it brings to the final product. Coconut flour is gluten free, low in carbohydrates and high in fiber! Win win win!

These biscuits seriously couldn't be simpler. I know many times baking can be daunting because of the precise measurements and detailed preparation. Not with these. It is as easy as mixing the wet and dry ingredients together into a dough (Warning: it will be sticky!) and forming said dough into biscuits. That's it! It is important to not the main difference between gluten free baking from baking with a wheat flour: the absence of gluten also means that your baked good won't rise or expand as much (or at all) as you may be used to. Simply put, the shape and size you make your biscuits pre-baking is how they will look post-baking. 

The nutritional information for each biscuit is so incredible that you will have a hard time not pacing yourself when it comes to eating these! They are high and protein and fiber plus low in carbs and fat. They are great on their own but are also a fantastic option for creating a sandwich and using the biscuit cut in half as a bun.

Here's your solution for wanting to have your [biscuit] and eat it too! 

Low Carb Protein Biscuits

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 4 biscuits

Ingredients: 

• 1/4 cup Beef Protein Isolate (1 scoop), unflavored
• 1/2 cup coconut flour 
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup water

Baking Accessories:

• Baking Sheet
• Parchment Paper 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare baking sheet by lining with parchment paper. 
2. In a mixing bowl combine your dry ingredients: beef protein, coconut flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk to fully mix ingredients. Add eggs and water to the bowl and whisk until batter is smooth. This can be done in a stand mixer, with an electric hand mixer or by hand with a whisk.
3. When all is combined, dough will be sticky - don't fret! Form the dough into 4 equal biscuits on your parchment paper lined baking sheet. Because this is a gluten free batter, the biscuits won't rise much from the original shape you form them into. 
4. Place in oven to bake for 18-20 minutes. Biscuits are done baking when a toothpick inserted into the center of a biscuit comes out clean. Serve immediately or allow to cool completely and store in an air tight container for later.

Special Note: I've created this recipe based upon using Beef Protein Isolate. I have not tried other powder types so I can not guarantee the recipe will turn out the same using a different powder type (i.e. whey, pea, egg, etc.)

Nutritional Information (1 biscuit):

125 calories - 12 g Protein, 8.5 g Carbohydrates (5 g Fiber), 4.5 g Fat