Gluten free, Low Calorie, Macro Friendly, Recipes

High Protein Cosmic Brownie with Protein Frosting

This recipe uses my High Protein Brownie Batter as the base and just adds on some Protein Frosting! The protein frosting is only 2 ingredients and it is vegan!

You could try using a different plant-based milk in this recipe but I have only made it with the Silk Almond Cashew Protein Milk so far – it is so good!

You can also try out different protein powders in this recipe but I love the german chocolate flavor – this protein powder is available on Amazon and it is vegan!

Nutrition: 270 calories / 23.9g Protein / 24g Carbs / 8.7g Fat

Ingredients:

For the Cake –

  • Cocoa crave Lil Buff cake mix(28g)
  • Sugar free chocolate SnackPak pudding cup(92g)

For the Protein Frosting –

  • Nutrex German Chocolate Protein Powder (14g)
  • 2 tablespoons Silk Almond and Cashew Protein Milk

Optional: add 1 packet of stevia or other sweetener to frosting, sprinkles to top brownie

Instructions:

  1. Mix cake mix with pudding, mix thoroughly, directly in the container you’ll be using to bake your brownie(I use a small glass container that is about 3 inches x 6 inches)
  2. Heat oven to 350 degrees, smooth the batter in your baking pan
  3. Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes until center is set
  4. While brownie is baking mix almond milk with protein powder – mix really thoroughly. Add stevia packet last if desired
  5. As soon as you remove the brownie from the oven begin spreading protein frosting on top(you do not need to wait for it to cool, this icing will not melt – this also helps to prevent the brownie from getting dry)
  6. Immediately eat, or cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to eat(then reheat for 20-30seconds uncovered in microwave)
Gluten free, Macro Friendly, Recipes

High Protein Brownie Batter

This high protein brownie batter is delicious and only requires 2 ingredients!

I initially planned to bake this batter but it’s truly a miracle that any of it made it into the oven once I tasted it! It is also great baked but if you don’t want to wait you can just eat the batter – no raw eggs!

This recipe is gluten free, but it does contain dairy. Once the vegan Lil Buff Protein cake mixes are released I’ll try making a vegan version!

All you need are Lil Buff Protein Cake Mix in Cocoa Crave flavor and a chocolate sugar free SnackPak pudding cup!

Nutrition:(for just the brownie batter)

196 calories / 13.3g Protein / 21.5g Carbs / 6.3g Fat

Ingredients:

  • 27g Cocoa Crave cake mix
  • 1 sugar free chocolate SnackPak(92g)

Instructions:

  1. Mix cake mix with pudding cup – you will need to mix it really well in order to get the right consistency
  2. You can eat this raw or bake it in the oven to make a brownie!
  3. If you choose to bake it I recommend 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes

You can also add protein frosting to the baked brownie! I’ll post a recipe for my protein frosting next –

Dairy Free, Gluten free, Macro Friendly, Product Comparisons, Product Recommendations

Product Comparison: Dairy Free Protein Powders

There are so many protein powders available now, these are a few of my favorites. I stay away from whey protein in my protein powders because for me it just isn’t worth the potential stomach upset – there are tons of vegan and dairy free alternatives.

My requirements for a protein powder are:

  1. Must be dairy free
  2. Must taste good – even when mixed with only cold water in a shaker bottle
  3. Extra points for fun flavors – dairy free people want cool flavors too, not just chocolate and vanilla!

Almost all of these are available on Amazon – I will update this post as I try more products/flavors!

Vega – Favorite Flavors: Chocolate Mint, Chocolate, Chai

What I love about it: I’ve been using Vega for a few years, it is easy to find in stores, they have single serve packets that are easy for on-the-go, there are lots of greens included so it can be used as more of a meal replacement instead of just protein

Uses: I have used vega shakes/powders as coffee creamers(especially in iced coffee) and in microwave mug cakes, as well as in shakes

Ghost Vegan – Favorite Flavors: Peanut Butter Cereal Milk and Pancake Batter

What I love about it: These vegan flavors really impressed me when I first tried them! The pancake especially is awesome for baking/mug cakes. I can mix these powders with cold water in a blender bottle with no issues.

Uses: The Pancake Batter is my go-to for protein pancakes and blueberry mug cakes, I don’t really drink the Pancake flavor but I use it at least a few times a week in baking/cooking

PE Science Vegan Essentials – Favorite Flavors: Cinnamon ** This one is my top choice**

What I love about it: This tastes like Cinnamon Toast crunch milk! Awesome flavor, no weird after-taste(to me at least), lots of protein. This is one of my favorites to drink straight(or mix with the Pumpkin Pie). I also appreciate that you can buy a 5 serving bag before committing to a full tub!

Uses: Mix into oatmeal, drink as a shake(tastes good even just mixed with water), mix with Pumpkin Pie flavor for a pumpkin pie shake

Julian Bakery Paleo Thin – Favorite Flavors: Pumpkin Pie

What I love about it: This has a really high amount of protein and is egg-white based(so it isn’t vegan) – I usually don’t like egg white protein but I like the pumpkin pie flavor it’s perfect for my pumpkin spice shake!

Uses: be sure to only use this one cold, if you try to microwave it or put it in hot coffee it will be like cooking liquid egg whites

Nutrex Vegan – Favorite Flavor: German Chocolate Cake

What I love about it: This really tastes like german chocolate cake even if it’s only mixed with cold water in a blender bottle! Also it is vegan and has a better texture than Vega in my opinion. I need to try their other flavors!

Uses: This one is awesome for protein frosting, mix with a small amount of plant-based milk

Dairy Free, Recipes

Dairy Free Pumpkin Spice Protein Shake

I love trying out all of the new pumpkin spice flavor products this time of year – unfortunately they aren’t always gluten free and dairy free. I was bummed to miss out on the Pumpkin Pie flavored Premier Protein shakes so I decided to make my own version!

This recipe is not vegan but it is Dairy Free and Gluten free!

I used the Julian Bakery Pumpkin Pie Egg White Protein powder and PEScience Cinnamon Vegan Protein Powder(both are available on Amazon) – you could use any plant-based milk but I really like the Silk Almond & Cashew protein milk in this recipe!

Nutrition: 195 calories, 32.6g Protein / 6.8g Carbs / 4.2g Fat

(nutrition info will differ if using a different plant-based milk)

Ingredients:

  • Julian Bakery Pumpkin Pie Egg White Protein 28g
  • PE Science Cinnamon Vegan Protein 10g
  • Silk Protein Almond Cashew Milk 1/2 cup
  • Cold water(1/2-3/4 cup, plus a few ice cubes)

Instructions:

  1. Measure out protein powders
  2. Measure plant-based milk
  3. Combine in a blender bottle and shake
  4. Add water and ice cubes until desired consistency is reached
  5. Enjoy!
Dairy Free, Macro Friendly, Recipes, Uncategorized

Protein Pancake Breakfast Sandwich

This Protein Pancake Breakfast Sandwich feels like an awesome weekend brunch cheat meal but it’s actually pretty healthy! And with over 40 grams of protein it’s a great start to the day, especially if you’re counting macros.

If you are familiar with my protein pancake recipe then you’ll have an easy time throwing this recipe together. This sandwich is 2 protein pancakes with ham and a sunny side up egg in the middle – it’s basically a breakfast platter in a sandwich. You could also add breakfast sausage or cheese/vegan cheese if you prefer.

Again, the Ghost Vegan Pancake Batter protein is my favorite for this recipe but others would probably work about the same.

Ingredients:

  • Ghost Vegan Pancake Batter protein powder (41g)
  • Egg whites (81g)
  • One whole egg
  • Honey Ham (50g)

Nutrition: 314.5 calories / 46.6g Protein / 12.7g Carbs / 8.6g Fat

Instructions:

  1. Mix pancake batter protein powder with egg whites, add enough water to form a batter
  2. Pour into 2 equally sizes pancakes and cook on a griddle or hot pan
  3. In a separate pan, fry up your ham and egg as desired
  4. Assemble your breakfast sandwich and enjoy!

Gluten free, Low Calorie, Macro Friendly, Product Recommendations, Recipes

31 Calorie Pumpkin Spice Latte

PSL Season is upon us! I have attempted many times over the years to perfect a gluten free, dairy free(or minimal dairy), low calorie Pumpkin Spice Latte that I can make at home!

Unfortunately for those of us who are super sensitive to gluten, Starbucks can be a mine field – it’s so much safer to just make your latte at home!

This year I ordered the NuNaturals Pumpkin Spice Syrup(sweetened with Stevia) and it has been a total game changer – it tastes just like Starbucks, but it doesn’t have all of the calories! It is currently available on Amazon!

I’ve tried this recipe both hot and iced, it is great either way!

You can use a different plant-based milk but I like the Silk Almond & Cashew protein milk, personally, for this recipe.

I use a Nespresso coffee maker – I use 2 lungo pods and 1 espresso pod when I make this but you can use regular coffee or make it as strong as you want.

I like to add a few pumps of the Skinny Syrups whipped topping(zero calories but it does contain milk) – you can always sub this for a dairy free whipped cream or leave it out entirely.

I’m so happy to have finally perfected my Pumpkin Spice Latte recipe – now it really feels like fall!

Ingredients:

  • coffee/espresso – I use approximately 8-10oz
  • 1/4 cup of plant based milk
  • 1/2 tsp NuNaturals Pumpkin Spice Stevia Syrup(adjust to taste)

optional: Pumpkin pie spice, Skinny Syrup whipped topping or other whipped topping of choice

Nutrition(without whipped topping): All of the ingredients are zero calories except for the plant-based milk – the one I used is 31 calories for 1/4 cup

Instructions:

  1. Brew your coffee or espresso
  2. Mix NuNaturals syrup into your measured plant-based milk
  3. Mix milk/syrup mixture into coffee
  4. Top with pumpkin pie spice or whipped topping of choice and Enjoy!
low calorie pumpkin spice latte copycat recipe dairy free gluten free
Product Recommendations

Product Recommendation: Nuts ‘N More Plant Based Protein Peanut Butter

I love peanut butter but it can be really hard to fit into my macros. I tried this Nuts ‘N More plant based protein peanut butter because it has more protein than regular peanut butter so it is easier to fit into my day – One serving has 11g of protein vs. 7g in regular peanut butter.

The texture is definitely different than regular peanut butter, it is closer to a sauce but I actually like that because I can drizzle it on Halo Top or rice cakes. The flavor is not exactly like regular Jif peanut butter but it is pretty good and I think it’s totally worth it for the extra protein. It is hard to find protein-added foods that use plant-based protein instead of whey protein. I really have to limit my whey protein otherwise my stomach is not happy with me. This peanut butter has a good amount of extra protein and doesn’t give me dairy issues!

Side note: you do really need to stir this peanut butter extremely thoroughly, especially when it is a new jar, it really separates!

I ordered on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JJF1WP9?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_dt_b_product_details

The reviews on Amazon seem like this is the type of product where people either love it or hate it – I actually love it. I have already gone through a whole jar and need to order more!

I am thinking about trying their other varieties because the flavors look amazing, but they do contain Whey Protein Isolate which can be hit or miss for me.

If you try this product or if you’ve tried their other varieties let me know!

Dairy Free, Gluten free, Macro Friendly, Recipes, Uncategorized

Fluffy Protein Pancakes

Protein Pancakes! I have been so jealous of people who are able to eat the Kodiak Cakes so I came up with a Gluten Free and Dairy Free Version!

This recipe is super easy, you can make it with only 4-5 ingredients(and one of those is water)! You can also add blueberries, bananas, chocolate chips or whatever else you like on your pancakes!

The best protein powder for this is the Ghost Vegan Pancake Batter flavor but it would work with other protein powders as well – this one just already tastes like pancakes! I also love the Lakanto Maple Flavored Syrup(pictured)

If you want to make these extra fluffy you can whip the egg whites separately and then fold into the batter – or to make things quicker you can just add the liquid egg whites directly to the protein powder batter. I like them both ways it just depends how much time I have.

You do have to be careful with the heat level when you’re cooking these to prevent them from burning, and make sure you start with a hot griddle or non-stick pan. It is also helpful to have a good spatula – I like fish spatulas for this, they are good at getting underneath the pancakes without breaking them up.

Nutrition(for whole recipe):

205 calories / 35.5g Protein / 9.7g Carbs / 2.7g Fat

Ingredients:

  • Ghost Vegan Pancake Batter flavored protein powder(45g)
  • Egg Whites(90g)
  • Water (1/2 cup)
  • Baking Powder (1/2 tsp)
  • Optional Cream of Tartar 1/2 tsp, you will need this if you choose to whip your egg whites

Instructions:

  1. Measure out your protein powder and baking powder, mix thoroughly
  2. If you want extra fluffy pancakes that take a little more time: in a stand mixer whip the egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff peaks form
  3. If you aren’t whipping your egg whites just add them to your protein powder mix and then add enough water to make a batter. If you are using the whipped egg whites then add about 1/2 cup of water to your protein powder mix to make a batter and gently fold into your whipped egg whites.
  4. Heat up your griddle
  5. Spoon/Pour batter onto griddle in whatever size pancakes you prefer
  6. Cook until bubbles start to pop on the surface, then flip and cook for a few more minutes
  7. Serve warm with syrup if desired!
Gluten free, Recipes

50 Calorie Zucchini Funfetti Muffins

Here’s another experiment with the Lil Buff Protein Cake Mixes!

I used Fit-Fetti but I think the Gingershred Man Flavor would be great in this recipe too!

This made 8 muffins, 51 calories each

For me the secret to making these Lil Buff Protein Cake mixes is making sure they don’t stick to the pan. The Reynold’s Wrap aluminum foil cupcake liners are perfect for this! Regular cupcake liners take half the cake off with them!

Nutrition per muffin(makes 8):

51 calories / 4.3g Protein / 6.3g Carbs / 1g Fat

Ingredients:

  • Lil Buff Fit-fetti Protein Cake Mix(57g)
  • Unsweetened Apple Sauce (90g)
  • Raw grated Zucchini (141g)
  • Unsweetened Almond Milk (2 tablespoons)
  • Egg whites(42g)

optional: 10g of sprinkles, vanilla extract or butter extract

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  2. Mix all ingredients thoroughly
  3. Add sprinkles/vanilla last if desired
  4. Divide evenly between 8 cupcake liners in cupcake pan(I recommend the aluminum foil liners)
  5. Bake for 30 minutes or until middle of each muffin is set and the tops are golden brown
  6. Cool and store in refrigerator or freezer

Gluten free, Low Calorie, Macro Friendly, Product Recommendations, Recipes, Uncategorized

Zero Calorie Hot Apple Cider

Zero Calorie Hot Apple Cider

I love a hot apple cider in the fall weather but most recipes are loaded with sugar! I decided to play around with a few ingredients and came up with this zero calorie hot apple cider drink. The first night I made it I ended up making 2 big mugs of it, which I downed in under 10 minutes. It is SO GOOD and totally satisfied my apple cider craving.

The Whipped topping does contain dairy but you could easily substitute it for foamed almond milk, dairy free coconut whipped cream, or leave it out altogether. But if you can tolerate a small amount of whey isolate then I highly recommend the Jordan’s Skinny Syrups Whipped Foam Topping in Pumpkin Caramel flavor. I wasn’t sure about it when I saw it at TJ Maxx but I looked at the reviews on Amazon and decided to give it a try – and it is really foamy! I also have the Vanilla collagen flavor which I haven’t tried yet but I’m exited to try it on my coffee.

The other ingredient you’ll need is Jordan’s Skinny Syrup – any of the fall flavors would probably work but this one sounded the best to me, Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll – Yum!

The Republic of Tea Hot Apple Cider Tea is a must – I highly recommend this tea, it has no caffeine and even on it’s own it tastes like a treat – it is also marked gluten free.

Ingredients:

  • 1 Hot Apple Cider tea bag
  • 1 cap full of fall-flavored Jordan’s Skinny Syrup
  • Hot Water
  • Jordan’s Skinny Syrup Whipped Foam Topping
  1. Boil water in a kettle or microwave safe cup
  2. Pour water over hot apply cider tea bag in your mug
  3. Add 1-2 cap full of Skinny Syrup
  4. Allow the tea to steep, remove tea bag when the tea is a dark orange color
  5. Top with as many pumps of whipped foam topping as you want – you can also sprinkle some pumpkin pie spice on top!

I hope you enjoy this zero calorie treat!

Zero Calorie Hot Apple Cider