Special recipes using protein powder

Proteins are the main building blocks of the body; also, they play an important role in building up the antibodies which the enzymes, hormones and the immune system produce.

From the point of view of sport nutrition, the most important functions of proteins are building muscles, maintaining muscles and recovery; and when necessary, your body can also use them as a source of energy.

Even when you’re on a diet, it’s crucial that you should ensure the calories required for the basic metabolism of your body to prevent it from switching to a storing mode; also, you need to ensure adequate protein intake to supply your muscles and hormone system with sufficient nutrients.

Our protein needs vary depending on the particular sports we do and our individual goals, but let’s see some examples of the recommended amounts of protein in g/bodyweight (kg):

• Average person: 1 g
• Endurance athletes: 1.4-1.6 g
• Team athletes: 1.6-1.8 g
• Strength athletes and bodybuilders: 2 g
• Adolescent junior athletes still in development: 1.5-2 g

When your goal is to optimise body composition: 1.8-2 g, to grow muscle mas: between 2 and 3 g. The exact quantities vary depending on physique, former nutrition and the amount of sports you do.

1. Gluten-free vegan protein bars

Ingredients (for about 5 bars)

• 100 g gluten-free oat flake flour (perhaps almond, millet or coconut flour)
• 100 g chocolate and cinnamon-flavoured Vegan Protein
• 80 g nut mix (walnut, coconut flakes, almond)
• About 150 ml cold water

For the coating:

• 2 heaped tbsp black cocoa powder
• 4 stevia sweeteners
• About 50 ml cold water

Preparation:

Mix oat flour and protein powder using a spoon. Chop nuts and add to the powders. Fill up with water and mix well with your hands until you get an easy-to-shape dough. Roll 5 bars and let them rest. Put cocoa powder in a bowl and add stevia and water. Mix well with your hands until you get a thick but fluent coating. Carefully dip bars into coating, let them drip and put on a plate. Put bars in the freezer for 20 minutes until they are ready to eat.

It’s a very simple and quick solution when you don’t have a protein bar at hand; also, you can easily make it varied with the ingredients of your choice.

2. Strawberry and cream breakfast

One of our most popular fruits is strawberry, which is also a great choice for a delicious, protein-rich breakfast. When it’s not strawberry season, you may as well use the deep-frozen version.

Ingredients:

• 150 ml Greek yoghurt
• 50 g buckwheat, oat, spelt flakes (maybe plain muesli mix)
• 10 strawberries
• 1 serving Iso Whey Zero Cookies and cream protein powder
• About 80 ml water or almond milk

Preparation:

Mix protein powder with water or almond milk until smooth. Slice half of the strawberries. In a glass, put layers of half of the muesli, yoghurt, a layer of strawberries and then half of the cereal mix. Finally comes the protein and the rest of the strawberries on top for decoration.

You can also use the recipe with other fruits and different flavoured proteins so you’ll never get bored with it.

3. Vanilla and cinnamon-flavoured protein pancakes

Everybody loves pancakes, but during a diet, they’re hard to include in your regimen. This diet pancake, however, is very rich in protein, so it’s also recommended to those who find it hard to take in protein or want to satisfy their craving for sweets during a diet.

Ingredients:

• 1 serving vanilla-flavoured Iso Whey Zero protein powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 egg whites
• 50 g fine oat flakes
• About 150-200 ml water
• 1 tsp erythritol (perhaps birch sugar or stevia)
• coconut oil for frying

Preparation:

Whip egg white to a foam. Mix ingredients in a blender and gently add the whipped egg white. Put a little oil in a pan and fry the pancakes. Serve hot, with fruits, chocolate or peanut butter cream to taste.

4.  Sweet potato salad with almond butter protein dressing

When you get bored with traditional salads, you’ll find this sweet potato salad to be a unique and exciting delicacy. It happens to many of us that we want to put meat aside for a while, and want different tastes. Due to the protein dressing, this recipe ensures your protein intake with fast-absorbing protein. It’s also a great post-workout meal, because it supplies you with protein, carbohydrate to replenish your glycogen stores and green leaves to support recovery.

Ingredients:

For the salad:

• 1 smaller sweet potato
• 2-3 fistfuls of spinach or chard
• 1 tbsp dried cranberries

For the almond butter protein dressing:

• 200 ml almond milk
• 3 tbsp almond butter
• 1 serving plain protein

Preparation:

Bake sweet potato in an oven until soft and cut to cubes. Wash and drain green leaves. In a larger bowl, mix the ingredients of the salad, in a separate bowl the ingredients of the dressing and pour it over the salad. If you want to vary the flavours, you can use peanut butter protein dressing.

5. Mango protein mojito

It’s a light and refreshing alcohol-free and protein-rich Mango Mojito recipe. The refreshing mint and lime with the sweet mango gives you a pleasant summer drink. On a hot summer day, it’s a refreshing drink supplying you with post-workout protein and quick carbs, which you can as well vary with other fruits or fruit purees, according to their carb content or your taste.

Ingredients:

• 5-6 mint leaves
• The juice of half a lime
• Half a lime, sliced
• Half a cup of mango puree from fresh mango or mango nectar
• Half a serving of protein powder (vanilla, pineapple-mango flavoured)
• 100-150 ml water
• Half a cup ice cubes

Preparation:

Put and crush mint leaves in a glass. Add lime juice and the protein mixed with water, then the ice cubes and the mango. Decorate with mint leaves or lime slices and serve.

6. Spicy corn in coconut milk (spicy mush)

When you get bored with oatmeal porridge or just want some variety but wouldn’t miss a hot meal for breakfast, mush can be a great choice. You can even add it to your milk-free diet if prepared with coconut milk.

Ingredients:

• 500 ml coconut milk
• 500 ml water
• Half a cinnamon stick
• About half a tsp salt
• 125 g grits
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Sweetener to taste (erythritol, stevia, rice syrup, etc.)
• Nutmeg to taste
• 1 serving protein powder

Preparation:

Boil coconut milk and water with the cinnamon in a pan. Gradually add grits. Stir constantly at low temperatures until thickens, then season. Meanwhile, mix protein with a little water to a smooth consistency and add to the mush.

7. Mini strawberry cheesecake with protein coating

Ingredients:

• 100 g oat biscuits (preferably sugar-free)
• 40 g melted butter

For the cheese cream:

• 200 g low-fat cream cheese
• Half a lemon’s peel
• 1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• A dash of vanilla
• About 50 g erythritol and stevia

On the top:

• 100-120 g strawberry
• 1 serving vanilla or caramel-flavoured protein powder mixed with a little water to a thick consistency

Preparation:

Crush oat biscuits to fine crumbs and mix with the melted butter. Take some silicone cupcake moulds. Press about 2 tbsp biscuits on bottom, using, for example, a glass. Put in the fridge for a while. Meanwhile, mix the ingredients of the cream in a blender. Spread cream on top of the biscuit layer and put back to fridge. After a while, slice strawberries and spread evenly on top of the cakelets. Finally, spread protein powder coating on top. Put in a fridge for 1 or 2 hours and enjoy.

Tip: If you want to reduce calories, you may reduce the amount of cheese using about one-third plain yoghurt instead. In this case, thicken consistency with some gelatine or oat flour, maybe protein powder.

 

8. Gluten-free protein pizza

Ingredients:

• 1 egg
• 25 g unflavoured protein powder (100% Pure Whey Natural)
• 15 g gluten-free flour (gluten-free oat flake, brown rice or millet flour)
• 1 tbsp olive oil

On the top:

• 3-4 tbsp tomato sauce
• Italian seasoning mix (basil, oregano, marjoram)
• 70 g high-quality ham
• 40-50 g low-fat mozzarella cheese
• Vegetables, olives, etc. to taste

Preparation:

Mix the ingredients for the dough. Depending on the type of flour you use, it may also need a little water. Bake dough in a pan. Spread tomato sauce on top, add toppings and bake in a grill or an oven until ready. Not only is this diet pizza gluten-free, but its low carb content also makes it a great choice during shredding. And of course, it’s very quick to prepare.

In the case of athletes, the most important function of protein is to build and maintain muscles. You should know that your body may also use it as a source of energy when short of other nutrients. Quite often, people eat less to lose weight, but they also cut back on protein, so much of their muscles get broken down, owing to intensive workout. Even when you’re on a diet, it’s crucial that you should ensure the calories required for the basic metabolism of your body to prevent it from switching to a storing mode.

After workout, adequate protein intake is important, whether your goal is to maintain weight, build muscles, get shredded or maybe maintain muscle mass.

When you don’t have enough time to prepare a protein-rich meal or it would be difficult to carry or store, you can easily replace it using protein powders. Unflavoured protein can be even added to a vegetable stew or a pasta sauce. It’s also great for delicious, protein-rich desserts and custards. Mixed with little water, it can also make a nice cream or topping for a healthy cake if you want a low-calorie dessert. You may also use it for coconut or other flavoured protein balls. Using protein powders, therefore, you can easily satisfy your craving for sweets during a diet.