Have you ever had days when you had to cut your morning routine in half? Or knew you would have to go to a fast-food joint on the way to the office to catch that 8 am meeting? We all know that feeling when the day doesn't flow the way we want it. And that an off-beat morning fueled with poor food choices can throw our whole game off. Luckily, the health food industry understands its consumers are looking for a quick and healthy option to meet their time-crunched needs. But what if it isn't quite in someone's budget?
It's common for people starting a healthy living plan to start with a protein powder supplement. And why not? These powdered tubs can be found everywhere- from in-store to online- and quickly consumed in shake form. In most cases, you only need to add water!
Of course, as a healthcare practitioner who has been in the fitness industry for almost a decade. I have been sipping and shaking those powders for a very long time. And let me tell you, they are not all built the same, and it can get repetitive over time. Fortunately, many protein companies contain bar alternatives to your favorite powder (such as Genuine Health and Iron Vegan). As someone increasingly earth conscious, mass-produced bars create excess single-use plastic, which gets thrown into the garbage. Not to mention, many of these bars have additives to texturize and prolong the expiry date.
So, why not use what you already got? Many of us already have baking staples in our cupboards and enjoy a delicious cookie now and again. Let's make them beneficial!
Before we get started, here are some tips for picking an appropriate protein powder:
Stick with a basic- whether it be whey or plant-based protein powder, you don't want to get too complicated with your choice.
Caution with herbs and enzymes- as some protein blends (such as Garden of Life Raw, and Botanica Elevated Protein) have additional enzymes or botanicals that can be sensitive to heat. Therefore, rendering them useless if denatured in the baking process. And can affect the flavor profile of the result.
High fiber proteins- Some protein powders, like rice or hemp-based, contain lots of naturally occurring fiber. Excess fiber content may cause a "dry effect" on the batter. If that's the case, add some more wet ingredients (like oil or butter) to help form the cookies before baking.
And with that said, let's get baking!
Morning Breakfast Cookies
Makes: 8 servings
Total Time: 30-40 minutes
Ingredients:
1 Egg
1/4 cup Maple Syrup
1-2 tbsp Ginger root, finely chopped
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
3/4 cup Protein Powder (Genuine Health Fermented Vanilla)
1/4 tsp Himalayan salt
1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/4 cup Cranberries, dry
1/4 cup Almonds, sliced or roughly chopped
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
In a medium-sized bowl: blend baking soda, baking powder, protein powder, and salt.
In a separate bowl, melt butter in the microwave for 30-45 seconds. Or melt butter on low heat in a pot. Then remove it from the element.
Add maple syrup, egg, and ginger to the pot or bowl with butter.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients into the medium-sized bowl.
Once all blended, fold in the cranberries and almonds.
With your hands, pack the mixture into 1-1/2 inch balls, place on a lined baking sheet, and press each ball down gently using your hand or a fork. Leave approximately 2 inches of space between each one. Sprinkle cinnamon on top.
Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes.
Allow cookies to cool before consuming!
Nightly Indulgence Cookies
Makes: 8 servings
Total Time: 30-40 minutes
Ingredients:
1 Egg
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup Coconut sugar
1 scoop (11 grams) Nutiva MCT powder (optional)
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
3/4 cup Protein Powder (Genuine Health Fermented Vanilla)
1/4 tsp Himalayan salt
1/4 cup Cocoa powder
1/4 cup dried Apricots, chopped
1/4 cup Walnut pieces
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
In a medium-sized bowl: blend baking soda, baking powder, protein powder, salt, and cocoa powder.
In a separate bowl, melt butter in the microwave for 30-45 seconds. Or melt butter on low heat in a pot. Then remove it from the element.
Add egg, coconut sugar, and MCT powder (optional).
Combine the wet and dry ingredients into the medium-sized bowl.
Once all blended, fold in the apricot and walnut pieces.
With your hands, pack the mixture into 1-1/2 inch balls, place on a lined baking sheet, and press each ball down gently using your hand or a fork. Leave approximately 2 inches of space between each one. Add a little salt on top.
Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes.
Allow cookies to cool before consuming!
Consume within one week to ensure freshness.
The Taste Test: Some of you may know that I usually get some of my work colleagues to taste test my creations before posting on this page. The consensus for these two cookies is that they have a nice light texture, are not too sweet, and still have the slight hint of stevia (from the protein powder) but are not overpowering. There were milder notes of ginger in the breakfast cookies when it was only 1 tsp, so if you'd like a bit more of an added zing, go for 2 tsp- or more.
Final Thoughts: I think these tasty buggers are best nuked in the microwave for 15 seconds to make them soft and gooey.
With many protein powders on the market, most contain stevia or another sugar alternative to make them calorie-conscious. To help cut the taste, add some lemon juice or extra cinnamon.
So have some fun, and play around with flavor combinations! Let me know what tasty creations you come up with;
Stay well,
Chloe
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