Very Berry Protein Fluff (contributed by Gisele Purdy, Personal Trainer and Nutritionist)
Using a Vitamix or small personal blender, blend 2 cups mixed berries (or any berry of choice), 1 scoop chocolate whey protein and 1/4 cup coconut milk. Blend until you a achieve an ice cream-like texture. To achieve a fluffier consistency, pour into a large bowl and use hand mixer for about 5 minutes until it’s lighter and fluffy. There are SO many variations of this (i.e., trade off fruits, protein powder or milk choice) and it’s a high volume food that will keep you satiated thanks to the fiber in the berries and protein!
4 -Ingredient Easy Breakfast Egg Casserole
Meal prep for the week should be super easy in my opinion. If you’re busy, it’s ideal if your meals can be fixed in a snap, so you can be on your way. I’m not one to skip breakfast (or any meal, really) but I also don’t have a lot of time. And I prefer to get a nice hot meal, and ideally one that includes veggies.
Here’s my “go-to” for a simple, 4 ingredient egg casserole that can be prepped in advance for the week. Once prepped, it will last in your fridge for at least 5 days, and you can freeze any leftovers, if you have any.
It’s low calorie, low in fat and carbs, high in protein, and full of veggies. Here’s what I do.
1. Preheat oven to 395 degrees. Spray an oven safe dish with non-stick spray and layer on your first serving of veggies. ANY veggie will do. You could use onions, peppers, zucchini, carrots, whatever. My first layer here is pre-chopped mushrooms.
2. Next, add another layer of leafy greens, if you like. I add spinach.
3. Add spices (salt, pepper), salsa (if you wish, I like to because I love the taste), and fresh herbs if you have some (I’m using dill because I like how it tastes with eggs).
4. Add your final layer of eggs. I use 1 large carton of liquid egg substitute (I love the taste of the Southwestern flavor).
According to the label on the carton, the box contains 18 servings of 20 calories each. 20 calories isn’t very much, and once cooked, I divide the pan into 8 servings, not 18. The veggies add a really small amount of calories, and I don’t worry about it, but if you’re adding denser veggies like potatoes or whatever, you might want to consider how it will affect the calorie totals.
5. Bake in the oven at 395 degrees for 40 minutes.
You could use real whole eggs or egg whites, or MuscleEgg, or all egg whites. Just realize that will change the calorie totals, which is something you may want to account for.
For this example, if I divide the pan into 8 servings, each breakfast serving is about 67 calories with 12 grams of protein, and 4 grams of carbohydrates, and a minuscule amount of fat.
To complete this meal, you will want to add a fat source (small amount of peanut butter, avocado, or fish oil), and your favorite breakfast carbohydrate (fruit, oatmeal, cream of wheat, cereal, etc).
Egg White English Muffin Sandwiches
Here’s another super easy to prepare breakfast on the go idea, contributed by my friend and fellow weight lifting sister in steel, Jenny Goodwin. Here’s a photo of Jenny, looking super badass.
And here’s a photo of her breakfast sandwiches, prepared in advance for the week. Unlike the casserole recipe above, this one is more complete; it has both the fat and carbohydrate source bundled together with the protein. Once it’s cooked, you can wrap it up and go! Read the instructions to see how easy this breakfast meal is.
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put 1/4 cup egg whites in a muffin tin and season to taste — I seasoned with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Bake for approximately 13 minutes.
2. When eggs are done, lay the English muffins out on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven at the same temperature (optional).
3. Let everything cool down and assemble your sandwich. For this recipe, I use two pieces of Canadian bacon, and one slice (ultra thin sliced) cheese. Then wrap in Saran Wrap and store in fridge or freezer.
4. To eat, just unwrap and microwave. If it’s thawed, it doesn’t need much time (40 seconds or so depending on microwave).
Each muffin has 232 calories, 6 grams of fat, 26 grams of carbohydrates, and 20 grams of protein. For the recipe, Jenny uses whole wheat english muffins (Fred Meyer brand), liquid egg whites, and Sargento brand cheese.
Some other variations include using whole eggs, veggies, hot sauce, and different meats like bacon, turkey bacon, sausage, turkey sausage, chicken, and so on. Keep in mind that doing so will change the nutrition totals, so use a calorie tracker if you wish.
My Favorite High Protein Pancakes
And finally, here is my favorite easy pancake recipe. I suggest you make this one hot and fresh, rather in advance, so if you’re pressed for time during the workweek, you can save this one for the weekend.
You’ll need:
- ½ Cup Fiber One Pancake Mix (180 cals)
- 1 Scoop of Vanilla Flavored Whey Protein (100-120 calories) Note: You can use any vanilla flavored whey protein of your choice, but try to match the calorie content. I like the brands Trutein and Quest for this recipe, but there are many!
- Walden Farms Zero Calorie Pancake Syrup (optional)
1. Mix together pancake mix with whey protein and gradually add water stir to achieve the desired consistency. Coat a non-stick pan with a spritz of Pam so that pancake batter doesn’t stick.
2. Pour mix and heat and cook evenly on both sides.
3. Top with Walden Farms Zero Calorie Pancake Mix or Sugar-free syrup if desired. Mixture will make 3 servings.
For the 3 pancakes, the recipe contains 280 calories 18 grams of protein, 42 grams of carbohydrate, and 6 grams of fat.
Keep in mind that these recipes above are by no means your only easy choices for nutritious, easy breakfast meals. There are many, many options for you, including pairings such as:
- Hot or dry cereal (carb source), with milk (or soy, almond, rice milk, etc), eggs (protein and fat source) and fruit (fiber, vitamins).
- Smoothies made with powdered protein or greek yogurt (protein source) with fruit and ground chia or flax seeds (fat and fiber).
- Oatmeal with fruit and cooked with milk, and eggs or greek yogurt for added protein
- Whole grain bread with peanut butter (carbs and fat) with a protein source like a 1 scoop of whey protein with ice and water, or an egg, or greek yogurt
- A yogurt parfait with greek yogurt, berries and 1/4 c granola
- A protein bar if you’re pressed for time.
Pick what works best for you and make it a habit. Even if you feel like you’re not hungry immediately upon waking, there’s no harm in packing your cooler or stocking your fridge with easy options like the ones here for when hunger does strike. A little preparation goes a long way!
Eric
May 16, 2016 at 9:34 amGood stuff