Tag Archives: protein

Going Healthy

Healthy Protein Goat Cheese Crackers

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A few years ago, I made goat cheese crackers for Going Mom for Mother’s Day? As a former Cheez-It addict, these goat cheese crackers are whey healthier and even more addicting. My wife confirmed the addictive properties by making them disappear within 2 days.

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I promised to share the recipe then, and since I’m a man/dad/husband of my word, I’m sharing for all who care to see and try. Guys, forget the jewelry this Mother’s Day, these goat cheese crackers are the key to her heart and tastebuds!

Healthy Protein Goat Cheese Crackers

Ingredients

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  • 1 cup coconut flour
  • 3/4 cup unflavored protein powder
  • 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
  • 4 tablespoons low-fat cottage cheese or plain yogurt
  • 4 ounces creamy goat cheese (aka chevre)
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, but highly recommended)
  • 1/2 tablespoon cumin
  • 1/4 cup favorite salsa; I use Drew’s Organic

Directions

  • Combine flour, oat bran, cheeses, salt, and cayenne in a food processor.
  • Pulse until crumbly and then add in salsa a little at a time, until dough comes together. (You may need to add more)
  • Wrap dough in plastic wrap and quick chill in freezer for 5 – 10 minutes or in fridge overnight.
  • Preheat oven to 350º. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick silicone mats. Set aside.
  • Place dough between parchment paper or a silicone mat; it can be sticky. With a rolling pin, roll to 1/8-inch thickness.

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  • Using a greased pizza cutter, cut into 2-inch squares or whatever size you like. Poke holes with a fork or toothpick in each one to help keep them from being to “puffy”. Slide parchment paper or mats onto baking sheets.
  • Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until crackers turn a light brown and are crisp. Remove one to let cool and check to see if it’s crispy. If they are not crisp, bake a few minutes longer.
  • Remove from oven and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days (they won’t last that long!).

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This is how the sheets will look after cooking in the oven, but it’s easy to break into the squares you formed.

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I used unflavored whey protein powder to give these crackers a protein-packed punch. If you don’t have or don’t want to use protein powder, just sub more coconut flour or a mixture of nutritional yeast and coconut flour.

Rolled oats can be used as well if you don’t have or like the other dry ingredients. They will mix just fine after being pulsed in the food processor. Whatever you do, give these a go and have fun in the “process”.  Man I crack myself up.

These have a tendency of disappearing quickly, I highly recommend hiding a few for yourself or you’ll end up with zilch. I speak from experience…..

Going Healthy

Sugar-Free Peanut Butter Protein Granola

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sugar-free peanut butter protein granola, nuttzo, healthy, food, cooking,

One absolutely essential thing I learned as I became serious about my health is that food matters!

Like gas for your car, the higher octane (quality), the better it runs. Same for your body, higher quality, wholesome food will help it fire on all cylinders by performing better physically and mentally.

Over the years I became fed up when searching for food without added non-food ingredients I can’t pronounce. So I started making my own as much as possible. Like, for instance, granola.

I used to be a cereal fanatic years ago. You usually find some form of sugar as the second ingredient along with processed grains made to resemble “O’s” or little leprechauns. Tasty, yes, but not worth putting in my body.

As my health views changed, I switched from the sugary kind and found low to no sugar varieties as much as possible. But even then it’s still processed into shapes and conveniently packed into a perfectly shaped box. I finally decided there were better alternatives than pouring crunchy clusters into a bowl for a “healthy meal”.

Looking to fill the gap to get my cereal fix, I created a quick and easy recipe for granola. Most granola has a lot of sugar and processed vegetable oil added; I wanted to avoid both.

With the help of stevia and tasty fruit like ripe bananas, applesauce, or pumpkin puree (yes, it’s a fruit), avoiding fat and sugar is easy. Omitting low quality oil and using fruit puree as a substitute allows your recipes to have sweetness with way less calories from fat.

Here’s something that is healthy and fairly simple to make.

Sugar and Oil Free Peanut Butter Protein Granola

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325.
  • Mix the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl using a wire whisk.
  • In a separate mixing bowl, add all wet ingredients and mix well.
  • Add the wet to the dry and stir until well combined.
  • On a parchment lined cookie sheet spread the mixture out evenly and bake for 30 – 35 minutes. Every 10-15 minutes stir the granola for even baking.

I used to make this all the time for Kelley and myself, but had to put an end to it for a while. If you’re wondering why, it’s because we became dangerously addicted to its delicious crunch. We’d both sit at work and mindlessly chomp away until it was gone! You can have too much of healthy food too.

Although it’s wonderful alone, my favorite way to enjoy this granola is with plain Greek yogurt, NuttZo, and frozen blueberries in a cup.

Refills usually always happen.

Make this for yourself and family to help fuel the day or as a healthy snack anytime of day.

Are you a cereal addict?

In milk, yogurt, or both?

What’s your favorite form of cereal; flakes, o’s, clusters, or tiny sprouted crunchy grains like Ezekiel (The only boxed cereal we use now)?

Food, Going Healthy

Strawberry biPro Protein Cake Recipe

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Have you ever used protein powder as a substitute for regular flour in baked goods? I’ve been doing it for years with some bad, some good, and some fabulous results. Luckily, this strawberry protein cake using biPro’s Strawberry Protein Powder really….um, takes the cake!

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Writing the review of biPro’s Strawberry Whey Protein left me craving something full of strawberry goodness to snack on. Maybe share a little with the little one too. A smoothie is easy, but I wanted something I could eat and use as the perfect NuttZo delivery device.

nuttzo, healthy, protein cake, cooking, peanut butter, organic
I’m waiting for you….

Not sure why it always sits right at the window I look out of most often, but it sure does drive me NuttZ…..O!

Back to the protein cake. With no real recipe to follow, I mixed and measured tossed ingredients together and put it all into the oven. The end result was good, but now I had remake it and actually measure. Ugh. You will be happy to know that the second time around came out even better. Hey, measuring does serve a purpose!

BiPro Strawberry Protein Cake

Don’t take my word (or anyone’s word) for it, make it for yourself and taste the proof. Maybe smear a little NuttZo on too.

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Strawberry biPro Protein Cake

by RC Liley

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 20 – 25 Minutes

Keywords: bake bread dessert protein powder cake

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup cottage cheese (can substitute Greek yogurt)
  • 2 eggs or 1/2 cup egg whites
  • 2 tsp chia seeds
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup coconut flour
  • 1/2 cup biPro Strawberry Protein Powder
  • 1 tsp aluminum free baking powder
  • 15 drops liquid vanilla stevia or 1/16 tsp stevia powder
  • optional shredded coconut as desired

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F, and line an 8-inch square or round pan with parchment (or grease very well).

2. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and let sit at least 10 minutes. If batter is too thick, add unsweetened almond milk 1 tablespoon at a time to help mix it better.

3. Pour batter into the prepared pan, and smooth down evenly. Bake 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

4. Remove from oven and allow to cool at least 10 minutes before devouring each and every protein-packed bite.

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Once you make and devour the protein-packed cake, come back and let me know how you (and, if shared, your friends and family) loved it!

BiPro Strawberry Protein Cake_Half Slice

Make sure to enter my biPro Strawberry Whey Protein giveaway going on until July 18, 2016.