Pumpkin Protein Mug Cake: Quick & Easy Fall Treat for One

Posted on September 29, 2024 by Jennifer FIsher

Pumpkin season is here, and what better way to indulge than with a cozy, protein-packed treat that’s ready in minutes?

This single-serve pumpkin protein mug cake is the ultimate quick-fix for when you’re craving a sweet fall snack or a post-workout refuel. This pumpkin mug cake with simple, wholesome ingredients, this recipe comes together with just a mug and your microwave.

Why You’ll Love Pumpkin Protein Cake

Pumpkin Perfection: Canned pumpkin brings a rich, creamy texture and all the autumn vibes with a dose of fiber and vitamins.
Protein Powerhouse: Your favorite protein powder turns this pumpkin cake for one into a functional snack or even a breakfast on the go. Choose a flavor that complements pumpkin, like vanilla, cinnamon, or even pumpkin spice. . . . I used this plant-based protein powder.
Coconut Flour Magic: Coconut flour absorbs moisture beautifully, creating a soft, tender crumb without gluten. Plus, it adds a hint of natural sweetness and is a low-carb alternative to regular flour.
Microwave Convenience: No need to heat up the oven for this treat. In just a few minutes, you’ll have a warm, fluffy pumpkin protein dessert that satisfies your craving and keeps you on track with your fitness goals. Use a microwave-safe 8 to 12-ounce mug, bowl or ramekin – these ramekins are perfect.
Easy to Customize: Add in extras like a sprinkle of cinnamon, a dash of vanilla extract, or a handful of chocolate chips to make this treat truly your own. You could even top it with a dollop of Greek yogurt or whipped cream for extra indulgence.

So, next time you need a healthy pumpkin dessert, grab your mug, mix up a few ingredients, and dig into this warm, protein-packed pumpkin delight. It’s fall in a cup—quick, healthy, and oh-so-satisfying!

Whip up a single serve Pumpkin Protein Cake with some canned pumpkin, vanilla protein powder, and few other simple, nourishing ingredients. This fall-season healthy desert will warm your heart and nourish your bod with macros so dialed in, you can even eat it for breakfast (I have). 259 cal, 11g fat, 18g net carb, 18g protein per 1 cake

PUMPKIN PROTEIN MUG CAKE

Prep Time

2 mins

Cook Time

2 mins

Total Time

5 mins

Whippedup a single serve Pumpkin Protein Cake with some canned pumpkin, vanilla protein powder, and few other simple, nourishing ingredients. This fall-season healthy desert will warm your heart and nourish your bod with macros so dialed in, you can even eat it for breakfast (I have). 259 cal, 11g fat, 18g net carb, 18gprotein per 1 cake

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, workout

Keyword: cooking for one, protein powder, pumpkin, single serve

Servings: 1 serving

Ingredients

1 large egg
2 tbsp milk of choice
1/3 cup pumpkin puree from can unsweetened
1/3 cup vanilla protein powder
1 tbsp coconut flour
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice

Instructions

In small bowl, whisk together egg, milk and pumpkin. Next stir in protein powder, coconut flour, baking soda and pumpkin pie spice.
Next, spray 10-12oz microwave-safe mug or bowl with cooking spray. Add batter to mug and microwave, on high, for a total of approximately 2 minutes (in 30-second increments to keep the batter from going too crazy as it rises from the mug like a souffle – it will settle back down when cooling).

Recipe Notes

No-Bake Beet Protein Cheesecakes with Sugar-Free Chocolate

Posted on March 6, 2024 by Jennifer FIsher

This easy, no-bake dessert delivers pretty-in-pink style and lots of smiles because it’s so delicious – and No-Bake Beet Protein Cheesecakes are still nutritious featuring lots of protein (39g) and the benefits of beetroot powder.

No added sugar in this beet cheesecake recipe and, depending on the type of sugar-free cookies used for the “crust,” it can also be gluten-free.

First, let’s jump into the benefits of beetroot powder. The vibrantly-hued supplement contains micronutrients and phytonutrients that studies show may benefit heart, gut, and brain health. Specific benefits link to beet root power include lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation, and increased stamina in athletic performance.

Ding, ding, ding – did that athlete part get your attention? I’m always looking for a way to naturally optimize my athletic performance. I learned that upon eating or drinking beets or beetroot powder, your saliva converts the nitric oxide is activated, which relaxes and expands blood vessels. In turn, this increases blood flow and allows more oxygen to be delivered to your muscles to help get the job done – and it could help you perform better for longer. Increased blood flow also helps you recover faster!

Of course, you can get the benefits from fresh beets, too – but that’s not often convenient (or you may not care for the earthy taste). Plenty of pills and tonics available that capitalize on beet benefits, but I personally just prefer to do a scoop of beetroot powder in water, a smoothie or even my oatmeal about an hour or two before I hit the ground running. I use Force Factor’s Total Beets Organic Powder. It provides all the functional superfood benefits of fresh beets, but much more conveniently — and it has a very lightly sweet taste with no added sugar, or anything artificial.

TIPS FOR MAKING NO-BAKE BEET PROTEIN CHEESECAKES

Beetroot Powder: I recommend Force Factor Total Beets Organic Beet Root powder – no added sugar, nothing artificial or yucky, and a good price point. My main suggestion if you are using another powder is just to read the label to avoid added sugar or flavorings. I just love the pink hue, you can get so creative with beetroot powder recipes!

Protein Powder: Use the vanilla protein powder of your choice, that you like and fits your dietary eating patterns. I like the plant-based Clean Lean Protein from Nuzest. Save 15% with code FITFORK.

Cottage Cheese Type & Blending: Using 2% cottage cheese helps keep the fat down a bit. But, if you like a richer taste, this no-bake cheesecake is made very luxurious with full-fat cottage cheese. To get the smooth taste of a cheesecake, the cottage cheese must be blended. For the 1 ¾ cups that this recipe calls for, I use a personal-sized blender. Scoop out the cottage cheese into the blender, including any liquids (eg: the whey) –don’t drain it off, you need that bit of liquid to encourage a smooth consistency. Be patient blending, it will seem very thick and require several iterations of stopping to scrape sides with a spatula.

Containers: I prefer 8-ounce glass canning jars, because the lids make it easy to store for later. However, small bowls will work too, but if the opening is too wide – there may not be enough chocolate topping to cover the area.

Cookie Crust: I use the term “crust” loosely, as cookies are just crumbled and piled in the bottom of the jar. This keeps the recipe no-bake. It’s a simple, no-bake crust but just NOT a crust that will slice up and serve in cheesecake slices without falling apart. Use the cookies of your liking – I used the wafers from sugar-free chocolate sandwich cookies.

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No-Bake Beet Protein Cheesecakes

Prep Time

5 mins

Total Time

15 mins

This quick and easy dessert offers lots of muscle-making protein and the functional benefits of beets. No added sugar and can be made gluten-free, depending on the type of cookie chosen for the crust. Balanced enough to eat for breakfast or a post-workout snack!

Course: Dessert, Snack

Keyword: beet, beet powder, cheesecake, cottage cheese, protein powder

Servings: 2 servings

Calories: 354 kcal

Ingredients

1 ounce sugar-free cookies, crushed any flavor – chocolate, graham, vanilla wafer, etc
1 ¾ cup 2% cottage cheese, blended smooth
1/3 cup vanilla protein powder of choice type of protein source your choice
2 tablespoons beetroot powder
2 tablespoons sugar-free dark chocolate chips
½ teaspoon coconut oil

Instructions

Crush up cookies and divide among the bottom of two 8-oz jars or bowls. Set aside.
Blend cottage cheese until smooth, mix in protein powder and beet root powder.
Divide cheesecake mixture evenly between cookie crust in jars.
In small bowl, melt chocolate chips and coconut oil in microwave for 20-25 seconds. Remove to stir. If not totally melted yet, microwave for 10 more seconds until stirs up glossy and smooth.
Immediately pour chocolate topping over cheesecake mixture, spreading gently around with spoon to cover, if needed.
Set in fridge for 10 minutes for chocolate to set up and become hard.

Recipe Notes

354 calories, 24g carb (11g dietary fiber), 13g fat, 39g protein

No-Bake Green Chia Protein Cheesecakes

Posted on May 14, 2018 by Jennifer FIsher

Today I ate cheesecake for breakfast. Before you think I’ve lost my mind, let me assure you this was no dessert sugar and fat bomb – it fact, quite the opposite. My No-Bake Green Chia Protein Cheesecakes are practically overflowing with wholesome goodness and make a smart, simply yummy choice for a healthier dessert, afternoon snack or, yup, even a morning meal. Continue reading →

4 Trail Energy Recipes with Protein Powder

Posted on June 15, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

This post is sponsored by NOW Foods via Mamavation.

I’m not going to hide the fact that I’m a meat-eater. I do all the proteins – beef, chicken, fish, and so on. But often, I’m in such a rush for breakfast in the mornings or after a workout, that I’m not able to cook up a big juicy steak. Nor do I always want to. Using protein powder is a go-to on these days when I have a light appetite, but realize my body needs adequate protein for muscle repair and maintenance. I ask my body to do a lot at my age and, in return, I try to feed it what it needs!

I’m sharing some of my favorite recipes using protein powder that are perfect for taking on a trail run or stowing away in your gym bag. I’m also reviewing two great options from NOW Sports that each work well in the recipes. I’ve tried dozens of different protein powders and these two rank pretty high in my book – they are affordable, made with quality ingredients and offer the right ratio of protein to carbs and fat that I prefer.

1) Pumpkin Protein Granola

2) Nut Butter Protein Nuggets with Cacao Nibs

3) Apricot Chocolate Almond Protein Bars

4) Chocolate Cherry Protein Trail Cups

Incorporating protein powder into your diet, it’s all about balance!

Plant Protein Complex (Creamy Vanilla) – Great for vegetarians and vegans (and even meat-eaters who want a change of pace), the NOW Sports Plant Protein Complex is a versatile choice made with a pea, brown rice, hemp and quinoa protein blend. Each scoop provides 22 grams of proteins and 3,900 mg of branched chain amino acids and 1,800 of L-Arginine. Less than 1 gram of sugar and sweeted with Xylitol and Stevia.

Sprouted Brown Rice Protein (Natural Vanilla) – Everyone needs protein to thrive and survive, however those with certain food allergies (such as whey, egg, soy, etc) are often left with few choices when it comes to protein powder. NOW® Sprouted Brown is a great solution and can be used with the confidence that only natural and pure ingredients are being used – no soy or dairy and is suitable for vegans and vegetarians.

Additionally, I recently tried these two other NOW Foods products – thumbs up to both, especially for convenience. When doing healthy things is convenient, I’m more likely to participate!

Lemonade Slender Sticks – These single-serve drink mix packets are so convenient for summer travel or to stash in a gym bag. What I like about them, other than the sweet-tart taste, is peace of mind knowing I’m using a product with made natural sweeteners and non-GMO ingredients, no artificial flavors or preservatives, and contains 50% of nine daily vitamins. Oh, and only 15 calories per serving!

Probiotic-10 + Inulin: More single-serve packets, so you can get probiotics anytime, anywhere! This convenient supplement helps to maintain a healthy microbial balance in the gut – thanks to 10 probiotic strains and 10 billion organisms per little packet! Suitable for vegans, vegetarians and those on dairy-free and gluten-free diets, this easy-to-use powder simply mixes into water for drinking.

Trail Energy Recipes with Protein Powder @NowFoods #NOWwellness #Ad

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What is your favorite way to use protein powder? Have you ever used a Probiotic supplement? Please share in the comments below — XOXO, Jennifer

Baked Gingerbread Protein Donuts with Lemon Glaze {Gluten Free} #AlohaMoment

Posted on December 15, 2014 by Jennifer FIsher

This blog is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Aloha, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #myAloha and #AlohaMoment http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

With the holiday season in full swing AND my plan to carbo-load for the Dallas Marathon (which was on Sunday, that’s another story for another day), I broke out of my normal eating routine last week to indulge in some scrumptious baked goods! Even though I had Christmas cookies and a big bun with my burger, I was mindful of not eating a ton of low-quality carb crap.

Despite the marathon carbohydrate mission, I wanted to keep balance in breakfast. My days are just much more productive when I’ve started off with enough protein. One trick I rely on to up my intake is to sneak protein powder into recipes for pancakes, muffins, quick breads and such. My favorite recipe coming out of the oven this week was a batch of Baked Gingerbread Protein Donuts with Lemon Icing – and these little delights are gluten-free and paleo-friendly and actually low-carb enough for me (and hopefully you) to enjoy any day!

You will not believe the delicious homemade seasonal scent that wafts through the house as these donuts bake. Am I tempting you yet? Keep reading for the recipe!

Yup, I stirred Aloha Premium Protein Powder right into the batter (and even icing) for these delicious baked donuts. Aloha comes either in a big tub or packets – I like the pre-portioned packets for convenience and each one features 18 grams of plant-based protein along with vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients. Perfect for vegetarians, vegans and everyone, this great-tasting product (which comes in chocolate and vanilla) helps ensure that you’re getting the complete chain of amino acids. Plus, there are no artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners, animal products, fillers or chemicals of any kind.

I also want to mention that my donut recipe below is also gluten-free and fits in with a Paleo style diet – made with protein powder along with almond meal, stevia and other healthy ingredients, these donuts not only taste good but will keep you feeling good.

Baked Gingerbread Donuts with Lemon Glaze Recipe

Ingredients for donuts:

3/4 cup almond meal
1 cup gluten-free baking blend
2 packets Aloha vanilla protein powder (reserve 1 Tablespoon for icing)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon stevia powder (1:2 stevia to sugar ratio)
3 large eggs
1/3 cup coconut oil
3 tablespoons unsulphured blackstrap molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients for glaze:

2 tablespoons coconut milk
1 tablespoon coconut butter
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Aloha vanilla protein powder
1 tablespoon stevia powder (1:2 stevia to sugar ratio)
2 tablespoons lemon zest

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
In medium bowl, mix together almond meal, gluten-free baking blend, protein powder (2 packets minus 1 tablespoon), baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and stevia power, making sure there are no clumps.
In another bowl whisk together eggs; whisk in molasses, coconut oil and vanilla. Mix together these wet ingredients with dry ingredients until well-combined, but not over-stirred.
Spoon batter (or use piping bag) into 12-count mini donut pan, filling approximately 2/3 full. Bake in 350 F degree oven for approximately 12 minutes, or until turning golden brown.
Remove donuts to baking rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile, mix together coconut milk, coconut butter, remaining 1 tablespoon protein powder, lemon juice and stevia. Drizzle over cooled donuts and sprinkle with lemon zest.
Makes 12 mini donuts.

Blend together one packet Aloha Protein Powder with 12 oz. almond milk, 1/2 cup frozen berries and ice, as needed.

Also as a clean-eating, fitness enthusiast, I enjoy a smoothie or recovery shake made with protein powder for my morning meal or recovery. But, I can be picky about texture, taste and macros when it comes to supplementation. A chocolate berry smoothie made with Aloha Premium Protein Powder is one of my go-to beverages after an intense workout during warmer weather (I aim for between 10 – 20 grams of protein within 30 minutes to assist with muscle recovery). But, it’s also smart to start off the day with protein, so I often mix Aloha into a hot morning drink, in nut butter, or in all types of batter – like with the Baked Gingerbread Protein Donut recipe above!

If you’d like to sample Aloha Premium Protein Powder (while supplies last), check out their free 14 days trial (a monthly subscription, but no-hassle to cancel if not right for you). You can also follow them on Facebook (Aloha), Twitter (@aloha), Pinterest (@alohamoment) , or Instagram (@alohamoment).

{Gluten Free} Gingerbread Protein Donut #Recipe @aloha #myAloha, #Alohamoment, #PMedia #ad

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What is your favorite way to use protein powder?

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