Category: Recipes

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Crispy Honey Chipotle BBQ Chicken

Honey Chipotle BBQ Chicken

Sweet and and spicy, this instant pot crispy honey chipotle BBQ chicken recipe is a surefire way to kick up the flavor.

The sauce is what makes this crispy honey chipotle BBQ chicken extra delicious. I used G. Hughes BBQ sauce (amazing taste for being sugar-free), however no problem to substitute with a different honey BBQ sauce. Chili powder is optional but adds a nice kick. The collagen acts as a thickener, however cornstarch would work just as well.

The broiling step is completely optional, but worth the extra few minutes to give the chicken a slightly crispy texture. Pair this high protein dish with carb of your choice. I’ve tried with corn tortillas as well as on a bun.

If you’re time constrained or find yourself struggling to plan meals in advance, an Instant Pot is an excellent investment. for fast cooking. It’s perfect for the occasions you have forgotten to thaw out meat in advance. I’ve thrown rock hard frozen chicken breasts in it and had a meal ready in under an hour. 😛 This is the one I have.

This sweet and spicy instant pot chicken recipe is a surefire way to kick up your meal prep flavors. Perfect for tacos or sandwiches.

Hope you like this recipe. Please share on socials or with a friend if you enjoyed it.

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This recipe is an adaptation of a Masonfit original recipe, check out this site for some great recipe inspirations: https://masonfit.com/pulled-instant-pot-bbq-chicken/

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Salted Caramel Apple Donuts

Salted Caramel Apple Donuts

These salted caramel apple donuts are a higher protein sweet treat, with reduced fat and sugar. 150 Calories and 20 g of protein per donut!

  • Salted Caramel Apple Donuts
  • Salted Caramel Apple Donuts
  • Salted Caramel Apple Donuts

After many experiments, I finally created a baked donut recipe that balances the moist fluffy texture of a cake donut without the need for adding in a heap of butter and/or oil, and sugar. I used the oven to bake them, but suspect the air fryer would also work well.

The primary base of these salted caramel apple donuts is Salted Caramel flavor protein powder and unsweetened applesauce. Thy type of protein powder used is important for the texture. Whey makes too runny a batter, whereas casein does not heat well. Trutein (blend of whey, egg, and casein protein) always seems to work the best for any recipe requiring baking.

The donuts are sweet on their own and very tasty right out of the oven without any toppings. If you do ice these donuts, be sure to allow them to cool completely first!

Let me know if you enjoyed this recipe and what other donut flavors you are into!

These high protein donuts will cure any sweet tooth without the extra fat and sugar. Only about 150 calories per donut with 20g of protein.

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Roasted Sausage & Sweet Potato

Sage Roasted Sausage Sweet Potato
Sage Roasted Sausage Sweet Potato

Simple dinner with minimal clean up. This sage roasted sausage & sweet potato uses a single plan and is delicious for a minimal amount of work. Roasting the sweet potatoes with sage and combining with balsamic brings forward a savory-sweet combination that pairs well with the sausage and broccoli.

For even cooking, it’s worth the time to flip over each of the sausage pieces so that they crisp up on both sides. Swap full fat sausage for low-fat chicken sausage – there are plenty of options at the grocery store and each 85 g link is typically going to have 7-8 g of fat and 12-13 g of protein. I’ve used Sabatinos (Costco) as well as Open Nature (Vons). You could also substitute extra firm tofu in this recipe for a plant-based protein source. Remove excess water from the tofu before baking by pressing.

It’s relatively straightforward to adjust the macros for this sage roasted sausage & sweet potato; if you are looking for lower carbs reduce to one potato and instead add an extra crown of broccoli. To reduce the fat, reduce the oil to 1 tbsp. total or instead make some home made ground turkey with sausage seasoning like the one I made for this recipe and combine with the sweet potato and broccoli at the end.

Savory sage with the sweetness of balsamic combine into this delicious and simple one pan meal.

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Golden Protein Egg Crepes

Egg Crepes
Golden Egg Crepes

Perfect for a quick breakfast, these golden protein egg crepes use only a few natural ingredients and can be made sweet or savory.

With minimal cooking time you’ll have three healthy, golden protein egg crepes ready to fill however you wish. I’ve been making these regularly for breakfast on the weekend and prepping a few extra for during the week. they refrigerate well and can be microwaved for a few seconds for re-heat. Filling possibilities are endless. The pictured crepes are filled with yogurt and mango puree.

Any flour will work for this recipe, regular white, whole wheat, gluten free, etc. For sweet crepe filling, I recommend adding a pinch of cinnamon and small splash of vanilla extract to the batter. You could also add peanut butter powder or coco powder to change up the flavor.

A few filling ideas:

  • Savory (omit cinnamon) ground turkey/turkey sausage, tomato, spinach, and feta.
  • Pickles and some lean deli turkey or ham, dip in mustard
  • Sweet: Greek yogurt + fruit puree
  • Plain with a smear of peanut butter!

Perfect for an ultra-quick breakfast or brunch, these crepes use only a few natural ingredients and can be made sweet or savory.

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Mango Chile Turkey Meatballs

Mango Meatballs
Mango Meatballs

These baked mango chile turkey meatballs are high protein candy for dinner.

To prepare these mango chile turkey meatballs I highly recommend purchasing an immersion blender. It’s an incredibly powerful tool to make sauces, soups, and in this case to puree fruit. For the power and the money, this one is very impressive.

Ensure you use a mango that is completely ripe, more on the side of being over-ripe. An under-ripe mango will make these meatballs too acidic/tart. Take the time to slow simmer the mango and remove excess water. The time may vary depending on your mango – it took me about 45 minutes to cook down three mangoes. After cooking, the reduction will have a gel quality versus a liquid. Err on the side of making it thicker. If you don’t eliminate enough water, it will be difficult to form the meatballs into a solid ball.

Combine the chile-lime seasoning with the mango and thoroughly blend together before adding the turkey. This will ensure the meatballs are uniformly seasoned. Use your hands to gently mix the mango with the turkey – just enough to combine everything.

To best fit my macros, I formed 16 meatballs that were about the size of 2 tablespoons. Feel free to partition differently – you may need to reduce the bake time if you make them smaller. I don’t recommend making them any larger than the size I made them. As they cook, you will see a bit of water and fat in the bottom of the pan. This will nearly disappear when cooking is completed.

High protein baked turkey meatballs combining the sweetness of mango with the tang of chile-lime. These are meat candy, plain and simple!

Let me know if you made these and what you think!

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Healthy Ranch Herb Dressing

Ranch Dressing

A natural healthy ranch herb dressing, great for salads or dip. Less than 10 minutes to make and less than 30 calories per serving.

Pick any bottle of salad dressing off the shelf next trip to the grocery store. Chances are, it’s ultra-processed (additional fat, sugar, thickeners, and/or preservatives added to enhance texture and taste). While this in an of itself isn’t inherently bad, it’s easy to over-use condiments that are extra tasty and can potentially add 100’s of additional (empty) calories to your day. This is a simple to make, healthy ranch herb dressing alternative.

I recently purchased this immersion blender, it’s very powerful! Highly recommend the investment if you make your own marinades, sauces, soups, and dressings.

I was concerned that because it contains no preservatives, the dressing wouldn’t keep well. As of right now it’s been stored in the fridge for two weeks in airtight mason jars and still looks and taste great.

Combine this healthy ranch dressing with chicken breast chunks for a ranch chicken salad – delish for lunch! The lemon juice and garlic give it a nice tangy flavor and compliment the flavor of fresh chives. For a thicker dip, add minimal water. If you want a creamier dressing, swap the low-fat sour cream with buttermilk.

Condiment calories count. Skip the bottled stuff and make this lower calorie ranch dressing, perfect for salads and as a veggie dip.

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Cajun Louisiana Red Beans

Louisiana Red Beans

These healthy Cajun Louisiana red beans are an excellent source of protein and fiber. Perfect for batch cooking and freezing!

Louisiana Red Beans

I appreciate recipes that require minimal time standing over a pot – set it and forget it. This healthy Cajun Louisiana red beans recipe requires a bit of prep time (beans should be soaked for at least 8 hours), but it’s truly low on attention and effort. I started the soak Friday night before bed, and forgot about them until I was ready to cook Saturday afternoon. The actual cooking takes 3 hours, but once everything is in the pot there is no need to stand near the stove.

Beans are important…..

Two key steps ensure the right consistency and texture. Firstly, rise and soak dry beans, don’t substitute for canned beans unless you are really slammed for time. Secondly, don’t use budget red beans – quality matters here. High quality beans picked at the right time (and not stored in a warehouse for long) will have a buttery texture. Having tried many brands now, Camellia’s comes out on top.

Cajun Seasoning

To save time, I use pre-made Cajun Seasoning, but you could also make you own (large batch, for multiple uses) by combining 3 tbsp. smoked paprika, 3 tbsp. salt, 2 tbsp. garlic powder, 1 tbsp. white pepper, 1 tbsp. black pepper, 1 tbsp. onion powder, 1 tbsp. oregano, 1 tbsp. cayenne, 1 tbsp red pepper flakes, 1 tsp thyme, 1/2 tsp basil, and 1/4 tsp cardamom.

I opted to use low-fat Andoullie chicken sausage. Eight links of sausage are cut into slices and thrown into the pot during the last 30 minutes of cooking. This dish can readily be made vegan by using meatless sausage or extra firm tofu (press or dry fry before adding 15 minutes before cooking is complete).

I keep the base recipe mild and stir in hot sauce or chili flakes before eating. Nandos is my favorite hot sauce for this dish. If you want to kick up the whole batch, add two diced jalapenos when you add in the onion and green pepper.

The dish pairs well with the classics (rice or cornbread) but also tastes great with cauli rice for a lower carb option.

Let me know if you enjoyed this recipe, and share this page with friends.

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Sweet Treat Mango Creamsicles

Mango Creamsicles

These sweet treat mango creamsicles have only three ingredients. 65 Calories each with 5g of protein.

  • Mango Creamsicles
  • Mango Creamsicles

After purchasing a set of molds, I’ve been on a creamsicle making kick. All you need to make these sweet treat mango creamsicles are mangoes, yogurt, and vanilla extract.

The Ingredients

Before starting, make sure the mangoes are ripe or slightly overripe, or your creamsicles may taste sour. July seems to be the is ideal time of year to get ripe mango, but I’ve also had success in early spring fro mthe stock at Costco.

The vanilla extract provides a smooth undertone and combines well with the mango. Alcohol in the extract will boil off as you simmer the mango, leaving no bitter aftertaste. Let the mango reduction fully cool before preparing the creamsicles. Otherwise, ice crystals may form.

Strongly recommend using low-fat Greek yogurt for this recipe. Nonfat Greek yogurt or plant-based Greek-style yogurts also work, however they will be slightly less creamy tasting.

The scale of the recipe fills up the above mentioned 6-mold popsicle mold perfectly – each well is 3.3 oz. / 94 g. After you have filled each mold, gently tamp down to remove air gaps and re-fill to the brim of the mold as needed.

Nutrition

Each sweet mango creamsicle has 65 Calories, 5 g of protein, 10 g of carbs (8 g sugar), and 1 g of fat. For reference, a Halo Top Pop is 90 Cal, 5 g protein, 18 g of carbs (10 g sugar), and 2.5 g fat. As I’ve said before, sugar is not evil, but it’s important to be mindful of consumption within your overall nutrition balance. Moderation is the best advice, and a simple way to help mitigate over consumption is to seek out products that have minimal to no “added sugar”. These days it’s much easier to spot since “added sugar” is identified as separate line item on product nutrition labels.

Other creamsicle flavors I’ve made recently include blueberry, chocolate fudge, and peanut butter. I’ve also made with non-dairy, plant-based yogurt. It’s all the same principle, but if you want specific directions for those, shoot me a message.

Beat the summer heat with this refreshing treat. These creamsicles have only three ingredients, with no added sugar. 65 calories of natural mango bliss!

I hope you liked this recipe! Please share on socials or with a friend if you enjoyed it.

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High Protein Flatbread Pizzas

Skip takeout and stay on track with these easy high protein flatbread pizzas. Simple ingredients with no yeast or rise time. Ready to go in less than 30 minutes.

  • High Protein Pizza
  • High Protein Pizza
  • High Protein Pizza
Left: Chicken + Roasted Poblano w/ Feta Middle: Chicken Sausage and Roasted Red Pepper Right: “Satay” Style with Green Onion, Chicken, Broccoli, Sriracha, and Peanut Butter Sauce

I’m very impatient so it was exciting to discover no-yeast pizza crust recipes that don’t require waiting time for dough to rise. This high protein flatbread pizzas is an experimental merge of the many I’ve found online. The dough has only four ingredients – baking flour, plain nonfat Greek yogurt, baking powder, and Italian seasoning (optional). It takes only a few minutes to prepare. In fact, if you have all of the ingredients, making these pizzas is faster and less expensive than getting delivery. Up front: NO…these do not taste like what you can pick up in the Bronx. However, it is a way to stay on track in a healthier eating plan AND not feel like you need to wash your face and lie down after eating it!

A note about yogurt

IMPORTANT: use PLAIN GREEK YOGURT in this recipe. Regular yogurt is too watery to make proper dough. Roll the dough to an even thickness so that the edges don’t burn. One of the most valuable tools I use for baking is a beveled French Rolling Pin. It’s natural wood and there are no joints to clean so it’s more sanitary.

Don’t skip the step of uniformly spraying both sides of the formed dough with olive oil – this is important for a crispy outside texture. Further, you will be baking the crusts at high temp (500 F) so ensure the parchment paper is rated accordingly. The paper will slightly char regardless – this is expected.

The best part about homemade pizza is topping flexibility and you can make it a family experience where everyone prepares their own. Here I’ve made one large pizza but it’s straightforward to divide the dough into smaller portions for personal pizzas, or scale up to make additional pizzas.

Toppings

Beyond the pies shown here, other healthier topping possibilities include Canadian bacon, onion, jalapenos, turkey pepperoni, ground beef, and veggies. For cheese, I recommend using low-fat. Non-fat does NOT melt and you don’t want to feel like you’re eating little bits of white rubber. A less traditional but as tasty option is fat-free feta cheese – it’s an excellent protein source if the melty-cheesy texture isn’t as important to you. If you decide to add veggies such broccoli, make sure they are pre-cooked or roasted to remove excess moisture so the pizza doesn’t get soggy. Even when you take this precaution, a veggie pie may need additional baking time.

The tomato provides enough sweetness on it’s own so look for a marina sauce that has no sugar added and has about 60-70 calories per 1/2 cup. Swapping directly for tomato paste works great if you want a tangier taste. Stirring oregano or Italian seasoning and/or a bit of minced garlic into the sauce before spreading is great for extra flavor .

In addition to the more traditional pizzas, I played around with a Satay style as well! The sauce was made with peanut butter powder and water. Give it a go if you’re feeling adventurous.

 
    Skip the greasy takeout – here’s a simple way to make healthier pizza at home. Grab the family and everyone can make their own.

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Blueberry Lemon Protein Crepes

Blueberry Lemon Protein Crepes

These simple blueberry lemon protein crepes combine the sweetness of blueberries and vanilla with tangy lemon for a fun weekend breakfast treat.

Blueberry Lemon Protein Crepes

Spring has sprung and bright flowers are popping out here in San Diego! It inspired me to create a colorful new breakfast recipe – using the classic combination of blueberry, vanilla, and lemon.

Each one of these lovely blueberry lemon protein crepes delivers 25g of protein, 25g carbs, and less than 3g fat – it’s an excellent after training meal. I highly recommend using wild blueberries (smaller and sweeter) but any type will work. A strawberry filling would also pair well with the lemon if you aren’t a blueberry fan. Truly, there are endless combinations by using different flavors of protein powder and fillings mixed with the yogurt.

For the protein power, I recommend Trutein Vanilla Bean (a blend of whey, egg, and casein protein). This protein blend tolerates heat well during cooking and provides the right texture.

The crepe preparation is very forgiving and you can adjust the thickness by adding more or less water to the batter.

Sweet blueberries and vanilla with tangy lemon are a perfect spring pairing in this fun weekend breakfast treat.

Look forward to getting your feedback on this recipe! Please share on socials or with a friend if you enjoyed it.

If you are looking for some directed, custom help to meet your health and performance goals, please contact me. No better time to start than now.

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