Snacks seem to be the hardest part of keeping on track with your goals of leaning out and gaining muscle, yet they are one of the most integral parts of succeeding. Everyone is always asking me for tasty, protein loaded, grab-and-go snacks. I have several options below that are easy to keep on hand, and, with the variety of flavors, are sure to peak the interest of even the pickiest taste buds.
Pumpkin Protein Bites
I like to make these when I am craving sweets, especially in the fall. I love everything pumpkin, and these protein bites help feed that craving.
Pumpkin Protein Bites
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond flour
- 2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder I use Xtend, vanilla ice cream
- ¼ cup stevia *optional
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1.5 TBS flax meal
- ½ cup gluten free oats
- 1 egg
- ½ cup unsweetened canned pumpkin
- ¼ cup of melted cold pressed unrefined coconut oil (I buy Kirkland at Costco, Anthony’s makes a good one too)
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk I buy Kirkland at Costco
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together all your dry ingredients (almond flour, whey protein, stevia, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, flax meal, and oats). Add all the wet ingredients (egg, pumpkin, coconut oil, and almond milk) to the dry ingredients. Stir until well combined. Using a cookie scoop, scoop dough and place 12 bites on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven.
Notes
Nutrition
Loaded Cottage Cheese
I haven’t always loved cottage cheese, but knew it was a great easy protein loaded snack. I went through many brands of testing, until I found one I could tolerate. Now I love it and is the snack I look forward to the most in my day. I love it with tomatoes and green onions out of my garden. It is also great with berries, or spinach.
Loaded Cottage Cheese
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Darigold 4% small curd cottage cheese
- 6 cherry tomatoes diced
- 1 green onion stalk diced
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Mix together all ingredients
Notes
Nutrition
Turkey Sticks and Cheese
Another snack I have everyday, as I am rushing out the door with the kids, is 2 Old Wisconsin turkey sausage sticks and a cheese square. The turkey sticks don’t have the best ingredients, but I prefer them over most other meat sticks or jerkies because they have great macro’s, and only 1 gram of sugar. Plus, they taste great.
One serving is 2 turkey sticks, and 1 cheese square. Calories per serving: 170; Fat per serving; 12g; Carbs per serving: 1g; Protein per serving: 12g
Deli Meat and Pickled Asparagus Rolls
I only have this snack about once a week. Every time I eat it, I love it, and wonder why I don’t make it more often. This is another quick snack option to either pack for the day, or swing home to eat real quick. You can do many different deli meats, my favorite is with Tavern Ham. The macronutrient breakdown I am sharing with you is with using Prima Della Tavern Ham.
Deli Meat and Pickled Asparagus Rolls
Ingredients
- 3.25 oz of deli meat I use Prima Della Tavern Ham
- 4 tsp of whipped cream cheese I use Philadelphia with chives
- 4 pickled asparagus spears I use Princess pickled asparagus
Instructions
- Lay out 4 thin slices of deli meat flat. Spread 1 tsp of whipped cream cheese in each slice. Lay 1 spear of asparagus at the end and roll.
Notes
Nutrition
Xtend Whey Protein Shake
Although shakes are not a great meal replacement, they are perfect for supplementing your daily meals and getting in the protein you need. I drink a shake every day I work out immediately following exercise to supplement more protein in my diet. I also drink a shake on my rest days when we are out running around to all of our kids sporting events, it is so easy to consume as a on-the-go snack.
Protein Shake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 scoop of Xtend whey chocolate lava cake protein powder
- 16 oz of water or cold coffee
- 8 Ice cubes *optional if blending
Instructions
- Shake 1 scoop of protein powder with water or cold coffee (Yum!) in a shaker cup. Or blend with ice in the Ninja blender single serve cup.
