Protein-Packed Blueberry Banana Bread

INGREDIENTS: 
🔹2 ripe bananas, mashed
🔹¾ cup of oat flour
🔹¾ cup vanilla whey protein powder
🔹1 cup of 0% fat Plain Greek yogurt
🔹⅓ cup @muscleeggs Cake Batter
🔹¼ cup of unsweetened applesauce
🔹1 TBSP stevia
🔹2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
🔹1 teaspoon of baking soda
🔹Pinch of salt
🔹⅓ cup blueberries
🔹¼ cup dark chocolate chips (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Add all remaining ingredients (except blueberries and chocolate chips) to bowl and mix well.
3. Prepare an 8x8 baking pan with cooking spray or coconut oil.
4. Evenly place batter in pan and mix in the blueberries and/or chocolate chips.
5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick pulls clean when tested.

Black Bean and Tomato Quinoa

Black bean and tomato quinoa is the perfect summer side dish. It's packed with protein, healthy carbs, and fresh lime, cilantro and scallions.

 

INGREDIENTS:

1. 2 teaspoons grated lime zest

   1. 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

   2. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

   3. 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

   4. 1 teaspoon sugar

   5. 1 cup quinoa

   6. 1 (14- to 15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

   7. 2 medium tomatoes, diced

   8. 4 scallions, chopped

   9. 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS:

1. Whisk together lime zest and juice, butter, oil, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.

2. Wash quinoa in 3 changes of cold water in a bowl, draining in a sieve each time.

3. Cook quinoa in a medium pot of boiling salted water (1 tablespoon salt for 2 quarts water), uncovered, until almost tender, about 10 minutes. Drain in sieve, then set sieve in same pot with 1 inch of simmering water (water should not touch bottom of sieve). Cover quinoa with a folded kitchen towel, then cover sieve with a lid (don't worry if lid doesn't fit tightly) and steam over medium heat until tender, fluffy, and dry, about 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat and remove lid. Let stand, still covered with towel, 5 minutes.

4. Add quinoa to dressing and toss until dressing is absorbed, then stir in remaining ingredients and salt and pepper to taste.

Lemon Seasoned Chicken, Green Beans and Red Potatoes

Slow cooker all-in-one meals are a saving grace in my house. When life gets hectic and meal prep seems overwhelming, refer back to these easy nutritious and clean recipes. Savory, tender chicken, crispy green beans and baby red potatoes seasoned with fresh lemon, olive oil and spices are the complete trifecta in a meal. Nom nom.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1.5- 2lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
• ½ lb. fresh green beans, trimmed (about 2.5 cups)
• 1.25 lb. diced red potatoes (about 4 cups)
• ⅓ cup FRESH lemon juice
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tps. Lemon & Garlic FlavorGod seasoning
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• ¼ tsp. onion powder
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place the chicken in the center of a 6-quart slow cooker. Next add the green beans on one side and mound the red potatoes high off to the other side.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, Lemon & Garlic FlavorGod, oregano, salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic cloves.
3. Pour this mixture evenly over the chicken, green beans and potatoes.
4. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours, without opening the lid during the cooking time. Seriously, no peaking!

Mango-licious Tilapia

Tilapia is a flaky, lean white fish that is known for its wide variety of associated health benefits including its ability to help reduce weight, boost overall metabolism, strength your immune system and speed up repair and growth throughout the body. It is also high in protein and low in calories and fat, making it the perfect protein for dinner.

With health benefits like those, clean eating enthusiasts use tilapia as a go-to protein throughout the week. It can be flavored a million ways to satisfy your palette. 

Meal prepping can be a long and tedious process. Therefore, I try my best to keep the recipes simple, quick and most importantly delicious. Oven-baked tilapia topped with fresh, citrusy mango salsa is a light and satisfying dish. 

And luckily, this mango salsa only has five ingredients. Easy, peasy!

5-Ingredient Mango Salsa

• 2 ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted and diced (about 3 cups)
• 1 small red onion, peeled and diced
• 1-2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, loosely packed
• juice of two limes

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. For the best flavor, allow to refrigerate for a few hours.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. Place the tilapia in a foil lined 13x9-in. baking dish. Squeeze lime juice over the fish. Sprinkle with pepper, FlavorGod Lemon & Garlic seasoning, and a pinch of sea salt. 
3. Bake, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. 
4. Allow to cool.
5. Serve with the mango on top.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Protein Bites

Protein-packed sweets are a staple in my home, and with the addition of pumpkin, a super food, how can you go wrong? These protein bites are a quick treat to make and even faster to eat.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 scoops vanilla protein powder
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (or canned pumpkin)
• 1 TSP pumpkin pie spice
• 1 TSP cinnamon
• 4 TBSP honey/agave
• 1 1/2 cups quick oats
• 1/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl or food processor, mix the pumpkin, protein powder, spices and honey/agave. 
2. Stir in chocolate chips and oats.
3. Roll heaping tablespoonfuls into balls.
4. Freeze for 2 hours. Store in airtight container in the fridge.