You might be surprised to hear this but there are tons of things that you can do with that fantastic grass-fed whey protein – Gnarly Whey – you just picked up. Recipes and ideas can be found all over the internet, even filling entire cookbooks dedicated to the subject. But, to save you some trouble, we’ve compiled a lists of just 50 different ways to take your whey.
We should be clear right away, however, that these ideas aren’t limited to traditional whey protein powder. These same ideas can typically also be pulled off if you’re working with a whey protein meal replacement or vegan protein powder. So, if your new tub came loaded with Gnarly Feast or Vegan Feast, don’t feel left out.
Okay, enough talk. Let’s get down to the list.
Shakes – Of course, there’s the standard shake – usually consisting of protein powder and water. But you could also take it a step further, entering into full milkshake territory. To achieve this more desserty result, simply toss milk, a few ice cubes and your protein powder into a blender.
Smoothies – While the terms “shake” and “smoothie” are often used interchangably, they aren’t actually the same thing. A smoothie contains several ingredients, including fruits and vegetables. You have a ton of options here, and can blend up any number of concoctions. Typically, ice cubes are used as a thickener but you can also use frozen fruit and berries to get the same result. Your protein powder will also help thicken things up.
Donuts – Yup, we said donuts. You can tweak the recipe a variety of ways depending on the desired flavor and can even find ways to make them vegan and gluten-free if you’re so inclined. To keep things on the nutritional up-and-up, you’ll want to bake them – and will thus need a donut pan to get the characteristic shape.
Muffins – Again, you have lots of choices when it comes to exact flavors but the basic idea remains the same: Use protein powder to cut back on the amount of flour you would use in an otherwise standard muffin recipe. You can’t ditch the flour completely, however. Unless, of course, you don’t mind your muffins having the same consistency as an old tire.
Cakes – Interestingly, some pretty amazing single-serving cakes can be whipped up in just about 5 minutes with a few basic ingredients. Protein powder, eggs, a banana, salt and baking powder can be combined in a mug and microwaved. And, just like that, you have a protein-rich cake.
Protein Bars – Once you get the basic process for making protein powders, you’ll be able to cook up just about any combination you’d like. Considering the fact that most “protein bars” are little more than well-marketed candy bars, this is a valuable skill for any fitness enthusiast to master.
Truffles – This bite-sized desserts start by essentially making a batter, (usually) consisting of protein powder, a nut butter of your choice, a sweetener and salt. Once the mixture gets to a nice, doughy consistency, you roll it into balls, coat them in chocolate or nuts or coconut or matcha or whatever else you could possibly want and place the whole thing in the freezer. The nut butter is optional, but you will need something else to moisturize the protein powder – even if it’s just water.
Fudge – Protein powder, flour, some flavors and moisturizers are all you need to make a basic fudge recipe, requiring no cooking. The whole thing is finished in the freezer and can be topped however you’d like.
Mousse – Whip up some egg whites and protein powder and… that’s it. That’s all it takes to make a protein-rich mousse that can top off any of the other protein recipes you may come across. You can either allow your protein powder to do all the flavoring or add something like cocoa powder for an extra kick.
Pancakes – For pancakes, many people get rid of the flour altogether and simply rely on protein powder in their recipes. If you’re going to do this, you’ll need bananas, applesauce or yogurt to keep things light.
Crepes – Pancakes’ fancier cousin, crepes are generally thin and stuffed with fruit or salmon or whatever you would like. The batter will be much thinner than that which you’d use for pancakes and a little bit more flair is required to keep them from tearing, but it’s well worth it.
Protein “Ice Cream” – Freeze some bananas, blend them together with some protein powder and there you have it: A 2-ingredient protein ice cream. Of course, there are countless other takes on this out there, most of which require a lot more work, but this is the most basic approach we’ve found.
Cookies – Again, there are a couple different ways people have devised to make a protein cookie so you have plenty of options. Peanut butter, sugar, eggs and protein powder can be used to make a basic batter that you can then flavor to your taste.
Oatmeal – Plain old oatmeal is already a pretty decent breakfast, nutritionally speaking. But, then again, it is plain old oatmeal. Depending on what you’re trying to accomplish with your macros, too, it might be a little low on protein. So, toss some protein powder in there with the liquid and mix it up.
Protein Coffee – So, you typically use water to make your fast, grab-and-go shakes? Why not use coffee? Some people take things even further and create a sort of protein Frappuccino, too – if you’re feeling adventurous.
Brownies – A whole pan of delicious, healthy(er) brownies can be thrown together with just a few ingredients. And – good news for the gluten-free among you – this can be done without flour.
Waffles – Of course, you’ll need a waffle iron to make waffles but, with that one obstacle out of the way this is a pretty simple recipe. You can make some adjustments when it comes to the sweetener, flour and milk you use to suit your diet and tastes.
Boosted Yogurt – So… you know how yogurt is really good for you? Put some protein powder in there. It gets even better. The moisture from the yogurt should be enough to dissolve the protein, which will improve both the flavor and the nutrition of the whole dish.
“Smoothie Bowls” – The classic smoothie – what with all the blending and such – does present a barrier of time and energy that some are jut incapable of getting past. Instead, the basic ingredients can simply be added together in a bowl and eaten like cereal. Forget the blender.
Peanut Butter Cups – Mix some chocolate protein powder with just a few tablespoons of water, until its smooth but not watery and place a layer in the bottom of some oiled muffin tins. Then throw in some peanut butter. Top it all off with another scoop of the protein powder and freeze.
Banana Bread – But substituting some flour for protein powder, you can greatly improve the nutrition of banana bread – making it more than a glorified dessert. As always, you can adjust what sort of flour and sweetener you use to fit your needs.
Chia Pudding – Somewhat famously, chia seeds naturally form a sort of pudding when exposed to moisture. While these fiber and omega-3 rich seeds are also high in protein, a little powder can only make things better. You may need to add more water than you normally would to prevent things from drying up, however.
Vegan Burgers – If you’ve even made a veggie burger, you know you need some sort of dry binding ingredient. Why not use protein powder? Of course, you’ll be limited on flavors if you go with this option since chocolate isn’t typically a flavor we associate with burgers.
Sauces – Flour is very commonly used to thicken a variety of sauces, used to make all sorts of different dishes. Instead, you could also used protein powder. Again, consider the flavor of your powder and what you’re trying to accomplish when it comes to the end-product.
Soups – The same goes for soups. Protein powder can be tossed into the broth to thicken things, but make sure you aren’t making a chocolate-tomato soup. Unless you like that sort of thing. In which, go right ahead. No judgments.
Glazes – Now, those dessert-like flavors of more protein powders will come in handy. Use a protein powder to sweeten and flavor a glaze or frosting for your desserts.
Salad Dressings – Again, the thickening properties of protein powder can home in handy when you’re trying to make your own salad dressings. Here, you might be able to get away with a vanilla flavored powder depending on the rest of your ingredients.
Pizza! – Blend together protein powder, oats and eggs until you get a dough that resembles… well… dough. Shape the mixture into a circle and then cook both sides until it’s firm. Then you can add your toppings and let it broil till the cheese is melted.
Mashed Potatoes – Okay, people generally add milk and butter and sour cream right into their potatoes as their mashing them, right? Protein powder can just as easily find its way into that mix. Keep in mind, though, this is going to add calories – not take anyway, since you aren’t subtracting any ingredient to make room for the protein.
Pasta – Because pasta dough doesn’t need to rise like others might, you can totally replace the flour here for protein powder. We do need to repeat our warning about flavors, though. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with a dessert pasta. Go nuts.
Fluff – Eggs and protein powder can be combined to make a pretty amazing whipped topping, assigned any flavor you need. To get it really thick, though, you’re going to need an electric whisk or similar device.
Granola – Oats, nuts, dried fruit, nut butter and… oh yeah, protein powder can easily be combined to make a healthy granola for snacks.
Pizza Dip – Essentially, this recipe wants you to make a hummus with pizza flavors and protein powder. What could be better? Use this as a dip for crackers and veggies.
“Cheesecake” – Using fat-free cream cheese and Greek yogurt to cut down on the fat and carbs, this basic recipe also makes room for protein powder. Depending on the flavor your going for, your protein powder can also be used as a sweetener.
Hot Chocolate – We’ve already talked about how easy it is to add protein powder to coffee the same principle applies to hot chocolate. To make sure everything dissolves well, however, you may find it useful to mix the protein powder with a little bit of warm water before adding the rest of the mix.
Protein Pops – Basically, you’re going to start with a protein smoothie. Then freeze it. You’ll need some popsicle molds but allows you two luxuries that you can’t always get from smoothies. First, it’s extremely refreshing on a hot day. Second, this can be made well ahead of time and stored.
Frosting – To really get a believable “frosting” texture of this, you’ll have to be creative. Fat-free Cool Whip (or similar product) and fat-free cream cheese will help in this regard. Mix the protein powder with these other ingredients in a bowl until it looks like frosting and cover everything you can think of in it. Keep in mind, the flavor of your protein powder will decide the flavor of your frosting.
Coffeecake – In the same way that other cakes can be crafted out of protein powder, a traditional coffeecake can also be achieved. Since coffecakes are typically not as moist as other cakes, substituting protein powder for flour is such a dangerous proposal. Fruit and berries are also a good way to add both sweetness and moisture.
Dough Balls – We’ve already covered several recipes that require you to make a dough before moving any further. But… what if you just stopped there? After all, how many people out there just eat cookie dough? So, use your protein powder to mix up a dough, roll it into a ball and enjoy. To make it last longer and tighten up the consistency, you can also freeze them.
Sweet Potato Bread – Similar to the banana bread we already talked about, sweet potato puree can be used to make a delicious, autumnal treat – that also happens to be packed with protein. Walnuts, pecans, cinnamon and nutmeg can also be used to deepen the flavor.
Cereal – Although it’s a pretty standard breakfast, cereal isn’t exactly a “balanced” breakfast. Protein powder can easy solve that problem. Dissolve the powder in your milk to add both flavor and nutrition to an otherwise lopsided meal.
Fruit Salad – Combine protein powder and cottage cheese to make a sort of dressing for your fruit salad, deepening the flavor and greatly improving the overall nutrition.
Protein Tea – Continuing the trend of adding tea to everyday items, we come to tea. The protein can quickly be mixed into your favorite tea, as a convenient way to get both your protein and your pick-me-up.
Peach Surprise – Baking peaches is an excellent and time-tested way to heighten their flavor and sweetness. Adding some protein powder to it is a little more modern, but nonetheless excellent. Not only does this save this treat from being naught but sugar, it adds some flavor, too.
Breakfast Bars – That granola we talked about before can easily be frozen or baked into bars, rather than just eaten as clusters. This is a great way to make them portable and allows you to control the portion size in advance.
Energy Bites – Energy bites are actually very similar to truffles in overall appearance, but differ slightly in their make-up and purpose. The idea here is to create a small, nutrient dense snack that you can easily throw back during the day. While there are lots of options, protein powder can easily to added to any of them.
Peanut Butter and Banana “Sandwich” – Bananas have long been a favorite snack among fitness enthusiasts as a convenient way to get healthy carbs before and after workouts. Plus, they taste fantastic with peanut butter. Don’t forget, you can also mix some protein powder into your peanut butter to change both the flavor and the nutrition. Pro tip: Cut the banana in half and use it instead of bread.
Pudding – Greek yogurt and protein powder can be cut with milk to make something that looks and tastes like pudding. And is vastly superior.
Protein Chips – By essentially overcooking a protein pancake, you can easily make some pretty fantastic chips. If you adjust the cooking times, you can control the texture and even use this some approach to create a pita or wrap.
Quiche – By nature of being an “egg pie,” the classic quiche is already fairly high in protein. But it could be even higher! Use protein powder in creating the crust and proceed as if nothing unusual happened.
