Ask The Protein Powder Chef: Pumpkin Spice Protein Mousse!

New Exercise and Fitness Review

Vital Stats

Name: Anna Sward
Interests: Writing, Cooking, Weightlifting
Book: ‘Protein Pow(d)er: The Cookbook’
Occupation: Creator of Proteinpow.com
Education: PhD University

Along with the changing of the leaves and beginning of sweater weather, the end of September signifies the start of fall. It’s around this time that one specific gourd takes center stage: the pumpkin.

From the aroma of pumpkin spice lattes that fill coffee houses, to store shelves stocked with pumpkin-flavored Oreos, the start of autumn can rightly be called “pumpkin season.” If you’re like me, you believe this is a time to celebrate and fully embrace the pumpkiny goodness with all your might. I’m here to help you do just that.

One of the cool things about pumpkin is that it’s really easy to incorporate into protein-based foods. It adds phenomenal flavor, as well as fiber and texture. You can make pumpkin protein pancakes, protein pumpkin fluff, and all things protein POW! But, if you’re looking for a light, yet-filling dessert, feast your eyes on this pumpkin spice protein mousse. It’s incredibly easy and yum-yum-yum delicious.

• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree


• 1/4 cup vanilla whey protein powder


• 3/8 cup mascarpone cheese (could sub with ricotta, cream cheese, or a combo)


• 1 tbsp agave syrup (or calorie-free pancake syrup)


• 1 tsp cinnamon


• 1 tsp allspice or mixed spice


• A couple cinnamon sticks (for decoration)

1. Using an electric blender, blend and then whisk all of the ingredients together. If you want your mousse thicker and more cheesecake-like, add a bit more of the mascarpone (or some cream cheese) to the mix.


2. Stick your mix in a sandwich bag and attach a piping nozzle. If you don’t have a piping nozzle, just stick the mix in a sandwich bag and cut a small corner off.


3. Pipe (or squeeze) the mix into a cup.


4. Serve and enjoy!

Note: You can skip steps two and three if you don’t care about aesthetics. Just eat the mousse out of the bowl—no judgment!

Pumpkin Spice Protein Mousse PDF (154 KB)

Nutrition Facts
  Recipe yields 2 servings

Amount per serving

Calories 244

Total Fat16 g

Total Carbs14 g

Protein15 g

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About The Author

Anna’s passion for exercise and nutrition inspired her to create proteinpow.com while she was still in the last year of her Ph.D. program.

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Ask The Protein Powder Chef: Pumpkin Spice Protein Mousse!

Ask The Protein Powder Chef: Do You Have A Recipe For Protein Pizza?

New Exercise and Fitness Review

I have a long-standing affection for deep dish pizza. I went to school in Chicago, and my friends and I would often go out to eat at Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria, where deep dish is a way of life. If you’ve never had a deep dish pizza, let me describe it for you: It’s like a pizza in pie form. Consider it thin crust to the umpteenth level. It takes a regular pizza crust, converts it into a piecrust, and stuffs it to the brim with tomato sauce, specialty toppings, and cheese through and through. It’s delicious!

Whether it’s the memory of meeting friends for an after-school gabfest at the local pizza joint or ordering in as a family on Friday nights, a good slice of pie has a place in most people’s hearts. Too bad the same doesn’t hold true for their waistlines.

Regular deep dish isn’t the kind of thing you should eat regularly. That’s because between the high-carb crust and a barrage of full-fat meats and cheeses, you end up with a caloric bomb. What’s the solution? My protein-packed pizza recipe, of course!

Make this healthy version of deep dish pizza that delivers the same amazing taste but is actually packed with nutrition and protein POW!

PROTEIN-PACKED PIZZA

• 1/2 cup Pea Protein Powder (unflavored)


• 1/2 cup Liquid Egg Whites


• 1/8 cup Buckwheat Flour


• 1/2 cup Almond Milk


• 1 tbsp Coconut Flour

1. Blend all of the ingredients together until you get a thick batter. Using a spoon, spread the batter onto either one or two deep-dish pans. I used two small nonstick cheesecake pans, and they worked wonderfully.


2. Bake at 320 F (160 C) for about 15 minutes or until the crust has cooked through.

• 1 small chopped Onion


• 2 chopped Garlic Cloves


• 2 cans of Tomatoes


• 1/2 cup of Cheddar Cheese (or grated Mozzarella)


• 1 cup of Ground Beef (I used Grass-fed beef)


• 1 tbsp Rosemary


• 1 tbsp Thyme


• Salt to taste

1. Add toppings to the crust. I made mine by pan frying the onions and garlic until soft, letting the added beef simmer until cooked, throwing in the tomatoes and spices, and reducing for 30 minutes until the sauce has thickened).


2. Bake at 320 F (160 C) for about 10 minutes or until the cheese on top has melted. Top with additional cheese if desired.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 small crust (without toppings)
Recipe yields 2 (without toppings)

Amount per serving

Calories 251.5

Total Fat6g

Total Carbs5g (3.6g fiber)

Protein38.4g

Protein-Packed Pizza PDF (127 KB)

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Ask The Protein Powder Chef: Do You Have A Recipe For Cooking With Vegan Protein Powder?

New Exercise and Fitness Review

QDear Protein Chef, I have vegan protein powder on hand but no idea what to do with it. Is there a recipe you suggest?

A lot of gym folks equate protein powder with whey. To them, whey’s the be-all, end-all of protein. Sure, they may be familiar with casein and maybe even egg protein, but they seldom use them. And when you ask whether they’ve had pea protein, hemp protein, or rice protein, nine out of ten people will shake their heads no. “What’s the point when my whey and casein shakes do the job just fine?”

I’ll sum up the point in one word: cookies. OK. Two words: cookies and cake. You see, vegan protein powders are fantastic to bake with! Unlike whey and casein, they don’t have a tendency to make your cakes, muffins, or cookies dry or rubbery. Instead, they retain whatever moisture or fat you add to them—and who doesn’t prefer a fresh-from-the-oven moist, soft cookie to an overly dry, chewy one?

While you can, of course, still bake with whey and casein, finding an ideal balance of textures can be a bit trickier. With veggie powders, there’s nothing to worry about. They bake up beautifully every single time! Don’t believe me? Try these pumpkin-mango-nut creations:

• 3/8 cup ground almonds


• 1/4 cup cashew nuts


• 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree


• 1/2 cup Sun Warrior Warrior Blend Raw Protein (vanilla)


• 2 tbsps coconut oil


• 1 tbsp freeze-dried mango


• 1 tsp sweetener of choice


• 1/4 cup of cartoned coconut or almond milk

1. In a food processor, blend all of the above ingredients together until you get a pasty sort of dough. Taste it to ensure that it’s sweet enough for you. If it isn’t, add the sweetener of your choice.


2. Divide the ‘dough’ into 7-10 balls, and press them onto a baking tray. If your mix is too sticky or wet, add a bit more protein powder until it reaches the right consistency.


3. Bake for approximately 16 minutes at 320 degrees Fahrenheit (160° C) or until the cookies have baked through. The cookies will be super soft when you remove them from the oven. In fact, they’ll crumble if you try to pick them up! That’s fine, and to be expected. Just let them cool completely and you’ll see how they considerably firm-up. And make sure no delicious morsel is left behind. Enjoy with a tall glass of coconut or almond milk!

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size (1 cookie) Recipe yields 10

Amount per serving

Calories 77

Total Fat6.9 g

Total Carbs3.5 g

Fiber1 g

Protein6.2 g

Pumpkin-Mango-Nut Cookies PDF

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About The Author

Anna’s passion for exercise and nutrition inspired her to create proteinpow.com while she was still in the last year of her Ph.D. program.

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Ask The Protein Powder Chef: Do You Have A Recipe For Protein Quiche?

New Exercise and Fitness Review

Gone are the days of plain toast triangles and jam for breakfast. Oatmeal? Think bigger. Omlettes? Branch out. Pancakes? Think more protein-packed. Enter: protein quiche. Quiche is a great way to pack a golden crust with your favorite fillings, whether they’re sweet or savory, and really take advantage of the incredible, edible egg.

For this healthier take on the original, I swapped a butter-filled crust with a simple alterative. I created this crust using only three ingredients: unflavored protein powder, almonds, and egg whites. I kicked it up with a bit of seasoning: some salt, white pepper, onion granules, and paprika. I then filled the quiche with a combination of egg whites, cilantro, and smoked salmon. I finished the whole thing off with three dollops of mascarpone. The result was simply delicious! So delicious, in fact, that you have to try it for yourself.

Ready to give my powerful protein quiche a whirl? Here’s the recipe:

• 1/2 cup of Pea Protein Powder, unflavored
  (could sub with Rice Protein Powder but not Whey or Casein)


• 1/4 cup of ground Almonds


• 1/2 cup of Liquid Egg Whites


• Seasoning to taste

1. Blend the above ingredients until you get a sort of dough.


2. Press your dough onto a quiche pan with your fingers. Make sure you cover the bottom and sides of the pan with the dough. Then, stick it in the oven at 325 F (around 160 C) for about 15 minutes, or until it’s cooked through.

1. Pour your filling of choice into the crust. I just whipped 1 cup of egg whites with 4 oz of smoked salmon, a handful of cilantro, some salt, and a bit of paprika. The filling is really up to you. You can use whole eggs with ham or bacon, spinach and ricotta, red pepper and caramelized onion, or cheddar and broccoli. Make your own wacky combination or stick to the classics! When it comes to filling your protein quiche, the sky’s the limit.


2. While optional, I finished my quiche off by adding three dollops of mascarpone. Ricotta or another soft, creamy cheese would work too. After all, nothings better than diving into a quiche filled with pockets of creamy, cheesy goodness.


3. Bake the whole thing at 375 F (around 190 C) for 15-25 minutes or until your quiche is cooked through. Let it cool before slicing.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1/4 pie
(Recipe yields 4)

Amount per serving

Calories 111

Total Fat4g

Total Carbs2g

Protein17g

Protein Quiche PDF (332KB)

About The Author

Anna’s passion for exercise and nutrition inspired her to create proteinpow.com while she was still in the last year of her Ph.D. program.

Bodybuilding.com Articles

Ask The Protein Powder Chef: Do You Have A Recipe For Protein Quiche?