Chocolate Almond Protein Truffles

Yummmm truffles. Like Ferrero Rocher... but with less calories and more protein! I think they might be better!

This is what I do when I am out of town and lazing around on a Sunday morning. Luckily my mother-in-law Ana is not only an amazing tamale maker, but she is also one of the best bakers around. She always has all the things I need stocked and ready to go! Best mother-in-law EVER!

These are really, really good. And I am thinking they are a perfect post-workout snack. Or something to take to a holiday party. Both my kids approved. Nobody will know they are not a bajillion calories!!!

Chocolate Almond Protein Truffles

Makes 8

Ingredients:
2 tbsp oats, ground into oat flour
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 scoop chocolate protein powder (I used Vega Chocolate and Greens)
4 tbsp brewed coffee
1 packet truvia (or 2 tsp non-caloric sweetener of choice)
1/8 tsp almond extract
1 cube almond bark (~3 oz)
2 tbsp almonds

Directions:
Mixed oats, cocoa powder, and protein powder. Stir in brewed coffee, truvia, and almond extract. The mixture should resemble damp soil. If they are not staying together, add 1 tbsp of coffee at a time until they will hold. Form into approx 8 walnut sized balls.

Melt almond bark in a small microwave safe plate in the microwave; it took mine approx 45 seconds to melt, stirring halfway. Spread almonds onto a small plate. Drop a truffle ball into the melted almond bark using a spoon to lightly coat the ball with the almond bark. (It will not completely coat it, more like a drizzle across the top.) Immediately roll the truffle in the almonds then set aside to dry. Repeat with the rest of the truffles. Enjoy!

Nutritional Stats

Per truffle

Nutrition Facts
Servings 8.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 69
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 4 g	5 %
Saturated Fat 1 g	7 %
Monounsaturated Fat 1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 1 mg	0 %
Sodium 23 mg	1 %
Potassium 40 mg	1 %
Total Carbohydrate 6 g	2 %
Dietary Fiber 1 g	3 %
Sugars 4 g
Protein 4 g	7 %
Vitamin A	0 %
Vitamin C	0 %
Calcium	3 %
Iron	5 %
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.

Best Protein Brownie EVER

These are honestly the BEST protein brownies I have ever had. And I have tried a lot of them in my search haha! ...the things I have to do for you ;) quit twisting my arm!

On an unrelated note, we just finished my new garage gym... yeah our old gym room was beautiful and all but it was the best room of our house and we never used our garage. It is a tiny (for a garage) 9.5 ft by 17 ft. You cannot fit a normal SUV in there! So this will allow us an extra gameroom/guest bedroom in the old gym room. And this new garage gym will now hold a rower too! And more weights! WOOT!

Before, unused garage

I actually did not almost post this brownie recipe. Originally, I had forgotten an important (and high calorie) key ingredient the first time I put this recipe in to check the macros. They were better before I remembered ummm yeah that solid nonsweetened chocolate needs to be in there. So I was kind of not as impressed afterward. But the recipe is really good, even if the total calorie to protein ratio is not my ideal 10:1. These are something you can serve to the whole family. Nobody will know any differently!

The BEST Protein Brownie EVER 

Serves 8 

Ingredients

8.00 tbsp Margarine Spread

2.00 eggs, Egg- Whole Large

1.00 Scoop (30g), Whey Protein (I used Optimum Nutrition Extreme Milk Chocolate)

2.00 oz, Baking chocolate, unsweetened, squares

0.50 cup, Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

0.25 tsp, Salt, table

0.50 tsp, Vanilla extract

1.00 cup, No Calorie Sweetener (I used Splenda)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325*F. Melt the margarine and baking chocolate together in a microwave safe bowl, stirring every 30 seconds. In a stand mixer, beat together the eggs, sweetener, and vanilla. Stream in the melted margarine and chocolate until combined. Stir in half the chocolate chips. (You can also sub in PB chips for this half and it is amazing!) Add in the salt and protein powder. Spray an 8x8 oven safe pan with nonstick cooking spray and place in the oven for 30 minutes. Top with the other half of the chocolate chips while the brownies are still hot. Note- you can double this recipe and use a 13x8 pan for a larger crowd or all your brownie needs for the week haha!

Nutritional information per serving

a one inch square

Nutrition Facts
Servings 8.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 209
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 15 g	23 %
Saturated Fat 7 g	33 %
Monounsaturated Fat 3 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 48 mg	16 %
Sodium 224 mg	9 %
Potassium 75 mg	2 %
Total Carbohydrate 13 g	4 %
Dietary Fiber 1 g	5 %
Sugars 8 g
Protein 6 g	12 %
Vitamin A	8 %
Vitamin C	0 %
Calcium	2 %
Iron	8 %
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.

High Protein Chicken & Dumplings

My momma made a mean chicken and dumplings soup growing up. So did my Grandmommy. My family can COOK ya'll.

One of my Venus friends Jenia posted her version of high protein chicken and dumplings in the Venus community the other day. She was surprised how reasonable the protein to calorie ratio was, and so was I when I read it!

So that got my wheels spinning and I had to make some, ASAP! I took her recipe and my momma's together to make this one. Next time I make it, I plan to leave out the potatoes which will save a few more calories.

Making this is also a good time to make a bone broth if you have any bones. Why bone broth? It is great for joint health, skin, nails, hair, and most importantly to me - gut health. Just throw the bones into another crockpot, top with water, and I like to add some root vegetable odds and ends such as the scrap parts from your chicken & dumplings prep.

 It will cook overnight. Then strain. I portion mine out into 2 cup servings and freeze until I need it.

Onto the recipe....

High Protein Chicken & Dumplings
Serves 10

3 lbs, Chicken breast (fresh or frozen)
3 cubes Chicken Bouillon
3 medium, Carrots, chopped
2 stalk Celery - chopped
1 large, Onions, raw - chopped
4 potato small  Potatoes, red, chopped
10 oz Peas - Green
3 tbsp Butter - Salted
1.50 cups, flour, white, all-purpose
2 tsp, Baking Powder
0.75 tsp, Salt, table
0.75 cup, Milk - Nonfat (fat free or skim)
0.25 cup, Parsley - Raw - chopped


I do this recipe all in a crockpot, but you can certainly do it in a Dutch oven as well!

Set your crockpot on low and place the chicken breasts, bouillon cubes, chopped carrots, chopped celery, chopped onions, and chopped potatoes. Cover with water and cook for 4-6 hours. Shred or chop your chicken and return to the pot. Put in the peas and the butter. Turn the crockpot on high. Add more water if needed.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, milk and parsley. Once the soup is boiling (my crockpot took about 15 minutes) drop the dumplings into the liquid. I make mine about 1-2 tbsp each which ended up with about 10 dumplings. Allow dumplings to cook 20 minutes and serve.

I ended up using 2 small whole chickens so I had bones for bone broth!

Prepping veggies

Chicken and veggies going into the pot!

Making our dumplings

My daughter helped drop in the dumplings!

Nutrition Stats Per Serving
~1 cup soup and 1 dumpling

Nutrition Facts
Servings 10.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 421
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 9 g	13 %
Saturated Fat 4 g	18 %
Monounsaturated Fat 3 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 125 mg	42 %
Sodium 1110 mg	46 %
Potassium 908 mg	26 %
Total Carbohydrate 34 g	11 %
Dietary Fiber 4 g	17 %
Sugars 4 g
Protein 48 g	96 %
Vitamin A	73 %
Vitamin C	29 %
Calcium	8 %
Iron	19 %
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.