Getting protein the sweet way

 

Everyone knows that you need enough protein in your diet to build muscle and become the action hero you always dreamed of being. That being said, there are times when even the most serious steak and beans enthusiast needs to take a break and kick back with some dessert.

Here’s a look at a few high protein snacks which you can enjoy when you feel like giving your taste buds a bit of a treat, but still sticking with your commitment to conquer the squat rack on your next workout, and grow out of your shirts in the near future.

 

Greek Yoghurt

Greek yoghurt may not be “sweet” by itself, but add a teaspoon of honey, a few blueberries, or a bit of maple syrup, and it becomes a delicious treat worth of any dessert menu.

It can be the dessert in and of itself, or it can be the dip for a more grandiose snack. You can freeze it, warm it up, or mix it with sweet or savoury ingredients and it’ll hold up to scrutiny (mostly).

And on top of that, of course, 100g contains around 10g of protein.

Recipe Suggestions:

Frozen Greek Yoghurt

Greek Yoghurt with Honey & Blueberries

Tzatziki

 

Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is one of the world’s most popular sandwich spreads, which must mean a lot of people find it really tasty. Whether you have it with a slice of bread, eat it from the jar with a spoon, or do something weird with it like use it to marinate your salmon fillets, 100g of the stuff has around a whopping 25g of protein.

Recipe Suggestions:

Peanut Butter Cups

Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter Flapjacks

 

Dark Chocolate

You might be thinking “there’s no way chocolate would be high in protein,” or maybe “you’re telling me to eat chocolate? Why do you hate me and want me to fail?”

As it so happens, dark chocolate is a good deal healthier than its popular milk chocolate alternative. In fact, when you get up to the really high cacao content dark chocolates, let’s say around 70%+, it’s downright full of health benefits. Like, for example, improving blood flow and reducing blood pressure.[1]

Oh, and 100g of the stuff typically has between 5-10g of protein.

Recipe Suggestions:

Dark Chocolate Brownies

Dark Chocolate Lava Cake

Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

Cream Cheese

Cream cheese is a seriously versatile foodstuff – it can be the delicious garlic-flavoured savoury spread on your slice of toast, or it can be sweetened and used as a lethal weapon against your taste buds as part of any number of different desserts.

Unlike other cheeses, it’s meant to be consumed fresh, so you don’t have to worry too much about any strong dirty-sock aromas or biting flavours interfering with your dessert, if that kind of thing’s not your scene.

Like all cheeses, it’s high in protein, with 100g of cream cheese containing around 6g of protein.

Recipe Suggestions:

Homemade Cheesecake

Cream Cheese Mints

Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

 

 

[1] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18358827