PEANUT BUTTER PROTEIN BALLS
By Oxygen magazine (Abs Special, p. 70)
Ingredients:
- 1 cup prunes
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1/4 cup natural peanut butter
- 1 cup soy protein powder (I used MAGNUM isolate, Chocolate Love)
- 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp sea salt (optional)
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup wheat germ, divided
SOAK prunes in warm water for 10 minutes to soften.
BLEND prunes and water in a food processor. Add nut butter and process until smooth. Add more water as needed. Add protein powder, flaxseed, cinnamon and salt, then add the cranberries and 1/4 cup wheat germ, and pulse to combine thoroughly.
ROLL dough into a small ball about the size of a gumball between your palms. If dough is too sticky to work with, freeze it for 15 minutes.
ROLL each ball in wheat germ to coat. Set balls on a baking sheet and place in a freezer for 2 to 4 hours to allow them to harden. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until needed.
Nutrients per serving (4 balls):
Calories: 180, Total Fats: 4g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 4mg, Total Carbohydrates: 20g, Dietary Fiber: 4g, Sugars: 12g, Protein: 16g, Iron: 2 mg
REVIEW: I don’t have a food processor so I blended everything in my blender. My blender was struggling to fully mix the ingredients so I added more water to help with the blending process. I think in the end, there was too much water because it was difficult to make these into balls. So instead I poured the mixture into my silicon 6-cup tray. Ball or no ball, these were delicious! If you prefer a sweeter protein treat, this is your guy.
![YUM!!! I’m putting this on my list of clean eats to make. I will be saving this recipe under my page called CLEAN EATING RECIPES
haveyourcakeandbefittoo:
No-Bake Protein Bars 2.0 (with superfood ingredient!)
By Oxygen Staff
Kirstyn Brown, Assistant Editor
Meet one of my favorite clean products on the planet: organic raw coconut butter. Coconut butter is different from the clean eater cooking staple coconut oil because it’s made from the whole flesh of the coconut and packs a much richer, sweeter flavor. Add a tablespoon to protein shakes, oatmeal, or yogurt or spread it on toast or pancakes and voila! You’re in tropical, high-fiber heaven. And, the medium chain triglycerides – a rare, healthy saturated fat – in coconut can help lower cholesterol, prevent heart disease and even rev your metabolism!
If you love coconut and you’ve never tried this product, make a trip to your local health food store to pick some up, or grab a jar online. Just a heads up, when you open your brand new jar of coconut butter, you’ll discover that a) it’s solid, not buttery and b) there’s a layer of separated oil hardened on top. Just pop it in the microwave for 30-60 seconds, or run the jar under hot water, then stir to combine.
Your second warning: you may instantly fall in love with coconut butter and as the saying goes, love makes us blind. But it’s important not to turn a blind eye to the high fat and calorie content – as healthy as they may be. Just like the healthy fats in avocados and walnuts, you still need to watch your intake of these medium chain fatty acids. So, try to keep your consumption to a tablespoon or two. Recently, I was experimenting with the recipe for no-bake protein bars our nutrition editor Helen Vong posted last month. Trying to satisfy my craving for dessert, I swapped the peanut butter for coconut butter and the vanilla protein powder for chocolate. Mix, freeze, bite… and I’m addicted. These scrumptious squares are packed with protein and taste just like a Bounty chocolate bar (or a macaroon, depending which taste-tester you ask). They were super easy to whip up, and a huge hit at my gym and with the Oxygen staff. So by popular demand, here’s the recipe! We hope you love them as much as we did!
Chocolate Coconut No-Bake Protein Bars Makes 8 large bars or 12-14 snack-size squares Ingredients
2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup softened coconut butter
3-4 scoops of chocolate whey protein powder
3/4 - 1 cup water
NOTE: If you are using quick oats instead of old fashioned, you will require less water Directions
Line a square baking dish with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, add water to 3/4 cup of water to the oats, stir, and let the mixture sit for 10 minutes so the oats absorb the water.
Add the protein powder and coconut butter to the mixture. With clean hands, kneed the batter until all the ingredients are well combined and the mixture becomes moist and doughy. (I found it helps to roll it all into a big, solid ball). If the powder is not dissolving into the mixture, add more water, a tablespoon at a time.
Press the mixture into the square dish evenly. Flatten out the top with a spatula until smooth and even.
Pop in the freezer for 30 min. The mixture should be firm and cool but not frozen solid. Lift the paper out of the dish onto a cutting board and cut into desired squares.
Topping tips: Feel free to add other ingredients to the mix like mashed banana, almonds, ground flax seed, anything goes! You may even want to top the squares with a sprinkling of unsweetened, shredded coconut, or slivered almonds before freezing. Nutritional info: For 8 bars: Calories: 250 Carbs: 21 g Protein: 20 g Fat: 20 g For 12-14 snack-size squares: Calories: 154 Carbs: 13 g Protein: 14 g Fat: 13 g *Nutritional info will vary slightly depending on the type of whey protein you use – Kirstyn Follow me on Twitter @MagGirlKB
[Source: Oxygen Staff Blog]](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m1vwzrPjj31r558ajo1_400.jpg)
![Your guide to picking your best training supplement.
By: Nanci S. Guest, MSc, RD; Photographer: Jodi Pudge
While food sources of protein are plentiful, there will come a time in your busy day when eating a baked chicken breast or a hard-boiled egg just isn’t an option. Your easiest solution? Protein powders. Not only are they convenient (there’s nothing faster than adding a scoop of protein powder to your oatmeal, shake or yogurt) but also of the many types available, each one provides additional health benefits beyond just building muscle. In fact, whether you’re a meat-eating gal looking to reduce belly bloat or a vegan trying to meet your nutritional needs and get buff, there’s a protein powder for everyone. Find yours with this handy guide. Key: 1. Repairs and builds muscle 2. Aids in fat burning 3. Boosts postworkout immunity 4. Improves general health 5. Vegetarian/vegan option
Whey
Repairs muscles, fast! 25 grams of protein per scoop.* *Average scoop size is 30 grams. When it comes to building lean muscle, research proves that whey’s the way. As the most popular protein powder on the market, whey provides an ideal array and proportion of amino acids to assist with muscle recovery and growth, as well as enhancing fat loss. Derived from milk, whey is considered the fastest-digesting “complete” protein, which means that it contains all the essential building blocks of muscle (amino acids), including high amounts of the all-important group of branched chain amino acids (BCAA). BCAAs become depleted after exercise and are needed for the maintenance of muscle tissue. That’s why it is so often recommended to consume whey within minutes after your sweat session to quickly repair muscle damage. Health Benefit: May help fight cancer through its antibody content, shows research. Whey can also aid your body’s own production of disease-fighting antioxidants. Best Buys: Whey concentrates and whey isolates. The concentrated version contains the protein itself, but also some carbohydrate (lactose) and fat from milk. Whey protein isolate is virtually only whey protein, with trace amounts of carbohydrate. Isolates are ideal if you’re lactose intolerant but they are slightly more expensive than concentrates.
Casein
Builds muscle while you sleep! 15 to 20 grams of protein per scoop.* The other milk protein, casein, is also a complete protein. However, casein has a lower biological value (BV) than whey, meaning that a lower percentage of protein is absorbed out of the total protein consumed. The plus? Casein provides a slower and prolonged release of amino acids over time. This slow release is important for reducing muscle damage, which can occur for up to 48 hours postworkout. (Do you recall ever being sore two to three days after a workout?) For women looking to maintain lean muscle tissue, casein may be more beneficial before bed because the slow absorption will supply the body with protein through the night when the body enters a catabolic state (breakdown of protein tissue for energy). This slow release can also help you to feel fuller longer, thereby supporting weight-loss efforts by helping you take in fewer calories. Health Benefit: Extremely high in glutamine, an amino acid that boosts immune function. Best Buys: Micellar casein (the natural, unaltered form of casein found in milk) and calcium caseinate, which helps to strengthen bones. Look for casein that has not been hydrolyzed as this actually turns it into a fast-acting protein, similar to whey.
Soy
Ideal for all women! 20 to 25 grams of protein per scoop.* A popular vegetarian protein source, soy protein is something that meat-loving gals should also consider for boosting overall health. And although sports research shows that soy results in inferior strength gains when compared to whey, the differences are minimal for a healthy woman. At the end of the day, an elite athlete may need the slight edge of whey due to heavy training, but for the average active gal, soy protein powder provide the biggest bang for your “health” buck. Health Benefit: Research shows that soy can lower cholesterol levels to improve your heart health. Soy isoflavones have been shown to combat menopausal symptoms and reduce breast cancer risk. Best Buys: Soy isolates. They contain very little fat or cholesterol, and provide higher amounts of isoflavones than a soy protein concentrate.
Brown Rice
Easy on the stomach! 15 grams of protein per scoop.*
While much of rice seed is carbohydrate, it does contain some protein, which is extracted without the use of chemicals during processing to make brown rice protein powder. As with all plant proteins (quinoa being the exception), rice protein is incomplete. It lacks one of the essential amino acids, lysine, which helps manage triglycerides (a form of body fat) and is necessary for hormone production and bone growth. You can solve this problem by pairing brown rice protein powder with milk or soy to fill the missing link.
Health Benefit: Some people experience gas and bloating from animal-based powders, like whey and casein, but rice protein is hypoallergenic and easily absorbed, making it very well tolerated if you’re lactose intolerant or have a sensitive stomach. Best Buys: Consider organic brands when purchasing plant protein powders to minimize your exposure to pesticides.
Hemp
Great for vegans! 10 grams of protein per scoop.* Suitable for active people who avoid all foods of animal origin, hemp protein also offers the inflammation-fighting power of essential fatty acids. For your training, the omega-3s in hemp aid in muscle recovery after your workouts. Whole hempseeds also contains about 25 percent of a highly digestible protein, however, the amino acid profile is not complete, but eating a variety of plant proteins throughout the day (a daily mix of beans, legumes and grains) may provide your body with all the essential aminos you need. Health Benefit: Helps your heart by lowering cholesterol levels with fiber, and the anti-inflammatory omega-3s boost memory, focus and concentration. Best Buys: Consider organic brands when purchasing plant protein powders to minimize your exposure to pesticides.
Try Them All
Because each form of protein works somewhat differently, choose them with the same care you would when picking out your daytime and nighttime makeup. Here’s a sample starter menu that takes into account the best times you should take each powder, according to research. Try any of these meal ideas as a part of a balanced diet that includes whole food sources of protein. You can reap the health and training benefits of each protein powder plus figure out which one pleases your palate the most. Breakfast: Mix a scoop of hemp or soy powder into oatmeal.Preworkout: Stir some whey protein into coffee to perk up for a morning workout.Postworkout: Unless you are vegan, always choose whey for quick delivery to repair damaged muscles. Try a scoop in your favorite fruit juice. Bedtime or as a meal replacement: Add casein protein to a cup of non-fat milk. Fast Facts:
Skim milk powder delivers both whey and casein. Bonus: It’s inexpensive.
30 Grams of protein per meal your body can metabolize at one time. Contrary to popular belief, taking any more than that won’t boost muscle gains.
Brown rice protein is gluten free and a source of energy-boosting B vitamins.
Fat-Loss Tip: Add a scoop of protein powder to your breakfast oatmeal to jump-start your metabolism.
[Source: http://www.oxygenmag.com/Competition/Articles/protein-powders-which-one-is-for-you.aspx]](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyykk5CrYS1r43dlbo1_1280.jpg)
