9 Healthy Whey Protein Recipes

Does a sink full of shaker bottles have you singing the protein shake blues? Good news: With a little kitchen creativity and dash of cooking panache, you don’t have to drown in a sea of shakers.

Gain all of whey protein’s muscle-building benefits in complete meal form with these recipes, which offer delicious ways to incorporate protein in everything from breakfast smoothies and pancakes to dessert bars and brownies. Whip up one of these concoctions—they’re sure to meet your macros and leave you in a better mood.

1 PB&J Protein Smoothie

IFBB Pro Alex Carneiro knows that going low(er) carb can be rough. Not only do you have to limit your bread intake, but childhood favorites are off limits—crustless peanut butter and jelly, anyone? Well, there’s good news. It turns out you can have your protein PB&J and drink it, too!

• 1 scoop Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Vanilla Ice Cream
• 1 cup almond milk (unsweetened)
• 1 tbsp peanut butter
• 2 tsp raspberry preserves (Stevia sweetened)
• 1/4 cup raspberries
• 1/4 cup blackberries
• 1 cup ice

1. Blend all ingredients together.
2. Enjoy your super shake!

PB&J Protein Smoothie PDF

2 Sunrise Smoothie

Mornings can be rough. You wake up late, head into work flustered, and spill your morning cup of Joe on your new shirt. Follow Alex’s suggestions: Lessen the blow and nix the caffeine with a sweet protein treat.

• 1 banana (medium size)
• 1/2 cup strawberries
• 1 tbsp natural peanut butter
• 1 scoop Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Strawberry Banana
• 8 oz almond milk

1. Blend all of the ingredients together.
2. Slam it!

Sunrise Smoothie PDF

3 Peanut Butter-Coconut Craving

Athlete Stephanie Toomey makes this shake every morning. The combination of coconut and almond milk makes for a silky smooth base, while peanut butter kicks the flavor profile up a notch. Go nuts with this flavor combination!

• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tbsp peanut butter (or PB2)
• 1 scoop Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Vanilla Ice Cream

1. Blend and freeze.
2. Remove from freezer five minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter-Coconut Craving PDF

4 Almond Butter Protein Pancakes

National bikini competitor Lindsey Renee prefers her protein in pancake form. Who could say no to a sizable stack of flapjacks first thing in the morning? Forget the tasteless, frozen variety and dig into these freshly baked hot cakes instead.

• 1 scoop Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Vanilla Ice Cream
• 3 egg whites
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tbsp almond butter
• 1 Splenda packet
• 2 tbsp sugar-free syrup

1. Mix ingredients in a bowl. If needed, add a bit more water.
2. Cook over medium heat.
3. Plate and spread 1 tbsp almond butter on top of the pancakes.
4. Sprinkle with 1 packet Splenda and drizzle with maple syrup.
5. If desired, add a few strawberries and bananas for deliciousness!

Almond Butter Protein Pancakes PDF

5 Morning Breakfast Shake

Need a powerful morning punch? Noah Siegel has just the recipe. Peanut butter? Good. Berries? Good. Oatmeal? Really good! Really, what’s not to love about this shake? With a healthy dose of healthy fats, vitamin C, fiber, and protein, it’s a well-rounded meal in a glass.

• 16 oz. almond milk
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1/2 cup strawberries
• 1 scoop natural peanut butter
• 2 scoops Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Vanilla Ice Cream
• 1 small cup oatmeal
• Optional: 2 scoops ON Essential AmiN.O. Energy Blue Raspberry

1. Blend ingredients together.
2. Enjoy!

Morning Breakfast Shake PDF

6 Banana Pancakes

Why limit banana flavor to bread? Try this recipe by Jaquelyn Kastelic, Optimum Nutrition athlete and owner of Crossfit Unrivaled. Break the standard baking mold by serving up a batch of these fruit-flavored pancakes.

• 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1-2 scoops Optimum Nutrition 100% Gold Standard Whey Vanilla Ice Cream
• 6 whole eggs, 2 egg whites
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 whole banana
• Cinnamon, to taste
• Sugar-free maple syrup, to taste

1. Preheat your pan to 300 degrees.
2. In a bowl mix eggs, 1/4 cup coconut flakes, 1/2 of a mashed up banana, and 1/2 drop liquid Stevia.
3. Melt coconut oil in microwave and add to mix.
4. Stir in flax meal and protein to a desired creamy consistency. Add cinnamon.
5. Pour on pan and cook a few minutes on each side.
6. Once all pancakes are made, slice up the remaining 1/2 banana and top the pancakes with zero-calorie maple syrup.

Banana Pancakes PDF

7 Pumpkin Protein Bars

Power-up on protein with these tasty bars! Spices like cinnamon and clove will awaken your flavor palate while alternatives to butter like applesauce spell a lower fat content while still providing the moisture necessary for a delicious cake.

• 1-2 tsp of Stevia powder
• 4 oz. jar baby food applesauce ( or unsweetened applesauce)
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground clove
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 large egg whites
• 15 oz. can of raw pumpkin
• 2 cups oat flour
• 2 scoops Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Vanilla or White Chocolate
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Spray a 9 X 13 Pyrex dish with non-stick spray.
3. Combine first 11 ingredients and mix well.
4. Add the final 3 ingredients and mix together.
5. Spread batter into the Pyrex dish and bake for 30 minutes.
6. Allow to cool. Then cut into 30 squares.

Pumpkin Protein Bars PDF

8 High-Protein Ezekiel French Toast

Breakfast doesn’t have to come in the form of a protein shake. Serve up healthy slabs of French toast for your next brunch with this recipe from Noah Siegel.

• 2 slices Ezekiel bread
• 3 egg whites
• Tsp cinnamon
• 1 scoop Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Cinnamon Graham Cracker protein

1. Spray pan with non-stick spray and place on medium heat.
2. Combine egg whites, protein powder, and cinnamon together in a large casserole dish.
3. Place a slice of Ezekiel bread in mixture and let each side sit until thoroughly saturated with mixture.
4. Place bread in pan, turning so both sides get done before the center is completely cooked. Make sure temperature is low enough to cook thoroughly without burning.
5. Remove from pan and let cool for about 2 minutes. Add toppings.

High-Protein Ezekiel French Toast PDF

9 Mocha-Cappuccino-Cinnamon Brownies

Get your coffee fix in protein brownie form with this recipe from IFBB pro and NPC bikini competitor Anna Starodubtseva.

• 2 eggs
• 3 egg whites
• 8 oz fat free Philadelphia Cream Cheese (room temperature)
• 4 scoops Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Mocha Cappuccino
• 3 tbsp of raw cacao powder
• 4 tsp Truvia
• 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 4 tsp Optimum Nutrition Fitness Fiber
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 shot fresh espresso

• 5 oz raspberries
• Stevia
• 2 tbsp coconut oil

1. Blend egg white separately from yolks until they become foam. 2. Add yolks, Truvia, cacao powder, cinnamon, baking powder, Fitness Fiber, and protein powder and mix in a blender. 3. Manually mix in cream cheese. 4. Bake for 30 minutes.

Sauce: Optional

1. Heat a pan with coconut oil. 2. Mix berries with Truvia in a bowl. Cook on medium heat for 3-5 min until the juice comes out of the berries. 3. When the brownies are ready, place them in a fridge for two hours. Serve with warm berry sauce on top.

Mocha-Cappuccino-Cinnamon Brownies PDF

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