The Most Delicious High Protein Zucchini Muffins

Protein packed, no added sugar, and vegan optional zucchini muffins are a treat to have with a cup of coffee or to freeze for a raining day. Or if you're like me, you make a large batch to freeze so when the thick of summer hits, the oven doesn't have to be turned on.

This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

--

What does carrot cake, beet brownies, and zucchini muffins all have in common? Hidden veggies! And they are delicious to say the least. But just because these baked goods have a little hidden nutritious element doesn't make them a guilt free treat. There's still plenty of sugar and they usually lack protein.

Now, you can have your cake and eat it too. I mean, now you can enjoy one, two, or three of these no-sugar added high protein zucchini muffins without hesitation.

While the dark chocolate chips are completely optional, and allows you to purchase both dairy-free or vegan brands, they are 100% necessary in my household. Dark chocolate is good for you anyways, right?! I truly believe it has it's own portion of the food pyramid.

Zucchini is such a summer staple and you can find it all over ever farmers market. Or if you're lucky, you'll be growing some big boys in your backyard. With all the fruits of you labor, you can make several batches of these muffins and freeze them for a raining day. Or just when it's too hot to turn on the oven.

Eat these no-sugar added high protein zucchini muffins for breakfast to keep you fueled for hours, eat them after a workout to help your muscles recover, or just eat them for dessert. There's no wrong time of day to eat these muffins since they are naturally sweetened with extra ripe bananas.

Click to tweet: You MUST make these no added sugar high protein zucchini muffins.

No Added Sugar High Protein Zucchini Muffins

Recipe by a traveling Wife

Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients

• 1 very ripe Banana (I use a frozen banana that I thawed)
• 1 cup Zucchini, shredded
• 1/2 cup Applesauce, unsweetened
• 1 Egg
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup Kodiak Power Cake Mix
• *optional: 1 scoop Protein Powder
• 1 cup Oatmeal, blended
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
• *optional: 1/4 cup Nuts, chopped
• *optional: 1/4 cup Dark Chocolate Chips

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray muffin tins
2. Mix all wet ingredients together, including the zucchini, with a spoon, electric mixer or stand mixer
3. Mix all dry ingredients together in a separate bowl
4. Combine dry ingredients slowly into the wet ingredients
5. Stir in optional items such as nuts and chocolate
6. Equally portion out batter into a 12 count muffin tray
7. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown
8. Cool on cooling tray until you can't wait any longer

Do you prefer zucchini muffins or zucchini bread?

PIN for later.

Pumpkin Protein Muffins

* This post has been updated and revised on October 18, 2016. The recipe has been revised to represent the best possible mini pumpkin protein muffins. Also, this post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.
--


I believe I expressed my love of all things protein and muffins in my high protein zucchini muffins. So it can't be much of a surprise that I have created a seasonal muffin that fits this mold.

Click to tweet: These pumpkin protein muffins are delicious.

I am the type of baker that likes things simple. Simple ingredients that I always keep on hand are key for me to really enjoy baking, because if I'm being honest, I HATE measuring things. One thing I always keep is bananas in the freezer. A really likes green bananas and if they start to get even the teeniest of brown spots, they go right in the freezer. And for those that have been reading a while, you know I have an allergy to bananas - food-latex syndrome. Luckily cooked bananas don't bother me, just yet.

Another thing I like to do as a baker is make things mini. Bite sized food is so much more enjoyable to me over massive items. So my mini muffin tray gets much more use over my regular sized one.

Pumpkin Protein Muffin
original recipe from a traveling Wife
*Revised October 18, 2016
makes 24 muffins | nutrition per muffin with chocolate chips: 
69 calories | 2 g Fat | 10 g Carbs | 3g Protein | 4 g Sugar

Ingredients:
- 1 large very ripe banana, mashed
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup plain applesauce
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup Kodiak power cakes
- 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch salt
- * Optional: 1/2 cup dark chocolate morsels

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray mini muffin tray with non-stick cooking spray
- Mix together banana, egg, pumpkin puree, applesauce, and maple syrup with a hand mixer or stand mixer
- Mix in vanilla extract
- Mix together Kodiak powder cakes, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl
- Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture
* Optional: add chocolate morsels of your choosing.
- Spoon one Tablespoon of the mixture into mini muffin tray
- Bake for 15-18 minutes until firm to the touch
- Allow to cool and then enjoy!

PIN for later.
Are you a lover of mini muffins or traditional sized muffins?
What pumpkin flavor items have your indulged in so far this season?

Blender Cinnamon Roll Donuts [no flour, added protein]

A too good to be true blender cinnamon roll donut made with oatmeal and greek yogurt. It is satisfying enough to enjoy each and every morning. 


--
Let's talk donuts for a moment. Why are those sweet, buttery, sticky goodness rounds so darn delicious? Well at least I think they are amazing because I love all things sweet in the mornings.

Click to tweet: Baked donut made with oatmeal and greek yogurt!

I don't get a chance to eat donuts all that often, but really, that's probably for the better. While they taste so decadent and comforting, they don't always make for happy jeans later. Plus sometimes, that sugary sweetness just doesn't give me the energy that I need in the morning. Until now!

The first step to making homemade 'healthy' donuts is to find a recipe that is super simple to make - probably the blender cinnamon roll donut recipe I am sharing today will suit your fancy. Then you need to get yourself a donut pan, because baked donuts are so much easier to make.

These blender cinnamon roll donuts have protein powder, greek yogurt, and eggs to up the protein value, and I subbed oatmeal in place of traditional flour. Then I added a layer of sweet, cinnamon deliciousness because this is a donut after all.

Blender Cinnamon Roll Donuts [no flour, added protein]

Recipe by a traveling Wife

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 12 minutes
Yield: 6 donuts

Calories per donut: 170 calories | 15 g Carbs | 6 g Fat | 14 g Protein | 4 g Sugar

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Plain Greek Yogurt
• 1 cup Oats
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1/4 cup Skim Milk, or milk alternative
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 scoop Protein Powder, I used this

Cinnamon Sugar Layer:

• 1 tablespoon Coconut Oil
• 2 tablespoons Sugar, or sugar alternative
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon Water
• Optional Icing** powdered sugar and a splash of water
• or protein powder and a splash of water

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and grease donut pan.
2. In a blender, mix together yogurt, oats, baking powder, eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and protein powder until well blended. Allow to rest for a few minutes.
3. In a small microwavable bowl, melt coconut oil in microwave for about 30 seconds. Stir in sugar, cinnamon, and water.
4. Pour donut batter in donut pan 1/3 the way up, then add 1-2 teaspoons of the cinnamon sugar mixture, and top with 1/3 more donut batter.
5. Place in center of oven and bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown and donuts bounce back when touched.
6. Allow to cool in donut pan for at least 10 minutes.
7. Mix together your icing - either powdered sugar with a splash of water or protein powder with a splash of water.
8. Pour over donuts and enjoy!

Click to tweet: The easiest baked donuts made in a blender.

In other news, donuts and bagels might be a new go-to breakfast item because I will like be spending a lot of time away from the house trying to kill time. I know you are dying to know why. Well, a traveling Wife is hitting the road again and calling a new state home. That means selling the house and keeping it tidy and empty for showings. 

Yep, we are moving!

I shared on Instagram the news already. So if you are not already following me there, what are you waiting for?

Farmer's Market Vibes 🌷🌼🌺🌸🌻💐 How was your weekend? We were busy finalizing some details on an upcoming move. Yes, a traveling Wife is hitting the road again - making another state my home. Just a little recap, we've been residents of Michigan, California, Indiana, and Maryland over the last 5 years. Where are we headed next? -- #bloggerssharethelove #fitfluential #sweatpink #bgbcommunity #blogger #bloggers #flashesofdelight #gramoftheday #myunicornlife #thehappynow #liveauthentic #nothingisordinary #rslove #realsimple #thatsdarling #darlingmovement #moving #move #travel #farmersmarket #weekend #weekendvibes #flowers #baltimore #maryland

A photo posted by Jenn - a traveling Wife (@atravelingwife) on May 23, 2016 at 11:43am PDT

Any guess to where we are heading next? We've already called Michigan, California, Indiana, and Maryland home - you have 47 more states to guess from. And if there is anything along the moving front that you'd love to hear the details of, just let me know. Want to know the ins and outs of packing, what it's like selling your first or second home, finding where to call home when you aren't familiar with a new city, searching and buying a home, etc - you name it and I can share all the details with you.

It'll be an exciting journey and I want to take you all along with me... Again!

What's your favorite donut?
Have you ever made blender donuts before?
What would you like to know more of about my upcoming move?
What kind of posts would excite you about moving?

Pin for later:

Chocolate Beet Protein Post-Run Donuts

With a 3:1 carb to protein ratio, these Chocolate Beet Protein Post-Run Donuts are a perfect snack for workout recovery. With enough sweetness to satisfy your cravings and hidden beet juice for added benefits, you'll be able to fool even the pickiest of eaters with this good-for-you donut.

--

Donut lovers unite! And bring along your chocolate loving friends. Today's post isn't going to be filled with any fluff because I just want to get to the recipe. It's just like getting ready for a run or any workout - the more you procrastinate, the longer it will take you to finish. So stop procrastinating and start enjoying these good-for-you donuts.

Click to tweet: Good-for-you post-run donut?! Sign me up!

These Chocolate Beet Protein Post-Run Donuts are filled with good fats, lots of protein, and a substantial amount of carbs to help you recovery properly after your tough workouts. You'll hear all types of ratios, depending on who you are talking to, in regards to how much carbs and proteins you should be consuming after working out. But I think it will be unanimous that you SHOULD be getting an adequate amount of protein within 30-60 minutes of your sweat-sesh. And in case you were wondering, these donuts have a 3:1 carb to protein ratio, which help restore glycogen levels and impact lean muscle mass growth. *I am not a registered dietician. Please consult a professional when it comes to your fitness, nutrition, and health needs.

Last October, I shared the benefits of beets with a beet brownie recipe. Those beet brownies and these chocolate beet protein donuts share all those amazing benefits - can help lower blood pressure, increase stamina, and reduce swelling. Those are all winning benefits in my book.

Whoever you make these post-workout donuts for won't be able to tell you didn't buy them from a bakery. The glaze on the outside gives the donuts a nice bite and subtle sweetness that all donuts just must have!

Click to tweet: Recovery protein donuts with a very secret ingredient.

Chocolate Beet Protein Post-Run Donuts

Recipe by a traveling Wife

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 8-10 minutes
Yield: 6 donuts

Macros per donut: 190.5 calories | 26 g carbs | 6 g fat | 9 g protein

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup All Purpose Flour
• 1 scoop Vanilla Protein Powder (I used Market Pantry® Vanilla Whey Protein Powder)
• 1/4 cup Cocoa Powder
• 1/4 cup White Sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
• Pinch Salt
• 1 Egg
• 1/4 cup Beet Juice
• 1/4 cup Protein Almond Milk, unsweetened vanilla (I used Orgain®)
• 1/4 cup Plain Greek Yogurt
• 2 tablespoon Dark Chocolate Morsels
• 1 tablespoon Coconut Oil
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 cup - 1 cup Powdered Sugar
• 2 - 8 tablespoon Protein Almond Milk, unsweetened vanilla

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix dry ingredients together - AP Flour, Vanilla Protein Powder, Cocoa Powder, White Sugar, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, and Salt.
3. Make a small well in the middle of dry ingredients. Add liquid ingredients to the well - Egg, Beet Juice, Almond Milk, and Greek Yogurt.
4. In a microwave safe bowl, slowly melt together Dark Chocolate Chip Morsels and Coconut oil on high in 15-30 second intervals. Once melted, add melted chocolate mixture and vanilla extract to donut batter and mix in until well incorporated.
5. Place donut batter in a piping bag or sandwich bag to help fill donut pan.
6. Spray donut pan with non-stick cooking spray and fill 2/3 full. These donuts will rise.
7. Bake 8-10 minutes or until donuts spring back to the touch.
8. Allow to cool in donut pan for at least 20 minutes.
9. In a medium bowl, add powdered sugar. Slowly mix in Protein Almond Milk one tablespoon at a time until desired thickness for glaze.
10. Dip cooked donuts into glaze or drizzle glaze on donuts with spoon.
11. Allow glaze to set then enjoy!

What is your favorite post-workout recovery snack?

Did you previously know about all the wonderful benefits of beets?

Love this recipe? Check out my previous post-run protein packed donuts. 

Don't forget to Pin this for later. 

Grain-free Granola [Whole30 and Paleo Friendly]

This grain-free granola is chock full of protein and is plenty sweet to be eaten alone or on top of yogurt. No matter how you eat this, it can be made Whole30 and Paleo friendly. Enjoy!

--

Happy New Year if I haven't told you already! I hope 2016 welcomed you with open arms. I'm excited to see where this year takes us and what adventures you and I get to experience.

While most people have decided to make some fitness improvements by working out and eating healthy, others are continuing on with their healthy journeys that they started years ago. I too thought about making some changes only because I was oh so bad during the holidays. Eat a cookie, gain a pound - that was pretty much how November and December went for me.

I spent a lot of time looking at Whole30 and how that might be beneficial for me. I even went as far to gather 30 days of recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This was a very time-consuming process to really narrow down recipes that would help A and I succeed at Whole30. Come to find out, Whole30 is really not for us. Care to hear the story?

Who's to say that Whole30 or pursuing a Paleo lifestyle isn't for you? Despite my findings that I'm just not really into the whole Paleo / Whole30 lifestyle, I went ahead and made some grain-free granola that is both Whole30 and Paleo friendly. I urge you to give this a try and if you don't follow a specific diet, enjoy the granola on top of yogurt or ice cream!

Click to tweet: Yes, please. Grain-free granola for breakfast.

If you don't know what Whole30 is, you can read all about it here. But basically, you can only eat real food. So no more sugar, alcohol, grains, legumes, dairy, carrageenan, MSG, sulfites, and do not recreate sweets, junk food, or 'treats'. Before you roll your eyes and question what CAN someone actually eat then, you can definitely eat this grain-free granola!

Grain-free Granola [Whole30 & Paleo Friendly]

Recipe by a traveling Wife

Cook time: 2 hours

Ingredients

• 2 cups Unsalted Almonds
• 1 cup Unsalted Walnuts
• 1/2 cup Raw Sunflower Seeds
• 1/2 cup Unsweetened Dried Cranberries
• 1/2 cup Pitted Medjool Dates
• 1/2 cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon Pink Himalayan Salt
• 1-2 tablespoons Water (check instructions)
• *Optional: 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (by adding this, your recipe will not be Whole30 compliant)

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
2. Soak nuts in water for 1 hour.
3. Add cranberries and dates into a shallow bowl and add enough water to cover dried fruit for 1 hour.
4. Drain and rinse nuts until water runs clear.
5. Add all ingredients to food processor and pulse until well combined.
6. Add one tablespoon of water at a time if needed to thin mixture out a bit.
7. Spread mixture onto lined and greased (using coconut oil) cookie sheet.
8. Bake for 60 minutes. Turn oven off and leave cookie sheet in the oven for an additional 60 minutes.
9. Store grain-free granola in air tight container.

Have you tried Whole30?

What are your fitness goals for 2016?

What do you like to put granola on?

How To Eat Healthy While Being A Runner

These tips for eating healthy while being a runner were inspired by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. Thank you for compensating this shop and delivering great products chock-full of protein. All opinions are mine alone. #AlmondMilkUpgrade #CollectiveBias

--

Running is hard. Can I get an amen? I mean, even prior to finding an interest in running, running was hard. Now that I dedicated time towards a running streak, it is still hard. But, spoiler alert! 

I failed at my running streak. 

I know, I know! Shame on me. However, I successfully completed 75 days and then couldn't muster up the strength to run through an ankle injury. It never really is a good idea to try and push through an injury because it will likely lead to more injuries.

I have shared with you what I learned while running 20 days straight. I have also shared the seven ways I knew I was addicted to running - even though it's hard. And lastly, I shared why runners should not eat whatever they want - even though they want to. Now today, I have another really fun, but important post for you about how to eat healthy while being a runner. 

Click to tweet: Five tips for healthy eating while running.

This all goes back to runners should not eat whatever they want, right? We run x amount of miles each week or month and get cravings for nearly any and every thing. Even if you are not a runner, I am sure most of these tips will be beneficial to you, plus there is a sneaky recipe included in this post. 

Shop the perimeter of the grocery store. Did you know that a majority of processed foods can be found in the center aisles of a grocery store? I find it best to stick to the large circle around the store. This is where I can find my produce, meat, dairy, etc. These types of foods provide essential nutrients that are needed for everyone, especially runners. Also, if your house is stocked with healthier options, you will have no choice but to reach for those when cravings strike.

All things in moderation. I do not think it is a good idea to have a 'treat' meal for working out, but I do agree that you should never deny yourself simple life pleasures. With the holidays coming up, allow yourself a few sweets here or there, but don't make a game out of it. You should be treating your body with an epsom salt bath to aide those sore muscles from running rather than that huge chocolate cake. 

Protein. As a runner, I have been guilty of eating tons of carbs and forget about protein. Protein is so essential for energy and can help repair damage from training. The hardest part for me was to find alternatives to traditional protein because one can only eat so much chicken. Am I right?! I have found that the Orgain Organic Protein Almond Milk® helps tremendously with versatility. I can put it in my cereal, coffee, baking items, chia pudding (recipe below), or mix it with my whey protein powder. The most impressive part is that it contains 10 times the amount of protein compared to leading almond milk brands - more protein to help us runners. 

Don't eat the same foods every day. I know a lot of people that are training for something specific tend to stick to a strict diet - only eating the same foods everyday because they know it gives the results they are looking for. I will bet those same people eating a strict diet are missing some vital nutrients that they would get if they ate a variety of food. Not only will you be able to achieve these nutrients, you might be able to cut back on cravings for not so healthy options. I like to think of it as eating the rainbow. 

Eat multiple small meals throughout the day rather than three large meals. Have you heard that runners are hungry ALL THE TIME. It's true, especially if they are eating only three meals a day. It's important to eat smaller meals more often to keep energy levels up and help stabilize glucose levels. Runners and non-runners alike, I don't know anyone that doesn't want to eat food all day long. 

One of my favorite ways to get a quick, protein-filled snack is to eat chia pudding. I think it fits into each of the five tips I provided above - most of the ingredients are from the perimeter of the grocery store, you can customize the sweetness, flavorings, and ingredients each time, and it is chock-full of protein. Check out two simple recipes below.

Chai Chia Pudding
original recipe from a traveling Wife
nutrition: 217 calories | 9.1g Fat | 9.5g Carbs | 11.5g Protein

Ingredients:
- 6 ounces (3/4 cup) Orgain Organic Protein Almond Milk®
- 2 Tablespoons chia seeds
- 1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup (or sweetener of choice)
- 1/2 teaspoon chai seasoning

Directions:
- Mix all ingredients together then chill for a least 4 hours
- Enjoy!

Click to tweet: Yum >> Chai Chia Pudding and Pumpkin Chia Pudding.

Pumpkin Chia Pudding
original recipe from a traveling Wife
nutrition: 226 calories | 9.2g Fat | 11.4g Carbs | 11.7g Protein

Ingredients:
- 6 ounces (3/4 cup) Orgain Organic Protein Almond Milk®
- 2 Tablespoons chia seeds
- 1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup (or sweetener of choice)
- 1.5 Tablespoon pumpkin puree
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Directions:
- Mix all ingredients together then chill for a least 4 hours
- Enjoy!

If you head to Walmart between 9/21 and 10/24, here's a $1.50 off offer to use on any (1) container of Orgain Organic Protein Almond Milk®.

Have you tried chia pudding before?
What's your favorite tips for eating healthy?
Are you training for anything fun?
Have you ever tried Orgain Organic Protein Almond Milk®?

Chai Protein Shake - Recipe

*This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.
--

Recently I have been on this kick for spicy beverages. Whether that be spicy based on scoville scale or spicy as in cooking spices. I just can't get enough.

We went out to eat a few weeks ago and I ordered a spicy Moscow mule with habanero bitters. That bad boy was tasty! I have also really been enjoying a tea I found at Target; hot cinnamon sunset. Besides craving those two drinks on the reg, I have been enjoying a chai shake almost daily. I spruce the shake up with some protein powder for an after workout recovery beverage. The best part, it takes like ice cream!

I made a large container of the chai spice and just store it in my spice cabinet. If I didn't have this already pre-made, I probably wouldn't enjoy the chai shake as often as I do. I mix together ground cinnamon, ground allspice, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, ground cardamom, and black pepper. The spices fill up the kitchen with this wonderful aroma. It simply cannot be beat.

I add a handful of ice, milk, vanilla protein powder, teaspoon of chai spice, and blend away. If you are looking for a recommendation for protein powder, I really enjoy Target's. It's not chalking and only has 6 grams of sugar. #win #win

The sweetness and spiciness of the chai protein shake helps to keep me on track when my sweet tooth kicks in. Plus, if you have one of those individual blenders, you can just blend and go. I am all about laziness!

Chai Protein Shake Recipe:

Chai Spice:

2 teaspoons ground cardamom

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground allspice

* Store in airtight container

Shake:

Handful ice cubes

12-16 oz milk (I use fat free but you could use almond milk)

1 scoop vanilla protein powder

1-2 teaspoons chai spice

*blend away

Do you have a favorite protein shake or favorite spicy drink?