4-Ingredient Peanut Butter Protein Waffles

Waffles, or good old “pancakes with abs” as I like to refer to them, have made a delicious return to my breakfasts over the past few weeks. About two or three months ago, I noticed the new Quest protein powders popping up at my favorite HEB here in Austin. As soon as the Peanut Butter flavor caught my eye, I knew I wasn’t leaving the store without buying at least 2 canisters of it. (No shame.)

The Quest protein powders are basically manufactured to be cooked/baked with, which is one of the main reasons I absolutely love them. I’ve done a few tests over the last few months, and regardless of what I’m making — be it my banana muffins, baked oatmeal, proats, or these waffles — using the Quest powder always results in a better final product than any other protein I’ve tried in the past. (I’m still faithful to my GNC Wheybolic as a pre-/post-workout shake, though!)

Dinner in 15: Baked Garlic Parmesan Tilapia

I’ve got the perfect “dinner in a pinch” recipe to share with you all that only takes 15 minutes and a few common ingredients to prepare. My long holiday weekend was filled with pool parties and lots of cooking, and consequently, I neglected to plan mine and Ryan’s dinners as thoroughly as I usually do. At around 8PM on Monday after a long day back at work and two hours of intense workouts to follow, I needed to think of something quick and simple for dinner.

My freezer had three basic options: Tilapia, chicken tenders, and a big cut of steak (which I want to save for later this week). I opted for the fish and decided to make a dinner that is a staple in my weekly meal prep for friends — Garlic Parmesan Tilapia. The pickings in my kitchen for sides were very, very slim, but I happened to have a couple of pre-made dinner rolls, a steamable bag of broccoli, and some cooked/seasoned spaghetti squash to use up. Convenient! If you don’t have the luxury of pre-cooked sides sitting in your fridge/pantry, you can cook up some vegetables, quinoa, rice, and/or any other easy side as the fish is in the oven. The point here is that your sides can be plain and super-simple because the Tilapia has enough flavor to carry the whole meal.

Mediterranean Shrimp and Quinoa Salad

Alright, guys. Bear with me here. This recipe is a little different than my standard “cleaned up comfort food” (it’s a far cry from my Chicken Spaghetti Casserole or the Alfredo recipe), but I promise it’s equally amazing. With the weather getting MUCH warmer, lighter dishes that aren’t as cheese- and sauce-laden have become more appealing to me. This one can be served chilled or warmed up (I prefer chilled), and it holds well for lunches throughout the week if you decide to make it for meal prep.

During the first few weeks of helping my boot camp friends prep their meals, I was approached by a pescaterian friend who wanted me to set her up with some lunches. I came up with this on a whim as I was trying to think outside of my typical chicken or beef mindset, and it’s been a staple menu item ever since. It’s easy to make,  doesn’t have any off-the-wall or hard-to-find ingredients, has LOTS of flavor, works well for pre-made lunches, AND is packed with protein (the macro split is 41% protein/40% carbs/19% fat) — I really can’t ask for more in a dish.

Savory Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Hellooooo, new dinner recipe! I feel like all I’ve been posting lately are either dessert recipes or things from muffin tins, so I’m breaking that pattern this week. I haven’t expressed my obsession with sweet potatoes enough through my blog posts, but we have a serious love affair. Fries, chips, tots, desserts, dinner rolls, caramelized, baked, stuffed — you name it, I can do it with a sweet potato. The funny part is that I absolutely despised these things as a child, and had I not started worrying about complex and low-GI carbohydrates last year, I probably still wouldn’t be familiar with the glory of the sweet potato. If you think you don’t like them, get over it, buy a big one from the grocery store, and try this recipe.

Fiesta Ranch Turkey Burrito

Happy Mexican Monday, everyone! Do you know what you’re having for dinner tonight? If you haven’t thought that far ahead yet, this burrito is quick and simple to put together, and it packs a TON of flavor.

I’ve been on an Asian kick for the last few weeks, but as of Saturday, my taste buds have been all about that Mexican fare. Brace yourself for a slew of south-of-the-border recipes throughout the next couple of posts. (Teaser alert: I made Healthy Chicken Enchilada Bites for meal prep yesterday. Pending a positive review from my expert taste tester — AKA Ryan who has them packed in his trusty Six Pack lunchbox today — I’ll be posting the recipe soon!)

This dish came about as a result of me cooking too much ground turkey and buying too many Ezekiel tortillas. (Typical.) It’s pretty basic, easy to put together, and while it’s not the most creative thing I’ve ever made, the flavor combinations make this an unexpected favorite of mine.