Protein-Packed Kodiak Blueberry Muffins

Protein-Packed Kodiak Blueberry Muffins

You’ve heard of the Cookie Monster? My husband is the Protein Monster. He loves coaching Crossfit, lifting heavy and protein. Lots of protein.

With active lifestyles, we look for ways to stay on track nutritionally but keep it enjoyable. Last year I discovered Kodiak Cakes, a company known for flapjack and waffle mixes that are low in fat but rich in protein and complex carbs. You can make a lot of treats with them and muffins are one of my favorites.

A muffin recipe is included with the box, but I was looking for a way to tweak the nutrients to get more protein and less fat per muffin. I searched the web and other blogs for existing recipes but couldn’t find one quite right; some had nice flavor and moisture but more fat and less protein, and others with more protein and less fat seemed to come out dry and lack flavor.

(And let’s face it -there’s nothing worse in a muffin than expecting a bite full of happiness but discovering a mouthful of disappointment; a mouthful of lies.)

So I took things into my own hands, experimenting until a muffin emerged with just the right ratio or delicious vs nutritious. I’m happy to say this recipe is taste-tested and approved by Crossfitters, macro-counters and comfort eaters alike. Whether you have specific nutritional goals, enjoy new and healthy snacks in your routine, or are simply a non-discriminatory lover of all muffins, these tasty little guys might just be for you.

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Kodiak Cakes protein packed flapjack mix
• 1 Scoop SFH pure whey protein powder (vanilla)
• 1 Egg
• 1 Cup skim milk (or coconut/almond milk)
• 1 Cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
• 1/2 Cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 Cup Splenda brown sugar blend, plus some to sprinkle

Throw all ingredients, except for blueberries, into a bowl and mix until smooth. Stir blueberries in gently and then pour batter into greased muffin tins. Sprinkle some of the brown sugar blend over each muffin and bake at 350°F for 12-18 minutes (or until they pass the toothpick test). Makes 12 muffins.

Prep Tips:

1. Pay attention to the Kodiak mix you buy (the original mix has 8g of protein per serving while the protein-packed version has 14g).
2. Try to distribute blueberries somewhat evenly between muffins (too many in one will increase moisture and too few will decrease it).
3. If you do meal prep in advance each week, keep in mind with fresh ingredients these muffins stay good for about 3 days. When making a big batch, consider freezing some to use as needed so they don’t start to spoil on you by day 4 or 5.
4. If you’re not a fan of artificial sweeteners like Splenda, you can substitute Stevia or regular sugar (it can alter the macro count or batter consistency, but it probably won’t turn you into a toad or anything drastic).
5. If you are a sweet-tooth monger like myself, you can never be too generous with that crowning sprinkle of brown sugar.

Macros per muffin:

Calories: 144g

Carbs: 23.2g

Fat: 1.3g

Protein: 8.3g

Muffin macro levels may vary based on your ingredients, so it’s always safe to recalculate based on your specific ingredients when using a different protein powder, type of Kodiak Cake mix or generally improvising ingredients. (You know. If you’re into that hardcore macro-counting business. If you prefer your life and your muffins on the wild side, then throw caution to the wind. Calculate nothing. No one can tell you or your muffins how to live your lives.)

I have saved this recipe in My Fitness Pal as “Reese’s Blueberry Kodiak Muffins” if you’re a My Fitness Pal user.

All writing and images copyright © 2016 Rachel Elise Weems Woods

more recipes @ https://reesewoods.com