Category: Recipes

Banana Bread: Two Ways (Protein & Vegan)

Banana bread is possibly the easiest and most re-created recipe amongst the foodie realms and no surprise why, it’s flipping delicious! The nan used to make a walnut one when we were little ohhhh did we love it! 

Some food historians believe banana bread was a byproduct of the Great Depression as resourceful housewives did not wish to throw away overripe bananas (as they were still a costly item to purchase), others believe the modern banana bread was developed in corporate kitchens to promote flour and baking soda products.

These recipes came about after finding a printed banana bread recipe from what used to be our first blog and one of the first recipes we ever created all those many moons ago. We decided to give it a go again with a few tweaks and making two versions: Protein version and a Vegan version.

PROTEIN BANANA BREAD


Author: The Muscle Bakery.
Banana bread recipe that you can whip up in no time! Simple, delightful and tasty!

Ingredients

    3 Cups (Gluten-Free) Ground Rolled Oats
    0.5 Cup Granulated Sweetener of choice
    1 Cup Low-Fat Greek Yoghurt or Fromage Frais*
    1 Scoop Banana Whey (or any flavour you prefer)
    2 Mashed Bananas
    1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
    5 Egg Whites
    1 Tsp Baking Powder
    1 Tsp Baking Soda
    1 Tsp Cider Vinegar
  • If you don’t have this, substitute with applesauce.

    • You will also need a metal loaf pan, not the silicone one.

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 170 Degrees C.
  2. In a bowl mix together all your dry ingredients until combined. Then, fold in your wet ingredients until you get a thick batter.
  3. Prepare a greaseproof baking sheet in your loaf pan then pour mix into it.
  4. Bake for 30-40mins (until knife comes out clean when piercing it).
  5. Leave to cool completely before slicing.
  6. Then slice up and enjoy solo or with your fave nut butter!


Nutritional Info (per slice):109 Cals | 1.6F | 19C | 6.5P

Free from Gluten, Wheat & Sugar

For the Vegan variation, we decided to use a Coke Zero to replace the egg. Yes. You heard that right!

After delivering a Vegan cakey to a customer, he mentioned that he had tried making a cake with his daughter using a Betty Crocker mix and a Diet Coke and it worked! This clearly got us SOOOO curious and the culinary creative juices started flowing! We had read somewhere before that sparkling water could be used but never really thought much about it until he mentioned it so without further ado we jumped right in and used the above recipe to experiment with.

As with all of our recipes, we prefer trying and failing before having to call on our buddy google for help and that is exactly what we did with this one and absolutely winged it. The experiment paid off! It made the most delightful banana cake, id even go as far as to say that it was better than the original creation!

(Thanks for that Mr Williams).

Heres the recipe:

VEGAN BANANA BREAD


Author: The Muscle Bakery.
Banana bread made with Coke Zero?!! YUP! So damn delicious, like a cross between bread and pudding… exactly like nan used to make (made vegan)!

Ingredients

    3 Cups (Gluten-Free) Ground Rolled Oats
    0.5 Cup Granulated Sweetener of choice
    1 Tbsp Xanthan
    1 Cup Soya/ Coconut Yoghurt*
    1 Scoop Pea Protein Isolate**
    2 Mashed Bananas
    1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
    1 Tbsp Agave Nectar (add more if you prefer a little sweeter)
    1 Coke Zero/ Diet Coke Can (330ml)
    1 Tbsp Cinnamon (optional)
    1 Tsp Baking Powder
    1 Tsp Baking Soda
    1 Tsp Cider Vinegar
  • If you don’t have this, substitute with applesauce.
  • If you want to omit this or don’t have this ingredient, try adding a little bit more flour instead.

    • You will also need a metal loaf pan, not the silicone one.


Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 170 Degrees C.
  2. In a bowl mix together all your dry ingredients until combined. Then, fold in your wet ingredients until you get a thick batter.
  3. Prepare a greaseproof baking sheet in your loaf pan then pour mix into it.
  4. Bake for 30-40mins (until knife comes out clean when piercing it).
  5. Leave to cool completely before slicing.
  6. Then slice up and enjoy solo or with your fave nut butter!


Nutritional Info (per slice): 112 Cals | 1.8F | 25.1C | 5P

Free from Gluten, Wheat, Sugar, Dairy, & Egg.

As you can see the recipes are extremely similar, in fact they are almost identical except for the eggs part.

You can try the Protein version without eggs and use coke instead, but we have not yet tried that yet as we still have all the above slices of banana bread to get through! 😛

If you do, let us know how it goes!

Don’t forget to tag us if you try any of these recipes, you can find us on all social media outlets @themusclebakery

For 15% discount on Bulkpowders use code: MUSCLEBAKERY15

HAPPY (BANANA BREAD) BAKING!

<3

Everyday we wafflin’

I bought a new double waffle machine recently, you know… the one that makes those sexy looking American Diner style waffles. YAS.

So, in true Muscle Baker style, I didn’t let that red light die down till I was several recipes deep. (If you follow me on instagram @themusclebaker you may have noticed the few days of waffle obsession that followed suit.)

 

Now, making waffles isnt too different to making pancakes which means any pancake mix will work for waffles and vice versa! Just (for me personally) waffles are easier because the machine does all the work for you with a handy light which lets you know when they are done. Regardless, here is our top tips for wafflin’ successfully:

 

QUALITY WAFFLE MAKER // We ploughed through a gazillion options and reviews to check over quality/ price/ customer satisfaction before we bought ours. Don’t just choose a cheap one or even an expensive one because you think it will be good. Our recommendation is: JM Posner Double waffle maker.

SPRAY OIL // This is not essential but it does help a little, especially for Vegan waffles which don’t have eggs.. We use a coconut oil spray which is low in calories and doesn’t add much extra calories. There is also a butter flavour one which tastes lovely and vegan-friendly!

EASY WITH THE MIX // Before you start going crazy making waffles, experiment with the batter first. Check how many spoonful’s of batter it takes to make a full waffle without over-spill. Start small then go adding more batter for every next waffle until you reach perfect size. If your waffle spills it is quite hard to clean so you want to avoid that.

BE PATIENT // Don’t be tempted to put the heat too high in a bid to get the waffles done quicker. Start on a lower heat and wait for it to get to the right temperature, the first 2 waffles will always be the dummy ones anyway, the perfect temp will start once you’ve done a few. Note: some waffle machines don’t have temp options, it’s not necessary but is a nice extra to have. 

DON’T CHEAT THE LIGHT // The heat lights are there for a reason, so pay attention to it! All waffle machines generally are the same whereas there is a red and green light, both of which go on when you turn on machine and then the green light is the one that goes on and off to alert you. In short, when the green light is on don’t do anything.

 

As mentioned earlier, using any pancake batter will work for waffles, so if you are after a simple protein waffle recipe we recommend this one. However, if you are after a Vegan option or egg-less option, the following recipe is for you and works perfectly with casein or a vegan protein blend.

 

This is our latest go-to recipe:

VEGAN PROTEIN WAFFLES



Deliciously dense waffles, perfect for any day of the week.
Credit: The Muscle Bakery

Ingredients

1.5 Cup Coconut milk/ Almond milk 0.5 Cup Gluten-Free rolled oats 0.8 Cup Brown Rice Flour 1/8 Cup Arrowroot Flour 1 Scoop Bulkpowders Vegan Protein Blend* 1 Tsp Xanthan Gum 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract 2 Drops Stevia (or alternative) 1 Tsp Baking Soda 1 Tsp Cider Vinegar Spray oil of choice.

*This recipe will work just the same with casein too, textures will be different but will work perfectly nonetheless. We used Bulkpowders Strawberry flavour casein to test the recipe.

Directions

  1. Mix milk and vinegar together and set aside.
  2. In a bowl mix together all your dry ingredients until combined. Then, fold in your wet ingredients until you get a thick batter.
  3. Heat up waffle machine as per instructions and like mentioned earlier, if you have never done waffles before add less batter rather than more. Add batter when green light goes off, then wait until green light goes off again to open waffle machine to remove waffle.

    4. Note: If you’re waffle has a temperature setting, start at a lower heat then build it up.

  4. Repeat until all batter is used up.
  5. Pile them up on a plate, add your favourite syrup and ENJOY!

    6. Nutritional Info (per serving of 4): 228 Cals | 2.6F | 39.7C | 8.8P

    Free from Gluten, Wheat, Sugar, Dairy, & Egg.


 

Need some waffle inspo? Here are some of our customers creations from our ‘Waffle Party’ event held 15th October at Strength Factory. Proceed with caution, extreme foodporn follows:

Vegan Choc Peanut waffles with Zero syrup, frozen raspberries and almond butter, Nadia’s simple and delicious creation.
Simple protein pancake recipe, smothered in zero chocolate mint syrup, choc mint oreos and a dollop of Nutella. OH MY.
Simple protein pancake sandwich with an apple pie theme! Apple pie filling and Toffee Nakd bites between 2 layers of waffle, topped with whipped cream, banana, caramel waldens syrup and a cheeky oreo.
Rita topped her simple protein pancake with frozen razzies, choc shot syrup and an oreo ice-cream sandwich. Who’s jealous?
Chocoholics look away! Simple protein pancake topped with zero syrup, crumbled twirls, Nutella and an oreo ice-cream sandwich. HOT DAMN.

 

 

No matter your dietary needs, everyone should be able to enjoy waffles! So if this recipe doesn’t tickle your fancy, have a browse on our ‘Pancakes and Waffles‘ recipes section and see if any other recipe suits you better!

Hope you enjoyed the tips and recipe, tag us if you put them to good use!

Find us on all social media outlets @themusclebakery <3

How to: Pancakes

Pancakes, a simple delight which fills us all with so much happy when we get to eat them.

Pancake is a flat, round cake, comprised mainly from a flour-based batter made with eggs, milk, oil or butter and cooked on a hot surface such as a griddle or frying pan. In UK, pancakes are typically thinner and closely resemble a crêpe. However, American pancakes tend to use baking powder which makes them a lot thicker and fluffy. 

The ancient Greeks and Romans ate their pancakes with honey; the Elizabethans ate them flavored with spices, rosewater, sherry, and apples. In the American colonies, pancakes—known as hoe cakes, johnnycakes, or flapjacks—were made with buckwheat or cornmeal.

They are typically served as a breakfast option with berries, jam, butter and spreads *cough Nutella* but can also be enjoyed with savoury items such as bacon and eggs.

Ultimately, the defining characteristic of the entire vast family of pancakes, whether you call them crepe, griddlecake, blini, bannock, is indeed their flatness. “Flat as a pancake,” according to the Oxford English Dictionary, has been a catchphrase since at least 1611.

“Flat as a pancake” – since 1611

Fast forward to present day and pancake’s have somewhat changed; flour, milk and oil alternatives are used to suit, they can be enriched with protein and are sweetened with sugar replacements such as stevia, agave, applesauce etc. 

Unfortunately a lot of people find that they often fail at pancake making, in most cases ending up with a scramble instead of a pancake, and ofc then give up trying ever again. We want to help you avoid this at all costs because pancakes are awesome!

So, before we share our recipe this is our top tips on how to perfect the pancake:

NON STICK PAN // This is absolutely crucial to successful pancakes. Without it you may as well give up on life. Srsly. Trust us on this one! We have a ceramic one which is absolutely perfect for pancakes, needs next to no oil and cleans real easy. 

SPRAY OIL // This is not essential but it does help a little, especially for Vegan pancakes which tend to be harder to flip due to the lack of eggs. We use a coconut oil spray which is low in calories and doesn’t add much extra calories. 

BLENDER // Blitzing all your ingredients in a blender prior to making pancakes will ensure that your mix is well combined. It is only natural that when you mix by hand, it doesn’t combine as well and you may be left with clumpy mix which will affect your pancake making.

SILICONE MOLD // This isn’t really needed but it really does make ALL off the difference if you can get one. Not only does it help make perfectly round pancakes but it also helps you make them all even in size which will make life a lot easier if you are counting macros. Any pound saver shop (or in Gibraltar/ Spain, any of the Chinese shops) should have them! 

mold-selfie

BE PATIENT // Don’t be tempted to put the heat too high in a bid to get the pancakes done quicker. Start on a lower heat and wait for it to get to the right temperature, the first 2 pancakes will always be the dummy ones anyway, the perfect temp will start once you’ve done a few pancakes.

 

This is our latest go-to recipe:

Vegan Protein Pancakes



Deliciously fluffy pancakes, perfect for any occasion.
Credit: The Muscle Bakery

Ingredients

1 Cup Gluten-Free Oats
1 Banana
1 Cup Koko Coconut Milk
1 Scoop (approx 25g) Pea Protein Isolate
1 Tbsp Ground Chia Seeds
1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 Tbsp Agave Nectar
2 Drops Stevia (or alternative)
1 Tbsp Granulated Sweetener (or alternative)
1 Tsp Baking Soda
 

Directions

  1. Blitz all the ingredients in a blender until it is all well combined. Then leave aside to set for 5-10 minutes while pan heats up.
  2. Heat a non-stick pan on medium heat, spray with low-cal coconut oil to make it easier to get your pancake on.
  3. Add spoonfuls of batter onto the pan, we find that 2 tablespoon’s of batter makes the perfect size pancake. Leave to cook for a couple of minutes until you start noticing bubbles come through. Flip and cook a further couple of minutes.
  4. Repeat until all batter is used up.
  5. Pile them up on a plate, add your favourite syrup and ENJOY!

    6. Perfect leg-day post workout noms! 😛

    Nutritional Info (per serving): 314 Cals | 7.1F | 49C | 17.8P

    Free from Gluten, Wheat, Sugar, Dairy, & Egg.


Follow @themusclebaker on Instagram, tune into her daily stories to get first dibs on recipes, tips, tricks and general nonsense.
 
Photo 27-08-2016, 14 17 20

Some more delicious pancake recipes to choose from:

pb-pancakePB Giant Pancake lemon-pancakesLemon Pancakes pancake-cakePancake Cake
spinach-crepeSpinach Crepe lowcarb-pancakesLow-Carb Pancakes banoffee-pancakesBanoffee Pancakes
simple-pancakeDairy-Free Pancakes vegan-pancakesVegan Pancakes basic-proteinBasic Protein Pancakes

Don’t forget to tag us if you get your pancake on with any of our recipes! We love seeing all your creations. Find us on all social media outlets: @themusclebakery <3

How to: Burrito Bowl

Wondering what a Burrito bowl is? Well, we are here to explain it to you, show you how we make ours and inspire you to make your very own!

Now, What is a Burrito Bowl? 

A simplified version of a Burrito… so, exactly like a Burrito except you skip the wholemeal wrap and devour the contents from a bowl instead. The precise origin of the modern burrito is unknown, but guaranteed that the Burrito bowl was invented by someone who was too lazy to wrap it all up, or too poor to afford wraps. Either way, GENIUS.

The standard burrito/ burrito bowls are usually comprised of black beans, fried rice, salsa, cheese etc however you can make it as you please and that is the absolute beauty of it! With the right choice of ingredient substitutions it can prove to be a delicious, filling and healthy with the added bonus of it being so easy to make.

To make ours we follow these simple rules:

1. Choose a base.

The base that we choose is usually dependant on macro allowance, for example if it is a low-carb day we would choose some leafy greens, Bare Naked rice or Cauli rice. If a higher carb day, the choice would be brown rice, quinoa or potatoes. You may even choose to not have a base ingredient and just enjoy a bowl of solo ingredients.

image-01

Tip: Microwave rice packs are great for those who don’t really have time to wait 3 decades for rice to boil.

2. Add some greens.

By default, we make sure we always add greens to all or most of our meals. They are high in fiber, vitamins, minerals and are a great volume food which means you can add loads without affecting the total calorie content too much.

3. Chop up tomatoes.

It aint no burrito without tomatoes. Obvs.

Decide on what beans you prefer.

Black beans is a typical ingredient in burritos, however if those don’t tickle your fancy just add whichever beans you most like. We absolutely LOVE adding Lupin beans to ours. They are naturally high in fiber, high in protein, have a salty taste and add some colour to your beautiful dish.

image-02

4. Choose a protein source.

This will of course vary depending on your dietary requirement. For Vegans & Veggies: Tofu, Quorn mince and fillets are a great addition to this meal. Our choice was some pre-packaged spiced chicken which we we found in Mercadona and tastes delicious! However, you can add as you please whether it be chicken, turkey, mince, steak, fish or even none at all. We just prefer to add a protein source to every meal, or else we find ourselves guzzling down shakes of Casein pre-bed which is not ideal.

image-03

5. Add any extras as you prefer (and macros will allow you).

No doubt that for us, the extra will always be olives. But, pretty much add anything else you fancy! More veggies, protein sources, beans, rice, potatoes… go as crazy as you want to. You could also add some home-made nachos like we did, recipe here. (Better than store bought ones, trust us! SO good.)

6. Salsa & Guacamole (obligatory).

Well, it aint no burrito without these two either!

7. and ofc… Cheese

Cheese makes any meal great, so it aint no different here! For anyone looking to avoid Dairy, Violife cheese is perfect and now available at both Morrisons & Eroski! Or you could buy some of our Vegan Queso (available for pre-order). Otherwise, choose a cheese of preference and load it up! Don’t overdo it though, cheese packs on a lot of extra calories and fat, so add it on sensibly.

8. Wear Mexican hat

This is ofc optional, but if you really wanna get into the mood… perfect addition 😛

 

 

Re-create our one by following this recipe:

Burrito Bowl

  • Servings: 1
  • Difficulty: SUPER easy
  • Print

All the burrito-ness, none of the naughty-ness Credit: The Muscle Bakery

Ingredients

100g Uncle Bens Brown Rice
100g Hacendado Oven Roasted Chicken pieces
25g Lupin Beans
25g Pimiento Stuffed Olives
20g Lambs Lettuce
2 Salad Tomatoes (chopped)
15g Hacendado Guacamole
20g Doritos Mild Salsa
Pinch of salt and mixed herbs

Vegan Cheese (optional)
‘Cheesy Nachos’ (optional)

Directions

  1. Prepare rice as per packet instructions then pour 100g into a bowl. (Make sure to choose a bowl which will accommodate all your ingredients comfortably).
  2. In no particular order, add all your ingredients except for salsa and guacamole.
  3. Once all your ingredients have been laid onto the base, top with salsa and guac then sprinkle salt and herbs.
  4. DONE.

    5. The nachos was such a great addition, mainly because it become a shovel to scoop all the goodness from bowl to mouth! 😀

    Nutritional Info (per bowl – without cheese sauce/nachos):
    363Cals | 11F | 42C | 23P

    Free from Gluten, Wheat & Dairy.



image-insta

image-last
 
Don’t forget to tag us if you make it!

You can find us on all social media outlets: @themusclebakery 😛

 

Get an exclusive 15% discount on Bulkpowders using code:
MUSCLEBAKERY15 (Available for UK AND GIB customers.)

The day of LOVE (and food)

Food is the ingredient that binds us together

Nowadays, Valentines Day is a far cry from what it used to be and has evolved into a somewhat different celebration. It is a day of proving your love to someone… Whether it be to your partner or someone you admire, lavishing them with gifts such as cards, chocolates, romantic meals and so on.

In the UK alone, it is estimated that £1.3 billion is spent every year on Valentine’s, with an estimated 25 million cards being sent. (WOAH!)

In Spain, Valentines Day is known as *add spanish accent* Dia de San Valentin… (sounds romantic).

DID YOU KNOW

Valentines Day started out as a celebration for Saint Valentine, a priest from Rome who was martyred in AD496. However, the celebrations have no romantic connotations and prior to the 14th century there is no link between the saint and romantic love. It is not until Chaucer wrote ‘Parliament of Foules’ that Valentines Day became associated with love.

To us however, Valentine’s Day is also the day where we get to dust off all our heart shaped baking molds, fine red linen, cute ribbons and play around with our culinary creativity… in the name of love of course.

So, here is a few of our creations that we have made over the years in celebration of this day, the perfect little treats that you can impress your loved ones with:

 

HEART PROTEIN BARS

Heart Protein Bar Header

These will no doubt impress the favourite human in your life, a little bit naughty and a whole lot of nice… the perfect treat for Valentines.

BANOFFEE CRUMBLE (Dairy-Free)

BanoffeeCrumble

A combination of almond butter, banana and beef protein make this a decadent treat, perfect to indulge after a romantic dinner.

DOUBLE CHOC COOKIES (Dairy-Free)

ChocCookies

Chocolate is pretty much Valentine’s middle name, it comes with the package. So whip these Double chocolate cookies, and proceed to eat all of them with the important one in your life… what are healthy cookies for right?

PROTEIN HEARTS

ProteinHearts

Cute miniature hearts with raspberry pieces and made with fruit powder, who said eating healthy wasn’t fun?

HEALTHY PROTEIN MAGNUMS

Magnums

Ice-cream is great any time of the year, but at least you get to share it with someone special today… (or not.)

RASPBERRY PROTEIN HEARTS (OR BUMS)

Protein-Hearts-01

Who needs pick and mix when you can have these super cute high protein jelly sweeties! Made high in fiber thanks to Vita fiber powder and in a super deliciously raspberry flavour!

VEGAN BLUEBERRY SLICES

VeganSlices

Knock up this simple recipe in no time with a few simple ingredients, Vegan or not… you’ll love it anyway!

CHOCOLATE PROTEIN HEARTS

Protein-Choc-Hearts-01

As we mentioned earlier chocolate goes hand in hand with Valentine’s, multiply it by hearts + The Muscle Bakery… and we get Chocolate Protein Hearts. Macro-friendly, delicious and easy to make! *thumbs up* Recipe going live tonite on GYMversus.

PISTACHIO CHEESECAKE

PistachioCheesecake

Cheesecake made with a rich pistachio butter base, high protein yoghurt based filling and topped with Raspberry coulis, so good… you’ll be up for seconds… and thirds… and…

 

WafflePop_MAIN

Waffles, on a stick, coated with chocolate and topped with chopped oreos…. if that isn’t love, I don’t know what is…

Don’t fancy sweet recipes, why not try these savoury ones:

LOW CARB SPAG BOL

SpagBol

Low-Carb spaghetti bolognese made with a delicious tomato sauce and low-calorie noodles, perfect for anyone who in prep mode but also wants to enjoy some good food with their loved one.

TOAD IN THE HOLE (Dairy-Free & Vegetarian)

ToadInHole

Admittedly, Toad-in-the-hole is hardly a romantic meal, but trust us… it tastes REALLYYYY good! (plus you can see the red linen in the image so it counts as a Valentine meal). Made with Sorghum flour, almond milk and egg whites… a simple recipe, which is easily adaptable and perfect all year round.

 

Hope you enjoyed these recipes and remember unless otherwise stated, all of our recipes are Gluten & Wheat-Free! Check out our recipe index for a selection of all our recipes across our site and our sponsors.

 

We love seeing your creations, so don’t forget to show us!

We are on all social media platforms @themusclebakery and now you can find us on Snapchat too!

 

Love & treats

The Muscle Baker <3

 

Happy Day of PANCAKES! *foodies rejoice*

Pancake day is the equivalent of Valentine’s Day for us food fiends, a day where you are OFFICIALLY allowed to eat pancakes pretty much all day (not that we wouldn’t anyway).

Now, what is a pancake?

Quite simply, it’s a cake that you cook in a pan. What makes it so awesome? … IT’S A CAKE YOU COOK IN A PAN. DUH.

We trawled the internet to see what it had to say about pancakes and found this:

PANCAKE / Something you eat for breakfast. I had pancakes this morning.

However, not to be confused with:

PANCAKES / A life changing miracle of fluffy happiness man. So i had some pancakes today, it was so great, i gave my pants to a hobo.

 

Anyway, to celebrate such a phenomenal day we scoured our recipe archives and dug out our tastiest pancake creations:

1. Vegan Pancakes

Vegan Pancakes_main

The pancakes are everything you want pancakes to be; soft, scrumptious, moist, tasty and filling. Top it with rich Vanilla Agave nectar and you have an absolute winner! Perfect for Vegans and Non-Vegans alike.

2. Easy Lemon Pancakes

Lemon Pancakes

This is our basic staple protein pancake recipe, easy to make with only a few key ingredients. No culinary skills required.

3. Spinach & Blueberry Pancakes

SpinachPancakes

Looking for something a little more adventurous? Try these Spinach pancakes topped with blueberries! Don’t be put off by their green colour, they are super delicious and extra nutritious. Eating pancakes and getting your greens in at the same time, whats not to love?

4. Simple Pancakes with Choc Sauce (Dairy-Free)

Simple Pancakes MAIN

Anyone looking for a Dairy-Free pancake option, look no further. These delicious pancakes with a rich choc sauce topping will hit the spot! (Sharing will be the only problem).

5. Chocolate Pancakes (Low-Carb)

LowCarbPancakes

Similar to our basic protein pancake recipe, except using ground almonds instead of oats making them perfect for those on lower carb diets. Have them simple or topped with your fave sauces or nut butters.

6. Protein Waffles (i.e. pancakes with abs)

Waffles Header

What happens when your pancakes go to the gym? They become waffles. (Just like these damn fine Strawberry Vanilla Waffles.)

7. Banoffee Pancakes

banoffeepancakes

Pancakes, Banana and Toffee rolled into one epic stack of pancake porn with a whopping protein content of almost 50g. *Gym buffs rejoice*

8. Cookie Protein Waffles (more pancakes with abs)

waffleoreo

These pancakes also went to the gym to get its pump on, and met sexy oreo there… and well… Oreo Cookie Protein Waffle was born…

9. Pancake Cake

PancakeCake

And last but not least is the most epic of them all…. PANCAKE CAKE. Layers of chocolate pancake, with protein frosting with more protein frosting and then a protein choc drizzle. 50g protein per slice of 4… WADDUP!

 

OR you could give these guest recipes a try:

Vegan Pancakes with peanut butter and topped with Reeses Mini Cups by @burtonsbakes

burtonspancakes

Savoury Sweetcorn Protein Pancakes by @the_beltsander

beltsander

Or you could even go for the easy option and buy yourself some Protein Pancake Mix! Our favourite flavour is the Maple!

 

Note: Please make sure your pan is non-stick or else you are going to have a BAD TIME making pancakes!

Hope this post gives you all some pancake inspo.

Don’t forget to tag us in your creations, you can find us on all social media platforms @themusclebakery.

We are now on Snapchat too! Add us! 😛

 

Lots of love & Pancakes
The Muscle Baker <3

 

 

 

For the love of Peanut Butter!

We heard along the grapevine (aka social media) that it was National Peanut Butter Day yesterday which we completely missed! HOW DID NO ONE TELL US?! *insert sad faces here* But, even if it IS a day (fashionably) late… we owe it to Peanut Butter to re-live our bestest nutty recipe moments.

Here are our Top 10 bestest creations with the nut butter itself…

1. VEGAN MANTECADOS (PB Cookies)

VeganMantecado_main

These are a re-creation of a popular local recipe, traditional to Southern Spain. Its traditional counterpart is laden with butter and sugar, but these… not at all! See for yourself.

Free from Gluten, Wheat, Dairy, Egg, Refined Sugar & Vegan-Friendly.

2. PEANUT BUTTER ICE-CREAM

Pb Ice cream_main

PEANUT BUTTER… ICE-CREAM… Do we really need to add any more words? Don’t think so. Go feast your eyes on this recipe.

Free from Gluten, Wheat, Egg & Refined Sugars.

3. MUD PIE BALLS

mud pie balls_main

Using one of Hognuts signature nut butters, these simple protein balls are quick to knock up (and eat). You have been warned.

Free from Wheat, Egg & Sugar.

4. SUPERSIZED DONUT

Choc Donut_main

Whats better than a donut? A super-sized one… Topped with nut butter. Go on…

Free from Gluten, Wheat, Egg & Refined Sugars.

5. PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE (Low-Carb)

PB Fudge_main

Proving to be one of the most popular recipes to date, this easy to make fudge is super tasty and easily adaptable to suit your favourite tastes. Time to get creative!

Free from Gluten, Wheat, Egg & Refined Sugars.

6. CHICKEN SATAY

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No actual peanut butter is used in this recipe, but instead it’s far more macro-friendly sibling… peanut flour! A great recipe which is a staple in our weekly meal prep. Not only does it taste great, but has awesome macros to match. No doubt you’ll love it.

Free from Gluten, Wheat, Dairy & Egg.

7. CREAMY BBQ CHICKEN

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Using Bulkpowders high protein Smoky BBQ Nuts About Whey to make the most delectable creamy sauce. Use on chicken, meat or even veggies! Whatever tickles your fancy.

Free from Gluten, Wheat & Egg.

8. BBQ BEEF BURGERS

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Burgers containing nut butter? YEP! Try it, they won’t disappoint!

Free from Gluten & Wheat.

9. PEANUT BUTTER CHIA BARS

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Soft peanut butter filling with a luxurious Dark Chocolate coat and chia seeds sprinkles, perfect protein bar treat. Perfect to prep in advance… or eat all at once. Your call.

Free from Gluten, Wheat, Egg & Refined Sugars.

10. SWEET PB CHOC PIZZA

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Last but not least, sweet protein pizza… topped with delicious chocolatey peanut buttery goodness. All the words we like to hear…

Free from Gluten & Wheat.

 

Too lazy too knock up recipes? Cannot find the time to make your own treats? Or would rather buy some delicious home-made peanut butter goodness? Why not try some of our bars? Sold exclusively at these local outlets. 

PB Chia Bars Nuttylicious 250x250

This is our selection for the PB lovers… but there is a whole lot more, whatever your preference is.

Don’t forget to tag us, we love to see all of your creations.

Catch us on all social media platforms @themusclebakery

 

Lots of love and treats,

The Muscle Baker <3

BCAA’s, what are they and do you need them?

Very often I get asked questions related to supplements, in this case it was… ‘What are BCAA’s?’ 

Admittedly, it caught us by surprise and although I knew the answer I didn’t really know how to explain myself, so, for a more thorough answer, we sought the advice of GYMversus creator and online coaching genius, Thomas Hartnett.

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What are BCAAs?
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein of which, nine are considered essential. Essential amino acids cannot be manufactured within our bodies and as such, must come from food.

Of the essential amino acids, three account for as much as 33% of our muscle tissue – leucine, isoleucine, and valine. They can be found in many whole food protein sources, such as eggs, meat/poultry, nuts and legumes, whilst also as a supplement in either powder or table form.

What is their role?
BCAA’s have been found to increase immune system support, protect against muscle atrophy, increase absorption of protein, speed up recovery during training and decrease mental fatigue. A longer-term deficiency in any one of these three will attribute to muscle loss and unlike other amino acids, BCAA’s are metabolised within muscle tissue and not the liver.

So how does the above translate? The acute stress of training – increased cortisol and muscle breakdown – can be effectively combatted with the use of BCAAs. Further to that, they will help drive muscle repair, reducing DOMS and giving us the opportunity to train more frequently – speeding up your progress toward goal attainment.

Are BCAAs important?
BCAA’s can help prevent protein breakdown and muscle loss, which is significantly more important to those who are in pre-contest diets. During these times of low caloric intake, the use of BCAAs is strongly recommended because there is a greater risk of muscle loss due to a decrease in the rate of protein synthesis and an increase of proteolysis, which is the hydrolytic breakdown of proteins into simpler, soluble substances such as peptides and amino acids, as occurs during digestion.

When to take BCAAs?

BCAAs are free-form and competition for uptake in your G.I. tract can inhibit their effectiveness and digestion if taken with other foods or on a full stomach. So we recommend you take around or during your workout (such as with pre-workout drinks). If you are training fasted in the morning, they can be a great addition to protecting muscle breakdown from low glycogen during a low-carb phase of competition prep.

How much do I need to take?
Take one serving as recommended by the supplement guidelines for the product you are using

Who can take BCAAs?
BCAA’s are suitable for everyone including Vegans. In fact BCAAs are an excellent form of amino acids for those with a Vegan diet struggle to source complete proteins from food or Vegan proteins.

What should I look out for when buying?

  • Ratio of Leucine (e.g. 2:1:1)
  • Flavour
  • Added Ingredients
  • Reliable Brands

Recommended Products:

Bulkpowders BCAAs – Cola Flavour

Scivation Xtend

Gaspari Aminolast

 

Top BCAA recipes:

BCAA SLUSHIE by The Beltsander

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Most undedicated swoldiers grab a few beers when having a barbecue but if you want to save your gains, make a BCAA Slushie instead.

BCAA GUMMIES by The Muscle Baker

BCAA Cola Gummies

Guilt-Free Cola sweeties which are good for you? Move over Haribo, WE GOT THIS!

BCAA Squares by If The Sneaker Fits

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Easy Gello Squares as shown to us by If The Sneaker Fits, simple and easy recipe. No mind blowing kitchen skills required!

RASPBERRY LEMON MOJITO by The Muscle Baker

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Bring Club Tropicana to your very own home with this delicious Vegan Friendly (alcohol-free) Mojito!

 

 

Special thanks to Thomas Hartnett (@shakeofdoom).

For more info on tailored online coaching packages and e-books, visit gymversus.com

 

Any question we missed out? Comment below and we’ll be happy to answer.

Lots of love,

The Muscle Baker <3

 

References:
– Bodybuilding.com
– Breakingmuscle.com
– Gymversus.com
– enkiVillage.com

FREEZE! Top 8 Recipes to help you BEAT THE MELTDOWN!

The temperatures are soaring, doing anything has you resembling a wet dog and you are actually looking forward to getting to the gym today, for no other reason than there is air conditioning there… We feel ya!

But, there is something that can help… These refreshing selection of recipes we have created will help take you from wet dog to cooled down kitty cat IN NO TIME!

Have a go…

PEANUT BUTTER BANANA ICE-CREAM //

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Frozen bananas + peanut butter + whey = DELICIOUSNESS!

Recipe here //

COCO PRO ICE POPS //

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CocoPro High Protein Coconut Water in Pineapple flavour makes for the perfect protein ice-pops!

Recipe here //

RASPBERRY FLUFF ICE-CREAM //

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Who knew frozen raspberries and whey would make such a delicious treat! Make fluff or ice-cream with the very same recipe!

Recipe here //

GREEN MACA SMOOTHIE //

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Add some ice to this nutritious refreshment for a light, low-fat, vegan-friendly summer drink!

Recipe here //

PROTEIN JELLIES //

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Jelly is great no matter the occasion! Try this one for a supped up protein version!

Recipe here //

TOP TIP // WE LOVE ADDING LOADS OF ICE TO OUR COLA BCAA’S FOR A QUICK (EASY) REFRESHMENT! TRY IT WITH YOUR FAVOURITE FLAVOURS!

 

OATMEAL COOKIE WHEYHEY SANDWICH //

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This is the most decadent of them all! No baking required, you will however need some decent amount of will power to avoid eating more than one!

Recipe here //

BLUEBERRY LEMON ICE POPS //

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This combination of flavours is truly sublime and so damn refreshing! Perfect to consume pre AND post freezing! YUM!

Recipe here //

RAZZLE DAZZLE SMOOTHIE //

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Want something a bit easier to make? Add these ingredients to your blender and PERFECTO! Add ice to help with cooling down!

Recipe here //

 

MOST IMPORTANTLY…

Keep your skin safe, wear sunscreen, keep hydrated, use a portable battery operated fan if need be. (They are cool promise) or find your nearest pond or fountain and bathe yourself silly.

Our buddies at BULK POWDERS™ have some sound advice on how to survive a heatwave if you need it…

 

Otherwise, enjoy! Summer’s only come round once a year! 😛

 

Lots of love,

The Muscle Baker <3

Why Nutritional Yeast is so (fricking) awesome!

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We cannot really remember the time when Nutritional Yeast didn’t form part of our pantry, or do we want to! All we DO remember is being recommended it by a foodie friend who swore by it, and that was it… the beginning of a beautiful love affair with Nutritional Yeast. *insert love hearts here*

The name does not really help sell it, most people make the automatic connection to mainstream yeast, which is used in bread and beer ie the foods most people avoid when eating ‘healthy’. And I loosely say the term ‘healthy’ ( but, thats a post for another day).

Anyhow, we can confirm that this is NOT that same yeast, just its long lost distant cousing (at best) and this is a proclamation as to why you need it in your life. ASAP.

How is it made?
Nutritional yeast is produced by culturing a yeast in a nutrient medium for several days. The primary ingredient in the growth medium is glucose, often from either sugarcane or beet molasses. When the yeast is ready, it is killed (deactivated) with heat and then harvested, washed, dried and packaged.^

What does it look like?
We prefer using Nutritional Yeast Flakes, but it also comes in a powder form and is a yellowy colour, with a light ‘nutty and ‘cheesy’ smell to it.

Nutritional Yeast Flakes

What does it taste like?
The taste is hard to describe, mainly because you won’t believe it tastes cheesy without it being ACTUAL cheese. But it does, it gives a rich flavour to a lot of dishes and is used a lot in Vegan cooking. The savoury taste of nutritional yeast comes from glutamic acid, an amino acid that is formed during the drying process. Glutamic acid is a naturally occurring amino acid found in many fruits and vegetables and is not the same as the commercial additive monosodium glutamate. We LOVE it sprinkled in soup, to make Kale chips AND to make Cheesy Nachos ofc.

What are the benefits?
On average, two tablespoons provides 60 calories with 5 g of carbohydrates (of which 4 g is fiber).

A serving also provides 9 g of protein and is actually a complete protein, providing all nine amino acids the human body cannot produce. That’s more than in 1 cup of whole milk (8g), a large egg (6g), or one oz. of beef (7g).

Nutritional yeast is a source of B vitamins, including thiamine, folate, B-6 and niacin. Just 1/2 tablespoon of some brands will provide you with a day’s worth of B vitamins, while other brands offer between 30 and 100 percent of the B vitamins.

^ Sourced from Wikipedia.

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STILL NOT CONVINCED?
Check these recipes out, if the above didnt sway you, no doubt these will!

 

CHEESY KALE CRISPS //

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If you’re a sucker for crisps, then look no further. In no less than 3 ingredients, these crunchy Kale crisps alternative will conquer them cravings!

 

VEGAN CHEESY NACHOS //

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Doritos better move over, theres competition in town.

 

PROTEIN FLAT ROLLS //

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Struggle to find Gluten-Free breads which taste good? Try these! Added nutritional yeast for extra (awesome) flavour!

VEGAN CHEESY SAUCE //

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Although we dipped our chicken skewers in it, the sauce is Vegan friendly, wahey! Go check out for yourself.

 

Hope you enjoyed this article and selection of recipes, we hope to be doing more like this in future.

 

If there is anything you’d like to see us talk about, just comment below, we are happy to hear from you!

 

Lots of love,

The Muscle Baker <3