Yogurt Protein Snack

This is the super power snack that Dave and I use as a midmorning pick-me-up, though it’s substantial enough to eat as a breakfast too. This snack is packed with nutrients:

• cinnamon – lowers cholesterol; regulates blood sugars; natural food preservative; great source of magnesium, fibre, iron and calcium; and is known to boost cognitive function and memory
• protein powder – contains essential amino acids for a healthy body (muscles, ligaments, hair, nails, teeth, body fluids, organs, glands); weight-loss friendly (high protein, low sugar, low fat = lots of calories burned in digestion); stress relieving (slows production of cortisol)
• figs – high in fibre (control blood sugars), calcium (strong bones), potassium (lower blood pressure) and iron
• yogurt – source of probiotics (healthy intestine); low lactose (easier to digest than milk); good source of calcium and vitamin B; and high in protein
• cottage cheese – high in protein, calcium and vitamin B
• olive oil – monounsaturated fat (controls LDL cholesterol)
• blueberries – extremely high in antioxidants (highest of all fresh fruits), and high in fibre

The cinnamon and blueberries give it just enough flavour and sweetness to avoid using sweetened yogurts and protein powders, and the figs are little tasty treasures floating in a sea of sweet calcium. I love that the protein helps keep me full all the way until 1 PM – so I can make it through lunchtime yoga without passing out.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 scoop 100% natural whey protein powder
• 3 dried figs
• 1/2 cup low fat plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3/4 cup frozen blueberries (or fresh)

DIRECTIONS

• Add cinnamon, protein powder, figs, yogurt, cottage cheese and olive oil to a liquid-tight container.
• Stir well.
• Mix in blueberries.
• Pop the top on and take it to work! Or, if you want to enjoy it right then, defrost the blueberries in the microwave before mixing them in.

          

  

Thanks, Dave, for being my hand model

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

The above recipe is for what Dave eats. Since Dave has about 50 lbs on me (and I’d like to keep it that way!), I like to cut all ingredients, but the protein powder, by half. I’ll also skip the olive oil and figs on days I’m not working out.

Per serving (full recipe): 548 calories, 50 g carbs, 18 g fat, 51 g protein, 11 g fibre