Tag: Low-Purine

Banana Protein Smoothie Freezer Packs

A jar of banana berry protein smoothie with a filled freezer pack beside it in a glass jar.

Nutrition Snapshot

  • About 30 grams of protein in one smoothie, from protein powder and milk, made in one minute from a bag in the freezer.
  • Oats, chia, banana, and berries bring about 10 grams of fiber, and the berries bring polyphenols, the plant compounds that give them their color.
  • The trade-off: banana and berries make this a moderately high-carbohydrate drink. The card shows the amount, and the notes give a lower-carbohydrate version.

On a good day, six freezer bags get filled: half a banana in slices, a half cup of frozen berries, two tablespoons of rolled oats, and a tablespoon of chia in each. They go flat in the freezer.

On a bad day, one bag goes into the blender with a cup of milk and a scoop of protein powder. A minute later there is a thick, cold smoothie that carries the protein of a full meal.

It is drunk from a jar, and the jar is the only thing to wash.

Why Freezer Packs Carry the Bad Days

A long illness does not take energy evenly. There are days when cooking is possible and days when standing at the counter is too much, and on the bad days the first meal often arrives at dinner, or not at all. The body still needs protein on those days, and needs it more, because illness raises protein needs at the same time it takes away the energy to meet them.

The answer is to move the work to the good days. Six bags take ten minutes to fill, and each one holds every decision already made: what to eat, how much, whether there is anything in the house.

The only step left for a bad day is pressing the blender button. The result is about 30 grams of protein in a form that goes down when solid food will not, and a second smoothie later in the day doubles it.

Which other foods can be made ahead on a good day and carry the bad ones is in Protein Density: Eating Enough When Appetite Is Small.

A jar of banana berry protein smoothie with a filled freezer pack beside it in a glass jar.
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Banana Protein Smoothie Freezer Packs

Six freezer bags of sliced banana, frozen berries, rolled oats, and chia, each blended when needed with milk and a scoop of protein powder. One minute on a hard day for a smoothie with about 30 grams of protein.
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Breakfast, drink, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: banana berry smoothie, chronic illness meal prep, high protein smoothie, make ahead smoothie, protein smoothie, smoothie freezer packs
Servings: 6 smoothie (about 16 ounces)
Calories: 426kcal

Equipment

  • Six quart freezer bags
  • Blender

Ingredients

Each freezer pack (make 6)

  • 1/2 banana sliced
  • 1/2 cup frozen mixed berries or blueberries unsweetened
  • 2 tablespoons old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds

To blend each smoothie

  • 1 cup 2 percent milk
  • 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder (about 30 grams 20 grams protein)
  • 1/2 cup water or ice to thin

Instructions

  • On a good day, fill 6 quart freezer bags with the banana, berries, oats, and chia. Press flat, seal, and freeze up to 3 months.
  • To make one smoothie, empty a bag into the blender with the milk, protein powder, and water or ice. Blend on high until smooth, about 1 minute, adding more water if it is too thick to pour.
  • Drink right away, or keep in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours; stir before drinking.

Notes

Lower-carbohydrate version: skip the banana and use 3/4 cup berries. Dairy-free: soy milk and a soy or pea protein powder keep the protein; almond or oat milk drop it by about 8 grams unless you add a second half scoop. For more calories on a day when little else will be eaten, add 1 tablespoon of peanut butter or 1/4 avocado to the blender. For a sore mouth, leave out the berries and use all banana.

Nutrition

Calories: 426kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3.9g | Sodium: 232mg | Potassium: 954mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 20g | Calcium: 599mg | Iron: 2.4mg | Magnesium: 174mg | Phosphorus: 573mg | Choline: 118mg

Gluten Free

Banana, berries, chia, and milk are naturally free of gluten. Oats are naturally free of gluten but are often grown and milled alongside wheat. For people with celiac disease, use rolled oats labeled gluten-free, and choose a protein powder with a gluten-free label, since some are made on shared lines or use barley ingredients. People who avoid gluten by preference can use any oats and any protein powder.

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Blueberry Crisp With Oat and Almond Topping

A small ramekin of blueberry crisp with oat almond topping and a spoon of Greek yogurt in a ramekin.

Nutrition Snapshot

  • About 9 grams of protein in one small serving with its yogurt, and about 6 grams of fiber from the berries, oats, and almonds.
  • One tablespoon of maple syrup sweetens the whole dish for eight; the berries do the rest, and there are no sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners.
  • The trade-off: it is still a dessert, with about 214 calories a serving. The portion is small on purpose, and the card shows the figures.

Two bags of frozen blueberries, tossed with lemon juice and a spoon of cornstarch, baked under a topping of rolled oats, sliced almonds, a little butter, cinnamon, and one tablespoon of maple syrup. It comes out of the oven bubbling at the edges with a crisp, nutty top.

Each small serving gets a spoon of plain Greek yogurt, which melts into the warm berries in place of ice cream. The dish makes eight servings of about half a cup each, keeps for four days, and is good cold for breakfast.

Why This Crisp Is a Good Dessert on a GLP-1

Dessert is a real problem on a GLP-1 medication, in both directions. Very sweet foods often cause nausea or a heavy, sick feeling on these medications, because sugar and fat together slow an already slowed stomach.

The sugar-free alternatives are often worse. Many are sweetened with sugar alcohols, ingredients ending in “-ol” such as erythritol, maltitol, and sorbitol. These ferment in the gut and cause gas, cramping, and diarrhea, and the medication makes that more likely.

The answer is a dessert that is neither very sweet nor artificially sweetened. Fruit is the base here, and one tablespoon of maple syrup across eight servings is enough to make it read as dessert without tipping it into the range that causes trouble. There is no cream, no frosting, and no sugar substitute of any kind.

Where the Protein Comes From

Most of the 9 grams is in the Greek yogurt served on top, with a little from the oats and almonds. A dessert with some protein is also a dessert that sits better and does not spike blood sugar the way a sweet one does.

Which other foods tend to cause stomach trouble on these medications, and how to plan a day around small meals, is in Eating on a GLP-1: Protein First, Small Volumes, and What to Skip.

Where the Sweetness Comes From

Frozen blueberries are picked ripe and are as sweet as fresh ones, and baking concentrates them. The lemon juice sharpens the sweetness rather than adding to it, and cinnamon in the topping reads as sweet to the tongue without any sugar. Taste the berries before adding the maple syrup to the topping; a very sweet batch of berries needs none at all.

Frozen mixed berries, cherries, or peaches all work in place of the blueberries. Sweetened frozen fruit, sold in syrup, is the one to avoid.

Portion It Before It Cools

A crisp eaten from the baking dish is a crisp eaten in one sitting. Once it comes out of the oven and has cooled for ten minutes, divide it into eight small containers or ramekins. Each is a serving, ready to eat warm or cold with its spoon of yogurt, and the question of how much to have is already answered.

A small ramekin of blueberry crisp with oat almond topping and a spoon of Greek yogurt in a ramekin.
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Blueberry Crisp With Oat and Almond Topping

Frozen blueberries baked with lemon and a little cornstarch under a topping of rolled oats, sliced almonds, cinnamon, butter, and one tablespoon of maple syrup, served in small portions with plain Greek yogurt. About 9 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber a serving, no sugar alcohols.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Breakfast, dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: frozen blueberry crisp, GLP-1 dessert, healthy fruit crisp, low sugar blueberry crisp, no sugar alcohol dessert, oat almond topping
Servings: 8 small serving (about 1/2 cup) with 1/4 cup yogurt
Calories: 214kcal

Equipment

  • 8-inch square baking dish
  • Eight small containers or ramekins for portioning

Ingredients

Fruit

  • 2 bags (12 ounces each) frozen blueberries unsweetened
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Topping

  • 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds
  • 3 tablespoons butter melted, or olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • pinch of salt

To serve

  • 2 cups plain Greek yogurt (1/4 cup a serving)

Instructions

  • Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Toss the frozen blueberries with the lemon juice and cornstarch in an 8-inch square baking dish and spread them out.
  • Stir the oats, almonds, melted butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl until the oats are coated. Scatter over the berries.
  • Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until the berries bubble at the edges and the topping is golden and crisp. Cool 10 minutes.
  • Divide into 8 small containers or ramekins. Serve each warm or cold with 1/4 cup Greek yogurt on top. Keeps 4 days in the refrigerator.

Notes

Taste the frozen berries first; a sweet batch needs no maple syrup at all. Frozen cherries, mixed berries, or peaches work in place of blueberries. Nut-free: replace the almonds with 1/4 cup more oats and 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds. Dairy-free: use olive oil in the topping and a soy or coconut yogurt on top. Portion the crisp as soon as it cools so each serving is decided in advance.

Nutrition

Calories: 214kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 8.6g | Fat: 9.1g | Saturated Fat: 3.8g | Sodium: 73mg | Potassium: 231mg | Fiber: 5.7g | Sugar: 4.1g | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 1.2mg | Magnesium: 43mg | Phosphorus: 164mg | Choline: 17mg

Gluten Free

This crisp has no flour; the topping is oats and almonds. Oats are naturally free of gluten but are often grown and milled alongside wheat. For people with celiac disease, use rolled oats labeled gluten-free, and check the cornstarch for a gluten-free label, since a few brands are packed on shared lines.

Blueberries, almonds, lemon, cinnamon, butter, and yogurt are naturally free of gluten. People who avoid gluten by preference can use any rolled oats.

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Stuffed Bell Peppers With Lentils and Peas

Two bell pepper halves stuffed with lentils and peas on a plate in a dinner plate.

Nutrition Snapshot

  • About 20 grams of protein and 12 grams of fiber in one stuffed pepper, from the lentils and peas.
  • No meat, little salt, and olive oil in place of butter make this a heart-friendly dinner; the lentils and peppers bring potassium, which helps with blood pressure.
  • The trade-off: none to speak of. The cheese on top adds most of the saturated fat and sodium, and the card shows the amounts.

Brown lentils simmered until tender, then mixed with sautéed onion and garlic, frozen peas, a can of diced tomatoes, cumin, and smoked paprika. The mixture is packed into halved bell peppers, topped with a little shredded cheese, and baked until the peppers are soft and the tops are browned. Two halves make a dinner; the whole pan makes six dinners for about six dollars.

They reheat well and freeze well, and they are the rare budget dinner that looks like company food.

Why Lentils Are the Budget Protein for a Heart-Friendly Dinner

Lentils do two jobs at once for a household on a budget. A pound of dried lentils costs about as much as a single chicken breast and cooks into six cups, with about 18 grams of protein in every cup. Used alone, as here, they are the protein of the dish.

Mixed into ground meat, they stretch a pound of beef across twice as many plates without thinning the protein, because lentils carry their own.

They also happen to be the food most consistently linked to a healthier heart in the research on eating patterns. Lentils and other legumes lower cholesterol, carry potassium that helps blood pressure, and replace meat and its saturated fat on the plate. A dinner built on them is a heart-friendly dinner without any of it being announced.

Where the Protein Comes From

The lentils carry most of the 20 grams in each pepper, the peas and cheese the rest. How lentils compare with other proteins on cost, and how to stretch a pound of meat with them, is in Protein per Dollar: The Cheapest Ways to Eat Enough.

What a Pound of Lentils Costs

Brown or green lentils sell for a dollar or two a pound and keep for a year in the pantry. Unlike beans, they need no soaking, and they cook in about 20 minutes. A pound cooked on Sunday is this dinner, a soup, and a salad.

Cook them in plain water with a bay leaf and salt them at the end, and they hold their shape; canned lentils work in a pinch but turn soft in the filling.

Add Meat or Leave It Out

The recipe is meatless and complete. For a household that wants meat in it, brown a half pound of ground beef or turkey with the onion and use half the lentils. The protein per pepper goes up a little and the cost goes up more. Either way the peppers freeze well, wrapped individually, for two months.

Two bell pepper halves stuffed with lentils and peas on a plate in a dinner plate.
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Stuffed Bell Peppers With Lentils and Peas

Halved bell peppers filled with brown lentils, frozen peas, onion, garlic, diced tomatoes, cumin, and smoked paprika, topped with a little cheese and baked until tender. Meatless, heart-friendly, about a dollar a pepper. About 20 grams of protein and 12 grams of fiber a pepper.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: dinner, lunch
Cuisine: American, Mediterranean
Keyword: budget dinner, freezer meal, heart healthy dinner, high fiber dinner, lentil stuffed peppers, vegetarian stuffed peppers
Servings: 6 stuffed pepper (2 halves)
Calories: 343kcal

Equipment

  • 9×13 baking dish
  • Medium saucepan

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups dried brown or green lentils rinsed
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 6 bell peppers any color, halved lengthwise and seeded
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 can (14.5 ounces) no-salt-added diced tomatoes with their juice
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen peas
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella or cheddar (about 3 ounces)

Instructions

  • Simmer the lentils with the bay leaf in 4 cups of water until tender but not mushy, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain and discard the bay leaf.
  • Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Arrange the pepper halves cut side up in a 9×13 baking dish.
  • Cook the onion in the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until soft, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, and smoked paprika and stir 1 minute. Add the tomatoes with their juice, the peas, salt, and pepper and simmer 3 minutes. Stir in the lentils.
  • Pack the filling into the pepper halves, mounding it. Pour 1/2 cup water into the bottom of the dish. Cover tightly with foil.
  • Bake 30 minutes covered, until the peppers are tender. Uncover, top with the cheese, and bake 10 minutes more, until browned.
  • Serve 2 halves a person. Keeps 4 days refrigerated; wrap halves individually to freeze up to 2 months.

Notes

For a household that wants meat, brown 1/2 pound ground beef or turkey with the onion and use 1 cup of lentils. Dairy-free: skip the cheese and top with a spoon of the lentil filling’s own liquid and a few pumpkin seeds. Any leftover cooked lentils go into soup or a salad; a pound of dried lentils cooks into about 6 cups. Lower-sodium version: skip the cheese, which cuts the sodium by about a third.

Nutrition

Calories: 343kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 8.8g | Saturated Fat: 2.5g | Sodium: 442mg | Potassium: 902mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 12g | Calcium: 175mg | Iron: 5.3mg | Magnesium: 66mg | Phosphorus: 303mg | Choline: 73mg

Gluten Free

Lentils, peppers, peas, tomatoes, onion, spices, and cheese are naturally free of gluten, and there is no rice, bread, or flour in the filling. For people with celiac disease, choose dried lentils labeled gluten-free, since some are packed on lines shared with wheat.

Check spice blends for wheat flour and shredded cheese for wheat-based anti-caking starch. People who avoid gluten by preference can use any lentils.

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Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower Tray for the Week With Miso-Tahini Dressing

A sheet pan of roasted broccoli and cauliflower with miso-tahini dressing in the pan.

Nutrition Snapshot

  • About 6 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber in one serving, from the vegetables, the tahini, and the miso.
  • Miso is fermented soybean paste, and the dressing is stirred in after roasting so the live cultures are not cooked.
  • The trade-off: miso is salty, so this is a moderately high-sodium side even with no added salt. The card shows the amount, and the notes show how to lower it.

Two bags of frozen broccoli and cauliflower spread on a sheet pan straight from the freezer, tossed with olive oil, and roasted hot until the edges brown and crisp. The dressing is whisked in a jar: white miso, tahini, lemon juice, grated garlic, and enough warm water to make it pour.

Half goes over the tray while it is warm; the rest waits in the refrigerator for the week’s bowls and lunches.

The tray keeps for four days and is eaten cold, room temperature, or reheated. It goes beside tofu or beans as a side, over rice or quinoa as a bowl, or into a wrap with hummus.

Why a Miso Dressing Is Good for the Gut on a Plant-Based Pattern

A plant-based pattern is already good for the gut, because the fiber in vegetables, beans, and whole grains is what the bacteria of the large intestine feed on. Fermented foods add the other half: live cultures of their own.

Miso, made from soybeans fermented with salt and a culture for months, is one of the oldest, and it carries a savory depth that makes plain roasted vegetables taste like something.

The cultures in miso are killed by heat. So the dressing goes on after the vegetables come out of the oven and have cooled for a few minutes, and the rest is stored cold.

The tahini, which is ground sesame, adds fat, calcium, and a little protein, and the lemon keeps the whole thing bright. Together they turn a bag of frozen vegetables into the part of the meal people go back for.

Why plant-based eaters need somewhat more protein over a day, and how fermented soy foods fit into it, is in Plant Protein That Builds Muscle: Leucine, Pairing, and How Much More You Need.

A sheet pan of roasted broccoli and cauliflower with miso-tahini dressing in the pan.
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Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower Tray for the Week With Miso-Tahini Dressing

Two bags of frozen broccoli and cauliflower roasted on one sheet pan, dressed after roasting with a miso, tahini, lemon, and garlic sauce. A make-ahead vegan side for the week with about 6 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber a serving.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Japanese
Keyword: fermented food recipe, meal prep vegetables, miso tahini dressing, roasted frozen vegetables, sheet pan vegetables, vegan side dish
Servings: 6 serving (about 1 cup, dressed)
Calories: 144kcal

Equipment

  • Two rimmed sheet pans
  • Pint jar with lid

Ingredients

Tray

  • 1 bag (16 ounces) frozen broccoli florets
  • 1 bag (16 ounces) frozen cauliflower florets
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Miso-tahini dressing

  • 3 tablespoons white miso
  • 3 tablespoons tahini
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic grated
  • 1/4 cup warm water plus more to thin
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey (optional)

Instructions

  • Heat the oven to 450 degrees F. Spread the frozen broccoli and cauliflower on two rimmed sheet pans in a single layer without thawing. Toss with the olive oil and pepper.
  • Roast 22 to 28 minutes, turning once halfway, until the edges are browned and crisp and the water has cooked off.
  • Whisk the miso, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and warm water in a jar until smooth and pourable, adding water a tablespoon at a time. Taste; add the maple syrup if it needs rounding.
  • Let the vegetables cool for 5 minutes, then toss with half the dressing. Store the tray in a covered container and the remaining dressing in the jar, both refrigerated, up to 4 days.
  • Serve cold, at room temperature, or reheated, with more dressing spooned over.

Notes

Lower-sodium version: use 2 tablespoons miso and 4 tablespoons tahini, which cuts the sodium by about a third. Add the dressing after roasting, once the vegetables have cooled a few minutes, so the miso cultures are not cooked. Any frozen vegetable roasts the same way: green beans, Brussels sprouts, carrots, a mixed blend. The dressing also goes on grain bowls, tofu, and salads. Sesame allergy: replace the tahini with sunflower seed butter.

Nutrition

Calories: 144kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 6.1g | Fat: 9.3g | Saturated Fat: 1.3g | Sodium: 354mg | Potassium: 380mg | Fiber: 4.9g | Sugar: 4.1g | Calcium: 138mg | Iron: 2.7mg | Magnesium: 55mg | Phosphorus: 129mg | Choline: 50mg

Gluten Free

Broccoli, cauliflower, tahini, lemon, garlic, and olive oil are naturally free of gluten. Miso is the ingredient to check. For people with celiac disease, choose a miso made from soybeans and rice and labeled gluten-free, since some miso is made with barley or wheat. Plain tahini lists only sesame. People who avoid gluten by preference can use any miso.

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Egg and Avocado Toast on Whole-Grain Bread

Two poached eggs on avocado toast on a small plate in a small plate.

Nutrition Snapshot

  • About 23 grams of protein in one slice with two eggs, from eggs and cottage cheese.
  • Avocado and whole-grain bread bring about 4 grams of fiber, and the eggs are poached in water, with no added cooking fat.
  • The trade-off: avocado makes this a moderately high-fat lunch even with no frying. The card shows the amount, and the notes give a lighter version.

One slice of whole-grain bread, toasted, spread with a quarter of an avocado mashed with lemon juice and cottage cheese. On top, two eggs poached in water until the whites are set and the yolks are still soft. Salt, pepper, and a few drops of hot sauce. Ten minutes, one pan of water, one slice.

It is a small lunch by design, and a complete one.

Why This Toast Sits Well on a GLP-1

GLP-1 medications slow the rate at which the stomach empties. Food sits longer, which is part of how the medications reduce appetite. It is also why some meals cause nausea, a heavy feeling, or worse, and fat is the biggest offender. Fat already slows stomach emptying on its own, so a fried or greasy meal on a GLP-1 can sit for hours.

Lean, moist food moves through more comfortably. Eggs poached in water are about as lean as eggs get, and the moisture in a poached egg and a mashed avocado is easier on a slowed stomach than anything dry or crisp. The avocado brings some fat, and it is a modest amount of the unsaturated kind, spread across a small meal rather than concentrated in a fried patty.

The Protein Still Comes First

Two eggs and a quarter cup of cottage cheese carry about 23 grams of protein, which is the reason this is a lunch rather than a snack. On a GLP-1, protein has to be in the first bites, because the meal may end early. Here the eggs are on top, and the toast is underneath.

Which foods most often cause nausea on these medications, and how to build a day of small meals, is in Eating on a GLP-1: Protein First, Small Volumes, and What to Skip.

Poach the Eggs in Water

Poaching sounds fussy and is not. Bring two inches of water to a bare simmer in a small pan, add a splash of vinegar, crack each egg into a cup, and lower it into the water. Three to four minutes gives a set white and a soft yolk. Lift out with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel.

The vinegar helps the white hold together, and the eggs come out with no added fat at all.

A firm scramble cooked in a nonstick pan with no butter works too. Fried eggs, with the oil that frying needs, are the version to skip on the days the stomach is slow.

Keep It to One Slice

The usual two slices of toast is a volume problem on a GLP-1, because bread swells and the meal ends before the protein is eaten. One slice under two eggs keeps the protein in front and the volume small. On a day with more appetite, add a second egg rather than a second slice.

Two poached eggs on avocado toast on a small plate in a small plate.
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Egg and Avocado Toast on Whole-Grain Bread

One slice of whole-grain toast with mashed avocado, lemon, and cottage cheese, topped with two water-poached eggs. Lean, moist, small, and about 23 grams of protein.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time8 minutes
Total Time13 minutes
Course: Breakfast, lunch
Cuisine: American
Keyword: avocado toast with egg, egg avocado toast, GLP-1 lunch, poached egg toast, small high protein lunch
Servings: 1 slice with 2 eggs
Calories: 324kcal

Equipment

  • Small saucepan
  • Slotted Spoon
  • Toaster

Ingredients

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar for the poaching water
  • 1 slice whole-grain bread
  • 1/4 ripe avocado
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup 2 percent cottage cheese
  • pinch of salt black pepper, and a few drops of hot sauce

Instructions

  • Bring 2 inches of water to a bare simmer in a small saucepan and add the vinegar. Toast the bread.
  • Mash the avocado with the lemon juice, cottage cheese, and a pinch of salt. Spread it on the toast.
  • Crack each egg into a small cup and lower it into the water. Poach 3 to 4 minutes, until the whites are set and the yolks still soft. Lift out with a slotted spoon and blot on a paper towel.
  • Set the eggs on the avocado toast. Add pepper and hot sauce.

Notes

Lighter version: use one egg and two egg whites, which keeps the protein and cuts the fat by about a third. A firm scramble in a nonstick pan with no butter works in place of poaching. On a day with more appetite, add a third egg rather than a second slice. Frozen avocado chunks, thawed, work in place of fresh.

Nutrition

Calories: 324kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 4.8g | Sodium: 618mg | Potassium: 459mg | Fiber: 4.2g | Sugar: 4.3g | Calcium: 174mg | Iron: 2.8mg | Magnesium: 51mg | Phosphorus: 368mg | Choline: 317mg

Gluten Free

Whole-grain bread contains gluten, so this needs a swap to be gluten-free: use a gluten-free bread, toasted. Eggs, avocado, lemon, and cottage cheese are naturally free of gluten. For people with celiac disease, choose bread with a gluten-free label rather than “wheat-free,” and check the hot sauce for malt vinegar and the cottage cheese for modified food starch. People who avoid gluten by preference can use any bread they like.

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Savory Egg and Carrot Custard

A ramekin of savory egg and carrot custard with a spoon in a ramekin.

Nutrition Snapshot

  • About 13 grams of protein in one ramekin, from eggs, cottage cheese, and milk, cooked all the way through.
  • Carrot, ginger, and turmeric give it color and a gentle warmth without any sharpness, and the eggs bring choline and vitamin D.
  • The trade-off: none to speak of. It is a small, mild dish by design, and the card shows the figures.

Frozen carrots cooked soft and blended smooth with eggs, cottage cheese, milk, a little grated ginger, turmeric, and salt. The mixture goes into four ramekins and bakes in a pan of hot water until each one is set all the way through, like a soft flan. It is eaten warm with a spoon. Four ramekins keep in the refrigerator for three days and reheat gently in a minute.

The texture is smooth with no lumps, and the flavor is soft and a little sweet from the carrot. It is the kind of thing that can be eaten when nothing else appeals.

Why This Custard Is a Safe, Soft Breakfast When Immunity Is Low

When the immune system is weakened, by chemotherapy, by certain medications, or by illness, ordinary food carries a risk it does not carry for other people. Bacteria that a healthy body shrugs off can cause a serious infection. So the rules change: no raw or runny eggs, no soft or unpasteurized cheese, no raw sprouts, no deli meat unless it is heated, and nothing from a buffet.

Eggs are the food people miss most under those rules, because most of the good ways to cook them leave the yolk soft. A baked custard solves that. The eggs are mixed with milk and cooked to 160 degrees all the way through, which is the temperature that makes eggs safe, and the result is still soft and moist rather than rubbery.

Every ingredient is either cooked through or pasteurized, and the dish is made fresh and kept cold.

Where the Protein Comes From

The eggs carry most of the 13 grams, and the cottage cheese and milk the rest. It is a modest amount for a meal, on purpose: this is a dish for a day when a small ramekin is what can be managed, and a second ramekin later in the morning doubles it.

Which foods are on the safe list, and how to cook for a changed sense of taste, is in When Nothing Tastes Right: Cooking Through Altered Taste and Nausea.

Cook It Through and Check It

A water bath, a pan of hot water that the ramekins sit in while they bake, keeps the custard from curdling at the edges before the middle is done. The custards are ready when a knife slipped into the center comes out clean and the center no longer wobbles as liquid. An instant-read thermometer takes the guesswork out: 160 degrees F in the middle is done and safe.

Cool for five minutes and eat warm, or chill and eat cold.

Reheat a chilled custard in the microwave on medium power for about a minute, until hot through, rather than warm.

Ginger and Turmeric for a Changed Palate

Treatment often changes how food tastes: metallic, flat, or too strong. Ginger is one of the few flavors most people still find pleasant, and it settles a queasy stomach. Turmeric adds color and a mild earthiness, and both are the spices the anti-inflammatory research keeps returning to. Neither is strong here; a quarter teaspoon of each for four custards.

Leave them out entirely on a day when anything with flavor is too much, and the plain carrot custard still works.

A ramekin of savory egg and carrot custard with a spoon in a ramekin.
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Savory Egg and Carrot Custard

Cooked carrot blended smooth with eggs, milk, ginger, and turmeric, baked in ramekins in a water bath until fully set. A soft, warm, fully cooked breakfast for a weakened immune system. About 13 grams of protein a ramekin.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chemo friendly breakfast, egg custard, immune safe recipe, pureed breakfast, savory custard, soft food recipe
Servings: 4 ramekin (8 ounces)
Calories: 171kcal

Equipment

  • Four 8-ounce ramekins
  • Blender
  • 9×13 baking dish for the water bath
  • Instant-read thermometer

Ingredients

  • 1 cup frozen sliced carrots
  • 5 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup 2 percent cottage cheese
  • 1 cup whole milk (pasteurized)
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger or 1/4 teaspoon ground
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • pinch of black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon butter for the ramekins

Instructions

  • Heat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter four 8-ounce ramekins and set them in a 9×13 baking dish. Put a kettle of water on to boil.
  • Cook the carrots in a small pan with 1/4 cup water, covered, until very soft, about 8 minutes. Drain.
  • Blend the carrots with the eggs, cottage cheese, milk, ginger, turmeric, salt, and pepper until completely smooth, about 30 seconds.
  • Pour the mixture into the ramekins. Pour hot water into the baking dish around the ramekins until it comes halfway up their sides.
  • Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until a knife in the center comes out clean and a thermometer reads 160 degrees F in the middle of a custard. The centers should no longer wobble as liquid.
  • Lift the ramekins out of the water. Cool 5 minutes and eat warm, or chill. Keeps 3 days covered in the refrigerator; reheat on medium power in the microwave about 1 minute, until hot through.

Notes

For people with a weakened immune system: use pasteurized milk, cook to 160 degrees F, refrigerate within an hour, and eat within 3 days; reheat until hot through, not just warm. For more protein, add 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan to the blender. Frozen butternut squash or sweet potato can replace the carrots. Leave out the ginger and turmeric on a day when any flavor is too much.

Nutrition

Calories: 171kcal | Carbohydrates: 7.4g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 9.7g | Saturated Fat: 4.1g | Sodium: 377mg | Potassium: 283mg | Fiber: 1.1g | Sugar: 6g | Calcium: 148mg | Iron: 1.4mg | Magnesium: 21mg | Phosphorus: 229mg | Choline: 200mg

Gluten Free

Eggs, milk, carrots, ginger, and turmeric are naturally free of gluten, and there is no flour or bread in this custard. For people with celiac disease, the only label to check is the ground turmeric or any spice blend, since a few add wheat flour as a filler; pure ground turmeric lists only turmeric. People who avoid gluten by preference can use any spice.

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Cottage Cheese Egg Skillet for One With Caramelized Onions

A small skillet of cottage cheese eggs with caramelized onions and melted cheddar in the pan.

Nutrition Snapshot

  • About 28 grams of protein in one small skillet, from two eggs and a half cup of cottage cheese.
  • Every ingredient keeps for weeks, so nothing is bought for this and thrown away later.
  • The trade-off: cottage cheese and cheddar make this a higher-sodium, higher-fat breakfast. The card shows the amounts, and the notes show how to lower them.

A spoonful of caramelized onions warmed in a small skillet, two eggs whisked with a half cup of cottage cheese poured over them, a lid on, and six minutes on low heat until the eggs are just set. A little sharp cheddar on top melts in the last minute. It is eaten out of the skillet or slid onto a plate, with hot sauce or black pepper.

The onions are the only part that takes time, and they are made once, on a Sunday, for the week.

Why This Skillet Is Great When You Cook for One

People who live alone under-eat protein, and the reason is usually waste rather than appetite. A pound of chicken is four servings, a bunch of greens is six, and cooking any of it for one person means eating the same thing for days or throwing half away. So breakfast becomes toast, and dinner becomes whatever comes in a single portion, which is usually carbohydrate.

Eggs, cottage cheese, canned fish, and hard cheese solve the waste problem, because each portion comes out of a container that keeps. A dozen eggs lasts three weeks. A tub of cottage cheese lasts two after opening. Nothing here goes bad before it is eaten, and a half cup of cottage cheese with two eggs puts about 28 grams of protein into a breakfast that used to have six.

Cottage Cheese Is the Quiet Protein

Cottage cheese carries about 12 grams of protein in a half cup, more than the two eggs together, and whisked into eggs it disappears; the curds melt into a soft, custardy texture. It also carries casein, a slow-digesting milk protein that keeps a breakfast working until lunch.

Which other proteins are no-waste for one person, and how to shop for a week without a full refrigerator, is in Cooking for One Without Under-Eating Protein.

Caramelize Onions Once for the Week

Two large onions, sliced thin and cooked slowly in a tablespoon of olive oil with a pinch of salt for about 40 minutes, make a cup of soft, sweet, brown onions. Keep them in a jar in the refrigerator for a week or freeze them in an ice cube tray. Two tablespoons go into this skillet; the rest go onto sandwiches, into soup, and over any plain protein.

Frozen chopped onions work for this and skip the slicing. On a morning with no onions at all, a handful of thawed frozen spinach or a spoon of salsa goes in their place.

Three Other Ways to Finish It

Salsa and a few slices of avocado. A spoon of pesto and the cheddar swapped for Parmesan. Smoked salmon torn over the top after the eggs set, with the cheddar left out. The eggs and cottage cheese stay the same each time, so the protein does too.

A small skillet of cottage cheese eggs with caramelized onions and melted cheddar in the pan.
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Cottage Cheese Egg Skillet for One With Caramelized Onions

Two eggs whisked with a half cup of cottage cheese, set gently over caramelized onions in a small covered skillet, with sharp cheddar melted on top. One serving, about 28 grams of protein, nothing left over.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time8 minutes
Total Time13 minutes
Course: Breakfast, lunch
Cuisine: American
Keyword: breakfast for one, caramelized onions, cottage cheese eggs, high protein breakfast, single serving eggs, skillet eggs
Servings: 1 skillet
Calories: 373kcal

Equipment

  • 6-inch or 8-inch nonstick skillet with lid

Ingredients

Skillet

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup 2 percent cottage cheese
  • 2 tablespoons caramelized onions (below) or 2 tablespoons frozen chopped onions cooked 3 minutes in the oil
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil or butter
  • 2 tablespoons shredded sharp cheddar
  • black pepper and hot sauce to taste

Caramelized onions for the week (makes about 1 cup)

  • 2 large onions thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Onions for the week: cook the sliced onions in the oil with the salt in a wide skillet over medium-low heat, stirring now and then, until deep golden and soft, 35 to 45 minutes. Refrigerate up to a week or freeze in an ice cube tray.
  • For the skillet: whisk the eggs with the cottage cheese and a little pepper until blended; curds are fine.
  • Warm the oil or butter in a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add 2 tablespoons caramelized onions and spread them out.
  • Pour the egg mixture over the onions, cover, and cook on low until the eggs are set at the edges and barely wobble in the center, 5 to 7 minutes.
  • Scatter the cheddar over the top, cover 1 minute more to melt, then eat from the skillet or slide onto a plate. Hot sauce to taste.

Notes

Lower-sodium version: use no-salt-added cottage cheese and skip the cheddar, which cuts the sodium by more than half; a spoon of salsa adds flavor back. For fewer calories, use 1 percent cottage cheese and leave out the cheddar. Other finishes: salsa and avocado; pesto and Parmesan; smoked salmon torn over the set eggs. Two skillets at once feeds two.

Nutrition

Calories: 373kcal | Carbohydrates: 9.4g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 8.3g | Sodium: 738mg | Potassium: 334mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 6.2g | Calcium: 288mg | Iron: 2mg | Magnesium: 29mg | Phosphorus: 440mg | Choline: 316mg

Gluten Free

Eggs, cottage cheese, onions, olive oil, and cheddar are naturally free of gluten, and there is no bread or flour in the skillet. For people with celiac disease, check the cottage cheese label, since a few brands add modified food starch, and check any hot sauce for malt vinegar. People who avoid gluten by preference can use any brand.

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Dutch-Oven Black Bean and Sweet Potato Stew Over the Fire

Nutrition Snapshot

  • About 21 grams of protein and 8 milligrams of iron in one bowl, from black beans and sweet potatoes.
  • The lime and the tomatoes are the vitamin C that lets the body take up iron from beans, and about 22 grams of fiber a bowl keep it filling.
  • The trade-off: canned beans and tomatoes make this a salty stew even with low-sodium cans. The card shows the amount, and the notes show how to lower it.

Onion and garlic softened in oil in a camp Dutch oven set over coals, then cumin, smoked paprika, three cans of black beans, a can of diced tomatoes, cubed sweet potatoes, and chopped peppers. The lid goes on with a few coals on top. Thirty-five minutes later the sweet potatoes are soft and the stew has thickened, and lime juice and cilantro go in at the end, off the heat.

Everything but the peppers and the herb is shelf-stable, so the whole meal rides in a food box and the cooler stays for other things. It serves four hungry campers from one pot, and a stove at home works the same way.

Why This Stew Is Great for Iron on a Plant-Based Camping Trip

Beans carry plenty of iron, and the body absorbs only a small share of it, because plant iron comes in a form the gut takes up poorly. Two things change that. Vitamin C eaten in the same meal can double or triple the amount absorbed, and tea or coffee with the meal cuts it sharply.

Neither fact is well known, and both matter more on a plant-based pattern, where all the iron is plant iron.

This pot is built around the first fact. The tomatoes cook in the stew, and the lime goes in at the end so its vitamin C is not cooked away. The camp coffee is the second fact: drink it an hour before or after this meal rather than with it, and the beans do their work.

The protein here is beans and pumpkin seeds, which puts a bowl at about 21 grams, a fair share of a day on a plant-based pattern.

Why plant-based eaters need somewhat more total protein than meat eaters, and which plant foods carry the most, is in Plant Protein That Builds Muscle: Leucine, Pairing, and How Much More You Need.

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Dutch-Oven Black Bean and Sweet Potato Stew Over the Fire

Black beans, sweet potatoes, canned tomatoes, and peppers with cumin and smoked paprika, cooked in a camp Dutch oven over coals and finished with lime and cilantro. Vegan, one pot, no cooler needed. About 21 grams of protein and 8 milligrams of iron a bowl.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: dinner
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Keyword: black bean sweet potato stew, campfire cooking, camping stew, dutch oven camping recipe, one pot camping meal, vegan camping dinner
Servings: 4 bowl (about 2 cups)
Calories: 515kcal

Equipment

  • 10-inch or 12-inch camp Dutch oven with lid
  • Lid lifter
  • Heat-resistant gloves
  • Can opener

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 3 cans (15 ounces each) low-sodium black beans drained, with 1/2 cup of the liquid kept
  • 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes with their juice
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds) peeled and cut in 3/4-inch cubes
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped bell peppers (frozen chopped peppers or 1 jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped)
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
  • 2 limes juiced
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds for the top

Instructions

  • Build a bed of coals or light about 24 charcoal briquettes and let them ash over. Set the Dutch oven on a ring of about 12 coals.
  • Heat the oil and cook the onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, and smoked paprika and stir for 1 minute.
  • Add the beans with the kept liquid, the tomatoes with their juice, the sweet potatoes, peppers, water, and salt. Stir and put the lid on. Set about 8 coals on the lid.
  • Cook until the sweet potatoes are soft and the stew has thickened, 30 to 35 minutes, lifting the lid once to stir. Rotate the pot a quarter turn halfway through so it cooks evenly.
  • Take the pot off the coals. Stir in the lime juice and cilantro. Taste for salt. Serve in bowls with pumpkin seeds on top.

Notes

Lower-sodium version: use no-salt-added beans and tomatoes and skip the added salt; the lime carries the flavor. At home, the same pot cooks on the stove over medium-low heat in about 30 minutes. Canned beans are convenient and travel well; at home, a pound of dried black beans cooked ahead and frozen in 1 3/4-cup portions replaces the three cans, costs less, and skips the can lining. Drink coffee or tea an hour apart from this meal so the iron in the beans is absorbed. Leftovers keep 4 days cold.

Nutrition

Calories: 515kcal | Carbohydrates: 78g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2.6g | Sodium: 757mg | Potassium: 1624mg | Fiber: 22g | Sugar: 14g | Calcium: 189mg | Iron: 7.9mg | Magnesium: 226mg | Phosphorus: 522mg | Choline: 86mg

Gluten Free

Beans, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, onion, spices, and lime are naturally free of gluten. For people with celiac disease, check the canned beans and tomatoes for wheat-based thickeners and the spice blends for wheat flour. Use a Dutch oven that has been scrubbed since it last held biscuits or breaded food. People who avoid gluten by preference can use any brand.

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White Bean and Spinach Sandwich on Whole-Grain Bread

A white bean and spinach sandwich on whole-grain bread, cut in half in a dinner plate.

Nutrition Snapshot

  • About 25 grams of protein and 6 milligrams of iron in one sandwich, from white beans and spinach.
  • The lemon in the beans is there for a reason: vitamin C helps the body absorb iron from plant foods, and beans and spinach are plant iron.
  • The trade-off: bread and cheddar make this a salty sandwich. The card shows the amount, and the notes show how to lower it.

A can of white beans mashed with lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and black pepper into a rough spread. It goes onto toasted whole-grain bread with a layer of spinach and a slice of sharp cheddar. It is a cold sandwich that packs well, needs no deli counter, and takes ten minutes for two.

The bean spread keeps for four days in the refrigerator, so the second and third sandwiches are two-minute jobs.

Why This Sandwich Is a Good Lunch for Iron in Pregnancy

Iron needs nearly double in pregnancy, because the body is building more blood and the baby is storing iron for its first months. Most pregnant adults are told to eat more iron and are handed a supplement, and a lunch that carries iron on its own makes the target easier to reach.

Beans and spinach carry iron in the plant form, which the body absorbs less well than the iron in meat unless a vitamin C food is eaten at the same time. Lemon juice is the vitamin C here, mashed straight into the beans. Tea and coffee at the meal work the other way and cut absorption, so drink them an hour apart from lunch.

The sandwich also answers the deli-meat problem. Cold deli meat carries a listeria risk in pregnancy unless it is heated, and a bean spread carries none. How much iron pregnancy calls for, which foods carry the most, and what else the second and third trimesters change is in The Pregnancy Plate: Choline, Iron, Folate, and DHA From Food.

A white bean and spinach sandwich on whole-grain bread, cut in half in a dinner plate.
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White Bean and Spinach Sandwich on Whole-Grain Bread

White beans mashed with lemon, olive oil, and garlic, piled on toasted whole-grain bread with spinach and sharp cheddar. A cold lunch with about 25 grams of protein and 6 milligrams of iron, no deli meat.
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: lunch
Cuisine: American
Keyword: iron rich lunch, lunchbox, no deli meat, pregnancy lunch, vegetarian sandwich, white bean sandwich
Servings: 2 sandwich
Calories: 494kcal

Equipment

  • Fork or potato masher
  • Toaster

Ingredients

  • 1 can (15 ounces) low-sodium white beans such as cannellini, rinsed and drained
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 small clove garlic grated
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 4 slices whole-grain bread toasted
  • 1 cup baby spinach or 1/3 cup thawed frozen spinach squeezed dry
  • 2 ounces sharp cheddar sliced
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional)

Instructions

  • Mash the beans in a bowl with the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and pepper until they hold together but stay rough. Taste; add more lemon if it needs brightness.
  • Spread mustard on two slices of toast if using. Divide the bean spread over them, about 1/2 cup each, and press it down.
  • Lay the spinach over the beans and the cheddar over the spinach. Close with the second slice of toast and press.
  • Cut in half. For a lunchbox, wrap tightly; keeps cold for a day. The bean spread alone keeps 4 days in the refrigerator.

Notes

Lower-sodium version: use no-salt-added beans, a lower-sodium bread, and Swiss in place of cheddar, which cuts the sodium by about a third. For more iron and protein, add 2 ounces of leftover cooked chicken or a sliced hard-cooked egg. Canned beans are convenient; a pound of dried white beans cooked ahead and frozen in 1 3/4-cup portions replaces the can, costs less, and skips the can lining. All dairy here is pasteurized; keep it that way in pregnancy.

Nutrition

Calories: 494kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 6.9g | Sodium: 963mg | Potassium: 880mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 3.6g | Calcium: 421mg | Iron: 6.1mg | Magnesium: 136mg | Phosphorus: 398mg | Choline: 26mg

Gluten Free

Whole-grain bread contains gluten, so this sandwich needs a swap to be gluten-free: use a gluten-free bread, toasted, since most gluten-free breads are better toasted. Beans, spinach, lemon, olive oil, and cheddar are naturally free of gluten. For people with celiac disease, check the canned beans for wheat-based thickeners and the bread for a gluten-free label rather than “wheat-free.”

People who avoid gluten by preference can use any bread they like.

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Banana Chia Pudding With Protein Powder

A jar of banana chia pudding with a spoon in a shallow bowl.

Nutrition Snapshot

  • About 19 grams of protein in one jar, from protein powder and milk, with nothing to chew.
  • Chia seeds bring about 9 grams of fiber and a plant form of omega-3 fat; the banana brings the sweetness, so no sugar is added.
  • The trade-off: the banana makes this a moderately high-carbohydrate snack. The card shows the amount, and the notes give a lower-carbohydrate version.

Chia seeds stirred into milk with a mashed ripe banana, vanilla protein powder, and a pinch of cinnamon, poured into jars and left in the refrigerator overnight. By morning the seeds have swollen into a soft, spoonable pudding with the texture of tapioca. Make four jars on Sunday and there is a snack ready every afternoon through Thursday.

It is eaten cold with a spoon. A spoon of plain yogurt or a few thawed frozen berries on top are good and optional.

Why This Pudding Is Great When Chewing Is Tiring

When chewing becomes an effort, because of dentures, a sore jaw, or missing teeth, people quietly change what they eat. Meat is the first thing to go, then raw vegetables and nuts. What replaces them is soft and easy: toast, crackers, cereal, pudding, mashed potatoes. All of it is carbohydrate, and almost none of it is protein.

Over months, that shift shows up as lost muscle and lost strength, at exactly the age when muscle is hardest to rebuild. The fix is a soft food that carries protein, so that the easy choice is also the one the body needs. This pudding is that food: soft enough to eat with no chewing at all, and carrying about 19 grams of protein in a jar.

Where the Protein Comes From

The protein powder supplies most of it and the milk most of the rest. Chia adds a few grams. Why protein matters more after 65, and how much a day calls for, is in Why Aging Muscle Stops Responding to Protein.

Chia for Omega-3 and Fiber

Chia seeds are small enough to swallow without chewing once they have soaked, and they do two useful things. They carry fiber of the kind that holds water and keeps digestion regular, which matters more after 65.

They also carry a plant form of omega-3 fat called ALA. The body converts only a little of ALA to the omega-3 found in fish, so chia adds to fish rather than replacing it. Two servings of fish a week still stands.

Choosing a Protein Powder

Any plain or vanilla protein powder works. Whey, which comes from milk, gives the most protein per scoop and the most leucine, the amino acid that signals muscle to rebuild. A pea or soy powder works for anyone avoiding dairy; use a scoop and a half.

Choose a powder with no sugar alcohols, which can upset the stomach. Check that a scoop carries at least 20 grams of protein, because scoops vary widely.

A jar of banana chia pudding with a spoon in a shallow bowl.
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Banana Chia Pudding With Protein Powder

Chia seeds, milk, mashed banana, vanilla protein powder, and cinnamon, stirred and set overnight into a soft spoonable pudding. About 19 grams of protein a jar, no cooking and no chewing.
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chia pudding, high protein snack, make ahead, no cook, protein chia pudding, soft snack
Servings: 4 jar (about 1 cup)
Calories: 301kcal

Equipment

  • Four half-pint jars with lids
  • Whisk

Ingredients

  • 2 ripe bananas mashed smooth (about 1 cup)
  • 3 cups 2 percent milk
  • 2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder (about 60 grams 40 grams protein)
  • 1/2 cup chia seeds
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

  • In a bowl, whisk the milk with the protein powder, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until no lumps remain. Whisk in the mashed banana.
  • Stir in the chia seeds. Wait 5 minutes and stir again so the seeds do not settle in a layer.
  • Divide among 4 jars, cover, and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. The pudding will thicken to the texture of tapioca.
  • Stir before eating. Keeps 4 days in the refrigerator.

Notes

Lower-carbohydrate version: use one banana instead of two and add 1/4 cup more milk. Dairy-free: use soy milk, which keeps the protein, and a pea or soy protein powder at a scoop and a half. For a smoother pudding with no seed texture, blend everything for 30 seconds before it sets. Thawed frozen blueberries or a spoon of plain yogurt on top are good.

Nutrition

Calories: 301kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3.2g | Sodium: 194mg | Potassium: 685mg | Fiber: 8.9g | Sugar: 17g | Calcium: 463mg | Iron: 2mg | Magnesium: 142mg | Phosphorus: 449mg | Choline: 70mg

Gluten Free

Chia seeds, milk, banana, and cinnamon are naturally free of gluten. For people with celiac disease, the protein powder is the ingredient to check: choose one labeled gluten-free, since some are made on shared lines or use oat or barley ingredients. People who avoid gluten by preference can use any protein powder.

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