You want to craft the perfect diet plan, but hitting your macros is hard.
You know that you have to eat a lot of protein, but does that mean meal after meal of chicken breasts washed down with protein shakes?
Nope! You can have a lot more fun than that.
Give your shaker bottle some time off and try some protein pudding instead. They’re just as easy to make but way more delicious.
Rich, creamy puddings may feel like dessert, but these recipes are packed with protein and light on added sugar and fat.
It’s also a nice change of pace to actually get to chew your protein snack instead of chugging it down in 5 seconds flat.
These protein pudding recipes range from light afternoon snack to hearty breakfast-sized portions, so there’s something for everyone.
Enjoy!
Picture courtesy of Craving Nature
It’s hard to go a whole summer without pudding pops. The packaged kind may be low in calories, but it doesn’t deliver any useful nutrition.
This homemade fudgsicle only requires five common ingredients, and there’s no protein powder required. Instead the protein comes from black beans, sweetened with Medjool dates.
Serves 6
Ingredients
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup unsweetened cacao powder
6 large Medjool dates, pitted
3 Tbsp. unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. sea salt
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 124
Protein: 5 grams
Carbs: 20 grams
Fat: 5 grams
Picture courtesy of Physical Kitchness
This simple cashew butter pudding will work with any kind of protein powder. So whether you use a vegan blend like Kashi or a clean whey protein isolate, be sure to choose one that uses all-natural flavors.
Then it’ll blend with the real vanilla bean for a perfect no-fuss pudding – like instant mix only better tasting and better for you.
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 scoops vegan vanilla protein powder
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/3 cup cashew butter
1 vanilla bean pod, seeds removed
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 304
Protein: 7 grams
Carbs: 26 grams
Fat: 13 grams
Picture courtesy of Epicurean Bodybuilder
This filling dessert-for-one is made with French bread, so it feels plenty indulgent.
But when you add a scoop of protein powder and fresh fruit, there’s more protein in this bread pudding than anything else. On top of that, you’ll get to enjoy a decadent sweet treat without any added sugar.
Serves 1
Ingredients
1 slice French bread, cubed
2 large eggs
1/4 cup low-fat milk
1 Tbsp. Splenda (or sweetener of choice)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup mixed berries
1 scoop + 1 Tbsp. WHEY+ vanilla protein isolate
1 Tbsp. water (more if needed)
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 533
Protein: 52 grams
Carbs: 49 grams
Fat: 13 grams
Picture courtesy of The Diet Chef
The creamiest pies have a pudding base, so just add a crust, and you can enjoy a slice instead of eating protein pudding from a bowl. This simple crust is made from a mix of wheat flour, whey protein, and coconut to make a low-fat protein pie.
But if you want to adjust the macros for your meal plan, use this chocolate pudding pie filling with another kind of crust, like one made from almond flour.
Serves 6
Ingredients
Filling:
1 scoop WHEY+ chocolate protein isolate
1 box (1.4 oz.) sugar-free chocolate instant pudding mix
1 1/2 cups skim milk
Crust:
1 cup self-rising flour
1/6 cup granulated stevia (or sweetener of choice)
1/4 cup coconut flour
1 scoop WHEY+ vanilla protein isolate
1 large egg
1 egg white
2 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 234
Protein: 15 grams
Carbs: 35 grams
Fat: 6 grams
Picture courtesy of Simply Quinoa
How can vegetables and chia seeds taste like cake? This high-protein chia pudding has everything you’d find in a classic carrot cake except the flour, eggs, and added sugar.
That still leaves plenty to enjoy, like the natural sugar in the carrots. For even more sweetness, top with maple syrup or chopped dates. Or, add flavor with walnuts and sliced bananas.
Serves 1
Ingredients
1/4 cup cooked quinoa
1/4 cup grated carrots
2 Tbsp. chia seeds
2 Tbsp. hemp hearts
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 cup coconut milk beverage
1/4 cup water
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 335
Protein: 15 grams
Carbs: 26 grams
Fat: 21 grams
Picture courtesy of Big Man’s World
Adding protein to pudding can often mean there’s extra fat or sugar to make up for the missing flavor.
Not in this case. With three ingredients – Greek yogurt, protein powder, and coconut flour – these lean macros are easy to achieve. And if you prefer a peanut butter pudding, make it with two tablespoons of PB2 instead of coconut flour.
Serves 1
Ingredients
3/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1 scoop vanilla brown rice protein powder
1 Tbsp. coconut flour
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 180
Protein: 31 grams
Carbs: 14 grams
Fat: 1 gram
Picture courtesy of The Healthy Happy Woman
This dessert is super easy to whip up. The base can be made from either whey isolate or egg white protein powder, and it’s a quick way to use up whatever ingredients you have on hand.
Try it with strawberry banana WHEY+ topped with fresh fruit and a drizzle of honey. Or, make it more indulgent with chocolate-flavored protein powder, coconut whipped cream, and toasted coconut.
Serves 1
Ingredients
1 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
1 scoop WHEY+ chocolate protein isolate
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 270
Protein: 45 grams
Carbs: 12 grams
Fat: 5 grams
Picture courtesy of One Green Planet
Pudding for breakfast? Put those snack packs away, and enjoy this grown-up cappuccino pudding instead. It’s thickened with chia seeds – known as a superfood for the mix of omega-3s, plant-based protein, and fiber.
That’s quite a nutritional boost for your morning cup of coffee. Plus, there’s a scoop of vegan protein powder so this low-calorie breakfast will fill you up until lunch.
Serves 1
Ingredients
1 scoop vanilla brown rice protein powder
2 Tbsp. chia seeds
1 Tbsp. ground coffee beans
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. raw cacao powder
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. water
1 tsp. raw cacao nibs (optional topping)
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 210
Protein: 18 grams
Carbs: 16 grams
Fat: 11 grams
Picture courtesy of Skinny Fat Girl
These little bites taste like birthday cake, yet have macros you can enjoy the other 364 days of the year.
All the fat comes from cashews, and the rest of the recipe is just pudding mix and vanilla whey protein powder. So you’ll get a taste of cake pudding, but really be indulging in a healthy, sugar-free snack.
Serves 16
Ingredients
1 box (1 oz.) sugar-free vanilla pudding
1 cup cashews
1 1/2 scoops WHEY+ vanilla protein isolate
1 Tbsp. rainbow sprinkles
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 72
Protein: 4 grams
Carbs: 5 grams
Fat: 5 grams
Picture courtesy of Bite-Sized Thoughts
To eat a healthy snack on the go, you don’t need protein powder. Sure, it’s convenient and can be extremely versatile, but there’s nothing wholesome about hydrogenated oils and artificial flavors.
Instead make your own cookie dough pudding cups from chickpeas, fresh fruit, and almond butter – no added sugar required.
Serves 3
Ingredients
1 cup (2/3 can) chickpeas
1 small banana
1 small pear
1 Tbsp. almond butter
1/2 Tbsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. dark chocolate chips
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 189
Protein: 6 grams
Carbs: 31 grams
Fat: 6 grams
Picture courtesy of Running with Spoons
It’s hard to start eating clean when it feels like giving up all the foods you love, and let’s face it, protein shakes aren’t for everyone.
Luckily, you can create a healthy pudding with similar ingredients: fresh fruit, almond milk, protein powder – and even spinach, if you want.
The original recipe uses vegan protein powder, which is a blend of pea, artichoke, and quinoa. Since this is a simple pudding, it’ll work with whey too, although you may need to adjust the amount of milk to reach the right consistency.
Serves 1
Ingredients
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 scoop WHEY+ cookies and cream protein powder
3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 medium banana, frozen
Handful of spinach (optional)
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 272
Protein: 27 grams
Carbs: 41 grams
Fat: 5 grams
Picture courtesy of Busy But Healthy
Pudding can be a light snack or a rich dessert depending on how you make it. This one is like a bowl of strawberries and cream, rich and naturally sweet, yet it has the nutrition of a protein shake instead of dessert.
If you don’t have reduced-sugar strawberry jam, mix chia seeds with fresh strawberry puree, and let it thicken up for a few minutes before swirling it in the vanilla pudding.
Serves 1
Ingredients
1/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1 scoop WHEY+ vanilla protein isolate
1 Tbsp. unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)
1 Tbsp. reduced-sugar strawberry jam
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 149
Protein: 28 grams
Carbs: 6 grams
Fat: 1 gram
Picture courtesy of Eating Vibrantly
This vegan protein pudding doesn’t require any yogurt, powders, or supplements. Hemp seeds can actually make a creamy, rich pudding with just water.
Medjool dates sweeten this quick pudding, while also fluffing it up to create a texture like chocolate mousse.
Serves 3
Ingredients
2/3 cup Medjool dates, pitted
1/2 cup water
2/3 cup hemp seeds
1/8 cup unsweetened cacao powder
Pinch of vanilla bean powder
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 372
Protein: 14 grams
Carbs: 44 grams
Fat: 18 grams
Picture courtesy of Blogspot
Waffles can seem like all carbs and butter, especially when you top them with maple syrup.
Switch up the waffle batter with smart ingredients like egg whites and vanilla whey, and you’ll boost the protein without sacrificing flavor. It’s even more indulgent than a regular waffle, especially topped with peanut butter yogurt and sliced banana.
Serves 1
Ingredients
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 small banana
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3 Tbsp. liquid egg whites (or 1 large egg)
1 scoop WHEY+ vanilla protein isolate
6 Tbsp. whole-wheat pastry flour
2 tsp. granola (Optional topping)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 Tbsp. nonfat plain Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp. PB2
1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 521
Protein: 43 grams
Carbs: 77 grams
Fat: 5 grams
Picture courtesy of The Protein Chef
Pudding can seem like a poor substitute for a rich dessert like cake. But that’s not the case if you make a cake-flavored protein pudding.
Enjoy the best of both worlds by mixing together Greek yogurt, chocolate whey protein powder, and red velvet cake mix. If you’d rather avoid packaged mixes and food dye, use the dry ingredients from your favorite cake recipe, and replace the milk with beet juice for color.
Serves 2
Ingredients
1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla coconut milk (or milk of choice)
1 small container (5.3 oz.) nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt
2 tsp. instant coffee granules
2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tbsp. chia seeds
1 scoop WHEY+ chocolate protein isolate
1/4 cup red velvet cake mix
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 252
Protein: 22 grams
Carbs: 30 grams
Fat: 8 grams
Picture courtesy of Maybe I Will
Turn pudding mix into an awesome protein smoothie with this recipe. Even if you’re tried countless protein shakes, this is something totally new. It’s based on a unique recipe for strawberry banana pudding cake, yet has over 25 grams of protein per serving.
Serves 1
Ingredients
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 scoop WHEY+ vanilla protein isolate
1 tsp. sugar-free vanilla pudding mix
1 belVita cinnamon brown sugar breakfast biscuit (or graham cracker)
1 cup strawberries
1/2 banana
1/4 tsp. rum extract
Handful of ice cubes
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 312
Protein: 26 grams
Carbs: 40 grams
Fat: 6 grams
Picture courtesy of Protein Pow
If you’re looking to increase protein in your diet, pick up The Ultimate Protein Powder Cookbook, which has over 150 recipes.
With a variety of protein powders – including whey, casein, and pea protein – Anna Sward makes desserts like The Great Dark-Chocolate Covered Pumpkin Protein Bars and Grandma’s Rice Pudding. The cookbook also has savory recipes including Saffron & Rosemary Protein Bread.
Serves 3
Ingredients
2 cups steamed cauliflower
1 cup liquid egg whites
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup Sunwarrior vegan protein powder
1 tsp. toffee-flavored liquid stevia
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 154
Protein: 19 grams
Carbs: 10 grams
Fat: 3 grams
Picture courtesy of Little House Living
It seems like traditional banana pudding must be healthy. After all, it has fruit, right? Yet the classic – not pudding from a box – often relies on heavy cream, as well as eggs and butter.
To make a creamy pudding without heavy ingredients, this protein-rich dessert uses cottage cheese and yogurt for the base. Take it over the top by mixing in a splash of bourbon and a dash of cinnamon.
Serves 1
Ingredients
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1 banana
2 Tbsp. plain yogurt
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 266
Protein: 19 grams
Carbs: 35 grams
Fat: 3 grams
Picture courtesy of Andrea’s Protein Cakery
Since rice pudding is mostly made of rice, it can seem like it’s all carbs without much else going on nutritionally.
However, if you tweak the traditional ingredients, you can turn this simple snack into a post-workout treat. This recipe adds a scoop of whey protein powder per serving to balance out the complex carbs.
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 cups cooked brown rice
2 cups skim milk
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
4 scoops (about 1 cup) WHEY+ vanilla protein isolate
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 370
Protein: 30 grams
Carbs: 56 grams
Fat: 2 grams
Picture courtesy of Muscle and Fitness
Make homemade chocolate pudding in minutes. Blend together ripe avocado, banana, and protein powder – flavored with cocoa of course – and you’ll have a five-minute protein pudding that’s decadent and filling. For more protein, top with hemp seeds, or swirl in PB2 yogurt.
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 avocados
1 large banana
2 scoops WHEY+ vanilla protein isolate
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. chili powder (optional)
1/8 tsp. salt
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 367
Protein: 15 grams
Carbs: 36 grams
Fat: 21 grams
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That means you can say “yes” now and decide later. You really have nothing to lose.
Many companies use shipping and handling fees to increase their profit margins, but here at Legion, we hate profits, so our shipping is free!
Okay, so we do dig on profits, but we also go in for happy customers, and free shipping works like gangbusters. So, if you’re outside the USA, your order ships free when it’s over $299.
Why the restriction on international orders? Unfortunately, shipping abroad is very expensive, and if we didn’t require a minimum order size, we’d lose a lot of money. But! We're also hustling to improve our international logistics and will be passing our savings along to our international customers.
Also, if you don’t absolutely love our stuff for whatever reason, we don’t request you deliver it to a PO box in the Gobi Desert by carrier pigeon.
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