This Cashew Chocolate Mousse tastes just like a really good Mousse au Chocolate from France but is made with Cashews instead of cream and eggs. Using just 5 ingredients and a high speed blender, this makes a super indulgent, yet healthy and high protein chocolate mousse in 5 minutes.
Why You Will Love This
Lactose Free
Using cashews and protein powder instead of cream and eggs makes this vegan (if you are using vegan protein powder and chocolate that is), lactose free and utterly delicious.
Secretly Healthy
I bet if you serve this to your guests, they will have absolutely no idea they are eating something that is actually good for them. The Cashews add healthy fats, magnesium and a good dose of protein on their own. Then we add protein powder for even more nutrition.
Deeply Chocolatey
While you could just use raw cacao powder to keep this in the realm of whole foods, I wanted a really indulgent Mousse au Chocolate experience, which I feel you only get by using melted chocolate. I used 70% cocoa content, which keeps this still in the “good for you realm” if enjoyed with reason. But then, sometimes too much of a good thing can be wonderful.
Super Quick
While you’d ideally soak the cashews in hot water for about 30 minutes, unless you have a Vitamix or similar high speed blender, the actual process couldn’t be quicker. 1-2 minutes of blending and your Protein Cashew Chocolate Mousse is ready to enjoy.
Leave it in the fridge for a while and it will get even thicker and closer to “real” Mousse au Chocolate.
Adaptable
Add flavourings – You can take this into lots of different directions flavour wise. I love to add some amaretto, giving it a hint of almond flavour, really bringing out the nutty notes of chocolate. A teaspoon of instant espresso, to emphasize it even more is welcome too.
Or you might go into the After Eight direction, by adding just a drop or two of mint oil or mint liqueur.
Grate some orange zest into it, to get the dark chocolate-orange flavour, or add fresh raspberries for a fruity kick.
Use different nuts – I’ve made this with different ratios of cashews and almonds, but find it comes out smoothest with just cashews. Though the almonds do add a lovely flavour component, so I encourage you to experiment with it if you like.
Use different liquid to nut ratio – If you like your Protein Cashew Chocolate Mousse on the even richer side, add less plant milk, which will result in an incredibly dense and indulgent consistency. Less mousse like, more like a chocolate pie filling, which it can be used for as well.
Use different Chocolate – You can absolutely make this with milk or white chocolate if you prefer. Just be mindful that this will add more sugar and fat content.
The Ingredients
Cashews – When you soak and blend cashews with some liquid, they make an incredible cream you can use for all sorts of things. Either go the savoury route with dressings or aioli or the sweet one, with this like this Protein Cashew Chocolate Mousse.
All you need for the magic to happen is a high speed blender. The one I have is a simple Nutribullet, which you can easily get for about 100€ on Amazon.
Dark Chocolate – You can use any chocolate here, but I love 70% cocoa content dark chocolate. Vegan works well, so does the classic version.
Plant milk – To get cashews to blend really smooth and of course add volume and lightness to your Protein Cashew Chocolate Mousse you’ll need some sort of liquid. You could probably use even water, but I love plant milks for their creaminess. This time I used coconut milk (the drinking version), but any plant milk will work and add its own characteristics. Use an unsweetened one you enjoy.
Dates – To sweeten the Protein Cashew Chocolate Mousse I’m adding dates. This also keeps it refined sugar free (if using unsweetened plant milk) and adds some more fibre.
Protein Powder – Use any protein powder you enjoy. Obviously chocolate flavour works best as it enhances the characteristics. But vanilla or, say coffee would work nicely too. You can use vegan protein powder here, though personally I love MyProtein Whey, even though I’m lactose intolerant. I don’t feel any adverse effects from it at all.
Optional additions – A pinch of salt is a good idea in any dessert, more so in this Protein Cashew Chocolate Mousse. It lifts the flavour and adds that little something. Instant espresso powder is another one doing a very similar thing. It’s not strictly necessary, but really deepens the dark chocolate flavour. You won’t taste coffee (unless you add a lot).
Amaretto is a piece I took from the first Mousse au Chocolate I ever made, which was this one from Jamie Oliver.
Until I made this Protein Cashew Chocolate Mousse, it was the best I ever had. And that’s saying a lot, considering I lived in France for a year and tasted my way through lots of different ones.
The Process
Soak the Cashews (and, if using, almonds) for about 30min in freshly boiled water. You could probably skip this step if you have a Vitamix, but I feel it adds creaminess.
Melt the chocolate gently in the microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring in between.
Add all ingredients to your blender and blend until smooth.
Transfer to pretty jars or a lidded container and keep in the fridge until ready to enjoy.
Serve with topped with fresh raspberries or cashew cream.
How to Store
Protein Cashew Chocolate Mousse keeps in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Now I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
Have you tried this? Did you enjoy it?
What other recipes would you like to see?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please rate, share and/or comment. It helps me a lot!
Protein Cashew Chocolate Mousse
This Cashew Chocolate Mousse tastes just like a really good Mousse au Chocolate from France but is made with Cashews instead of cream and eggs. Using just 5 ingredients and a high speed blender, this makes a super indulgent tasting, yet healthy and high protein chocolate mousse in 5 minutes.
1 1/2cupsunsweetened almond milkor plant milk of your choice
5datespitted
3.5oz(100g) 70% chocolatemelted
2scoops protein powderI used MyProtein Whey. Ideally chocolate flavoured.
1Pinchof saltoptional but recommended
1tspinstant espresso powderoptional
1tbspAmarettooptional
Instructions
Soak the Cashews (and Almonds if using): Place the cashews (and almonds, if using) in a bowl and cover them with freshly boiled water. Let them soak for about 30 minutes. This step adds creaminess to the mousse.
Melt the Chocolate: Gently melt the 70% chocolate in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring in between each burst until the chocolate is completely melted. Set aside.
Prepare the Blender: Drain the soaked cashews (and almonds) and discard the soaking water. Add them to the blender.
Add Ingredients to Blender: To the blender with the soaked cashews, add the unsweetened almond milk, dates, melted chocolate, protein powder, pinch of salt (if using), instant espresso powder (if using), and Amaretto (if using).
Blend Until Smooth: Blend all the ingredients together until you achieve a smooth and creamy consistency. This might take a few minutes, depending on the power of your blender. Scrape down the sides of the blender if necessary to ensure all ingredients are well incorporated.
Transfer and Chill: Once the mixture is smooth, transfer the chocolate mousse into pretty jars or a lidded container. Cover with a lid or wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to enjoy. Chilling the mousse will help it set and develop its flavor.
Serve: When ready to serve, top the protein cashew chocolate mousse with fresh raspberries or a dollop of cashew cream for an extra touch of decadence.
Notes
Protein Cashew Chocolate Mousse keeps in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
These Strawberry Yoghurt Protein Bars taste like one of my all-time favourite chocolates called “Yogurette” but are infinitely better for you.
Packed full of protein, fresh strawberries and 0% fat Greek yoghurt, encased in an irresistible dark chocolate shell, they are exactly the snack I want after a sweaty workout!
Why You Will Love This
Amazing way of getting your protein
I’m not sure about you, but I’m not particularly fond of the protein bars you can buy. They all taste oddly stodgy to me (although the protein wafers I recently found were pretty good!) and are not really what I crave after a workout that has me hot, exhausted, and craving something that just feels both cooling and healthy.
That’s where these Strawberry Yoghurt Protein Bars come into play. They have only 7 ingredients (more about them below) take 10 minutes to make plus some cooling time and taste like really fresh and healthy strawberry yoghurt with a crisp dark chocolate coating.
Each of them comes with about 5g protein and just 40 calories.
Know exactly what’s in them
Making your protein bars at home means you know exactly what goes into them. No preservatives, no fillers. Just protein powder, yoghurt, fruit and chocolate.
The Perfect Ice Cream Bar
Did you ever want an ice cream bar that’s also good for you? This is the one.
All the benefits of yoghurt with its calcium and probiotics .
Plus the much needed protein to build muscle, keep your bones healthy and reduce cravings
And of course the fibre and antioxidants of fresh strawberries, which we are using in two different forms here, these bars are a nutritional powerhouse.
Oh and dare I say it? Dark chocolate (within reason) is also pretty beneficial in its own right, containing lots of minerals and even reducing inflammation. But mainly: It makes me really happy to eat it.
Super Easy to Make
My Strawberry Yoghurt Protein Bars comes together within minutes. You don’t need any special equipment, though a blender like a Nutribullet is helpful for getting strawberry puree. But mashing them with a fork works fine too.
The rest is just a quick stir, transfer into a freezer proof flat container, wait a bit, cut into pieces and quickly coat with melted dark chocolate. A tiny bit more patience while they freeze again and you have your post workout (or anytime really) snacks ready for the week.
The Ingredients
Lets start with the obvious one: Protein Powder. I used MyProtein Strawberry here and loved it. But a good quality vanilla flavoured one will do just fine.
The strawberry flavour comes from both fresh and freeze dried strawberries. While you could use just fresh, I found that the tiny nuggets of freeze dried strawberries give these bars their striking resemblance to Yogurette, with their intense bursts of flavour in your mouth.
I found mine in snack packets from Holland & Barrett and (yes, you may call me a bit weird, but we gotta work with what we find) took 5 minutes to separate the strawberry from the peaches.
If you find them on their own, even better. Or just use the combo. I’m fairly sure the added peach will be delicious too. If you try it, let me know your thoughts!
One note on freeze dried fruit: They are like sponges soaking up any humidity in the air quickly. So chop them last minute before adding and keep the ones for decorating in an airtight container. Otherwise you’ll have a sticky clump instead of nicely defined crunchy pieces. Have a wild guess how I found out…
Fat free Greek yoghurt adds the classic Yogurette flavour base of course. You could use full fat, but personally I feel the protein powder adds so much creaminess, it’s just not necessary.
A tiny bit of honey and lemon juice round out the flavour and of course dark chocolate to coat them. I used a 70% dark chocolate here. I tried both Lindt and the Madagascar 70% from Lidl and loved them equally.
The Process
First clean and roughly chop your fresh strawberries. Either mash them with a fork or puree them for a few seconds in a blender.
Finely chop your freeze dried strawberries. Put a few aside for decorating later if you like.
In a medium bowl, mix all your ingredients except the dark chocolate until creamy and well combined.
Line a freezer proof container with a flat base with parchment paper, so you can easily take out and cut the whole thing later. Don’t skip the parchment paper, or you’ll have to scrape out the filling and eat it like ice cream. I mean…not that this would be the worst thing in the world. You can absolutely skip the chocolate covering and do that.
I use a medium sized Pyrex dish about 15x 7in, in which the Strawberry protein filling came up about 0.7in. But honestly, no need for exact science in this. Use what you have and cut them later.
Pour your Strawberry-protein cream into the prepared dish and freeze for at least 3h or until very solid. You’ll need it extremely cold to be able to coat it with chocolate.
When it’s frozen, take it out onto a chopping board and cut into bars with a sharp hot, but dry knife. I dipped mine into hot water in between cuts, then dried it with a towel, to avoid water crystals on the bars.
Put back into your container and freeze while you melt the chocolate.
Break or chop your dark chocolate and add to a microwave safe bowl. If you enjoy a slightly softer coating, you could add a teaspoon of coconut oil, but I love my bars really crisp, so I left it out.
Melt in quick 30 second bursts in the microwave, stirring in between or over a water bath on the stove, being careful that the bowl with the chocolate doesn’t touch the water. Stir until melted and creamy.
Transfer to a deep plate with flat bottom, so your bars can lie flat in the chocolate.
Line a small tray that fits into your freezer with parchment paper.
Take your Strawberry Yoghurt Protein Bars out of the freezer and, using 2 forks, quickly turn each one in the hot chocolate until fully coated, let the excess drip off and transfer to the prepared parchment lined tray.
If you want to decorate them with the freeze dried strawberry pieces, you gotta be quick and do it immediately after taking each bar out of the chcolate bath, as the chocolate will harden extremely fast. You want the pieces to stick to the just soft enough chocolate before it’s all crisp.
Put back into the freezer for an hour or so, before trying one. I found they taste best, if you give them a few minutes at room temperature to soften the inside just a little.
Enjoy your homemade healthy Strawberry Yoghurt Protein Bars.
Storing
Strawberry Yoghurt Protein Bars keep well in the freezer in a lidded container for up to 3 months. Not that there is any hope they will last that long. But you might want to make double, so they last a few weeks.
Have you tried this? Did you enjoy it?
What other recipes would you like to see?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please rate, share, and comment. It helps me a lot.
Strawberry Yoghurt Protein Bars
These Strawberry Yoghurt Protein Bars taste like one of my all-time favourite chocolates called “Yogurette” but are infinitely better for you.
Packed full of protein, fresh strawberries and 0% fat Greek yoghurt, encased in an irresistible dark chocolate shell, they are exactly the snack I want after a sweaty workout!
3/4cupprotein powderI used MyProtein Whey Strawberry, but a good vanilla flavoured one will work fine too.
1cup0% fat Greek yoghurt
0.7oz20g freeze dried strawberriesfinely chopped
7ozchocolate70% cocoa content (or whatever kind you enjoy)
3tsphoney
1tbsplemon juice
Instructions
Prepare:
Line a freezer-proof container with parchment paper, ensuring the base is covered. This will allow for easy removal and cutting of the bars later.
Clean and roughly chop the fresh strawberries. Mash them with a fork or puree them in a blender until smooth.
Finely chop the freeze-dried strawberries. Set aside a small portion for decorating if desired.
Mix Ingredients:
In a medium bowl, combine the pureed fresh strawberries, protein powder, Greek yogurt, finely chopped freeze-dried strawberries, honey, and lemon juice. Mix until creamy and well combined.
Pour the strawberry-protein mixture into the prepared container. Spread it evenly and freeze for at least 3 hours or until very solid.
Coat with Chocolate:
Once frozen, remove the mixture from the container onto a chopping board. Use a sharp, hot, and dry knife to cut it into bars. Dip the knife into hot water between cuts and dry it with a towel to prevent water crystals on the bars. Return the bars to the container and freeze while preparing the chocolate coating.
Break or chop the dark chocolate and place it in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring in between, until melted and creamy. Alternatively, melt the chocolate over a water bath on the stove, ensuring the bowl doesn’t touch the water.
Notes
These bars keep well frozen in a freezer proof container or bag for up to 3 months.
You know this craving when only deliciously peanutty Vegan Satay Noodles will do?
The creamy peanut sauce with lots of umami, slightly sweet with a bit of spice, that just feels so incredibly cozy like a hug on a plate. Add to it the fact that peanuts give you a good bit of protein and join the whole thing up with lots of veggies in different forms and you have yourself a dinner that’s as quick as it is good for you.
Why You Will Love This
Simple to make
If you ever had chicken Satay, you know how utterly addictive that peanut butter sauce is. And probably wondered about its secrets. There really aren’t many, which is probably the best thing about it. The whole dish comes together in about 30 minutes, which makes this very doable even on a busy day.
Flexible
Both noodle and veggies wise, Vegan Satay Noodles are classic case of “use whatever you have at home”. It’s a great way to use up any odds and ends in your veggie drawer or and sort of noodles you have in your store cupboard.
If you don’t have peanut butter (or are allergic) you can use Tahini or almond butter. Sure, it’ll taste different, but just as delicious.
Want to add more protein? Top with some crispy fried tofu or chicken. Beef or lamb work well too if you are not vegan. Or even halloumi for a vegetarian option.
Nutritious
With the ratio of vegetables to noodles I’m using here, you easily get all 5 of your 5-a-day in one portion, including all the fibre and vitamins that come with whatever combination you choose.
Peanut butter adds healthy fats and protein, while the noodles give you satisfying carbs.
Leftovers are great cold
Most noodles, soba in particular, will make this dish taste fantastic cold. So you could eat it hot for dinner one day, then take the leftovers to work and eat them cold (or may I suggest a picnic in the spring sun?) the next day.
The Ingredients
Noodles, as the name says, are of course included, but I use a little trick with a spiraliser to cut down on carbs.
Mixing in spiralised zucchini and carrots, sneaks in a good portion of veggies right with the noodles, so even kids will enjoy them.
To add even more nutrition, colour, and flavour, I’m using my beloved red cabbage, tenderstem broccoli, thinly sliced sweet red peppers and bright green spring onions to top the plate.
The satay sauce comes together mainly from store cupboard ingredients like peanut butter, balsamic vinegar (or, even better if you have it, black rice vinegar, which tastes like the Asian version of balsamic vinegar I feel), soy sauce (or coconut aminos), honey or maple syrup and some sweet chili sauce if you like.
I also add a bit of minced garlic and grated ginger, but you can either leave it out or use them from jars you’ll find in the Asian section of most supermarkets these days. They are a really great shortcut for adding a ton of flavour without the work.
Toppings, while optional, really make this dish sing. I like a squeeze of lime juice over mine, sliced spring onions, some crunchy chopped peanuts or sesame seeds, a bit of cilantro (or parsley, if you have the “Cilantro tastes like soap” gene) and, if you are feeling spicy, a bit of chili crisp or more sweet chili sauce.
The Process
Prepare you vegetables as per ingredient list and set aside while you make the peanut sauce.
For the sauce, simply stir together all the ingredients in a small bowl. It will later be thinned a bit by adding some of the noodle cooking water, just like for other pasta sauces.
Get a large pot of salted water to the boil, add your noodles, and cook according to packet instructions. Before draining them, scoop out some of the cooking water and set aside to add to the sauce later.
Get a wok or large pan, adding a bit of groundnut or olive oil and gently fry ginger and garlic until fragrant but not browned. Tip in the shredded cabbage, followed by the broccoli and fry for 2-3 minutes until slightly softened. Add the remaining vegetables and quickly stir fry until hot, but still crisp with a bit of bite.
Now let the noodles join the veggies in your wok and top with the satay sauce, stirring and thinning with a bit of the cooking water, until it reaches a creamy consistency.
Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
Serve in a large deep plate, topped with spring onions, chopped roasted peanuts, sesame, herbs and maybe some chili crisp if you like.
How to Store
Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days and are fantastic cold as a salad. I always make a big portion to have a healthy and delicious dinner for my workdays.
Looking for more veggie packed dinners, that give you all of your 5-a-day in one portion?
Here are some ideas:
Have you tried this? Did you enjoy it?
What other recipes would you like to see?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please rate, share and/or comment. It helps me a lot!
Vegan Satay Noodles
You know this craving when only deliciously peanutty Vegan Satay Noodles will do?
The creamy umami, slightly sweet with a bit of spice sauce, that just feels so incredibly cozy like a hug on a plate. Add to it the fact that peanuts give you a good bit of protein and join the whole thing up with lots of veggies in different forms and you have yourself a dinner that’s as quick as it is good for you.
1tbspsweet chili sauceor any other hot sauce you enjoy
1tbspmaple syrup or honey
1clovegarlicminced
2tspgingergrated
2tbspOil for frying. I used groundnut.
Veggies and Noodles
7oz(200g) noodlesI used medium egg noodles
1zucchinispiralised or thinly sliced
3carrotsspiralised or julienned
¼red cabbagethinly sliced
7oz(200g) tenderstem broccolidry ends cut off
1red pepperjulienned
3spring onionsthinly sliced
1tbsppeanuts, roasted and choppedoptional
1tbspsesameoptional
Instructions
Prepare all your vegetables as per the ingredient list and set them aside while you make the peanut sauce.
In a small bowl, mix together the peanut butter, soy sauce or coconut aminos, black rice vinegar (or balsamic), sweet chili sauce, maple syrup or honey, minced garlic, and grated ginger to make the sauce. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook according to the package instructions. Before draining, reserve some of the cooking water for later use.
In a wok or large pan, heat a bit of groundnut or olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger, stirring until fragrant but not browned.
Add the shredded cabbage to the wok, followed by the tenderstem broccoli, and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until slightly softened.
Add the remaining vegetables (zucchini, carrots, red pepper) to the wok and quickly stir-fry until hot, but still crisp with a bit of bite.
Add the cooked noodles to the wok, then pour the satay sauce over the noodles and vegetables. Stir well, thinning the sauce with a bit of the reserved noodle cooking water until it reaches a creamy consistency.
Taste the noodles and adjust the seasoning according to your liking.
Serve the vegan satay noodles in a large deep plate, topped with sliced spring onions, chopped roasted peanuts, sesame seeds, fresh herbs, and optionally, some chili crisp for extra heat.
Notes
How to StoreLeftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days and are fantastic cold as a salad. I always make a big portion to have a healthy and delicious dinner for my workdays.
Protein Rice Pudding has all the creamy decadence of the popular dessert, but with a healthy dose of protein. I’ve created 4 versions for you to choose from with different add-ins and toppings, so you have a healthy post workout meal ready for you any day.
On top of that, if you have an instant pot, this can be ready for you in the time you take a shower. No stirring and standing at the hob required!
Why You Will Love This
Instant Pot for Instant gratification
I’ve always loved the rice pudding my mom made for me when I was a kid, but rarely made it myself due to the stirring and watching and possibility of milk burning. Happened to me multiple times and if you ever had the small of burned milk in your kitchen, you know it isn’t pleasant.
All of this changed when I got my beloved Sage Fast Slow Pro. The notion of the pot just doing everything for me when it comes to both risotto and rice pudding was a revelation and opened a whole new range of dishes for me to enjoy, without dreading the ages of stirring.
All it takes is 10-12 minutes of cooking and a few minutes more for the pressure release, and you can use any instant pot you have, to get the perfect rice pudding. Even late evening cravings can be satisfied in minutes. You let it do the work for you, while you have your post workout shower, to enjoy a healthy, protein packed meal.
Can be made Vegan and Lactose free
Being lactose intolerant always left me queasy after eating things like rice pudding or oatmeal. Took me years to realise why that is (being essentially gaslit into not trusting your own feeling leaves marks, doesn’t it?).
Now I make all my dishes with various plant based milks and am just fine.
A Note on Protein Powder
I think I have said this many times on this blog, but I’ll include it here, as the protein powder is such an essential ingredient in this recipe: Despite being lactose intolerant, I do use Whey Protein powder from MyProtein.
This is neither affiliated nor sponsored. Just the powder I found to taste best after trying a fair few. If you never found one you enjoy, give this one a try.
I never had any issues with it and just can’t stomach the taste of the vegan ones. But if you have one you enjoy, you can of course use that.
Why Protein?
Protein is such an important building block for our bodies and its important to eat enough of it. Personally, as I don’t each much meat or legumes for that matter, I wouldn’t have enough in my diet to fulfil my bodies needs. Hence protein powder to the rescue. Preferably in sweet recipes.
How to vary your Protein Rice Pudding
While this Protein Rice Pudding is utterly delicious on its own, topped with just a bit of cinnamon sugar, there are so many more options, that I decided to give you a few here.
If you read any of my posts you probably stumbled over my way to lose weight and keep it stable and of course give my body the nutrition it needs, which is to include as many fruit and veggies as I can in every meal. This one is no exception.
There are plenty of fruit that go fantastic with milky or creamy dishes, so you can wildly pick and choose your favourites. I’m giving you just a few ideas here.
Cherry or Berry. Or Both.
My all-time favourite and a classic with rice pudding in Germany is cherry compote. Essentially sweet cherries briefly cooked with a tiny bit of water, to help them heat up and release their juices, then thickened with cornstarch. That’s as easy as it gets and works nicely with berries too. Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, or a mix of all would be lovely. Add a bit of vanilla and honey and you are set.
Rice Curd-ish with Pomegranate and Grapes
Another variation, borrowed from a co-worker from India are grapes and pomegranate and the rice pudding being enriched with yoghurt, bringing it into the direction of a favourite summer dish from India: Rice curd. The yoghurt adds even more protein, especially if you are using any type of Greek yoghurt.
A few pistachios sprinkled on top, a hint of cinnamon if you like will round this off nicely.
Black Forest or Chocolate Hazelnut
Now we can’t talk rice pudding without mentioning chocolate, can we?
I mean I love chocolate anything of course, and who wouldn’t, but here it’s just so incredibly easy to include it simply via protein powder flavour and, if you want it extra chocolatey (as I always do) a bit cocoa and a hit of espresso powder, to enhance the flavour even more.
Add some cherry compote or even fresh cherries and, if you are having this for dessert or feeling extra indulgent, some Kirsch (a German clear cherry liqueur), top with some whipped cream or coconut cream and you have yourself an irresistible treat.
Want to add some crunch to this one? Roasted and chopped hazelnuts instead of cherries would transform this into a sort of Ferrero Rocher experience. Or drizzle over some melted chocolate or slightly warmed Nutella, to have an utterly indulgent, yet still reasonably healthy dessert.
Mango-Coconut
Last but not least, a tropical mango-coconut rice pudding. You can either cook it straight from the start with coconut milk, or, as I did here, add some after cooking, for a gentle coconut flavour and stir in fresh mango pieces or mango puree. Or both.
Take it over the top with toasted coconut flakes (can I convince you to make maple-lime coconut chips just for this? It’s so worth it!) and enjoy being taken to a tropical island via dessert.
The Ingredients
Of course some of the ingredients with depend on the flavour combination you choose, but the basic recipe is always the same:
1 cup pudding rice or use arborio as alternative. Round corn rice is best suited for pudding, as the grains absorb more liquid and contain more starch than, say Basmati rice, resulting in creamier rice pudding. And creamy is what we want here.
4 cups liquid. You can use any type of milk you enjoy. If you aren’t lactose intolerant like me, whole milk is a great option. I’m using unsweetened almond milk to cook the rice in, then, after cooking, mix the protein powder with a bit of creamy soy or coconut milk, to add even more creaminess.
A pinch of salt – I’m a firm believer of adding a bit of salt to anything sweet. It balances and enhances the flavour of everything it touches. There is a good reason why salted caramel is so popular!
Protein Powder – This is my favourite way to get a high protein sweet meal. It sounds like a cheat, maybe it is. But I have yet to find a better way to add protein, sweetener, and whatever flavour you enjoy in one step to dishes. My Protein is my favourite brand, as it’s super creamy and doesn’t taste artificial. I mostly use the limited edition “Jelly Belly Buttered Popcorn”. Any good vanilla flavour would work too. Though I dread the day when this one reaches its time limit of the limited edition, as I’m utterly in love with it.
For the Black Forest version I used Gold Standard Whey Chocolate, as I have a ton left from before discovering MyProtein. It’s pretty decent, if less creamy.
Again, just to be clear: This is in no way sponsored or affiliated. Just what I use. Though if anyone from MyProtein reads this: Please sponsor me?
The Process
Pressure Cooker/ Instant Pot
If you have a pressure cooker/instant pot/Sage Fast Slow Pro, this couldn’t be any easier:
Add your rice and 3.5 cups of your milk of choice and pinch of salt to your cooker. Set to 10 minutes high pressure, then 10min auto release and let it do its thing while you get on with your day.
After the time is up, mix your chosen protein powder with the remaining half cup of milk or yoghurt until no lumps remain and stir it into your rice pudding. Don’t let it come to a boil after you mixed in the protein, or it might get a bit grainy.
If you make a bigger portion for several days, I would advocate for adding the protein-milk mix just before eating, as rice pudding has the habit of thickening in the fridge. And if you add too much liquid, the rice might essentially dissolve. If you love that, feel free of course.
Add your chosen fruits and flavourings, decorate, and top to your heart’s desire and enjoy hot or cold.
I often prepare a large portion at the start of the week, to have a super quick breakfast/dessert or even dinner (yep, I love sweet dinner! That’s my favourite way to satisfy sweet evening cravings: Make it a healthy dinner!).
You can have this Protein Rice Pudding straight from the fridge for hot summer days or simply re-heat it in the microwave.
On Stovetop:
While I’m plain too lazy to make this on the stovetop, you can absolutely do that too.
It will take about 20- 30 minutes of patient stirring and very gentle simmering to get creamy rice pudding.
Tips and Tricks
If you have no round corn rice, you can use Basmati. It might not get as creamy though
In India, Rice Curd is made by using ready cooked Basmati rice and stirring in “curd”, which is similar to yoghurt, but thinner. So if you are feeling even lazier or just have leftover rice to use up, either stir some plain yoghurt with protein powder into it and top with fruit for a refreshing summer treat. Or heat it up in the microwave, stir in some milk mixed with protein powder and top with whatever your heart desires.
A classic Thai version of this would be to boil the rice in coconut milk. To get the best flavour, use the drinking version, not a can.
You can make this also with black rice, which would look absolutely stunning, or brown rice for added fibre. For those versions follow the cooking instructions for your particular rice. Time and needed liquid may vary.
Want even more protein? Add some chia seeds or hemp hearts and top with more Greek yoghurt. I love the 0% fat version, as I feel the rice has plenty of creaminess already.
Need extra indulgence and want this to taste like the classic rice pudding dessert? Temper an egg yolk by adding a bit of warm milk at the end of the cooking process and stir into the rice, warming it through gently, to avoid curdling the egg. Add some butter to take it over the top. May I suggest browned butter if you do?
The 4 Different Versions
All amounts and instructions are given to make 4 portions of the same variation.
If you’d like to try all 4, as I did in the pictures, simply halve the amounts.
Except the cherry compote. I would always make the full 2 cups, as I love it so much, I happily eat it over everything or on its own. Plus just boiling half a cup is too much hassle for the output.
After your rice pudding is cooked mix 2 cups of milk/yoghurt/coconut milk with 4 scoops of your favourite protein powder. Depending on the version you are going for and stir into the rice until it reaches your preferred consistency.
If you find it too cold after that, feel free to briefly microwave to heat it up, but don’t let it come to a boil again, or your protein might curdle a bit. Which still tastes ok, but doesn’t look as inviting and creamy.
Cherry or Berry. Or Both.
Use about 2 cups of fresh or frozen sweet cherries or mixed berries together with 1 tbsp of sugar (brown or white), maybe a little lemon juice or vanilla extract or both, if you like. In a pot on the stove, bring them to a boil, adding about 2-3 tbsp water, to help them release their juices. Mix ½ tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp water in a separate container. Once your cherries or berries are hot and bubbling, pour in your cornstarch slurry while stirring. Bring once more to the boil and stir until it thickens. Take off the heat and your compote is ready.
I used this for both the cherry version and dusted it with a tiny bit of vanilla powder and in the Black Forest version.
Mix 2 cups of soy milk with a good vanilla protein powder until no clumps remain, Stir into the rice pudding.
Top with the cherry (or berry) compote and enjoy.
Rice Curd (-ish) with Protein, Pomegranate, Grapes and Pistachios
If using a fresh pomegranate, cut it in half crosswise. Tuck one half into a small freezer bag. Ideally with a zip and close it, with the open side of the pomegranate pointing down.
Now get a cooking spoon, Wood with the classic spoon shape works best I found.
Start smacking the top of the pomegranate until all seeds have tumbled into the bag.
Discard the empty shell and fish out any pieces of pith that might have fallen out.
Halve the grapes. Roughly chop the pistachios if using.
Mix 2 cups of yoghurt (I used 0% fat Greek yoghurt) with 4 scoops of a good vanilla protein powder until no lumps remain. Stir into the cooked rice pudding. Ideally after it has cooled a bit.
This version is particularly good cold on a hot summer day.
Mango-Coconut Protein Rice Pudding
Prepare your coconut chips if using.
Pre-heat your oven to 350°F/175°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix 1 cup of coconut chips with 1 tbsp maple syrup, a pinch of salt and the grated zest of 1 lime.
Spead onto the baking sheet and bake for about 10-12 min, stirring halfway, until golden brown.
Let them cool to crisp up while you prepare the mango. They will keep in an airtight container for about a week (if they last that long, as they are seriously more-ish). You will find reasons to make them again and again as snack or topping for sweets, cake, salad and even Thai soup or curries.
Peel your mango and chop into bite sized cubes.
Mix 2 cups of coconut milk (canned or from a tetra pack is both good) with 4 scoops of a good vanilla (or coconut) flavoured protein powder until no lumps remain.
Stir into the ready cooked rice pudding, top with mango and coconut chips.
Black Forest Protein Rice Pudding (or chocolate without the cherries)
Prepare the cherry compote as per instructions for the cherry version. If you feel extra indulgent, add some Kirsch.
Whisk some cream or coconut cream into soft peaks. If using coconut cream, make sure it’s very cold or it won’t hold its shape. I found cans of coconut whipping cream at a local health food store, but using just the firm layer from a can of cold coconut milk will do just fine.
Mix 2 cups of soy milk with 4 scoops of chocolate flavoured protein powder and 1 tbsp cocoa until no lumps remain. If you only have vanilla flavoured protein powder use that, but add 2-3 tbsp cocoa, depending on your preference.
Stir the chocolate protein mix into the cooked rice pudding.
In pretty glasses, layer some cherry compote, then rice pudding, finishing with more cherry compote and a large spoon or whipped cream or coconut cream.
Decorate with fresh cherry and chocolate shavings if you like. I simply used a vegetable peeler to create shavings from a piece of dark chocolate.
How to Store
As mentioned above, I often meal prep a big batch for the week and store it in a lidded container in the fridge. It will keep quite happily for about 3-4 days, depending on the milk you used.
If you want to mix it up, portion the Protein Rice Pudding into single portion jars and add your favourite toppings, to have an amazing meal to grab and go.
Have you tried this? Did you enjoy it?
What other recipes would you like to see?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please rate, share and/or comment. It helps me a lot!
Protein Rice Pudding 4 Ways
Protein Rice Pudding has all the creamy decadence of the popular dessert, but with a healthy dose of protein. I’ve created 4 versions for you to choose from with different add-ins and toppings, so you have a healthy post workout meal ready for you any day.
On top of that, if you have an instant pot, this can be ready for you in the time you take a shower. No stirring and standing at the hob required!
3.5cupsunsweetened almond milkor milk of your choice
2cupssoy milkor any other milk of your choice. Coconut for the Coconut-Mango variation
4scoopsprotein powderI used MyProtein Whey Buttered Popcorn. Any good vanilla flavoured powder will work fine. Since this is the main flavour component, please use one you enjoy.
1pinchsalt
2tspvanilla extractoptional but lovely
Topping Versions
Cherry Protein Rice Pudding
2cupsof cherries
½tbspcornstarch
1tbspsugar
2cupssoy milk and 4 scoops vanilla protein powder as stated in basic version
Rice Curd-ish with Pomegranate and Grapes
1Pomegranateseeds only (see post on how to get them out without a mess)
1cupgrapeshalved
2cups0% fat Greek yoghurtinstead of the soy milk in the basic version
4scoopsvanilla protein powderas stated in the basic version
½cuppistachiosroughly chopped
Mango- Coconut Protein Rice Pudding
1cupcoconut chips
1tbspMaple syrup
1limegrated zest only
1mangochopped in bite sized cubes
2cupscoconut milkcanned or tetra pack
4scoops vanilla or coconut protein powder as stated in basic version
Black Forest Protein Rice Pudding
2cupsof cherries
½tbspcornstarch
1tbspsugar
1tbspKirschoptional
2cupssoy milk
4scoops chocolate protein powderinstead of vanilla as stated in basic version
1tbspcocoa
½cupwhipped cream or whipped coconut creamor to taste
1small piece dark chocolateshaved with vegetable peeler, to decorate
Instructions
Using a Pressure Cooker/Instant Pot/Sage Fast Slow Pro:
In the cooker, combine the rice, 3.5 cups of almond milk (or milk of your choice), and a pinch of salt.
Set the cooker to 10 minutes on high pressure, then allow for a 10-minute auto release.
While the rice cooks, mix the protein powder with the remaining 2 cups of milk until smooth.
After the pressure cooking cycle completes, stir the protein-milk mixture into the rice pudding gently. Avoid boiling after adding protein to prevent graininess.
If preparing a larger portion for multiple days, add the protein-milk mix just before serving to avoid over-thickening and potential rice dissolution. 1/2 cup of soy milk +1 scoop of protein powder per portion.
Customize with your chosen fruits and flavourings, and top with desired toppings.
Serve hot or cold. Refrigerate leftovers for future servings.
On the Stovetop:
In a saucepan, combine the rice, 3.5 cups of almond milk (or milk of your choice), and a pinch of salt.
Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Simmer for about 20-30 minutes, stirring frequently, until the rice pudding reaches a creamy consistency.
Follow steps 3-7 from the pressure cooker instructions to complete the dish.
Enjoy your protein-rich rice pudding as a quick breakfast, dessert, or even dinner option! Adjust toppings and flavourings to suit your preferences.
Cherry Protein Rice Pudding
Prepare the cherry compote by simmering cherries, sugar, and a splash of water until hot.
Mix cornstarch with water, then add to the cherries, boil and stir to thicken.
Mix soy milk and vanilla protein powder and stir into the cooked rice pudding.
Serve topped with cherry compote.
Rice Curd-ish with Pomegranate and Grapes
Extract pomegranate seeds. See post on how to get them out without a mess.
Halve grapes and chop pistachios.
Mix yogurt and vanilla protein powder, then stir into rice pudding.
Serve chilled, topped with pomegranate seeds, grapes, and pistachios.
Mango-CoconutProtein Rice Pudding
Mix coconut chips with maple syrup and lime zest, bake on a parchment lined baking sheet at 350°F/175°C for about 10min until golden.
Mix coconut milk and protein powder, then stir into rice pudding.
Serve topped with mango and coconut chips.
Black Forest Protein Rice Pudding
Prepare the cherry compote by simmering cherries, sugar, and a splash of water until boiling and cherries are hot.
Mix cornstarch with 2 tbsp water, then add to the cherries to thicken.
Add 1 tbsp Kirsch if desired
Mix soy milk with chocolate protein powder and cocoa.
Stir into cooked rice pudding.
Layer with cherry compote and top with whipped cream.
Decorate with chocolate shavings if you like.
Notes
The nutrition here is given for the basic Protein Rice pudding. It will vary slightly depending on the toppings, though the protein will remain roughly the same. Slightly more for the curd version due to the greek youghurt, slightly less for the coconut mango version, as the coconut milk has less protein than soy milk.How to StoreAs mentioned above, I often meal prep a big batch for the week and store it in a lidded container in the fridge. It will keep quite happily for about 3-5 days, depending on the milk you used. If you want to mix it up, portion the Protein Rice Pudding into single portion jars and add your favourite toppings, to have an amazing meal to grab and go.
Black Garlic, with its amazing sweet-fruity umami notes, is of the most exciting ingredients you can make very easily yourself, with just patience and a rice cooker. You can use it in a million recipes, just like the fresh version, but it has so much more flavour and depth due to the super slow Maillard reaction that happens when leaving it for weeks on very low heat. Much cheaper than in the supermarket too.
Why You Will Love This
The first time I spotted Black Garlic in my local supermarket in Waterford, I was intrigued. I mean, of course the shiny black cloves looked slightly weird, but it was new, so of course I had to try it.
Versatile
What I wasn’t prepared for though, was the flavour explosion in my mouth. Sure, there was a hint of garlic, but so much more! None of the pungent sharpness of fresh garlic was left. Instead hints of fruit, going particularly well with cheese, umami and sweetness, making it an incredible pairing for any meat or mushrooms. Notes similar to good balsamic vinegar, but without the acidity. I could just eat them as they were like tiny snacks, similar to dried fruit with many of the same characteristics.
Essentially, everything you throw it at gets better. I mean it. Even cookies. I’m not kidding you. https://forthepleasureofeating.com/sourdough-oatmeal-white-chocolate-chip-cookies-with-black-garlic/
Adds “Oomph” to Dishes
Similar to its fresh version, you can use it in salad dressing, sauces for meat, compound butter, bread and many more. I think I saw even an ice cream made with it once. It became a trend ingredient in high end restaurants for a reason, adding lots of flavour, lifting up other ingredients, but without overpowering them.
I think my all-time favourite use of it were Burgers with Black Garlic Aioli. https://forthepleasureofeating.com/burger-with-black-garlic-aioli/
Super Easy to Make
All you need is a rice cooker, several bulbs of garlic, unpeeled, clingfilm and tinfoil. And about 40 days of time. That’s not a typo.
Essentially, against all those posts that claim it would be “fermented”, what is happening here is the Maillard reaction (the caramelisation of sugars present on food caused by heat) in extremely slow motion. Which leads to the black colour without any burning, as the sugar in the garlic gets very slowly transformed into caramel. Fermentation however would be bacteria doing the work and generally leading to some sort of bubbly and funky outcome. Think Kombucha or Kimchi or sourdough. There is nothing bubbly or funky about black garlic though. Just little nuggets of concentrated sweetness and flavour.
The Ingredients
I gave it away above, but let me repeat:
Garlic Bulbs. The best quality you can find. Please don’t use any old sprouted ones hanging out in your cupboard. About 6-8 max I found is best. I tried more but found that if I place more than one layer in the rice cooker, the top ones don’t get caramelized as well.
Rice cooker or slow cooker. Ideally one you don’t use every day, because this will be tied up for the foreseeable future. I simply bought a cheap one on Amazon just for this.
The important part is, that it has the “keep warm” function, as that’s what we will be using.
Clingfilm and Aluminium foil. Both.
I have seen and tried methods with just tinfoil or even oven roasting bags, and some using no wrapping at all, but none of them got me the consistent and perfect outcome I got by using clingfilm and tinfoil. And I’ve made many batches by now.
The Method
Cut off as many small pieces of clingfilm and tinfoil as you have garlic bulbs. Each big enough to wrap one bulb.
Now wrap each bulb first in clingfilm, then tinfoil. I did it by placing the bulb in the middle of a square, then just pulling up the sides and twisting the top.
There. The hard part is done.
Please your neat little parcels in your rice cooker.
Ideally add a sticker to your rice cooker, telling you what day you started your black garlic.
Find a well-ventilated spot near a wall plug in your house. Your house will smell of garlic. Unless you have the luxury of a garage or shed with power plugs. I left mine in the utility room, with the window tipped open.
Leave for about 40 days. Start checking the garlic after 30. If the cloves are shiny, black, and still soft, they are done. If they are still light brown, they need more time. If they are hard and crunchy, you left them too long.
That’s all there is to it. Enjoy your little black gems in a delicious Cashew Ranch dressing.
Or add them to compound butter to stuff under the skin of a chicken, for the most delicious roast chicken you will ever have.
Or…bake cookies with it and enjoy the freaked out but delighted look on your friends faces, when you tell them they are eating cookies with garlic.
Storing your Black Garlic
The Black Garlic keeps in a jar in the fridge for several months. Not that I think it’ll last that long. I have a feeling you’ll start a second batch soon.
Please comment!
Now I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
Have you tried this? Did you enjoy it?
What other recipes would you like to see?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please share and comment. It helps me a lot.
Black Garlic
Black Garlic, with its amazing sweet-fruity umami notes, is of the most exciting ingredients you can make very easily yourself, with just patience and a rice cooker. You can use it in a million recipes, just like the fresh version, but it has so much more flavour and depth due to the super slow Maillard reaction that happens when leaving it for weeks on very low heat. Much cheaper than in the supermarket too.
Cut off as many small pieces of cling film and aluminium foil as you have garlic bulbs. Each should be big enough to wrap one bulb.
Take an unpeeled garlic bulb and wrap it first in cling film, ensuring it's covered completely.
Next, wrap the garlic bulb in aluminium foil. Place the bulb in the centre of a square of foil and pull up the sides, twisting the top to seal it. Repeat for each bulb.
Cooking:
Place the wrapped garlic bulbs in your rice cooker. If you're using a sticker, label the rice cooker with the start date to keep track of the slow Maillard reaction process.
Find a well-ventilated spot in your home near a power outlet. Keep in mind that this will emit some garlic smell during the process. A garage or shed with power outlets can be great for this. Leaving them in a utility room with a partially open window is another option.
Slow Maillard Reaction:
Leave the garlic bulbs in the rice cooker for about 40 days. Check the garlic after 30 days to monitor the progress.
The cloves should transform into shiny, black, and soft bulbs when done. If they're still light brown, they need more time. If they're hard and crunchy, they've been left too long.
Storage and Enjoyment:
Once the garlic bulbs have reached the desired consistency, remove them from the rice cooker.
Store the black garlic in an airtight container in a cool, dry place until ready to use.
Enjoy your homemade black garlic in various recipes, such as Cashew Ranch dressing or any dish that benefits from its unique flavour profile.
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