Fuel Your Young Athlete's Performance with These 5 High-Protein Recipes
Hey there fellow sports parents! I know the struggle of trying to find healthy meals for our young athletes while juggling our busy schedules. But fear not! I've got you covered with 5 awesome recipes that are not only delicious but also packed with high protein to help fuel their performance and aid in recovery.
These recipes are easy to make, so you won't have to spend hours in the kitchen. Plus, your kids will love them!
So let's get cooking and make mealtime fun and nutritious for our little champs.
1. Pumpkin Protein Pancakes
INGREDIENTS:
2 large eggs
¾ cup plain 2-percent-fat Greek yogurt
½ cup canned pumpkin
1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup divided
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup whole wheat flour
¼ cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 pinch salt
¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
20 pecan halves, chopped
DIRECTIONS:
In a bowl, beat eggs. Stir in yogurt, pumpkin, 1 tbsp maple syrup, and vanilla.
In another bowl, stir together flour, oats, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Add dry ingredients to wet and stir to combine.
In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-low heat, drop a heaping ⅓ cup batter for each pancake. Cook until underside is brown and bubbles form on top, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook about 3 minutes more. Repeat with remaining batter.
Top with pecan halves and the remaining maple syrup.
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Cool leftover pancakes before storing in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days, or store leftover batter in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days.
NUTRITION PER SERVING:
(for 3 large pancakes, with toppings)
415 calories
16 g fat (3 g saturated)
49 g carbs
15 g sugar
7 g fiber
22 g protein
2. Chicken Quesadilla
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups cooked shredded chicken
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup diced onions
1/2 cup diced bell peppers
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large flour tortillas
2 tablespoons olive oil
DIRECTIONS:
In a mixing bowl, combine the cooked shredded chicken, cheddar cheese, onions, bell peppers, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, and salt. Mix well.
Heat a skillet over medium heat.
Place one tortilla on the skillet, and spread a quarter of the chicken mixture on half of the tortilla.
Fold the tortilla in half, and press down with a spatula.
Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, until the tortilla is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
Repeat with the remaining tortillas and chicken mixture.
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Cut the quesadillas into wedges and serve hot.
NUTRITION PER SERVING
Calories: 491
Fat: 28.6g
Saturated Fat: 10.9g
Cholesterol: 103mg
Sodium: 1206mg
Carbohydrates: 28.5g
Fiber: 1.9g
Sugar: 3.6g
Protein: 29.3g
3. Chicken and Vegetable Stir-Fry
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb chicken breast, sliced into thin strips
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 cup broccoli florets
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Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add garlic and onion and cook until fragrant.
Add chicken and cook until no longer pink.
Add bell peppers and broccoli and cook until vegetables are tender.
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Season with salt and pepper to taste.
NUTRITION PER SERVING
Calories 300
Protein 28g
Carbohydrates
Fat 10g
4. Baked Buffalo Tenders
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken tenders (approximately 8-10 tenders)
1 cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup hot sauce (such as Frank's Red Hot)
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Cooking spray (olive oil or avocado oil)
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly spray with cooking spray.
In a shallow dish, combine the whole wheat panko bread crumbs, almond flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Mix well.
In another shallow dish, whisk together the hot sauce and melted butter.
Dip each chicken tender into the hot sauce mixture, making sure to coat well, and then dredge in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing firmly to ensure an even coating. Place the coated chicken tenders on the prepared baking sheet.
Lightly spray the tops of the chicken tenders with cooking spray to help them brown.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken tenders are cooked through and the breading is golden brown and crispy. Flip the tenders halfway through the cooking time to ensure even browning.
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Remove from the oven and let the tenders rest for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce, such as a light ranch or blue cheese dressing.
NUTRITION PER SERVING: (2 Tenders)
Calories: 230
Protein: 25g
Carbohydrates: 15g
Fiber: 2g
Fat: 9g
Saturated Fat: 3g
Cholesterol: 65mg
Sodium: 800mg
5. Apple Cinnamon Protein Bites
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup almond butter
1/4 cup honey
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Pinch of salt
DIRECTIONS:
In a large mixing bowl, combine the rolled oats, applesauce, almond butter, and honey. Stir well.
Add in the vanilla protein powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Mix until everything is well combined.
Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop the mixture into small bite-sized balls.
Place the balls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Refrigerate the balls for at least 30 minutes or until they are firm.
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Serve and enjoy!
NUTRITION PER SERVING: (makes approximately 12 servings)
Calories: 102
Protein: 4.6g
Carbohydrates: 16.2g
Fat: 3.2g
Fiber: 2.1g
Sugar: 8.7g
These five high-protein recipes are perfect for young athletes who need the extra energy and nutrients to perform at their best.
Hope you enjoy these healthy and nutritious recipe ideas with your athletes!
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