Just as I am doing very small fall refreshes around the house, it is time to give my diet a little refresh too.
As in, I have gotten lazy about what I’m eating.
And it shows.
Like everyone seems to be preaching these days, protein is king, so that’s what I’m trying to add to my diet.
Hopefully, I can quench the horrible hungries and maybe firm up a few areas too. 😉
This time of year, every part of me just wants to eat soup.
As in, more than one helping.
And of course with a side of sourdough, saltines or pita. Or maybe cornbread or ciabatta.
You know, whatever the theme calls for.
The problem is that many of my favorite soups aren’t particularly high in protein, so I’ve been on the hunt for higher-protein versions that are still simple and use ingredients I already have in my pantry.
And let’s not neglect the sweet tooth.
When you’re trying to get your diet back on track, a little reward is called for, right?
Here are the cozy, higher-protein recipes I tried this week.
High-Protein Lentil Soup
Lentils lend themselves so well to modifying for just about any cuisine: Mexican, Italian, Mediterranean.
But this time, I kept things very basic with no real spice except a little black pepper.
And with this reset simple is exactly what I’m looking for.
Pro Tip: If you’re using powdered chicken bouillon like I did, do NOT add any salt to this recipe. It will be way too salty.
And that comes from someone who loves salt.
High-Protein Lentil Soup
Ingredients
- olive oil spray to coat the bottom of your pan
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup lentils, rinsed I used green but any work
- 5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- black pepper
Instructions
- Spray oil in a large pan on medium high heat and add the vegetables.
- Cook, stirring frequently for about 10 minutes until they are soft.
- Add tomato paste, lentils and broth. Add pepper or any other seasonings you are using. DO NOT add salt at this time.
- Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 45 – 60 minutes, stirring occassionally.
- If the soup becomes too thick add more broth 1/2 cup at a time.
Creamy Tomato Basil Cottage Cheese Soup
There is nothing, NOTHING, in the world I love more than a bowl of tomato soup.
Unless it’s a grilled cheese next to it.
The problem is that I need to eat a lot of tomato soup to actually feel full.
Enter cottage cheese.
This soup calls for ingredients I already had in my kitchen, plus a little basil from my herb garden.
And because recipes are really just suggestions, if you like bell peppers or oregano, by all means, modify away.
Here is what I did for this soup.
Creamy Tomato Basil Cottage Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- olive oil spray to coat the bottom of the pan
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 3 or 4 fresh basil leaves, optional
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and carrots and cook for about 10 minutes until soft, stirring frequently.
- Add the tomatoes and liquid and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes until vegetables are soft.
- Add the cottage cheese and fresh basil and blend with an immersion blender or add in small batches to a blender. Blend until smooth and add back to pot and heat until warm again.
Pro Tip: If you’re using a regular blender instead of an immersion blender, be very careful when blending hot liquids. Add the hot liquid in small amounts and follow your blender’s instructions. Otherwise, you could end up with a hot and very dangerous explosion.
Ask me how I know.
Just kidding.
Mostly.
High-Protein Chocolate Mug Cake
With about five minutes of prep time and 30 seconds of cooking time—literally!—you can have a very satisfying little dessert that, no joke, tastes like a brownie.
Now, if you’re a brownie person, as I am, that might be enough.
But.
I’m also an ice-cream-on-top-of-brownie person.
That creates a bit of a problem.
Whipped cream to the rescue!
With just a few squirts of whipped cream, I had a delicious, moist little dessert.
And here’s the important part:
I absolutely was not hungry for the rest of the evening after I ate this.
Highly recommend.
High-Protein Chocolate Mug Cake
Ingredients
- 1 scoop vanilla whey protein
- 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 egg
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Wisk dry ingredients, add egg and a bit of water until batter is about the consistency of brownie batter.
- Microwave for 30 seconds. Top with alittle PB2 and whipped cream if you like.
Pro Tip: After 30 seconds in the microwave, this may look dampish on top. DO NOT put it in for another 10 seconds. It is done. Really.
Low-Sugar Almond Milk Cocoa
Just in case you have a sweet-tooth emergency, I’ll include this recipe.
But I am in no way saying it is delicious.
There.
I said it.
Unsweetened almond milk is just too blah for me.
A little whipped cream was the only thing that made this one really palatable.
But if you are looking for something warm and sweet-ish when the chocolate cravings hit, it does the job.
Low-Sugar Almond Milk Cocoa
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- 1-2 tsp maple syrup
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Heat the almond milk in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Add in the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Stir in the remaining ingredients and heat until hot, but not boiling.
- Serve and top with whipped cream if desired.
A Little Fall Diet Reset
Hub is having his other hip replaced this week, so I also whipped up a big pot of chicken noodle soup because that’s what he’ll eat after surgery.
My kitchen has been busy this week, but it feels good to get my diet back on track and cleaned up a bit.
I’m not trying to completely overhaul what I eat.
I’m just trying to make a few better choices, get more protein into my meals, and stop wandering quite so far off the path.
Because we all know what is coming.
The holidays.
And once the holidays arrive, all bets are off.
So for now, I’m enjoying my soup, trying to remember that protein is my friend, and giving myself permission to have a little whipped cream on my chocolate mug cake.
That sounds like a pretty reasonable diet reset to me.
Do you have any tips for getting your diet back on track and getting ourselves in tiptop shape before the holidays try to throw us off completely?
As always, thanks for being here, and God bless you and yours.
