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The Simmons Voice

The Student News Site of Simmons University

The Simmons Voice

The Student News Site of Simmons University

The Simmons Voice

Chocolate cravings

Briana Hayes
Staff Writer

With Valentine’s Day comes hearts and cupid and, of the course, chocolate. Chocolate has the tendency to be full of calories, and generally not that good for you; however, by creating delicious chocolate desserts with protein powder you will not have to fret about your chocolate cravings.

Nothing says decadent like tiramisu. Traditional tiramisu is a popular coffee-flavored Italian dessert that is made with layers of coffee-soaked ladyfingers and a mascarpone cheese-cocoa filling.

This rendition of Cheesecake Tiramisu Protein Pudding utilizes protein powder to add that chocolate flavor, while also adding amino acids and whey into your diet.

The ingredients include two scoops of protein powder, 1/3 cup of nonfat Greek yogurt, ¼ cup of ricotta cheese, ½ teaspoon of coffee granules, 1 teaspoon of sweetener, ¼ teaspoon cocoa powder, and sliced almonds.

Another option to make this dessert would be to replace the yogurt and ricotta cheese with cheesecake-flavored instant pudding.

There are fewer combinations more loved than peanut butter and chocolate. Since the Roaring ’20s, the peanut butter cup has the captured the hearts of candy lovers.

Another great way to utilize instant pudding mix, which has the added benefit of being fat and sugar free, is to make Chocolate Protein Peanut Butter Pie.

This recipe takes about ten minutes to prepare and an hour and ten minutes in total. The ingredients include chocolate pudding mix, 1 cup of protein powder, 1 cup of low-fat cottage cheese, 2 cups of skim milk, a graham cracker crust, 2 tablespoons of sweetener, and ¼ cup of peanut butter.

The combination of peanut butter and chocolate is always tasty, but in this case it also packs a double-protein punch. If you want to make this dessert even healthier, use organic peanut butter to reduce the amount of salt and sugar.

Since it is Valentine’s Day after all, it is also perfectly fine to indulge in a chocolate cake.

However, if you want to make a healthier chocolate cake, a good option is to make a protein-packed chocolate protein frosting. That way you can have your cake and eat it too.

If you have 15 minutes you have time to make this frosting. The ingredients are 1 scoop of protein powder (chocolate of course), ½ cup of nonfat milk, 1 ounce of instant pudding, and ½ pint of whipped cream. The frosting will be creamy enough to spread but also have a good consistency.

The purpose of all of these desserts is to satisfy your chocolate cravings on Valentine’s Day, but also get the added bonus of protein.

Protein is important for building muscles and restoring muscles after a hard workout. This is why these recipes are also good for anyone who is an athlete or is looking to tone.

While there are many types of protein powder to choose from, arguably the most beneficial and effective type of protein powder is whey. The amino acids in whey contain all of the essential ones and are also found to enhance immune function.

Whey protein is the most common form of protein powder used and many brands sell their own. Some brands that sell quality protein powders include Muscle Milk, GNC, and Fitmiss.

Try to avoid whey proteins that have more than 3 grams of fat, 8 grams of carbs, and 28 grams of protein. That would lead to more weight gain, rather than simple toning.

It is best to consume whey protein after a workout to help rebuild all of the muscle. When you participate in strengthing workouts you are changing your muscles so they need protein to grow.

However, whey is comprised of milk proteins, so vegans should opt for another protein powder.

Plant-based and soy vegan-friendly protein powders such as are available and sold just as readily as whey.

Chocolate is delicious and with these recipes, it could help keep you toned during the winter months that are still to come and on Valentine’s Day, whether you are celebrating with your significant other or just your friends.

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