Why Use Grass-Fed Beef?

To keep this hamburger mac and cheese the healthiest it can be, you’ll want to ensure you use grass-fed ground beef. When beef is grass-fed, it contains a healthy ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids. Conventional beef is extremely high in omega-6 fatty acids, and when you over-consume these, you promote fat storage—which is definitely not what you are looking for. Grass-fed, on the other hand, is especially high in the omega-3 fatty acid CLA, which is an extremely healthy fat that’s great for promoting fat burning. Plus, meat with the American Grassfed certification label cannot contain any antibiotics or hormones.

Swaps!

Now let’s talk about how versatile this dish is. This recipe is made dairy-free with the use of cashews for creaminess. Cashews can easily be swapped out for macadamia nuts, almonds or sunflower seeds. If you are both nut- and seed-free, you can use plain hummus or full-fat coconut milk instead. In this case, you’ll want to reduce the amount of water used in the recipe. Are you plant-based? You can easily make this by eliminating the ground beef. To keep the recipe high-protein, swap the ground beef for lentils or tempeh.

If you become hooked on this recipee and are looking for a twist, add chili powder into the mix or top off your dish with some hot sauce.

Are you looking to add more vegetables to your meals? One of my favorite things to do with this recipe is roast a big sheet pan full of cauliflower, broccoli and Brussels sprouts and mix those into the dairy-free cheese sauce. Or, if you are short on time, toss a bag of spinach into your cooking noodles a minute before removing them from heat.

I hope your reaction to this mac and cheese is the same as mine. Enjoy!

*Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, we will earn a commission. Keep in mind I linked these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission we receive from your purchases. Whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you!

Dairy-Free Hamburger Mac and Cheese Ingredients:

1 lb grass-fed ground beef

1 package chickpea pasta

Dairy-Free Cheese Sauce:

1 cup butternut squash cubes

 1 cup raw unsalted cashews

 ½ cup water

 ¼ cup nutritional yeast*

 2 tsp. garlic powder

 2 tsp. onion powder

 1 tsp. salt

 ½ tsp. smoked paprika

Juice of ½ lemon

Directions:

Soak cashews overnight or for at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut butternut squash into small cubes and roast for 15 minutes on an oiled baking sheet. While the butternut squash is baking, bring water to a boil in a pot.

Once boiling, add in chickpea pasta and cook according to box directions. On a separate burner, cook ground beef in a skillet until fully cooked. Drain noodles and return to pot. Remove butternut squash from oven and allow to cool for 2 minutes.

Add all the sauce ingredients into a high-speed blender or food processor and process until completely smooth. Add sauce and ground beef to the pot with the noodles and stir until the noodles are well coated.

Nutrition Facts: 

Serves: 6

1 serving:

Calories: 396

Carbs: 30g

Fat: 19g

Protein: 30g

*This is an affiliate link. We only link products we personally use and trust!

The first thing I love about this cookie is that it is giant! How can you go wrong with a recipe that has  “giant” and “chocolate” in the name? Secondly, I love that it is single serving. Yes, that’s right—it’s giant and it is single serving! So when I bake this protein cookie, I get to indulge in the entire thing myself.

Want to know what makes it even better? You’re probably thinking, “How could this get any better than it already is?” Well, let me tell you, it can! This recipe is gluten-free, contains only naturally occurring sugar and has 25 grams of protein, which means you can eat this entire cookie yourself, 100% guilt-free!

*Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, we will earn a commission. Keep in mind I linked these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission we receive from your purchases. Whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you!

This recipe calls for sunflower seed butter, but that can be easily swapped for almond, peanut, cashew or any other kind of nut or seed butter you happen to have on hand. The measurement will remain the same. The recipe also calls for unsweetened applesauce, but you can easily use pumpkin puree interchangeably. And if you want your cookie to be grain-free, you can substitute the oat flour with extra flaxseed meal—just add a total of 2½ tablespoons of flaxseed meal to the mix.

I also use cacao powder versus cocoa powder for this recipe. I personally prefer cacao powder, as it is much less processed and provides greater health benefits than cocoa powder. It’s extremely high in iron, magnesium, potassium and antioxidants. Plus, it’s a natural metabolism and mood booster! You can shop my favorite cacao powder here.

To make this more of a superfood cookie, you could sub chocolate chips with cacao nibs. Cacao nibs are just like chocolate chips but they are chocolate in its raw form and do not contain any extra ingredients. They are also an excellent source of fat and a great way to get your chocolate fix without raising your blood sugar. You can shop my favorite cacao nibs here.

Ingredients:

 1 scoop chocolate AfterBurn

 2 tbsp. oat flour

 1 tbsp. cacao powder

 ½ tbsp. flaxseed meal

 ¼ tsp. baking soda

 ⅛ tsp. salt

 3 tbsp. unsweetened applesauce

 2 tbsp. plant-based milk

 1 tbsp. sunflower seed butter

 Stevia to taste

 ½ tsp. vanilla extract

 1 tbsp. 100% unsweetened dark chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl, combine Afterburn, oat flour, cacao powder, flaxseed meal, baking soda and salt. Stir until evenly combined. In a separate bowl, combine applesauce, plant-based milk, sunflower seed butter, stevia and vanilla extract. Stir until completely mixed.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until a dough-like consistency is formed. Add more milk if needed. Fold in chocolate chips.

Using your hands, form a ball with the dough and place on the baking sheet. Press ball into a cookie shape, about ½ inch thick. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, more or less depending on how soft or crunchy you prefer your cookie.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from baking sheet. Enjoy the entire cookie, guilt-free!

Nutrition Facts: 

Serves 1

Calories: 404

Carbs: 30g

Fat: 20g

Protein: 31g

1. Oatmeal is perfect for meal prepping for the week.

I love to bake this Baked Maple Protein Oatmeal recipe on Sundays to ensure I have either a healthy breakfast to grab when I am on-the-go or for when I need a mid-afternoon pick-me-up snack. I love how absolutely simple it is to meal prep. Just stir all the ingredients together, transfer to a baking dish and bake! 

2. It’s kid-friendly!

My kids absolutely love this Baked Maple Protein Oatmeal recipe and are always asking for more. If you are a parent, you know how difficult it can be to get your kids to eat foods that are actually healthy—and this recipe makes it so simple!

*Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, we will earn a commission. Keep in mind I linked these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission we receive from your purchases. Whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you!

3. I love all things maple!

As much as I love eating a plate of pancakes drenched in maple syrup, I know it’s a complete sugar bomb and should only be something I treat myself to from time to time. This Baked Maple Protein Oatmeal gives me that same delicious maple flavor without all the processed sugar by using maple extract and stevia drops instead.

4. It’s filled with protein.

It’s important to include protein into your breakfast, but for me it’s not always the easiest thing to do. Between the Afterburn and Greek yogurt, one slice of this Baked Maple Protein Oatmeal gives me 13 grams of clean protein.

5. It’s gluten-free and contains zero added sugars!

I feel so much better when I remove both gluten and sugar from my diet. I not only feel more energized, but I notice my complexion to be more clear and I feel less bloated. Sometimes it can be hard to find a quick breakfast on the go, that is gluten-free, sugar-free and high-protein. Thankfully, this Baked Maple Protein Oatmeal is all three! 

This Baked Maple Protein Oatmeal is…

High-protein

Sugar-free

Gluten-free

High in fiber

Warm

Comforting

Filling

Easy to make

Perfect for meal prepping

Ingredients:

2½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats

2 scoops Afterburn protein

1 tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

2 cups plant-based milk

2 whole eggs

¼ cup maple syrup

¼ cup coconut oil, melted

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tsp. maple extract

2 bananas

Topping:

1 cup Greek yogurt

2 tsp. maple extract

2 tsp. Cinnamon

Stevia

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Thoroughly combine eggs, plant-based milk, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, vanilla extract and 2 tsp. maple extract in a large mixing bowl. In a separate mixing bowl, combine oats, Vanilla AfterBurn, baking powder and salt, then stir.

Transfer dry ingredients into wet ingredients and stir again until well combined. Pour mixture into a 9” x 13” glass baking dish. Cut bananas into thin slices and spread evenly on top of mixture. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

For the topping, combine Greek yogurt, 1 tsp. maple extract, cinnamon and stevia in a small bowl. Stir until evenly mixed. Once the baked maple oatmeal is fully cooked, remove from oven and allow to cool. Top each serving with 1 to 2 spoonfuls of Greek yogurt topping.

Nutrition Facts: 

12 Slices

Serving size: 1 slice with ¼ cup Greek yogurt topping

Yields 12 slices

Calories: 210

Carbs: 22g

Fat: 8g

Protein: 13g

A quesadilla without cheese? What?!

Seeing the title of this recipe, dairy-free chicken quesadilla, you’re most likely thinking, “What is a quesadilla without cheese?” Which probably makes you also think it has some weird-tasting vegan cheese alternative that doesn’t even come close to comparing with your typically oozing-and-gooing-with-cheese quesadilla.

Well, let me tell you, the best thing about this quesadilla recipe is that it doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not. Yes, it’s dairy-free and has no cheese, but it doesn’t try to pretend to cheesy when it’s clearly not!

What’s the Secret? 

So without the cheese, what exactly makes this chicken quesadilla so good? The sauce. I like to call it “magical enchilada sauce” because it is just that delicious! And you know what makes the magical enchilada sauce even more magical? It’s made from 100% whole food ingredients, is gluten-, grain- and corn-free, and my kids can’t seem to get enough of it! Delicious, healthy and kid-friendly? What more can I say besides that I know this recipe will become a weeknight staple at your house!

This Dairy-Free Chicken Quesadilla is…

Dairy-free

Gluten-free

Grain-free

High-protein

Ooey

Gooey

Cheesy

Addictive

craving-crushing

Oh-so satisfying!

*Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, we will earn a commission. Keep in mind I linked these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission we receive from your purchases. Whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you!

Ingredients:

8 Siete cassava flour tortillas

 2 cups shredded chicken

2 red peppers, chopped

1 sweet onion, chopped

1 avocado

2 tbsp. coconut oil, divided

Filling:

 8 oz. enchilada sauce

1 cup cashews

⅓ cup nutritional yeast

⅓ cup black bean salsa

1 cup garlic hummus

Juice of 1 large lime

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

Directions:

Add all filling ingredients into a high-speed blender or food processor and process until completely smooth. Transfer filling to a bowl and set aside. Using the stove, melt 1 tablespoon coconut oil in a frying pan. Add chopped peppers and onions and saute until cooked to your liking. Transfer veggies to a different bowl.

Melt another tablespoon of coconut oil in the frying pan, if needed, to prevent sticking. Spread filling on one tortilla, top one half with cooked vegetables and shredded chicken and fold in half. Place on pan to cook, flipping after 2 minutes or when it begins to brown. Remove from heat after the opposite side begins to brown. Slice avocado to top it off.

Nutrition Facts

Yields 8 quesadillas 

1 quesadilla:

Calories: 322

Carbs: 29g

Fat: 15g

Protein: 20g

I may be the co-founder and COO of Burn Boot Camp and regularly preach living a healthy lifestyle, but at the same time I am all about taking a balanced approach to health. We need to be realistic—not restrictive—when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle.

With living a balanced, healthy lifestyle comes being realistic about how much I love margaritas and definitely not restricting myself from enjoying them from time to time! But, I am all about finding healthier alternatives whenever possible! So of course, I did some experimenting and came up with a preservative-free, extremely fresh skinny margarita that never fails to hit the spot!

All fresh ingredients!

You will be amazed by how a few squeezes of lime, lemon and clementine, and of course some tequila, come together to make the most refreshing and delicious skinny margarita! With zero processed ingredients, and the natural sweetness from freshly squeezed fruit, you’ll feel refreshed when drinking this skinny margarita and even more refreshed the morning after. Be sure to check out my episode of Morgan Makes It (below) where I show you just how simple this skinny margarita is to shake up.

*Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase, we will earn a commission. Keep in mind I linked these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission we receive from your purchases. Whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you!

This Skinny Margarita is…

Fresh and fruity

Perfectly sweet

Extremely flavorful

Extra Refreshing

Ingredients:

1 oz. tequila

1 lime

1 clementine

½ lemon

Stevia to taste

Ice

Directions:

Squeeze the juice of the lime, clementine and lemon into a cocktail shaker. Add tequila, ice and stevia to taste. Shake for 10 seconds and pour into an iced-filled glass.

I prefer to use a lemon squeezer to easily squeeze the juice of the lemon, lime and clementine for this recipe.

Nutrition Facts: 

1 serving: 

Serves 1

Calories: 96

Carbs: 10g

Fat: 0g

Protein: 0g

Regular pancakes heighten my cravings for more carbohydrates 

But to be 100% honest, as much as I love them, they fail to keep me full and satisfied. Generally after eating a plate of pancakes, I am hungry again an hour later, and I crave more carbs than usual throughout my day. I finally realized that consuming carbohydrates—especially processed carbohydrates like pancake mixes from a box—without any protein or fat will drastically spike my blood sugar levels, which heightens my cravings for more carbohydrates.

But I wasn’t going to give up my Saturday morning pancakes that easily, and that’s why I came up with these extremely satisfying Protein-Packed Afterburn Pancakes. Made from complex carbohydrates and whole-food ingredients, and packed with 40 grams of protein per serving, these protein pancakes set me up perfectly for a successful day of eating.

Swap out the maple syrup for this…

To include a healthy fat into the mix and ditch the sugar-packed syrup, I love to combine one teaspoon of maple extract with one tablespoon of melted coconut oil, ghee, cashew butter or almond butter and drizzle over my Protein-Packed Afterburn Pancakes.

This recipe has transformed my comforting, but highly-processed, pancakes into a nutritious, balanced meal without compromising the taste!

Perfect Post-Workout Pancakes

I also love diving into these Protein-Packed Afterburn Pancakes post-workout. With the perfect balance of carbohydrates and protein, there is no better way to replenish my body and fuel my muscles for growth than with these pancakes. Whip up a batch and let me know what you think!

These Protein-Packed Afterburn Pancakes are…

High-protein

Gluten-free

Easily made vegan and dairy-free

Simple

Healthy

Fluffy

Filling

Delicious

Indulgent-tasting (without actually indulging!)

Ingredients:

½ cup oat flour

 ½ cup pumpkin puree

2 egg whites

1 scoop Vanilla Afterburn

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. baking powder

Directions:

Combine all ingredients into a mixing bowl and stir until well combined. Heat a non-stick or oiled griddle over medium heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using about ¼ cup for each pancake or make one giant pancake. Brown on both sides.

Nutrition Facts: 

Single serving

Calories: 371

Carbs: 39g

Fat: 6g

Protein: 40g

This super-spicy, savory and satisfying buffalo chicken spaghetti squash casserole will have you asking for more! No need to feel guilty about dishing up seconds when this recipe is Whole 30–friendly, paleo, dairy-free, low-carb, protein-packed and gluten-free. It’s also kid- and husband-approved, making it your new weeknight dinner staple.

It’s also the perfect recipe for meal prepping for the week. Serve this recipe over a bed of arugula, with a side of celery sticks or as a dip with your favorite guilt-free, whole-grain crackers.

This Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash Casserole is…

Dairy-free

High-protein

Low-carb

Spicy

Savory

Satisfying

Extremely clean

Super addictive!

Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash Casserole Ingredients:

1 large spaghetti squash

2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast

4 eggs

½ cup hot sauce

½ cup full-fat coconut milk

2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Place both halves on a cookie sheet, cut side facing up, and cook in oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Meanwhile, beat eggs in a large mixing bowl. Once beaten, add shredded chicken, hot sauce, coconut milk, garlic powder and salt.

Stir until well combined. Once spaghetti squash is fully cooked, remove from oven and scrape lengthwise with a fork. Add shredded spaghetti squash to the large mixing bowl and stir until all ingredients are well combined. Pour mixture into a 9” x 13” glass baking dish. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top begins to brown.

Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti Squash Casserole Nutrition Facts:

Serves: 6

1 serving:

Calories: 225

Carbs: 9g

Fat: 10g

Protein: 20g

One of the most common questions I get asked is “What’s a simple high-protein breakfast I can eat on-the-go?” I get it—mornings are hectic, and it’s all too easy to grab a high-carb and highly processed breakfast option like a bagel, muffin or bowl of cereal. Unfortunately, these breakfast options will only spike your blood sugar and set you up for a carb and sugar craving roller-coaster the rest of the day. Plus, if you want to fuel your health and fitness goals, protein is an essential part of your breakfast, which your bagel is lacking.

That’s why I created these high-protein copycat egg bites for when I am on-the-go. I discovered these extremely delicious egg bites at the nation’s most popular coffee shop (can you guess which one I am talking about?).  Those egg bites were costing me five dollars a pop and weren’t made from the highest-quality ingredients, so I re-created my own healthier version. These egg bites are perfect for meal prepping, ensuring you have a grab-and-go breakfast each morning of the week. They’re not only high in protein and made from 100% whole-food ingredients, but they only take minutes to prep!

These Copy Cat Egg Bites are…

Fluffy

Savory

Satisfying

High-protein

Easy to make

Perfect for meal prepping

Copy Cat Egg Bites

Ingredients:

12 eggs or 14 egg whites

1 cup cottage cheese

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

3 cups diced red peppers

5 cups spinach, minced

10 muffin liners

10-cup muffin pan

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add eggs or egg whites, cottage cheese, salt, pepper and garlic powder to a high-speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer egg mixture to a mixing bowl and manually stir in peppers and spinach. Add cups to muffin pan and pour ¼ cup of mixture into each.

Check egg bites after 20 minutes and continue until cooked all the way through. Allow to cool for 2 to 3 minutes before enjoying.

Nutrition Facts:

*Serving size: 3 egg bites

*Calories: 200  | * Carbs: 7g  |  *Fat: 10g   |  *Protein: 19g

They are gluten-free, grain-free, processed sugar free, and easily made vegan by swapping out the egg for a flax egg. Plus, they are filled with extremely healthy fats that stabilize your blood sugar and hunger hormones, preventing you from feeling the need to overindulge. The Vanilla Afterburn whipped frosting is not only protein-packed, but also is gluten-free, vegan and contains zero processed sugar.

Bake a batch of these and get your sugar cookie fix this holiday season, without working against your goals!

Ingredients:

Cookies:

• – 2½ cups almond flour
• – ¼ cup honey
• – 1 egg
• – 2 teaspoons coconut oil
• – ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• – ½ teaspoon baking soda
• – ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Frosting:

• – 3 scoops Vanilla Afterburn
• – ¼ cup honey
• – 3 tbsp. melted coconut oil
• – 1 cup unsweetened nut milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a food processor, or with a hand mixer, and mix until a smooth ball of dough forms, about 30 seconds. Using a spoon or your hands, form small balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake cookies for 8 to 10 minutes. 

While cookies are baking, add Vanilla Afterburn, honey and melted coconut oil into a mixing bowl. Add in half the nut milk and beat with a hand mixer. Slowly add in more nut milk until a frosting-like consistency is reached. Continue to beat for 5 minutes or until all lumps are removed and a whipped frosting texture is formed. Spread on your cookies and enjoy!