5 Ingredients for Protein Packed Desserts

Perhaps the most versatile of the five, protein powder can figure into about any dessert you imagine. Make healthy brownies, power-packed cakes, even ice creams. Many recipes call for a certain flavor of powder, but feel free to experiment. Vanilla is especially useful to make any dessert a little more like what grandma made.

Desserts such as custard, pudding and flan are rich in protein, and their creamy texture makes them natural comfort foods. Fat - free and low in calories, egg whites can be a health-conscious gourmet’s dream; they are the base for angel food cake, meringue cookies and macaroons.

A handful of almonds covered in dark chocolate can feel like perfect indulgent dessert. Transform recipes by substituting nut flours for all-purpose flour; this may need some experimentation but the extra protein hit will be worth a few imperfect batches. Naturally, nut bars can serve nicely as a sweet treat at the end of a meal.

Individual servings of Greek yogurt come in flavors of strawberry, cheesecake and Boston cream pie. Start with plain or vanilla yogurt and stir in a teaspoon of your favorite all-fruit preserves. Add fresh fruit, dark chocolate chips, chopped nuts or toasted coconut flakes and you have a dessert to rival an ice cream sundae.

Coagulated milk cake sounds awful. However, if the milk in question is from soybeans, the product is fabulous tofu. Best known for its protein, it's a remarkably nutritious dessert option. It comes in textures from extra firm to silken (very soft), and can serve as the base for mousse, pie and pudding.