Missed episode 19? Catch up here!

We’ve officially made it to Part 20 (!!) of this series, and I’m honestly kind of impressed with myself for sticking to it this long. Protein prep truly saves my week… not because I’m out here meal prepping every single bite I eat (I wish), but because having just a few things ready in the fridge means I can throw together something balanced and satisfying without resorting to grabbing whatever is in my cabinet.

This week’s lineup is cozy, fall-inspired, and just delicious (of course). I’ve been loving leaning into seasonal goodies now that we’re truly in fall. I may finally make some soup next week, but this week we’re making a creamy protein-packed mac & cheese, cinnamon apple chia pudding that doubles as breakfast or dessert, and an edible pumpkin cookie dough that’s giving “sweater weather snack” energy.

Let’s get into the recipes!!

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1. Protein Mac & Cheese

Serves 4 | Protein: ~30g per serving

Creamy, cheesy, and high in protein thanks to cottage cheese and Greek yogurt!! Perfect for meal prep, quick lunches, or even a quick dinner emergency.

Ingredients:

• 4 servings pasta of choice
• 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp paprika or smoked paprika
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
• ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk (or skim milk)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. In a blender, combine the cottage cheese, yogurt, Dijon, garlic, and paprika. Blend until smooth.
3. Pour the blended mixture into a large saucepan over low heat. Stir in cheddar, Parmesan, and olive oil just until melted and smooth, then remove from heat. (Avoid overheating — it can make the sauce watery.)
4. Fold in the cooked pasta.
5. Transfer to a large container or 4 individual meal prep containers. Store in the fridge for an easy reheat meal.

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2. Cinnamon Apple Chia Pudding

Serves 3 | Protein: ~20g per serving

The easiest high-protein breakfast (or snack… or dessert). The yogurt makes it thick and creamy, the chia adds fiber and texture, and the cinnamon-apple topping gives major fall breakfast vibes.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Greek yogurt
• ⅓ cup chia seeds
• ¼ cup almond milk
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp maple syrup

For the topping:

• 1 apple, diced
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• Granola of choice (I used Three Wishes)

Directions:

1. In a container, combine the yogurt, chia seeds, almond milk, maple syrup, and cinnamon. Mix until well combined.
2. In a separate bowl, mix together the apple, cinnamon, and maple syrup.
3. Top the chia mixture with granola and the apple mix. Keep stored in the fridge for an easy grab-and-go option.

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3. Edible Pumpkin Cookie Dough

Serves: 7-10 | Protein: ~7-10g per serving

IMO cookie dough itself is sooo much better than making cookies so I had to come up with an edible cookie dough recipe I could make all fall long!! This one is for all the pumpkin lovers but the recipe is also so versatile if you want to change up the flavor.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup canned pumpkin
• ¼ cup almond butter
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• ¼ cup Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup almond flour
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• Mini chocolate chips

Directions:

1. In a bowl, mix together the pumpkin, almond butter, maple syrup, Greek yogurt, and vanilla.
2. Add the pumpkin pie spice, salt, almond flour, and protein powder. Mix again until a dough forms.
3. Fold in the chocolate chips.
4. Store in a container in the fridge as a snack or dessert. Enjoy!

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Hope you enjoyed this week’s lineup!! If you have any requests for next week, feel free to leave me a comment below or send me a DM on Instagram.

– Erika