High protein yoghurt cakes
I used to called these “breakfast cheesecakes” but I don’t like the name anymore. Firstly, I don’t tend to eat them for breakfast only (although you could) and secondly, it gives the impression that these are “healthy” mini cheesecakes. In fact, it gives the impression that they are so healthy you could have them for breakfast when the actual truth is that most nutritionists, including me, wouldn’t advise you to break your fast with cheesecake. I suppose you could have cheesecake for breakfast, although it probably wouldn’t set you up for the day in the best way. Having said that, there are quite a few good elements about cheesecake such as lots of protein and calcium for example.
I don’t like the new name either to be honest, but that’s the best I came up with and feel free to pitch me better names.
As cumbersome as it is, the name does reflect what they are and what they were designed to do for me though. I wanted something high in protein that wasn’t meat or just eggs so I fell back on yoghurt but I struggle a bit with yoghurt sometimes. It might sound strange but I never got used to “English yoghurt”, “French yoghurt” tastes different. Anyway, sometimes I don’t fancy yoghurt but I need more protein because I don’t eat a lot of meat and this is how this recipe was born.
My little cakes are reminiscent of the “Käsekuchen” , or baked cheesecake, my German uncle used to make, so we’re back to the cheesecake idea.
People often ask me about protein and a lot of my clients are drawn to protein bars but I’m not always keen on them. First, they are extortionately expensive! They are also really processed and in as much as I’m not fanatical about everything being “natural”, I think it makes sense to reduce our exposure to ultra processed food (UPF). My final and perhaps most important issue with them is that they often contain a type of sugars, which don’t get absorbed by the body, called sugar alcohols (they have nothing to do with the alcohol we drink by the way). They are useful to food manufacturers who want to reduce the sugar and calorie content of their products, precisely because the body doesn’t absorb the said sugars. However, they can exacerbate digestive issues and cause bloating in some people, especially when consumed frequently and/or in large quantities (by large quantities I don’t mean tons, a couple of those bars for some would be enough to cause digestive unease). Given that most of my clients, disordered eaters, suffer with their digestion and bloating, those bars aren’t my favourite.
These little cakes are my solution to an easy, tasty, cheap and nutritious source of protein. Ok you have to make them but I tend to double the recipe and make 12, so it lasts me a week or so. They contain around 10g protein, 92mg calcium and only 4g of “real” sugar per cake. Aside from the cost of the electricity, they probably cost around £0.50 per cake, there’s no plastic, they are portable and they really do taste nice! I had to make some for my kids too, which is telling I think.
Ingredients:
- 500g Greek yoghurt
- 2 medium eggs
- 6 tsp. caster sugar
- 1 tbsp. vanilla bean paste
- 3 tbsp. semolina
- 1 tsp. psyllium flour (it helps avoid excess moisture)
- Frozen raspberries if you feel so inclined…
Method:
Place the yoghurt in a large bowl making sure to drain off any liquid beforehand. Add the sugar and vanilla and mix well. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl, whisk in the semolina and psyllium gradually so as not to form lumps, then add to the yoghurt mix.
Divide into 6 muffin cases and add a few raspberries, or anything else you want, on top.
Bake in a preheated oven for 40min at 150°C and leave it to cool before eating.
They work for breakfast, a light dessert, or an afternoon snack. I’m not sure they would freeze terribly well though so do eat them up!
