Happy Monday, friends! It’s a new start to your week – how are you doing!?

Not going to lie, yesterday I didn’t move much from the couch. I was snuggled up with the pup with football on, a candle lit, & a gloomy day outside…and I’m not complaining! 

I always love a “down-time” day to recharge for a new week.

Other than relaxing on the couch — I promise that I DID actually get up to make this new recipe and it’s a winner!

I’m a huge fan of coconut macaroons … you can thank my sister-in-law for that as she makes THE BEST.

I’ve always tried to think up a powerful version of these with some added protein while being inspired by her recipe & I’m pumped to say that I think I did it thanks to my bff’s at NOW FOODS.

These were crunch on the outside & still gooey on the inside — just the way I like them!

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 Egg Whites
• 1.5 scoops NOW Foods Vanilla Grass-Fed Whey Protein (about 3/4 cup)
• ¼ cup NOW Foods Sugarless Sugar
• 2 TB Honey or Coconut Nectar
• 2 cups NOW Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
• 1/4 tsp Almond Extract
• 1/4 tsp Pink Salt (dash of pink salt)

HOW TO:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Add your egg whites, sugarless sugar, coconut nectar, almond extract, & salt into a bowl and combine until frothy with your hand mixer or whisk.
3. Once frothy, add in your protein powder & mix again until combined/frothy.
4. Once mixed, fold in your coconut with a spatula until combined.
5. Use a ice cream scoop or spoon to easily plop 12 cookies onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.
6. Bake for 8 minutes (or until slightly browned on the top & bottom)
7. Let cool (they will finish cooking on the cookie sheet out of the oven & really solidify!)
8. Enjoy!

These were SO delicious & an awesome lower-sugar alternative to regular macaroons while still being sweet thanks to the sugarless sugar stevia mix & the protein powder.

The almond extract takes it to a whole new level but feel free to leave that out if almond is not your thanggggg.

Side note: I do believe that whey protein is the best choice for this recipe as far as baking goes. I did try this recipe with NOW’s egg white protein (which I love in a shake or my oatmeal!) but they got very hard, like hockey pucks ;] Not going to lie.

Soooo, once I swapped to whey protein, they kept their chewiness and consistency so well.

I always go for a high quality protein and NOW Foods always has me covered!

If you try these out – let us know! Tag @NowFoodsOfficial & @powercakes.

Be true to you,

xo Kasey

This post is sponsored by my bff’s at NOW FOODS but as always, all opinions are my own.