Savory Bacon and Chive Corn Muffins ~ A savory muffin packed with flavor and rounded out with whey protein powder for a protein-rich, post-workout snack.

*This is a sponsored post in collaboration with thestronginside.com. All thoughts and opinions are mine.

I’ve been coaching and training this now not-so-little guy since he was 7 years old. Now that he’s in high school, the gym has become a heavy part of his routine. He’s lifting weights in addition to his regular sports training. The added load, in addition to his already sports-heavy routine, means we prioritize his muscle recovery to help him find his strong inside for maximum performance

To do this, I like to include proteins from milk, including whey protein concentrates and isolates, casein and caseinates, and milk protein concentrates and isolates, in his diet. Depending on his activity levels for the day, I can mix and match the type of proteins from milk he needs to build strength.

When it comes to post-workout nourishment, I like to include whey protein powder into his snacks. And because whey protein powder is quickly absorbed in the body, it supports muscle recovery. Depending on his post workout choice, I can add it to drinks like smoothies, juices or shakes or to snacks like the savory muffins you see here. If it’s a meal, most times he’s doing a power salad that contains a mix of greens, grains, fruits and vegetables with a homemade salad dressing with added whey protein powder.

As his dad, not only do I have my own personal wellness program, but keeping up with his expanding training needs means I also have to stay in top condition. Together we are nurturing our strong inside with proteins from milk.

I know so many of you are doing the same thing, so to help you find new ways to power up our favorite recipes, head to thestronginside.com . There you can find inspiration on how to easily incorporate proteins from milk into a variety of sweet and savory recipes.

While you are at it check out protein calculator the to find out how much your protein in-take should be. (It might be more than you think!)

Yield: 1 dozen

Savory Bacon and Chive Corn Muffins

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup (10 oz/300ml) buttermilk
1 1/2 cup (7.5 oz/215g) fine-ground cornmeal
1 cup (zucchini (3.25 oz/95g), shredded
1 cup (.75 oz/ 215 g) scallions, chopped
4 slices of bacon (4oz), cooked and crumbled
8 (.75 oz/25g) sun-dried tomatoes, diced
2 cups (10 oz/226g) self-rising flour
1/4 cup whey protein powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 large eggs
6 tablespoons butter, melted
2 cups (8 oz/226g) grated cheddar cheese

Instructions

Preparation: Place oven rack in middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a muffin pan with with non-stick spray.

In a medium bowl, stir together buttermilk and cornmeal. Set aside to let cornmeal soak for 30 minutes. In small bowl, combine and mix together the zucchini, scallions, bacon and sun-dried tomatoes. In a second bowl whisk together the flour, whey powder baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt and black pepper.

Return to the buttermilk mixture and whisk in the eggs. Next stir in the melted butter. Add the 1 1/2 cups (6 oz/169g) cheese and the bacon and sun-dried tomato mixture, stir to combine. Add the flour mixture and fold until just combined..

Divide batter among muffin wells. Evenly divide the remaining 1/2 cup (2 oz/56g) of cheese among the wells and sprinkle on top. Transfer to the oven and bake until muffins are light golden brown and skewer inserted into the center of muffin comes out clean, about 18 minutes.

Remove from oven and transfer pan to a wire rack too cool. Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before inverting to muffins onto a wire rack to cool for another 5 minutes before serving.

Filed Under: Breakfast