Personal trainer Chris Powell has some tricks up his sleeve when it comes to recreating nutritious versions of popular fast food items at home.
Check out his recipes below.
For fans of Chick-fil-A's famed chicken sandwich and steak fries, Powell created a corn flake-crusted, air fried chicken sandwich with a similar side.
Nutrition facts (Per serving - 1 sandwich)
Calories: 409 kilocalories
Protein: 39 grams
Carbohydrates: 35 grams
Fat: 8 grams
Fiber: 4 grams
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes (8-10 minutes per side for chicken)
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 12-15 minutes
Ingredients
32 ounces (907 grams) raw chicken breast
1 large egg
1.5 teaspoons (7.5 grams) Lawry's Seasoned Salt
0.75 cup (40 grams) corn flake crumbs
1 100% whole wheat roll, pre-sliced (about 60 grams)
1 slice American cheese (1 ounces / 28 grams)
2 tablespoons CP's Cheeseburger Spread
3 slices dill pickle
Instructions
Slice the chicken breast down the center, width-wise, creating two thinner cuts of chicken breast.
Scramble the egg in a separate bowl, then add the chicken and mix until well-coated.
Spread the cornflake crumbs on a pan and sprinkle with seasoned salt. Dip each breast into the crumb mixture, ensuring all sides are coated.
Preheat the air fryer to 400 F (200 C). Place the chicken in the air fryer basket in a single layer and cook for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until fully cooked (internal temperature 165 F / 74 C). At 15 minutes, check regularly until internal temperature is 165 F.
Let the fried chicken breast cool slightly before serving.
Toast the whole wheat roll in the toaster oven for 60 seconds, until crisp.
Assemble the sandwich by placing the cooked CP's air-fried cornflake chicken and the slice of American cheese between the toasted rolls. Add pickles and spread.
Microwave the assembled sandwich for 30 seconds if you prefer a melted, gooey cheese.
Total time: 19 minutes
Ingredients
4 medium yellow or russet potatoes (about 600 grams)
0.25-second spray of avocado oil
1 teaspoon (5 grams) Lawry's Seasoned Salt
Instructions
Chop the potatoes into wedges with a knife or apple slicer.
Spritz the potato wedges with avocado oil and season generously with Lawry's Seasoned Salt.
Preheat the air fryer to 390 F (200 C). Place the potato wedges in the air fryer and cook for 12-14 minutes, shaking halfway through, until crispy and golden brown.
Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition facts (Per serving - 2 tacos)
Calories: 332 kilocalories
Protein: 35 grams
Carbohydrates: 12 grams
Fat: 14 grams
Fiber: 2 grams
Weight per serving: 100 grams
Total time: 20 minutes
Ingredients (for 2 tacos)
4 ounces (113 grams) ground beef (96% lean)
1 slice (28 grams) American cheese
2 low-carb tortillas
1 ounce (28 grams) sliced pickles
1.5 tablespoons (24 grams) ketchup
2 teaspoons (10 grams) mustard
2 slices (40 grams) tomato
Instructions
Heat a large skillet or hot plate on medium to high heat. Smash the ground beef into thin, long patties. Season lightly.
Place patties on skillet or hot plate and cook for 2-3 minutes each side, until browned and cooked through.
Place 1/2 slice of cheese on top and let it melt in.
Prepare the tortillas: In a clean skillet, lightly heat the tortillas on each side for about 1 minute, or until warm and slightly crispy.
Assemble the tacos: On each tortilla, add a layer of cooked ground beef patty. Top with pickles, and tomato slices. Drizzle ketchup and mustard over the top for extra flavor.
Serve the 2 smashburger tacos immediately while warm, and enjoy!
The Pizza Hut-inspired dish is made with a whole wheat pita and turkey pepperoni.
Nutrition facts Per serving - 1 pizza
Calories: 444 kilocalories
Protein: 37 grams
Carbohydrates: 48 grams
Fat: 15 grams
Fiber: 5 grams
Net carbs: 36 grams
Total time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
1 whole wheat pita pocket (6.5 inches, approximately 2 ounces / 57 grams)
1/4 cup (120 grams) pizza sauce
5 slices (20 grams) turkey pepperoni
1/4 cup (85 grams) reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, shredded
For the stuffing:
1/4 cup (30 grams) pizza sauce
5 slices (10 grams) turkey pepperoni (for stuffing)
1/4 cup (30 grams) mozzarella cheese
Instructions
In a small bowl, mix 1/4 cup of pizza sauce with 5 pepperoni slices (cut into quarters) and 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese.
Carefully slice open the pita, leaving one side intact to create a pocket for the stuffing.
Evenly distribute the stuffing mixture inside the pita pocket.
Spread the remaining 1/4 cup of pizza sauce on top of the pita. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese over the sauce.
Preheat your air fryer to 390 F (200 C). Place the stuffed pizza inside the air fryer basket. Cook for 2 minutes.
After 2 minutes, check the pizza, add the remaining 5 pepperoni slices on top and press into the melted cheese, then cook for an additional 3 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly, and the pita is crispy.
Let the pizza cool for a minute, then slice and enjoy!
This high-carb banana pudding -- inspired by Marie Callender's pie -- combines creamy vanilla protein shakes with banana flavor for a sweet and satisfying dessert that's perfect post-workout or for a high-energy snack!
Nutrition facts (Per serving)
Calories: 248 kilocalories
Protein: 27 grams
Carbohydrates: 25 grams
Fat: 5 grams
Fiber: 2 grams
Net carbs: 26 grams
Prep time: 5 minutes
Chill time: 1 hour
Makes 3 servings
Ingredients
3 bottles high-protein vanilla milkshake
1 package Sugar-Free Banana Cream Jell-O Pudding
1 medium banana
3 Honey Maid graham crackers
Instructions
In a blender, combine the vanilla-flavored high-protein shake and Jell-O pudding mix. Blend for about 10 seconds until smooth.
Chop the medium banana and divide it evenly across the 3 bowls of pudding.
Place the pudding in the refrigerator and let it cool and set for 1 hour.
When ready to eat, crumble 1 graham cracker (1/4 of a graham cracker sheet) over the top of each bowl of pudding.
Serve and enjoy!
For fans of McDonald's Oreo McFlurry, Powell suggests this swap instead.
Nutrition facts (Per serving - 1 pint total)
Calories: 365 kilocalories
Protein: 32 grams (45%)
Carbohydrates: 23 grams (43%)
Fiber: 10 grams
Net Carbs: 23 grams
Fat: 13 grams (12%)
Sodium: 180 milligrams (estimate based on ingredients)
Cholesterol: 25 milligrams
Sugar: 6 grams
Total time: 30 seconds (+ freeze time)
Ingredients
1.5 scoops (52 grams) Transform HQ Cookies & Cream Meal Replacement Shake
2 teaspoons sugar free sweetener (allulose)
1.5 cups (360 milliliters) unsweetened almondmilk (vanilla)
2 Oreo cookies with icing removed (4 wafers total)
Instructions
In a shaker bottle, combine the Cookies & Cream Meal Replacement Shake powder and almond milk. Shake well until fully blended, then pour the mixture into a Ninja CREAMi pint container. Freeze for 8 hours or until solid.
Once frozen, place the container in the Ninja CREAMi. Use the 'Lite Ice Cream' setting to blend until smooth. Remove the pint, hollow out the center, and add the crushed Oreo cookie wafers as mix-ins. Blend once more.
Scoop out to serve as ice cream, or transfer to a cup to serve as a frostie! Enjoy!
