Best High

I’ve seen just about every protein recipe floating around in meal prep forums and fitness blogs—from gritty pancakes to rubbery mug cakes. And don’t even get me started on the “protein brownies” that taste like damp cardboard held together with BCAAs.

But a few years ago, after a long day of client sessions and a brutal deadlift PR attempt, I hit that wall where your body screams for something sweet, but your brain reminds you that you’re still trying to stay lean. I didn’t want to cheat on my goals—but I also didn’t want to suffer through another bland, “healthy” dessert.

It took a few trials (and a few protein powder disasters), but what came out of my kitchen one rainy Sunday night was a genuinely fudgy, chocolate-rich, high-protein brownie that I now bake almost weekly—and recommend to all my clients, even the picky ones.