Feels like forever since my last post.
Really, though, it’s only been two days. I left the last post up for a bit because of its important message, and also because this gave me a chance to thoroughly read through all of the heartfelt and personal comments so many people took time to leave.
It was especially wonderful seeing readers responding to and encouraging each other in the comment section with ideas for high calorie recipes or just with support in general. Please, always feel free to respond to other commenters on my posts. If someone asks a question and you know the answer, share your knowledge! I don’t have all the answers, and so I’m happy when someone more knowledgeable speaks up.
Today’s post is a follow-up to Thursday’s. It was written for anyone who’d like some higher calorie recipes and is tired of resorting to so-called junk food all the time. I once tried the junk food route to gain weight. (For more about that, see the following post: My Junk Food Phase.)
It did not work for me, and I felt awful. No way could I continue to scarf down pints of vegan ice cream every day, or eat two slices of cake as a daily snack—I was beginning to hate dessert! I finally had to take a good look at my diet and try something new. That “something new” was adopting a healthy, but still high-calorie, diet.
Many of my favorite recipes on this blog are the high calorie recipes (or the ones that can be high in calories if you employ some of the optional ingredients or substitutions). For example: One of my favorite “weight gain” recipes is actually a recipe I specifically highlight as being low in calories:
Yes, the recipe has half the calories of peanut butter… So if you eat 1 or 2 tablespoons on a sandwich, you’ve saved calories. But I like to eat the entire recipe in a serving, which makes it closer to 500-600 calories. It’s one of my favorite high calorie recipes, and it’s not made with hard-to-find ingredients. Just peanut butter and banana… what could be easier??
And if you use a frozen banana (I highly recommend you do!), it’s like ice cream. So incredibly delicious! Other recipes on my blog that are—or can be—higher in calories:
Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Shake
Seriously, forget Boost. This shake is way better. Actually, I’ve never tried Boost since it’s not vegan… For awhile I did drink some weight-gain-type shakes (called Power Dreams) from the Imagine Foods company. I liked the chocolate ones best. (Surprise!) But then the company went and discontinued those drinks. Oh well; I like my own better anyway.
(People with peanut allergies can easily sub almond butter or an allergy-friendly alternative like sunbutter or soynut butter.)
I always always always add the optional oil when I make these pancakes for myself. And if you can spare the calories, I highly recommend you do the same. Using coconut oil makes them taste like buttery shortbread, bursting with giant blueberries.
Darn it, now I’m craving pancakes.
Another one of my favorite things to eat. These little candies are absolutely addictive. You cannot eat just one two seventeen. Thankfully, they’re also incredibly easy to make. I prepare a huge amount at once… but, even still, they disappear so fast!
Chocolate-Raspberry Fudge Cake
Yet another personal favorite. Ok, so I have a lot of favorites. Since first creating the recipe a few years ago, I don’t think a week has gone by where I haven’t had a slice of this fantabulous fudge cake. For extra calories, eat more than one serving. You can do that, right?
I certainly always do! And yet, it doesn’t leave me feeling gross and sluggish like when I used to eat those sugary layer cakes every day.
Those are “Oatmeal-Raisin Cookie” Bars in the photo. They’re one of my favorite high calorie recipes on the blog. (How many times have I said “my favorite” now in this post? Sorry, can’t help it.)
I don’t really like the crunchy texture of granola, but I sometimes use this recipe as one would use granola– sprinkled over other foods, or just eaten straight from the food processor. Really, why bother shaping into bars? That just burns calories ;).
This ice cream has just 50 calories per serving… If you use almond milk, that is. Opt for the super-creamy version made with creamer or canned coconut milk and you can easily (painlessly!) take in some extra calories.
A glass of nothing but frosting? Heck yes! This recipe is very high in healthy fats. And none of the sugar or processed ingredients found in that Pillsbury stuff. Which means… go ahead and eat the whole glass. You know you want to!
What are some of your favorite high calorie recipes?
If you can’t tell from this post, mine include coconut, peanut butter, and really dark chocolate. Also, most raw nuts, and olive oil (on things, not plain lol!). Every now and then, I give avocado another chance because I want to like it; it’s so healthy! But alas, I just can’t see what everyone else seems to love about it.
For more, see the following: How to Gain Weight on a Healthy Diet.
For breakfast this morning, I decided that I’d use up the rest of my strawberries and whip up your Strawberry Shortcake Pancakes – sans fat, per usual. Upon reading this post, however, I took your advice and whipped up said pancakes, but this time with a tablespoon of coconut butter.
Oh my goodness – it’s amazing how that mere tablespoon transforms the pancakes from being a little dry and scarce into a luscious, incredibly rich, and profuse stack of pancakes!
I’m quite happy to report that my stomach is replete with this outcome! Thank you so much 🙂
So glad you tried them with the oil! Really, I think it’s what MAKES the pancakes. But then again, I think I’d like ANYthing if it included coconut oil ;).
My favorite high calorie foods is peanut butter and granola! I could eat them endlessly!
Your food photos are just so pretty. I haven’t been here long enough to know if that is what you do for a living, but if you don’t, you should! Food stylist extraordinaire!
Aw thank you so much! This actually is my job… but food styling is just one part of it. I’ve always wondered how professional food stylists landed that job!
I love all your recipes that I’ve tried, but I’m scared to try the ones with banana’s, because I hate the taste of bananas! I was wondering, can you taste the bananas that are in your recipes? Everything else looks amazing to me…except that one ingredient! Thank you!
if you use a ripe banana, you most definitely can taste it. Katie advised me once to use a greener banana if I didn’t want to taste the banana as much. I haven’t tried it yet though b/c I have so many frozen ripe banana pieces lol. I like banana, but sometimes I’d like it not to be the primary taste in what I’m eating/drinking.
I sometimes use a banana that has a little bit of green on each end when I don’t want to taste as much banana flavor. Chocolate and or cocoa are the best banana flavor cover-ups. But… I still would use a less ripe banana if you really can’t stand the taste and add a bit of sweetener to the recipe (unless you like unsweetened things) because less ripe bananas are nowhere near as sweet.
Thanks, Shelly and Mya! I’ll try that!
I think it is so weird, bc my weight stays the same, no matter how many fatty calories I consume. However, if I increase my carb-intake, I gain weight within seconds. Like, I just have to look at pasta and gain weight.
So strange.
I love almonds as my no 1 fat and protein source.
I’m the same way, which is such a shame b/c I LOVE BREAD. So much. Science says that a calorie is a calorie but I beg to differ.
I trained myself not to eat it anymore, as I do love it, too!
Oh, I have never believed that a calorie is a calorie, definitely not!
We are the proven example, right? 😉
haha yes!
I have to beg to differ!! If I use anything fatty like nuts I will gain weight, but since I switched over to adding white rice in my diet and breads and things, I’ve been dropping. I have an extremely hard time digesting food in general though, so maybe you guys just have healthy digestive tracts and need that fat for the fullness factor, otherwise you just feel hungrier later on? Whereas I just eat the fat and get addicted and want more and eat more and then get stomach aches all day (that’s probably also a food-intolerance…that’s pretty common amongst people with food-intolerances…getting addicted to what they’re intolerant to and then not being able to digest it properly and it making them feel physically even worse). Anyway–Interesting…I definitely have seen a lot of trend with people who eat lots of fats–they tend to feel pretty sleepy/sluggish if they aren’t burning them all. I guess it’s all about balance and what works for you personally.
I think the case in point is that every-body is different. Having different needs, and responding differently to different foods (and this can even change over time for one person). That is why there are people who claim that low carb/high protein diets work great, yet others feel the complete opposite is best.
You find similar truths in many dietary approaches (ie: think about how Ayurveda divides people into doshas – each of which thrive on different foods, and do poorly with others.)
and the best part is peanut butter and dark chocolate are really good for you. Coconut is depending on who you ask, too. Love all these recipes!
Frozen bananas into soft serve or milkshakes or even that better peanut butter is the only way I can eat bananas and they are delicious!
I’m in love with avocado and hummus sandwiches, that’s my favourite way to to eat avocado. It’s so rich and buttery, I can’t help myself. I must try your coconut melties though, they look so cute!
Oh wow I absolutely must try that!
Ice cream and olive oil. Not together though lol. Hummus is definitely a runner up! Best veggie dip ever. Excuse me, I need to go to the kitchen.
I tried ice cream and olive oil together after seeing it in a cookbook…. and yes, it’s as disgusting as it sounds!
Jeese Katie! I am practically drooling after reading this post my favorite high calorie things are who,e wheat pasta and candy. Because I haven’t figured out a way to live without the latter, I am mostly selecting low calorie foods. My favorite of which are chips and salsa and shakeology. El pintos (they have a salsa locator on their website in case you wanted to try it) makes my favorite salsa and The vegan tropical shakeology is currently awaiting me to get up and serve myself some lunch before my workout today. I’m gonna have to dive into these peanut butter posts of yours in the near future though!
I’ve heard a lot of people talking about this Shakeology! Honestly, I never paid much attention because I had no idea they made a vegan one. That’s great to know :).
I just started reading your blog maybe 2 months ago, and let me just say that I LOVE it. You give good recipes for those that want to eat healthier, but don’t want to sacrifice sweets to do it. I also feel like you tackle some big issues like you did here. I know a lot of people think that being “healthy” means you don’t eat a lot of calories. But its so much more than that. Being healthy has to do with what you eat, but it also has to do with how much you exercise and even how much you sleep. I think you do a great job in accommodating all the people who want to be healthy for all their own reasons. Plus I am in love with the cookie dough dip! <3
As a request, would you mind doing some more vanilla type recipes in the future? I love chocolate, but sometimes I like a change too.
I love your blog and I hope you keep on writing!
I can definitely try. How about one tomorrow? 🙂