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.
My favorite high calorie foods? Oh boy. Of the healthy: peanut butter, guacamole, granola, lara bars (I have yet to try one of your recipes though) and of the not-so healthy: ribs (sorry, i know you’re vegan), mac n cheese, carrot cake. I really love how you have a range of different recipes for people with different dietary needs, like low calorie or high calorie or gluten free (thanks!) or vegan. Have a great weekend! 🙂
Keep up the good work, girl! I love what you do here, and including you in a blog post of mine today…
Thanks for continuing to share tips, inspiration and encouragement to your readers in a transparent, genuine & delicious way! XOXO
If you don’t like avocado, you should try slicing it up on a slice of rye / quinoa bread, with a little bit of olive oil, sliced tomatoes, chili flakes and salt!
it’s now one of my favorite foods, even though i didn’t like tomatoes. 😉
Hi Katie – would coconut milk ever be considered a possible substitute for coconut oil? It’s pretty much impossible to get coconut oil where I live >.<
I guess it depends on the recipe!
Never thought I’d see the day that I needed a high-calorie recipe. Not for me, but for the boyfriend! He’s having a very hard time getting his calories in without filling up too fast, and he’s losing weight when he needs to be gaining. THANK YOU For your recipes!! I’m going to make some just for him 🙂
OH. MY. GOSH. I love this blog!!! I stumbled upon it because somebody mentioned it on a Facebook-group where sugar addicts are trying to get rid of their addiction and the past 30 minutes I have been meticulously reading your blog entries. I love the style of your writing and I can’t wait to try some of your recipes. Unfortunately for me I am on a very strict diet right now where I can’t eat any snacks in between my 3 meals a day. But my family and friends will love to eat my creations. Thank you so much for shouting out your thoughts, recipes and enthusiasm to the world!!! Love from Holland!
I’m not a regular poster, but I am a regular stalker, of this blog. This post really spoke to me as a cystic fibrosis patient and transitioning vegan. People don’t seem to realize how hard it is take in 4,000 calories a day so thank you for your insight, recipes, and empathy. I shall continue to stalk you (maybe even post a bit) but I just wanted to say thank you from one skinny chick to another.
Due to a medical issue, there are times in my life where my weight will drop on its own. My trick to bring it back up to a healthy weight it by adding extras to each meal or dish. Here ia a breakfast example: This morning’s oatmeal was the heart healthy size with granola , agave syrup and soy milk added. Sometimes I will add peanut butter, dark baking cocoa, agave syrup and soy milk to my oatmeal for “Reeses Oatmeal” (its FABULOUS). Another tip is adding hummus to a sandwich in place of a condiment.
Weight has been a tricky issue for me. I used to be naturally thin, not needing to gain weight but if I did it would have been fine. Then I got a bit obsessed over weight and lose some, but no more than 4 pounds. Then, I got back to normal, and recently ish, after another bit of restricting my diet in the summer way too much, I ate so much junk food to try and gain weight. It worked but I was basically binging and soon, I gained 10 pounds, though I was still active. I was so upset with my weight, and now I have lost about 5 of those gained pounds. I’m not going to try to get back to what I was, because it was a result of my obsessive calorie counting, but I am trying to eat healthier and exercise even more!
I think we’re hardwired to like hical foods because back in the olden days we didn’t have constant access to food, so we’d take advantage of the hical ones.
My faves are melted cheese, peanut butter, nuts, oatmeal, vanilla whey protein powder straight out the can (i’m freaky like that), dark chocolate >80%, sweet potatoes, quinoa mixed with pb, and icecream
Conversely my fave low cal foods include blueberries, strawberries, ice, non-green bell peppers, popcorn, cauliflower, grapes, watermelon, uh, i could go on