If your only experience with protein powder is a hastily blended shake before a workout, you're missing most of what these days actually is a pretty versatile pantry ingredient. Beef protein powder in particular has quietly become one of the more interesting additions to a home kitche. It's neutral enough to disappear into batters and doughs, it doesn't fight with other flavors the way some plant proteins do, and it packs a serious amino acid profile (thanks to the collagen naturally present in beef isolate) without turning your Tuesday-night muffins into a science project.

We started experimenting with it here in Fairfield County the way most people do: stirring it into oatmeal because we were too lazy to cook eggs. But once you get past the shake, there's a lot more you can do. Here are seven ways to work beef protein powder into food you'd actually want to eat.