Illustration by Kat Frick Miller
Ali Deris began making his own protein bars during the COVID-19 lockdowns, looking for healthier alternatives to the high-priced popular brands on the market, which sometimes contain artificial sweeteners.
The 24-year-old experimented with ingredients such as protein powder, psyllium husk powder, Greek yogurt and mashed fruit and pumpkin, leading to his first few recipes, which leave behind artificial sweeteners in favour of those derived from natural sources such as monk fruit. Now, a few years later, Deris sells his creations to other health-conscious people on Cookin, a homemade-food delivery app. There, Deris, as the Macro Cook, lists the ingredients and macronutrients, including calories, protein, carbohydrate and fat content, for each of his treats.
One of his favourites, a chocolate and pistachio marble cake, is a reminder of Turkey, where he emigrated from in 2018 to Toronto. The recipe is a healthier take on his mom’s Turkish mozaik pasta, a marble cake made with Biscoff cookies and butter. His version swaps the cookies with homemade tea biscuits made with vegan protein powder, coconut flour, psyllium husk and cocoa powder. The biscuits are mixed with a dark-chocolate ganache and finished with pistachio pieces, for 350 calories and 30 grams of protein a slice.
Here is how Deris shops for groceries.
How I save: I work at a restaurant, so I can get a meal from there for a discount. I also use canned tuna instead of fresh fish, which has just as much protein and is good for you.
How I splurge: I splurge on my coconut flour or my supplements, like omega-3.
The hardest shopping habit to keep up: I eat the same stuff often, so I’ve gotten used to how certain brands taste, i.e. I always buy Liberté Greek yogurt, I feel like the other brands are less creamy. I feel like it affects not only my tastebuds, but also the recipes for the products I sell. When I can’t find the specific product I use, it can be kind of difficult to adjust.
How I’ve changed my eating habits recently: I started eating more carbohydrates. I was very restrictive a few years ago, especially when I was very sedentary during university. Since I graduated and have been working as a food server, I walk a lot and burn a lot of calories. I need the energy from the carbohydrates.
Five items always in my cart:
- Greek yogurt – Liberté – $6.49: Besides meat, fish and poultry, Greek yogurt is one of the best sources of protein. It’s versatile and it’s the base for most of the high-protein recipes I create. I just mix it with protein powder and build from there.
- Pickled capers – Irresistibles – $2.49: I eat capers often, in a sauce I make with baked fish, or chopped up in salad dressing. They contain quercetin, which has become a popular supplement since it’s an antioxidant that can be anti-inflammatory and help prevent cancer. I prefer to get it naturally.
- Kimchi – Rooster – $12.49: I could eat a one-kilogram jar of kimchi in a couple of days. I love the taste, and I eat it as a side with most of my meals.
- Organic coconut flour – Yupik – $10.49: I buy this in bulk, usually on Amazon. It’s a great alternative to flour, and works well in a lot of the recipes I make. I also use it with my kimchi to make a kimchi pancake. It probably tastes nothing like the traditional Korean version, but it’s tasty.
- Canned pumpkin – E.D. Smith – $6.47: This is a base for so many of my baked recipes. It just absorbs that taste of whatever you put with it and keeps my recipes moist.
This interview has been edited and condensed.