It is Tuesday and I am posting my Recipe Monday a bit late. I apologize. I realized that I forgot to take pictures while creating the recipe, so I had to wait until this morning in order to make it again and take photos. I hope the pictures actually make a difference to you all as it does for me. Forgive the terrible lighting. There is a lot of cloud coverage today, so I had to resort to florescent lighting. (Bummer.)
This SIMPLE and tasty recipe is a post-workout or meal replacement protein shake. I think it works well as a post-workout shake and it keeps me full for a few hours which I find helpful when working. I chose to highlight a protein shake in honor of my new blog extension, Lift then Lipstick. That site should be up and running by the end of this week! Don’t be surprised if I copy this blog and move it over to that one for fitness lovers who are in need of a post-workout meal.
Now, on to the recipe! Below are a list of ingredients for the shake:
1/2 cup Almond Milk
1/2 cup Coffee (it can be decaf)
1 tbsp. Almond Butter (I use organic)
2 scoops of RAW Protein Powder (Chocolate)
Ice (as much as you would like to help with thickness)
Step 1:
Break out your blender (I use a Ninja), all the ingredients listed above, and your measuring utensils. I used to eyeball all my ingredients. Now that I count calories to help with portion control, I take the extra few seconds to measure everything out. Doing that is completely optional!
Step 2:
Add your wet ingredients to the blender. 1/2 cup of almond milk and 1/2 cup of coffee from your morning brew should do just fine. You can add more or less based on preference. I find this gives a great consistency.
Step 3:
Add your RAW Protein by Garden of Life (or any other protein you use). I would suggest using chocolate or vanilla flavor for this recipe. Also, I want to give a little info on the RAW Protein I use. I am lactose-intolerant meaning dairy does not do well with my stomach. It isn’t terrible, but I find that I feel best when I avoid dairy products. RAW Protein is interesting because it is made with Sprouted Brown Rice Protein. It has a different taste than you may be used to and I suggest you give it more than one chance. Once you try it a few times, you start to crave it (or maybe that’s just me). You may notice a gritty residue in your mouth while drinking the shake. It seems odd at first, but again, you get used to it and it actually isn’t unpleasant. I add two scoops because 90 calories isn’t enough for me. Also, I want double the protein after a workout. Two scoops is 180 calories and 34 grams of protein.
If you are vegan or vegetarian, this is a great product for you. I considered going vegan once… but then my mom made steak for dinner and I couldn’t say no. I commend those who live a vegan/vegetarian lifestyle. Instead, I choose organic, grass-fed beef. It makes me feel better about choosing meat, haha.
Step 4:
Add your almond butter (about a tablespoon, perhaps more if you are not as concerned with calorie counting). Unfortunately, I ran out of almond butter, so I had to resort to Jif. I do not mind Jif, but there is more sugar, so I only put half a tbsp this morning. Almond butter tastes amazing, though. If you haven’t tried it, use this recipe to ease your way in. Other ingredients from this shake will overpower the flavor of almonds that people often dislike. It is another acquired taste. Almond butter is better for your health, though. Give it a shot.
Step 5:
Add ice and blend! I add quite a bit of ice because I like a thicker shake. I don’t mind a “slushy” consistency. I also enjoy chewing on ice. It keeps me from drinking the shake too fast (which I typically do). Also, I occasionally will add a banana. However, bananas have a lot of calories. I try to only add them if I know I will be under calorie count for the day.
Step 6:
Pour in a glass/cup and enjoy!
And there you have it! A quick, simple, tasty recipe for a post-workout meal or meal replacement. I will try to mix up my shakes a bit so I can give you a different recipe. I am a chocolate LOVER though. This is my chocolate fix that I can’t get from candy anymore. So, expect a lot of chocolate shakes! Happy Tuesday.