Protein Shake Ingredients
½ cup water 1/3 cup plain coconut milk yogurt ¼ banana 2 tablespoons walnuts 1 tablespoon blanched almonds 1 teaspoon agave nectar ½ cup frozen unsweetened raspberries 1 cup ice cubes 1 scoop pea protein 1 ½ tablespoons coconut oil, meltedI think squirrels have the right idea with their diet. You never see them lining up at the doctor’s office needing shots and medication. So what better ingredients for a protein shake than nuts and berries? I usually use at least one kind of berry in my protein shakes every day but I don’t typically add a lot of nuts, just a scoop of almond butter usually. So to mix things up a little (and add some more protein), I made this one extra nutty.
My favorite berry is raspberries but I think strawberries or blueberries would taste good in this one too. I like to use unsweetened berries as much as possible to make sure I’m not taking in any extra sugar. I try to buy organic berries too even though the price tag is a little higher.
Almonds have long been touted as a healthy snack but did you know walnuts are really good for you too? I didn’t really pay them much attention (other than to use them in one really good pesto recipe) but do a little research and you’ll find they contain tons of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties! Adding more than one kind of nut, ups the amount of “good fat” too.
I use coconut milk yogurt and agave nectar to keep the smoothie dairy free and refined sugar free but you can always use low fat milk and honey if you prefer. I really like to use pea protein to keep it as healthy as possible too. My favorite pea protein is Now Foods. It’s tasty stuff!
With all of the antioxidants and nutrients in this protein shake recipe, I like to use this after a long, early morning workout in the fitness pool or a late night date with the weights at my favorite gym.
Either way, you’ll find this one takes like a yummy bowl of cereal all mixed up in a shake!
Simple Sweet Potato Smoothie
Protein Shake Ingredients
1 cup red grapes½ medium orange, peeled
½ cup cooked sweet potato, peeled and cooled
½ medium apple, seeded
½ teaspoon chopped fresh ginger root
¼ cup frozen cranberries
2 cups ice cubes
When fall/winter rolls around, I start craving things like pumpkin, apples, caramel and sweet potatoes. I don’t know what it is, there’s just something in the air. And I must not be the only one… because that’s when Starbucks comes out with their seasonal drinks! Well, maybe not a sweet potato one. Which is why I wanted to find a good smoothie that uses them.
I played around with a couple recipes until I found a combination I like and this one checks off all the boxes. The cranberries, grapes and orange give this smoothie just the right amount of sweetness to offset the spiciness of the ginger root. Of course, ginger root is a wonder ingredient in and of itself, with tons of health benefits for your liver among other things. It will be the strongest flavor you taste, so adjust it accordingly if you want more or less intensity.
Adding a sweet potato to the smoothie gives it a big fiber boost and a creamy texture too, just be sure to use a cooked potato that has cooled completely. For the apple, you can use any kind that you like, but I usually use gala or fuji apples because of their sweetness. If you find that you want it a little sweeter though, you can always add a few drops of liquid stevia to your liking!
Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.
Key Lime Kiwi Protein Smoothie
Protein Shake Ingredients
¼ cup water ½ lime, peeled 2 kiwis, peeled and seeded 1 pear 1 tablespoon agave nectar 1 cup ice cubes 1 ½ tablespoons coconut oil, melted 1 small scoop vanilla protein powderMy mother’s favorite dessert was key lime pie. No matter where we went, be it a fancy restaurant or a hole in the wall, if key lime pie was on the menu, she was getting it. Little things like that stand out in your mind after someone is gone, so I’ve found myself paying homage to this love of hers lately. First with a sparkly slice of pie Christmas ornament and then with a key lime inspired smoothie.
I’ve never really been a huge fan of lime (except with my tequila!) so I knew I wanted to add another flavor to ease up the tartness a little. Kiwis have always been a favorite of mine and hey, they’re in the green family too. The mixture of the two flavors is refreshing and light and the addition of a pear gives it a unique taste and a soft consistency without having to add yogurt or milk.
I don’t like my smoothies to be sickening sweet either so I always opt for an “alternative” sweetener like stevia, xylitol or agave. You can also use honey in place of the agave if you want.
It’s not as decadent as a piece of key lime pie but I think my mom would still give this one a thumbs up!
Almond Joy Protein Shake Recipe
Protein Shake Ingredients
1 banana 2 cups chocolate almond milk ¼ cup almond butter ¼ cup vegan carob or chocolate chips 1 scoop pea protein 8-10 drops liquid stevia, to taste ½ cup ice cubes 1 ½ tablespoons coconut oil, meltedAlmonds are a great way to get protein in your diet, as well as fiber and healthy fat. But if you’re not a big fan of popping them in their natural state, adding almond milk or almond butter to your protein shakes is a great way to get an extra boost of protein.
I’m not a big fan of coconut (although I use a lot of coconut products for their health benefits!) so even though I call this an Almond Joy shake, it doesn’t taste exactly like the candy bar. It does have coconut oil in it, like many of my smoothies, because it’s good for the digestive system. But the main flavors in this one are almond and chocolate. Yum!
I like to use vegan carob chips to keep it dairy free but you can use chocolate chips too if you don’t like the taste of carob. It’s an acquired taste but one that I really started to like when I was on a doctor-directed break from regular chocolate.
Pea protein is my go-to protein because it’s wheat-free, soy-free, gluten-free and dairy-free. You might have to get used to the flavor the first few times you use it, but I find that when I add almond butter to my shakes too, it disguises the flavor. It also blends well and doesn’t feel gritty.
Chocolate Avocado Smoothie Recipe
Protein Shake Ingredients
2 avocados 2-3 cups unsweetened coconut milk 2-3 tablespoons carob powder 10 drops liquid vanilla stevia 1-2 tablespoons coconut nectar, to taste 1/2 cup ice cubes 1 ½ tablespoons coconut oil, meltedIt’s hard to believe now that there was a time when I didn’t know the wonder of avocados. Sure, I had eaten them before, but usually just in guacamole. I hadn’t yet discovered their true awesomeness and versatility.
When my friend suggested to me that I add avocado to my smoothies, I looked at her like she was crazy. Most likely because I associated avocados with a more savory flavor while I like my smoothies to be sweet. But oh, how wrong I was.
First of all, I can’t even really taste the avocado when I add it to a smoothie. But the part I didn’t even know I was missing is the awesome texture avocados add! This smoothie is one of the creamiest and well… smoothest ones I’ve ever had. And the flavor of the carob powder gives it a delicious flavor that reminds me of a chocolate milkshake.
I use vanilla-flavored stevia to sweeten it but you can also use regular stevia or vanilla extract. You can also add more carob to your liking or use cocoa powder for a more chocolaty taste. I love adding coconut oil to my smoothies too because of its many health benefits, especially for your digestive system. This smoothie is the best of both worlds… indulgent AND good for you!
Easy Strawberry Kale Protein Shake Recipe
Protein Shake Ingredients
1/2 cup fresh strawberries 2 kale leaves, chopped 1 banana Handful of ice cubes 6-8 ounces of vanilla almond milk 1 tablespoon honeyKale is one of nature’s greatest gifts to those who want to get fit or lose weight. A rare superfood, kale is great in salads, smoothies, shakes or as a standalone side. Kale is loaded with beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C and calcium. It’s a superfood because eating it actually makes you healthier!
I don’t buy kale often because it is expensive and, depending on where you live, hard to find in your average grocery store. But when I get my hands on it, I love to use it in protein shakes. You could make a kale protein shake with minimal ingredients, but I love combining its taste and nutrients with fruit. A kale fruit smoothie is as good as it gets!
If you’ve followed the blog for a while, you know that strawberries are my favorite fruit to add in to a protein shake. Kale is no exception! I put together this strawberry kale protein shake to give you energy and nutrients to power your workouts or help you recover.
If you have any other great kale protein shake recipes, feel free to add them into the comments section below. Kale is such a wonderful ingredient and I’ll be adding more recipes in the near future that are packed full of this superfood!
Chocolate Almond Protein Shake Recipe
Protein Shake Ingredients
8 ounces chocolate almond milk 1-2 scoops of chocolate whey protein powder Small handful of raw almondsAlmonds and chocolate are a classic combination. You’ll find them in candy bars, coffee drinks and in dry mixes. Now you can taste the great combination in this super healthy protein shake!
I’ve never been a huge fan of almonds but I’ve started to embrace them. They are packed with healthy fats and are among the world’s healthiest foods. Almonds are one of the rare super foods that actually make you healthier by eating them — in moderation of course 😀 So I’ve tried to start incorporating these into my diet in any way possible.
One of the easiest ways is to drop a handful into my Ninja blender and add them into my protein shake. While I don’t love the flavor of raw almonds (I know…weird right?), I don’t mind their taste and texture when it’s chopped and blended into my protein shake.
I also have a big time love for any protein shake with chocolate so this is a nice combination. You can tweak the ingredients or just grab a handful of almonds for a snack with this shake too if that is what you are craving.
Depending on your blender, you may not get the almonds chopped as finely as you’d like them. You can always use almond extract as a replacement.
I usually enjoy this first thing in the morning or at night after my PM workout!
White Chocolate Pumpkin Protein Shake Recipe
Protein Shake Ingredients
1-2 scoops of white chocolate protein powder 1/2 cup pumpkin puree 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt 6-8 ounces almond milk 1 pinch cinnamon 1 small handful ice cubes (optional)A guilty pleasure of mine is Dunkin Donuts White Chocolate Pumpkin lattes and coffees. As if pumpkin spice wasn’t good enough, they found a way to make it tastier and even less healthy for you. I can suck those things down between my pit stop and Dunkin Donuts and the five minute drive to the office. I have a problem.
My solution, as usual, was to come up with a way to have a healthier alternative to the Dunkin Donuts drinks chock full of sugar and fat. This white chocolate pumpkin protein shake has protein and mostly healthy ingredients without sacrificing the taste that I am hopelessly addicted to.
You can even add a few scoops of instant coffee to this protein shake recipe as an optional ingredient! You get your caffeine and chocolate and pumpkin fix all in one. It’s a good way to kickstart your day without slowly killing your body.
I strongly recommend using a white chocolate protein powder for the best taste. You can do it with vanilla whey but it’s just not the same. My personal favorite that I’ve tried is Optimum Nutrition’s White Chocolate whey protein powder. It’s great by itself too!
Just add all of these ingredients into a blender and you are good to go. Depending on how thick you like your shakes, you can tweak the greek yogurt amount and the number of ice cubes you add.
Quick Mocha Chip Casein Protein Pudding Recipe
Protein Shake Ingredients
1 scoop Optimum Nutrition cookie dough casein powder2 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup coffee (any flavor will do)
Every morning, I start my day off with a big ol’ cup of coffee with cream and stevia. I usually don’t drink it until I get to the office but most days I’ll have my 8oz or so of joe finished up before lunch. I’m not the type of person who guzzles coffee down quickly in the AM…I’m more of a sip and savor.
I love the energy and focus boost that the caffeine gives me. I don’t always finish my coffee in the morning though and it’s cold come the afternoon. Usually, I’d just dump it out but I got an awesome idea a couple of weeks ago that allows me to ‘recycle’ any leftover coffee I have.
Around 2-3pm in the afternoon I start to drag a bit. I usually will have a protein shake in the afternoon to fend off any hunger or sweet cravings. One day, I decided to whip up some of the casein protein pudding I love for an afternoon snack. This time, though, I added my leftover gingerbread coffee from the morning into my mixture.
The result? Heaven.
Coffee mixes in perfectly with ON’s Casein protein powder and added a little boost of energy to my day along with the protein powder. I’ve started doing this almost every day. All you need is a scoop of casein protein powder (my favorite is cookie dough), a bit of milk or water and a quarter to half cup of coffee.
The result is a yummy mocha chip protein pudding! It’s super healthy and the combination of the protein and caffeine give me the perfect pick-me-up to finish my day on a strong note.
Easy Green Protein Smoothie Recipe
Protein Shake Ingredients
8 ounces almond milk 1 handful spinach 1 cup sliced apple 1/2 cup sliced pear 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed 1 scoop vanilla protein powder 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 teaspoon steviaHere’s my favorite green protein shake recipe. I do not like vegetables at all (or fruit too much either) so coming up with creative ways to get all of my nutrients is something that I’ve had to do. This easy green smoothie is what I drink almost every morning as part of my breakfast. It is loaded with protein and antioxidants to help get your day started off on the right foot. Aside from the awesome health benefits, I really feel like the biggest benefits of this shake are mental. It gets my day started off on the perfect note — I’ve had my protein and nutrients and it gives my a healthy and disciplined mindset before I ever step out of the door.
What makes green protein smoothies like this extra special is that they taste great! They might be green but it doesn’t taste like you are eating spinach or lettuce or whatever it may be. The flavor of this shake recipe is wonderful…even for vegetable haters like myself.
Feel free to vary up which greens you put into this smoothie. You can even change up which fruits you want to include as well. Experimentation is key!
If you get in the habit of starting your day with this shake like I do then you have to be at least a little flexible since you may not always have exact amounts of these particular smoothie ingredients.