Shakes, especially protein shakes, are a delicious and healthy snack. A bag of protein powder (chocolate or vanilla) from Costco ($19.99 for a huuuuge bag) is a must-have in any athlete's well-stocked kitchen. Shakes are great because you can easily get many of the nutrients you need to maintain a healthy, happy body in one easy meal. Plus, they're just plain delicious! Here's a recipe for what I consider to be The Ultimate Shake. I started making this shake to get all the stuff I wanted to eat during the day in one dose, and then I found almost the exact same recipe in a health book, The Circadian Prescription (Baker and Barr) . The book suggests that drinking one of these every morning for three weeks will convince you that their book about the 24-cycle of the body is true gospel. You don't have to read the book, but this shake really is the bomb!
1/3 cup whole milk yogurt (Live & active cultures- nothing better! Yogurt is one of the healthiest foods and you should try to consume it daily)
1/3 cup milk* (I prefer raw, unpasteurized and unhomogenized- but more on that in the next post)
1 tbsp. flax seed oil (a fantastic source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, plus it keeps you regular!)
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (most women, especially athletes, don't get enough protein, so load up! plus it adds a sweet taste without added sugar)
Blend, then add:
1 cup frozen mixed berries (again from Costco, $9.99 for a 14 c. serving bag; oh, the antioxidants in berries are so, so good for you!)
*Fruit juice is also delicious instead of milk: orange, cranberry, acai, etc... Make sure it's 100% fruit juice not from concentrate.
ENJOY!
I basically never measure this, so these are all approximations. Add some liquid/berries to make the shake your preferred consistency.
I have one of these shakes every day. It's especially good right in the morning. Along with a piece of toast with peanut butter, this is one of the best pre-workout meals- energizing, satisfying, and doesn't make you feel too full. It also works as a post-workout recovery shake as well.
2 comments:
so do you use vanilla protein? steve always doese a peanut butter chocolate, which i like too, but maybe we'll give this a try..but i just need ot know if i need vanilla protein?
The chocolate protein actually tastes really good with the mixed berries and milk, but then I would definitely omit the yogurt (too tart). Or you could just blend yogurt, milk or orange juice, and mixed berries for a quick shake without the protein powder. The flax seed oil doesn't have a strong taste so you can put it in anything (or leave it out).
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