Oops, SMOOTHIE recipes...

So the recipe for Chocolate Pumpkin Protein Muffins in this thread spurred my thought that I'd like to put some protein powder into my diet. Are there any kinds that are better than others? Also, if anyone has any smoothie recipes (particualrly those with protein powder in them) that would be great.

Thanks!

Well you can use any protein powder you want really. I use a vegan one called Vega which I like a lot.

Basics for my smoothie are:
-1/2 frozen banana
-1/2 cup frozen blueberries
-a couple frozen strawberries
-1 scoop of protein powder, preferably chocolate

I use the Optimum Nutrition Vanilla Ice Cream flavor 100% Instantized Gold Standard Whey powder. I'm pretty sensitive to Splenda and it was one of the only ones I found without it - I'm thinking I'll switch to the ON Natural next refill, though, might be able to get more flavor options that way. I've also used the Trader Joe's Chocolate flavor, also no Splenda, and great in chocolate milk, though higher in cals and lower in protein than the ON.


I make a lot of smoothies, here is my most common:

29.4g of ON protein powder (1 rounded scoop)
60-70g lowfat vanilla yogurt (I use Stoneyfield)
2 2/3 ounce skim milk
50-60g frozen strawberries
40-50g frozen blueberries
15-20g frozen dark sweet pitted cherries
50-90g banana
3-5 ice cubes
This mix comes in between 305-345 cals depending on how much of each ingredient.

I sometimes add frozen raspberries. I also made one this week with the prot, milk, yog, ban, used frozen pineapple & mango, OJ, more ice and it was really good - it was 350 cals but I went overboard with the mango and banana.

Nelie - Do you not put any liquids or yogurt in??

Sometimes I think a smoothie would be nice as breakfast when i get tired of everything else I usually eat for breakfast.

peach - just water. and depending on the frozen fruit, some ice. frozen bananas and frozen strawberries usually make it thick enough for me so I don't need ice.

Good to know, thanks. I use to have frozen strawberries measured out in baggies (ones I bought fresh and then froze) and would stick those in the blender with ice, water and enough splenda to sweeten them a bit and they were really good it was like one big blended strawberry. I like Smoothie's really thick. Maybe I should do that again... same theory anyway maybe try different fruit and add some protein powder to make it a little more beneficial.

I use 100% Natural European Whey by Webber Naturals. It is sweetened with Stevia instead of the other sweeteners, and is a blend of whey protein concentrate, and whey protein isolate. It comes from Costco, and is about $45CAD for 90 servings. It was the best deal I could find a few weeks ago when I was comparing prices and qualities. It is a little lower quality than a full blown whey protein isolate, but I like that it doesn't have a pile of chemicals added to it. No colours added to it either. Other comparable products I looked at were at least double the price, if not more, and were not as "clean" for additives.

Being that I lift weights, I use a shot of protein almost daily, and like my smoothies thick too, often thick to the point of eating them with a spoon. The basic foundation to the smoothies is a shot of vanilla protein powder, a cup of 1% milk or soy milk (unsweetened), and 3 or 4 ice cubes. The best thing I have found is to freeze banana chunks and add those in. A dash of cinnamon goes well with the banana, or a spoonful of cocoa powder...cinnamon goes good with the cocoa banana mix too. These are actually what allowed me to break a nasty ice cream addiction I had going on in the spring. Frozen strawberries, with bananas or by themselves are good. As too are frozen blueberries. Lately, I have been on a bit of a frappe kick so have been tossing in a spoonful of instant decaf coffee powder, and sometimes a spoonful of cocoa powder without any fruit.

Thinking of it, and reading back to your last post, what you are making is not much different to a virgin strawberry daiquiri (I work as a bartender in a restaurant and make cocktails from scratch). All you would need to add to that is some lime juice. In the restaurant, we use bar lime, a special powdered mix which would prob have too many calories to make it efficient for healthy eating...but I bet you could add in a couple of squeezes of fresh lime and that would give it that extra zing! I don't know why I didn't think of doing that myself! hahaha I don't know how the lime would go with protein powder though...it may curdle a bit if the protein powder is whey based. Thinking of it...I bet a few frozen pineapple chunks would go super well with banana chunks, vanilla protein, and milk. A dash of coconut extract would make it taste just like a pina colada minus the coconut rum. I am going to have to pick some up and try this! Strawberries would go well with that too...Hmm... I am getting hungry!

Hope you enjoy your smoothies!

My favorite post-workout smoothie is 10oz orange juice, a scoop of protein powder, a handful of ice cubes. It tastes just like an Orange Julius from the place in the mall.

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Thanks for all these!!! I bought frozen strawberries and peaches and I bought the chocolate whey protein powder. Haven't made any smoothies yet but I will at some point. The peaches will be more for smoothies when I'm NOT adding protein powder. I bought a new exercise bike this wekeend and I am going to ride it today and a little added protein when I workout makes my body feel a lot better.