Peppermint Pattie Protein Shake

Chocolate and peppermint go so well together... and this protein shake is no exception! Definitely gave me the peppermint fix I was looking for. A good garnish for this would be whipped cream and chopped Andes mints. (This would probably also be good if you add 1-2 tsp. instant coffee, for a peppermint mocha latte type shake).

Peppermint Pattie Protein Shake

3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or whatever milk you'd like)
1 serving chocolate protein powder (or vanilla powder + 1 Tbsp. cocoa powder, which is what I use)
1 Tbsp. instant chocolate pudding mix
1/4 tsp. peppermint extract
10 ice cubes
optional--1/4 tsp. xanthan gum and 1/4 tsp guar gum, for thick and creamy texture

Throw all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. I eat it with a spoon, because it reminds me of ice cream :)  Makes 1 serving (about 20 oz). 4 PointsPlus if you calculate on Weight Watchers Recipe Builder. It's 5 PP if you use the nutrition info below.

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Protein Shakes/Smoothies Part 3

Just some more protein shake recipes :)  These are my favorites as of lately. During the summer, I will even have these for lunch when I want something quick and cold.

I'm sorry, but the protein shakes recipe posts have been migrated to my everyday blog. Here are links to all three posts that have recipes for some fun tasting protein shakes:

See Part 1 here.
See Part 2 here.

See Part 3 here.

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Protein Shakes/Smoothies (part 2)

(You can find Protein Shakes/Smoothies part 1 here)

I just had surgery a few days ago, and my doctor wants me to get a LOT of protein while I'm healing. So I'm going to be having lots of protein shakes again!

Cinnamon Roll Protein Shake

I'm sorry, but these protein shake recipes have been migrated to my everyday blog. Here is a direct link to the recipes. Thanks for stopping by!  --Katie

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Green Monster (original)

I got this recipe from Angela at Green Monster Movement. There are many, many variations, but my heart lies with the original. Sometimes I add blueberries, too.  Trust me when I say that this tastes NOTHING like the way it looks! I was completely skeptical, but pleasantly surprised when I first tried it.

Green Monster

1 Tbsp. flax seed meal
1 cup (packed) spinach
1 cup almond milk
1 banana, peeled (duh)
6 ice cubes

Put the ingredients (except for the ice) into a blender in the following order: flax seed, spinach, banana, almond milk. Let it rip on high until it's blended well, then add the ice and blend until smooth. I promise you that this tastes just like a banana shake, without a trace of spinach!  Serves 1.

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Coffee Freeze

I came across this in a Kraft Food & Family magazine from 2006. It looks just like a chocolate milk shake, but tastes like coffee ice cream--it's delicious!! And the best part--it's only 74 calories!

I imagine if you don't like coffee, you could substitute chocolate syrup or peanut butter, or something creative, although it would change the calories.

Since this is a Kraft recipe, they suggest their own brands of everything, but I'll just write it as generic (I made a generic version, anyway)

Cool 'n Creamy Coffee Freeze

1 cup skim milk
ice cubes
1 cup frozen Cool-whip free
1 package (4 serving size) sugar-free vanilla pudding mix
1 Tbsp. instant coffee granules

Put the skim milk in a large glass measuring cup and add enough ice to measure 3 cups total. Pour into a blender. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend on high speed until smooth. Serves 4. 

Calories: 74
Fat: 0
Fiber: 0
Carbs: 15

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Protein Shakes/Smoothie Recipes

I NEVER would have thought that I would have jumped on the protein shake bandwagon, but breaking my jaw opened a huge new world of breakfast and even lunch possibilities. I've come to love these shakes so much that I just don't want to give them up!  I buy the EAS 100% whey protein powder from Sam's Club (It's $27 for 76 servings).  They have chocolate and vanilla, and I bought both.  I also use almond milk in my recipes--it's only 40 calories per cup, and it makes the shake taste so much better than with just water. I buy the Almond Breeze unsweetened vanilla almond milk.  And tons of frozen fruit (unsweetened)--cherries, blueberries, mixed fruit. I also freeze my bananas when they are ripe. I peel them, cut them into four chunks each and put them in a ziploc bag in the freezer.

If you really don't want to buy protein powder, you could probably substitute with Carnation Instant Breakfast.

Also, if you find yourself liking these as much as I do, you may want to invest in a good blender. I just spent $80 on a good blender that was WELL WORTH IT.

I'm sorry, but the protein shakes recipes have been moved to my everyday blog, Runs for Cookies. Here is a direct link to the protein shakes recipes.

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