Are you tired of the same old protein powder and water protein shake day after day?
Why not mix it up by adding a few nutrient-rich extras to your basic shake and trying for more of a protein smoothie vibe?
I know. I know. You put 2 scoops of your favourite protein powder into a protein shaker bottle, add some water or milk, shake and Viola! You have a protein shake all ready to drink. Easy.
Easy, but boring.
If you’re drinking protein shakes regularly – especially if that ‘regularly’ means 2 or 3 times a days – there is only so much protein powder and water that is appealing.
Yes. There are some great tasting sports supplements out there and the choice of flavours has got a whole lot better. Some of our favourites include:
MuscleTech Nitro-Tech Whey Gold Cookies & Cream Protein Powder
Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Double Rich Chocolate Protein Powder
Orgain Organic Plant Based Protein Powder, Creamy Chocolate Fudge
Orgain Organic Plant Based Protein Powder, Vanilla Bean
BSN SYNTHA-6 EDGE Protein Powder, Whey Protein, Peanut Butter Cookie
But after a while, they can become an effort to drink.
So maybe it’s time to change how you think about getting those important nutrients and that dose of protein into your body. Maybe it’s time to consider the protein shake more like a protein smoothie, or even as a pimped up breakfast smoothie, topped up with extra protein and lot of other goodies.
If you’d like some advice on the top shaker bottles check out our guide here.
And if you need some hacks on how to get the new ‘chemical’ smell out of your protein shaker bottle, please see here.
Why Try Our Best Protein Shake Recipe?
Consider why you take a protein shake.
Are you trying to improve your gains either pre- or post-workout? Are you time poor and looking for a convenient and comparatively healthy meal replacement? Are you trying to increase your nutrient intake after an illness or accident?
Whatever your reason, I bet you’d drink your protein far more willingly if it came in a delicious protein smoothie, chock full of healthy fruit and seeds. Even the bright, appealing colours would get you salivating I’m sure.
For more information on blended protein powders, see here.
Starting the day with a really healthy, vitamin, Omega-3 fatty acids and protein packed drink sets you up for whatever lies ahead. And if all those good things come in the form of a delicious – and easy to make – breakfast smoothie, so much the better.
All you need is one great protein shake recipe where you can chop and change a couple of ingredients every day to give you different, interesting flavours, whilst keeping the nutrient content solid.
Luckily, we have the perfect protein shake recipe for you!
Best Protein Shake Recipe
This protein smoothie is really popular in our house. I regularly make up a batch 5 or 6 times a week. It makes a tasty and nutritious change to the breakfast routine and my teenagers love a chilled glass of it when they get home with the munchies after school and Uni.
It’s also a great alternative to a commercially produced energy drink after sport or a workout.
And the beauty of this protein shake recipe is that it’s a base recipe which welcomes experimentation on the part of the blender operator – that’s you. In fact, you can drink a different version of this protein shake every day for a fortnight, simply by changing the fruit combinations that you put in it.
With this protein shake recipe up your sleeve, protein shake monotony will become a thing of the past!
Ingredients
1 ripe *Banana, fresh or frozen
1 cup **Frozen Fruit – strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, mixed berries, mango, pineapple – whatever you like and in any combination that works for you.
1 cup Orange Juice
1/2 cup Rolled Oats
2 scoops Protein Powder – either flavourless, like Sports Research Collagen Peptides, or vanilla flavoured, like Garden of Life Meal Replacement – Organic Raw Plant based Protein Powder
1 tbsp Chia Seeds – either soaked or dry
2 tbsp ***LSA
2 tbsp ****Natural Yoghurt
1 cup Oat Milk, Almond Milk or Coconut Water
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients into a powerful blender and blitz until smooth and creamy.
- Pour into a glass or a drink bottle for later.
Variations
As I said before, this protein shake recipe is only a base and you can play with the flavour combinations or add to it pretty freely.
Try experimenting with some of the following:
There are some fantastic superfood powders on available, many of which go really well in a fruit-based protein shake recipe like this one. The NATURELO Raw Greens Superfood Powder with it’s berry flavour blends in nicely in a berry based smoothie, as does the Nu-Therapy Power Beets Super Concentrated Circulation Superfood Dietary Supplement.
Add Spirulina Powder to a tropical flavoured shake like banana and mango. Yes. It will be green. But who cares when you’re getting all those fabulous healthy benefits?
Acai works with berry flavours and you can either add frozen acai pulp or acai powder.
Keep the banana and ditch the additional fruit and orange juice. Add another banana, and a heaped tablespoon of a nut butter. You can also change out the flavourless or vanilla protein powder for a chocolate protein powder
And if you’d like to change things up with a bowl of yummy overnight oats with lots of extras, please see here.
Notes and Hints
* I keep over-ripe bananas in individual portions in my freezer as frozen banana helps to thicken the final smoothie.
**You can use fresh fruit, if you prefer. I like to use frozen fruits as, like with the frozen banana, it gives the finished protein shake chilled, ice-cream like thickness which is irresistibly indulgent. Especially on a hot day.
***LSA is LSA Mix which is a blended combination of Linseeds (also called Flaxseeds), Sunflower Seeds, and Almonds. It is nutrient-packed, containing Magnesium, Manganese, Iron, Calcium, Copper, Thiamin and Vitamin E as well as good Omega-3 fatty acids, fibre and protein.
If you’d like to know more about the healthy benefits of adding linseeds/flaxseeds to your diet, please see here.
****Natural yoghurt is another way of bumping up the protein level of your protein shake. If you want to keep is vegan, you can substitute with coconut or soy based yoghurt of leave it out.
Food. Not Fuel
I hate the thought that food is purely fuel. How sad if every meal is only about getting the right nutrients into your body.
But I also know that eating healthily and making sure that you are getting the right nutrients from what you eat and drink is vital.
That’s why I believe in delicious, but healthy, shakes and meals. If it tastes good and looks appealing, you’ll happily eat it and reap the benefits of all the good ingredients.
I even like to snack with taste and nutrition in mind – see my Best Bliss Balls Recipe to a bit of inspiration!
Give yourself a break from the endless protein powder shakes and try the recipe above.
Being healthy should never be boring!
RELATED
Protein Powder – Our Ultimate Guide
Protein Powder – Whey, Casein, Egg & Collagen
Protein Powder – Soy, Rice, Pea, Hemp, Collagen, Spirulina & Vegan Protein Powder
Bliss Balls – The Bite-Sized Protein Treat
LSA – Linseed, Sunflower Seed & Almond Mix – the Genuine Superfood
Bin Boring Breakfasts – 3 More Overnight Oats Recipes with Protein Powder
