I received a question from a reader asking about my favorite protein filled meals. Well, this is in no way a meal, but its one of my favorite protein filled snacks/shakes/items! I got the idea for this shake from The Glaser Organic Market that I used to go to every weekend when I lived in Miami-- Ah, I miss that market so much! Their shake was much better than mine, but they also used better ingredients such as real vanilla bean and coconut meat/water straight from a coconut. I use what I have readily available and I add extra protein in my version. For such a healthy little shake it really is incredibly delicious!
(I've stated before I'm awful at measurements. I add things as I need them... so just work with me here. )
Ingredients:
-Raw cashews- a handful or two (must be raw-- roasted would not be delicious)
-Chocolate protein powder of your choice (I use soy, but if you are scared of consuming to much soy there is always rice protein and if you don't care about dairy there is whey powder)
-Cocoa powder- about a tablespoon (it's not completely necessary, but it adds extra chocolate-deliciousness. &if you use cocoa powder there is zero added sugar and there is an extra gram of protein per tablespoon!)
-Vanilla (use the bean if you got it- if not, cheat and use a drop of extract like me)
-Milk of your choice-maybe a cup or so (I use almond because its always in my fridge. Coconut milk is probably the best choice, it adds extra fat and the hint of coconut is delicious in this. Rice, soy, hemp, and dairy all work great too.)
Combine, blend, adjust:
&enjoy!
Other notes: for an extra sweetness: dried pitted dates are really great to add and are most likely your healthiest sweetening option. For even more protein you could use soaked raw almonds instead of cashews or even a scoop of your favorite peanut butter. I don't use almonds because I don't care for the flavor, but I'm pretty sure they have almost double the amount of protein cashews would. You could try a million variations of this also... Instead of chocolate you could use a vanilla protein powder and add strawberries for a strawberry creme type of milkshake... or orange.. or whatever... The combinations are endless.
Other protein sources I had while pregnant: I would eat at least one peanut butter sandwich a day (usually paired with a cup of chocolate soy milk because this combo is my all time favorite). I carried around protein bars everywhere I went because when hunger hits while pregnant you will kill for food. I made a lot of split pea and lentil soups because they are incredibly easy, especially if you have a crock-pot-- you can just throw all the ingredients in, turn on, and enjoy in a few hours. I love indian food and would do a lot of potato lentil dishes. Vegan dad has some great Indian recipes. I also love love love Mexican food. I could eat rice and beans everyday. Especially black beans. A really easy meal I frequented especially when tired and having zero motivation to cook is black beans, salsa, and avocado over a baked potato. It doesn't get much easier than that. And as much as I hate the processed-ness of faux meat I did find myself eating more of it while pregnant (only organic though-- genetically modified soy is not okay). When no amount of sleep is enough and 2 minutes of standing is too long-- faux meat seems brilliant. You just toss it in the oven or on the stove for two minutes and you got yourself a little piece of protein right there. Other protein options: tofu scrambles, grilled tofu, marinated tempeh, any kind of bean taco, bean chilis, hummus, roasted chickpeas, and so on and so on.
:)
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