Shake it up!

Hey everybody,

So I had another recipe all ready to post today, but I simply have to write about my latest obsession instead. It's a little kitchen appliance I am now ready to recommend that every solo diner invest in. What is it, you ask? It's a personal size blender/smoothie maker! There are several options out there but I purchased mine for around $20 off of Groupon Goods and it came with a one year warranty. The model I have is made by Better Chef and is a one touch 16oz individual serving blender. The blending tumbler even doubles as the drinking cup and also comes with a separate lid for storage. If you have a full size blender by all means just use that, but if not this personal blender is the perfect size for a kitchen of one and clean up is a snap. Now on to the good part... protein shakes!
These would make a great pre or post-work out snack or a mid-morning boost, but I primarily have been using them as a simple breakfast on the go.

The best part about making your own smoothies and shakes is that you control the ingredients. You can avoid processed products with fillers, eliminate cross contamination from allergens, and customize to your specific tastes. Since this blender is a very recent purchase for me I haven't been able to try out that many recipes yet but I can say I have very much enjoyed each combination I have tried.

I've discovered a protein powder that is especially formulated for women. It's a half whey, half soy protein with a light vanilla flavor. It's only 80 calories per serving, low in sugar and has extra calcium added in. This particular powder, which is made by Aria and sold at Trader Joe's, has 14g of protein and blends smoother (less gritty) than some other protein supplements I have tried (namely, hemp protein). You can use whatever protein you like, according to your tastes and dietary needs. But let's be honest, while the supplement is a very important part, it's the extras that you add that make these yummy shakes something to look forward to in the morning.

So far I have tried a tropic vanilla blend made with 8oz. plain soy milk, 2 scoops protein powder, a few chunks of mango and a splash of OJ.
And a choco-staw-banana twist made with 8oz chocolate almond milk, 2 scoops protein powder, banana slices, and strawberries. I have found that it works best to blend the milk and powder first, then add fruit and blend again. Also, by using frozen fruit I have eliminated the need for adding any ice to thicken the mixture. I am looking forward to testing other combos using mixed berries and pineapple. What flavors will you be trying?