There are a LOT of different protein powders out there. A lot.
Some are great. Some not so.
The problem is, personal tastes are just that, personal. And on top of that, surgery can sort of mess with your taste buds to the point of things you liked pre-op you may not once you’re post-op. And personally, I’ve found very few pre-flavored protein powders that I liked.
So I was glad when I found trueprotein.com – they custom mix your proteins to the flavors you want, but on top of that they will mix up … well, unmixed protein powder for you. We’re talking unflavored, unsweetened, nothing but whey protein powder. Actually, if you mix it with some water it does have a very slight milk taste to it, after all it is whey protein… but it’s like if you were to stir a tablespoon of milk in to a cup of water or something.
I’m not knocking the various flavored powders out there – the biggest thing is to find one YOU like. Cause no matter what, if you don’t like it, you won’t use it, and that is no good.
Before I found trueprotein.com I was using a vanilla flavored powder. It was good, I wouldn’t drink it straight or anything, but it was a mild enough flavor and taste that I could mix it with just about anything. And that’s basically what I do, rather than have an assortment of protein powder flavors around taking up space and needing a rather hefty investment, I am sticking with the unflavored, unsweetened, and mixing up my own flavors.
So I figured I would share some of my favorites for those that might want to try some. And like most of my recipes, these are more guidelines than rules, so feel free to experiment a bit on your own.
Fruit based shakes are my favorite. Last summer when different fruits were at their peak (and on sale!) I would buy a bunch and stock up by freezing them. So my “typical” shake is done with a cup of soy milk, maybe 1/2 a handful of frozen fruit, about 1/4 of a frozen banana, and a scoop of my protein powder. The bananas add a bit of sweetness, and when blended up in the Magic Bullet, they help thicken the shake up a bit. If you don’t want the calories from banana, try a tablespoon of Splenda or other sweetener… or sometimes whatever other fruit you are using may be sweet enough for your tastes. In the off seasons, buying frozen fruit is a good way to keep your selections stocked, they’ll actually taste better than buying “fresh” fruits that are trucked to you from half-way around the world.
Chocolate is always good too (and pairs very well with some banana!), but rather than keeping a chocolate protein powder on hand, I keep Sugar Free Nestle Quik in the cupboard. Besides shakes, I use it for baking and the occasional glass of chocolate milk. Oh… also try dropping in a tablespoon of peanut butter for a “peanut butter cup” flavor. Or add the Quik to either a cherry or strawberry shake for a “chocolate covered…” flavor.
Quick side note on milk. I had gone from using soy milk back to regular milk at one point because I didn’t see a huge difference between the two nutritionally, and figured I would save some money buying regular milk – but, I soon started getting a sort of mucussy cough. Personally, I’ve found if I drink only about 2-3 cups of milk a week, I don’t get the cough, but more than that (I often do 5-6 shakes a week) and I get this irritating cough. It basically makes me feel like I constantly need to clear my throat. Anyways, I switched back to soy milk and the cough is gone. Take that for what you will.
Dreamsicles are a great treat. I love that creamy-orange flavor. Some companies sell this flavor, and I wanted to see if I could duplicate it using my unflavored protein powder, and I think I found a way. Kool-Aid.
Every once in awhile I freeze some soy milk in my ice cube tray so when I do a shake without frozen fruit, I can pop one or two of these in there before blending. This helps keep the shake nice and chilled without watering it down using regular ice cubes.
So anyways, try half a packet of the unsweetened Kool-Aid mix (orange in this case) with your cup of milk (put the ice cubes in first, then add more milk to get to the 1 cup), and your protein powder. If you stock up when they’re on sale, you can often get the packets for a quarter a piece, that’s enough to flavor eight shakes for just a buck!
Most of the shakes I drink make use of my Magic Bullet to blend up. But what about if you don’t have access to a blender? Blender Bottles are a great thing, they’re shaker bottles with a wire ball that you use to hand shake your drinks. The wire ball helps mix things up as you shake, all but eliminating those nasty clumps of powder in your drink. I’ve found that in a pinch, sometimes just tossing in an ice cube or two works almost as well. I use the mugs from my Magic Bullet and the lids… just make sure it’s noe the shaker lid with the holes in it.
I’m working on some ideas for shakes that I can pack dry and take with me traveling, camping, on paintball days, etc. Something I can pour in to a bottle of cold water, give a shake and down for a tasty protein boost.
Using Quik to make chocolate is a no-brainer, but just the chocolate mix and water? eh.. no thanks. I keep powdered milk on hand for a variety of things, I use it in baking and sometimes even with my morning oatmeal. So try mixing a scoop of protein powder, a tablespoon or so of the Quik, 1/3 cup of powdered milk. Add this to a cup of water and shake it up good. If you don’t have Quik, I bet a packet of SF cocoa mix would work in a pinch too.
How about banana? Reach for the instant pudding, sugar free of course. They come in a variety of flavors… how about cheese cake? I often will take the powder out of the original package and mix up just a serving of pudding at a time (about 2-3 tablespoons to 1/2 cup of water), store the rest in a zip top baggie or something. Label the bag with a Sharpie so you don’t forget what flavor it is. To make a shake, at 1 tablespoon of the powder, 1/3 cup powdered milk, and a tablespoon of Splenda. I know, the pudding has sweetener, but sometimes it seems to need an extra boost. Your tastes may vary. You need to shake these up really good though, and right away. I’d add the pudding powder last, cause it will start to thicken on you in to little pudding drops otherwise.
Other things you can do to add some variety – try adding a tablespoon or two of malted milk powder (chocolate-banana malts, mmm!). If you’re a coffee drinker, use coffee instead of some or all of the milk. I’m not… so can’t really give you any tips here, but I have used both green and black tea – iced, not my favorite, but a nice change once in awhile. And of course there are the sugar free versions of the flavored coffee syrups. I have a berry one I keep on hand to add a little flavor boost if my fruit is a bit bland. Oh, and the caramel one is worth having on hand too. I have used a packet of SF apple cider and some of that for a “caramel apple” drink.
Bottom line, don’t be afraid to mix and match either. Experiment with different combinations and such when you’re at home. Worst case, you don’t like it and have to start over… and if you don’t want to get the stuff at trueprotein.com, you stick with a basic vanilla that you like and build from there.
