Protein smoothies

Smoothies for breakfast are by no means a novel concept, even to me, but it's a practice that had fallen by the wayside for me (in part because my blender had become a bit unwieldy and somewhat broken). With all the working out I've been doing, it was useful to learn about appropriate portions of macronutrients (e.g., carbs, fat, protein) to be including in my diet. Consuming enough protein is an essential part in strengthening one's body, as it contributes to building muscle, and can actually contribute to weight loss (by boosting your metabolic rate and reducing your appetite). Despite being a carnivore, it was an interesting to find out that I wasn't really consuming enough protein. Protein smoothies seemed like an excellent and delicious way to get an added boost of protein. Here are just a few of the recipes I've tried out.

Recipes

Peanut butter and banana smoothie

Is there really anything better than the combination of peanut butter and banana? Put that in smoothie format, and you've got a winner.

2 tbsp peanut butter
1 banana
1 tsp honey
¾ cup skim milk
1 scoop protein powder (30 g); I'm partial to Allmax Isoflex Pure Whey Protein Chocolate Powder
ice cubes

Blend together, adding milk to achieve the desired consistency.

Per serving: 487 calories (37 g protein, 53 g carbs, 16 g fat)

Strawberry-rhubarb smoothie

When I saw bags of frozen strawberries and rhubarb in my local supermarket, I couldn't resist trying a smoothie with one of my favourite flavour combinations (normally consumed in a much unhealthier but super delicious pie format).

1 cup frozen strawberries
½ cup frozen rhubarb
2 tbsp low-fat Greek yogurt
1 tsp honey
1 scoop protein powder (30 g)
1 tsp maca powder
skim milk and ice cubes

The strawberry-rhubarb flavour wasn't as strong as I would've liked, so I might try fresh strawberries next time. But otherwise, a healthy and delicious start to one's day.

Per serving: 296 calories (37 g protein, 37 g carbs, 0 g fat)