An Easy Healthy Protein Shake

My friends it is not long to go before I head off to South Korea to cook for Lindsey Vonn, one super inspiring human, as part of my role as The Chef of Under Armour. As we get ready to cheer her lets answer the question of “Dan what do you put in your protein shake?” (Thank you Felicity from Iowa). To make sure it is in line with the spirit of the games, I have for you An Easy Healthy Protein Shake that will get you ready for the Olympics 😉

So this is a super awesome way to get your pre and post workout options on point, but I also have a whole book, that is FREE, with more recipes for you! Click here, put in your email and it will come straight to your inbox 🙂

How does a Protein Shake work?

So awesome people a protein shake is designed to be a convenient way of providing you with readily available macronutrients in the form of (specifically) protein and depending on the type or brand, carbohydrates too. As soon as you finish a workout your body is already starting to recover, but as every system is so alert and still moving quickly it is crucial to take advantage of these super activated systems. As time goes on they become less active and their ability to transport and absorb the macronutrients becomes less efficient. So rather than having to go all the way home and make a meal straight after the workout, having a shake is a really simple way to take advantage of the way your body is working straight after a workout… especially if you are just adding water. Read on for some of my favorite recipes 😉

What are the benefits of a Protein Shake?

Apart from the convenience they also provide you with nutrients that sometimes we simply are not getting enough of. I always like to point out a shake is not a replacement meal, it is simply an addition to your daily intake. Athletes for example are training so much that they require a lot of carbohydrates and protein to not only keep up with the energy demands but to also replenish stores and assist in the recovery of the human body. I can tell after my friends at the gym here of this easy healthy protein shake, they think the benefits come from the taste alone 😉

What is the right protein supplement for me?

Great question team! To be honest it is the one that works for you. I always say, along with a lot of my fellow healthy legends, that grass fed whey protein is the only way you should be going. This product comes from cows that have a better balanced omega 3 to omega 6 ratio and also sustained and living in a (generally) much healthier environment. My favorite are the ones coming out of New Zealand (Shoutout to my Trans-Tasman brothers). Their grass and pastures are simply sensational, providing the best form of Vitamin K1 (changed to K2 in cows) which helps activate a number of key bone and teeth strengthening actions.

Personally I am not a massive chocolate mint person, but this easy healthy protein shake is #NextLevel, a lot of my mates love it and you know I will be having it in Korea 😉 When it comes to creating a smoothie or shake it really depends on the time of day and what your goal is as to what to put into it. For example if it was pre or post a HIIT workout I would be having a whole banana but if it was in the afternoon it would be half a banana. If you are losing weight I would only ever recommend half a banana, and in the afternoon no banana at all as it is quite a high number of High GI carbohydrates.

In the case of the ideal shake for me it involves an unsweetened almond milk, an option for fruit such as banana or berries and then the natural whey protein. I can go much more into depth on this topic, but for now my friends let me just leave you with the tastiness of an easy healthy protein shake… Oh and don’t forget to cheer on Lindsey at the Olympics. She is honestly staying so focused and it is really inspiring to see!

Much love

DC

P.S. If you are after more Healthy Recipe Ideas I would love to give you my FREE ebook, click here and it will come right to your inbox

Recipe: Choc Mint Protein Shake

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Cook Time: N/A

Cost: $2-4

Skill: Super Easy

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups of Almond Unsweetened Milk

1 Tbsp Cacao

1-2 Scoops Protein (Natural Chocolate)

Half a Banana

1/2 tsp Mint Extract (optional)

4 Mint leaves chopped

1 tsp Cacao Nibs (for a topping crunch)

Method:

1. Starting with the Almond milk add all the ingredients except for the cacao nibs into a blender and blitz until smooth
2. Pour into a glass and top with cacao nibs, enjoy my friends!