Homemade Protein Shake

Since, my brother has become more active; going to the gym regularly and been going to play football (a lot!!), he has been asking me to make him a protein shake for a while. I have made some before and have been experimenting but I think I have finally mastered it.

With people being more health conscious, going to the gym and being doing more exercise, the interest in protein shakes has grown so much over the last couple of years. But what does it actually do? 

Protein is a building block in our body. It helps to build muscle and tissue. Some people have it to boost their energy and fitness levels. Others use it as a means to lose weight by having it as a meal replacement. The reason why it is consumed before or after a workout is because it helps to repair and recover the muscles and tissues in our body, building strength and fitness.

The typical protein shakes require whey protein powder that you can buy from most health shops like Holland & Barret, which can cost from £20 to £40 a tub. You can now also buy ready-made protein shakes from some supermarket stores. However, I decided to make one without it, so a family friendly homemade protein shake without the pricey powder.

To do this I had to find out what actually makes a protein shake? So, if you want to try it and make your own here are the basic steps you need to follow:

• Base: Milk - choose from; almond, soya, or normal skimmed/semi-skimmed milk.
• Thickener: Plain or Greek yoghurt
• Protein: a protein rich ingredient; cottage cheese, peanut butter, raw egg, nuts & seeds.
• Flavour: add some flavour and nutrients; banana, berries, mango, apricot, watermelon, oranges, dates or apple. Or you could add some vanilla extract.
• Optional extras: Oats for more protein and fibre. For a sweeter taste add honey, agave nectar or stevia (natural sweetener). Cocoa powder for a chocolaty shake, or coffee for those coffee lovers (like me!), it will taste just like a frappe.

_______________________   Here’s my family friendly version:___________________

Serves 2

500ml Almond milk

2 tbsp Greek yoghurt

50g Oats

1 Banana

Handful of Berries

Drizzle of Honey

->>Simply mix it all together in a blender for a minute and serve in a nice tall glass. Enjoy!

(Protein shakes should be consumed immediately).

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Making it with the whey protein powder will have more protein in it as it is made for that purpose, but if you don’t have any this is a nice homemade version to try out, which will probably have half or ¾ of the protein. If you have any other recipes or ideas I would love to hear them.

www.ahnutritionist.co.uk

By Ayshabibi H. ANutr

A H Nutritionist

22^nd November 2013