- Hey there, Taylor from The Girl on Bloor blog,
and I'm hitting you
with some super easy protein shakes today.
As a meal prep blogger,
my perspective on healthy eating
is one that emphasizes balance.
Eating protein-packed vegetable-heavy meals
is what I tend to focus on
since I don't follow any one particular diet.
However, snacking can get tricky
if you're trying to enjoy healthier, lower calorie snacks.
You want to ensure that what you're snacking on
has enough protein to keep you feeling full between meals,
and that's where protein shakes come in handy.
Now, when it comes to shakes,
there are so many different ways to pack them with protein.
You could be looking at protein sources
such as Greek yogurt, nuts, seeds,
hemp hearts or nut butters,
or you can make it as simple as using a protein powder.
For the sake of simplicity
and to pack the most powerful punch of protein possible,
I prefer to use whey protein isolate.
It's the best way to add as much protein as possible
while still keeping everything low calorie and low in sugar.
I'll go over different types of protein powders later.
For now, I want to dive into these five protein shakes
since I'm sharing five different flavors with you today.
Let's take a look at these shakes.
We've got a strawberry cheesecake, chocolate,
vanilla, tropical, and peanut butter banana.
All you need is water, protein powder,
and some super simple add-ins
to get some extra flavor in there.
Of course, feel free to get creative,
and try your own combinations.
I've linked to the full recipe
and some more delicious protein shake ideas
below this video,
so be sure to head over to the blog
if you're looking to shake it up a bit.
Get it? Shake?
Okay, so let me dive into the base of these protein shakes.
No matter which flavor you choose,
you're always going to want to start
with water and protein powder.
You can feel free to use another liquid as a base
such as almond or coconut milk,
but to keep calories low
and the protein shake as light as possible,
I just use water.
It's one less thing to buy, too, so it's a win-win.
Add your water, then your protein powder to a blender.
You'll always want to add the water first
because the protein powder
can stick to the bottom of the blender if it's added first.
Technically if you're in a hurry,
you can just mix water and protein powder together
in a shaker bottle.
I've done this in the past
when trying to get some quick protein in after a workout.
It kind of tastes like shit
unless you're using a certain flavor.
So my combinations are definitely a great way
to make your protein shake more drinkable.
Now, what kind of protein powder should you choose?
This is the million dollar question.
I know that there are a ton of options on the market
and that can make choosing one a daunting process.
Hopefully I'll be able to give you a little bit of insight
so you can make the best decision
for your own personal needs.
First off, you're going to want to choose a protein powder
that has the fewest ingredients possible.
Choose a powder that has at least 25 grams of protein
listed per scoop.
You'll also want to make sure it's low carb,
meaning five grams of carbs or less.
You'll want to ensure that there are no added sugars
or artificial sweeteners either.
And finally, you should see either protein isolate
or protein concentrate on the label.
Always choose protein isolate.
That means it contains more than 90% protein,
making it the best choice possible.
I use a whey protein isolate, which is milk protein.
Now for some of you,
whey protein might upset your stomach a bit.
And if you have a sensitivity to lactose or dairy,
then this might not be the best option for you.
Pea protein, soy protein, hemp or rice protein,
they're all great alternatives.
You may not be able to get as high of a protein count
with those types of protein powders
as you can with whey protein,
so keep that in mind when you're reading labels.
Even just 20 grams of protein
will work with those other types.
If you're not really sure
which type of protein powder is best for you,
then you can try to find
little samples of different brands online.
I've seen smaller packet sizes on sale
for about four or five bucks,
so it's a great way to test out
before committing to a giant $50 jug of it.
Try Googling protein powder sample or trial size
and that should get you some options.
I've linked to a sample protein powder below this video
to get you started.
And I've also linked to the protein powder I use,
which is Kaizen Naturals.
Okay, so now that you've got the two base ingredients
and you understand which protein powder
is gonna work best for you,
it is time to add your flavor add-ins.
Let's start with strawberry cheesecake
because that's my favorite.
After you've added the water and protein powder,
add in half a cup of frozen strawberries
and one tablespoon of light fat cream cheese.
You can also use a quarter cup of Greek yogurt
in place of the cream cheese.
You basically just want a little bit of a zing at the end
to mimic that cheesecake flavor.
Once you've got your add-ins, it's time to blend.
Blend until smooth and creamy.
You can technically use fresh strawberries
in place of frozen strawberries,
but I honestly like that the frozen berries
thicken up the shake and make it feel like a smoothie.
You will definitely get a more liquidy shake
if you use fresh berries.
Okay, next shake.
The chocolate shake is another delicious option
and super easy.
Use the same water and protein powder base,
but then add a tablespoon of cocoa powder.
An easy hack that makes this kind of a non-recipe
is to use chocolate protein powder.
I don't tend to buy flavored protein powders,
as they sometimes sneak in extra sugar
and then you can't use the protein powder
for as many different flavor combos,
but if you know you're a diehard chocolate fan,
then just go for it.
My whole thing is that meal prep and healthy eating
should be as easy as possible
if you really want to stick to it.
So feel free to be liberal with the shortcuts.
Next up is the vanilla protein shake.
Add in a third of a cup of vanilla Greek yogurt
and one teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Or again, skip all of that,
and just use a vanilla protein powder with water.
You can also use vanilla almond milk in place of the water.
For the tropical shake,
you'll add half a cup of frozen pineapple,
one tablespoon of unsweetened shredded coconut.
Again, I like using frozen fruit
because it lasts forever in the freezer,
so you can make a shake whenever you've got the craving.
But if all you have is fresh, that works too.
And our final shake is peanut butter banana.
Add in one banana and one tablespoon of peanut butter.
Super easy and delicious.
I love all of these protein shakes.
They really do help keep you super full between meals
and also add in some extra nutrients
if you're making the fruit-based ones.
Believe it or not, you can meal prep them too.
Just pour them out into mason jars
and then drink them up within three days.
I do recommend making them fresh
as they taste the best this way,
but life sometimes gets busy
and sometimes you just gotta have
a little stockpile in the fridge
to keep you from being hangry and eating a bunch of junk.
Be sure to head on over to my website linked below
to get the full recipes
and read more about the protein powders,
alternative flavor combos,
and to just see my beautiful photography.
I don't want to hear any complaints
about scrolling though, okay?
Just kidding.
Let me know if you have any questions
or if you want to see some more flavor combos
for protein shakes.
If you've liked this video,
be sure to subscribe to my channel.
I will keep hitting you the amazing meal prep ideas
so that you can stay on track
with healthy eating for good this year.
Thank you for joining me,
and I look forward to seeing you in the next video.
(lighthearted music)