DISCLAIMER: I am not a nutritionist and am not giving nutritional advice. The contents of this post are to make aware products that are available and foods I have used. I make no claims to the efficacy of these products or foods. Seek the help of a qualified nutritionist who is informed in vegan nutrition for help with nutritional needs or answers to questions you may have.
Before I went vegan I would make protein shakes after my morning work-out. Now that I am vegan, those shakes have turned into quite an art form as I am using ingredients that I hadn’t considered before. There are so many things you can add and combine depending on what you want, need, or simply crave.
You can go healthy to healthy and sweet to almost desert-like. That’s the beauty of making your own. Ingredients like Almond Milk, Soy Milk, Hemp Milk, Peanut Butter, Bananas, Berries, Acai, Maca, Salba, Chia, Kale, Apples, Soy Yogurt, Coconut Milk Yogurt, Fresh Fruit Juices, and so much more can be used in various combinations (especially if you have a Vita-Mix, which I do not).
As for the protein powders themselves, most contain whey and/or eggs for their protein source. Thankfully, there are also several protein powders out there that are vegan using soy, hemp, pea, rice, or sprouts for their protein source. I’ve used several brands and at this moment I am using Garden of Life’s RAW Protein (I am not getting paid to mention this item/brand) and although it is pricey, I decided to switch to this product due to the higher amount of protein it has (18 g), and its sprout and enzyme blend. When I used lower protein content powders I would just double up.
Now that the temperature has dipped, I’m not as quick to reach for my Magic Bullet in the morning. The Almond Milk and bananas are cold and I no longer throw in berries (fresh are hard to come by and frozen are just too cold).
Luckily I just ran across this article on how to winterize your smoothie (but it applies to protein shakes too). Enjoy!
http://devanawellness.com/2010/12/02/how-to-winterize-your-smoothie/
Mi Vida Vegan 