Ok I’ll admit this isn’t the real deal. Obviously a creamy vanilla milkshake cannot be recreated into a yummier healthy version. But this mockshake accomplishes its role as a little midday “treat.” And the perk: it’s loaded with protein and healthy fats that at least make me feel full and nourished without a massive sugar crash later on. So I’d say it’s a worthy component!
I do want to say though, that I DO eat ice cream. The full fat, creamy, delicious ice cream. And a lot. It’s always been my guilty pleasure. But mid-week when I need some extra protein without loading my body with some processed powder, this is my go to, and it tastes pretty darn good. I highly recommend this as a post workout smoothie by the way!
Ok, enough of an intro, right? Here’s the deal. This smoothie uses Danone Pro 20 which loads in 20 grams of protein, and i basically spice it up with some vanilla and creaminess from some healthy fat sources. So a few important notes about this recipe.
- The Yogurt: you can use the sweetened pro yogurt, but if you are okay without it, I’d obviously suggest the unsweetened one. You can also use the vanilla pro 20, it’ll add an extra vanilla punch. But generally I like to stray away from 0% yogurts because without the fat, our bodies don’t actually absorb the benefits of the dairy as efficiently. My go to is the unsweetened 1.5%.
- The Vanilla: the vanilla used in this recipe really needs to be real vanilla extract. Not the Israeli vanilla flavoring. I believe at one point Osher Ad sold the Kirkland brand vanilla extract, so worth a look. But if not, I get pure vanilla extract from Nitzat Haduvdevan or iHerb. This Organic Vanilla Extract is a go to for me. And if you really want to put the vanilla flavor into this treat, you can scrape in some vanilla bean. Puts this mockshake over the top.
- The Almond Butter: believe it or not, I’ve tried this recipe with a bunch of different nut butters and brands. The best of the best result is when I use Hashaked almond butter. It’s subtle enough to not give the shake too much of an almondy flavor, but super creamy to give the mockshake a bit more of a real deal consistency. So if you don’t use this brand, try using a more runny almond butter rather than thick and creamy; that seems to do the trick.
- The Sweetener: I use a small amount of maple syrup or honey in this recipe, but I acknowledge that my taste buds are a bit sensitive to sweetness since I don’t use any form of sweetener very often. If you want to keep the sugar content low and natural you can throw in a date or even put in an extra few drops of stevia. This is going to be specific to your individual sweetness needs so don’t be afraid to adjust a bit. Once you find your “sweet spot” the vanilla flavor will be so perfect, and you’ll want to make this your permanent post workout shake.
If you’re looking for fun ways to jazz the mockshake up a bit, you can definitely top with some berries or dare I say some whipped cream?! You can even drizzle some chocolate syrup. A go to for me is a combo drizzle of silan and almond butter. Really elevates the experience.
That’s all folks. Hope this one makes all your vanilla dreams come true!
