Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Close your eyes and IMAGINE the Perfect Strawberry Shake


It baffles me when new post ops declare that they absolutely cannot tolerate protein shakes. What the hell does that mean? That they do not like the taste so they are going to ignore their surgeons instructions after he has cut their stomach in half and rerouted their intestines or looped a silicon band over their stomach and tightly cinched it leaving behind a port implanted under their skin?

Yep, I believe they are saying just that. The sad part is that there is no need to cop an attitude when with a little bit of manipulation and a few tasty ingredients anyone can make a really good tasting shake. It's mind over matter. If you THINK the shakes are bad, I promise you they will be awful. If you can visualize a thick frosty DQ-style strawberry shake rushing to be absorbed in order to FUEL your body to burn its own stored fat, you will be able to actually feel it melting away and the shake will taste a whole lot better.In fact it will tastes FANTASTIC, and they do taste fantastic.

Somehow when I had my surgery I managed to do exactly as my surgeon told me and so dedicated to change that if he had said that I needed to drink a DIRT milkshake, I would have asked 'HOW MANY OUNCES?' Back then, soy protein was in vogue, and you really had to be an alchemist to hide the nauseating raw bean flavor.I do have to admit that I never thought the shakes were a punishment or a chore - I actually loved drinking them because I figured out how to make them taste great... thick, smooth, frosty, and full of flavor!



Every now I get the notion to drag my blender into the middle of the kitchen counter and make myself a frozen protein shake that firmly anchors my spot as the reigning Dairy Queen. It's almost like I am going back to my roots, ten years ago when protein shakes had to be blended and doctored up to be drinkable.

Today with brands like the Inspire powders that we have developed, one doesn't even need a spoon, as if you add water to your single scoop of powder and leave it alone, it melts on its own into the water like magic. There is just something about a smooth icy frozen Strawberry Shake and I use Perfect Natural Isopure Vanilla as my blendable base.I don't use it for my desktop in a hurry shakes or travel shakes, but love it for my thick creamy gourmet blender shakes.

Perfect Natural Isopure is pure whey isolate flavored only with vanilla bean and naturally sweetened with a couple of grams of unprocessed cane sugar. Yes, I know its sugar, but for those who are sensitive to artificial sweeteners, or are trying to cut down on Splenda, its a good tradeoff for taking in 25 grams of protein.Three grams of sugar in a Hershey's Kiss, not so good - but three grams of sugar to take in 500 mg of calcium citrate in a Calcet Lemon Creamy Bite or 25 grams of protein isolate are good choices.



It blends beautifully because its such a pure product. It tastes very clean, because its pure isolate.

Vanilla can be flavored into anything you want... one day vanilla, the next strawberry, or banana, or chocolate, or papaya, or coconut, or Orange Julius, with endless possibilities! Here is my secret formula that to this day is my favorite frozen shake that just happens to be a protein shake.




The Perfect Natural Isopure Strawberry Protein Shake

1/2 cup Blue Diamond Original Almond Milk
1 1/2 scoops Perfect Natural Isopure Vanilla
1 heaping tablespoon Smucker's Sugar Free Strawberry Preserves
4 frozen strawberries
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract - just a drop
1 1/2 cups ice cubes

Blend by pulsing the blender on and off until shake is smoot and frosty. Do not simply flip the on button on and leave it or you will have a blender half full of foam. The key is in the technique... on, off, on, off, on, off, etc.

Now feel it and all that it does for you!

posted by Susan Maria of BariatricEating.com @ 10:13 AM  



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