Making a Super Shake

Here is a great way to think about making nutritious  shakes from Precision Nutrition.

Ok, so let’s assume you’ve got your blender out and it’s powerful enough to do the job.  Now you can follow the step by step guide below for creating nutritious and tasty Super Shakes.

Keep in mind, not all of the steps below are mandatory.  If you don’t want any fruit, leave it out.  If you are using almond milk and don’t want to add extra nuts, leave them out.  (Of course, if you’re looking to control your calories, carbs, or fats, use smaller portion sizes or cut out certain ingredients.) You get the idea.

In the end, we selected some of the fruits, vegetables and proteins that seem to work best for our clients.  However, our list isn’t exhaustive.   Feel free to branch out.  But for optimal mixing, flavor and consistency, follow the steps in order.   In other words, add your ingredients in the order listed.  Just go through each step and select an item (or two) from each column.  Mix and match as you like.  You’ll end up finding combinations you prefer the most.
 
Step 1
START WITH ICE

• Use 1-4 cubes for a thin, chilled shake
• Use 5-10 cubes for thicker, pudding-like consistency shake

Step 2
 PICK A FRUIT

• Frozen banana
• Frozen berries
• Dates
• Pineapple / mango
• Powdered fruit supplement

Frozen bananas give an excellent consistency. Using half of a banana is usually enough. Dates are very sweet. Make sure to get rid of the pit first.

Step 3
 PICK A VEGGIE

• Dark leafy greens: Kale / Swiss chard / spinach (stems optional)
• Pumpkin / sweet potato
• Beets / beet greens
• Cucumber / celery
• Powdered greens supplement

Canned pumpkin is great. It goes well with vanilla. When using beets, try roasting and removing the skin first. Beets go well with chocolate. If you add celery / cucumber, make sure to adjust the amount of liquid you add.

Step 4
PICK A PROTEIN POWDER

• Whey protein
• Rice protein
• Pea protein
• Hemp protein
• Other proteins or protein blend

Some protein powders have thickeners added. This will increase the thickness of your shake. Find the protein supplement that you digest well and enjoy the taste of.

Step 5
 PICK A NUT / SEED

• Walnuts
• Flax, hemp, chia seeds
• Cashews
• Almonds
• Nut butter

Nuts and seeds give the shake an excellent consistency. A handful is usually enough.

Step 6
 PICK A LIQUID

• Almond milk (unsweetened)
• Soy milk (unsweetened)
• Hemp milk (unsweetened)
• Iced green tea
• Water

Less liquid = thick shakes. More liquid = thin shakes. Adding liquid at the end of the process can improve how the shake initially blends.

Step 7
 PICK A TOPPER

• Coconut
• Cacao nibs, dark chocolate
• Pomegranate seeds, goji berries
• Oats, granola
• Cinnamon

A little goes a long way.Cinnamon is good with vanilla and pumpkin.




So, how about an example?  Here’s one of my favorites.

• Step 1: 5 ice cubes
• Step 2: 1/2 frozen banana & 2 pitted dates
• Step 3: 2 kale leaves & 1 tsp of powdered greens supplement
• Step 4: 2 scoops of plain pea protein powder
• Step 5: Handful of walnuts
• Step 6: Water (just enough for it to mix)
• Step 7: Top with a few sprinkles of coconut
• Step 8: Drink.  Feel smug about getting more nutrition than most people get in one week.

There you have it, a template for creating awesome Super Shakes, every time. For a host of additional Super Shake recipes, check out Precision Nutrition V3 – everything you need to know to get the body you want and to maintain it for life.