Apple Pie Protein Shake

Apple Pie Protein Shake

1 c. milk
2 scoops ViShape Shake Mix
1/2 c. homemade (no sugar added) applesauce 
+/- 1 t. cinnamon (to your taste)
1 t. Butter Buds
6-8 ice cubes
Mix in blender until smooth. ENJOY!


 

Caramel Latte Protein Shake

Caramel Latte Protein Shake

1 c. milk (I used 2%)
2 scoops ViShape Shake Mix
1 t. instant coffee (I use Maxwell House)
1 t. Hershey's Caramel Sundae Syrup
6-8 ice cubes

Mix in blender until smooth. ENJOY!


CALORIE BREAKDOWN:
milk = 80 *
shake mix = 90
caramel syrup = +/- 20
coffee = +/- 0 **
______________
190 calories total


*Using whole milk would equal 146 calories, rather than the 80 indicated above.
**Black coffee is usually considered free of calories by most nutritionists and dietitians because its caloric value is insignificant relative to most foods and to total daily diet.




Interested in finding out more about ViSalus? Contact me here: goldiehawk19-coasb@ yahoo.com or find out more at this link: 90 Day Challenge!

"Pumpkin Pie" protein shake

'Hey, Goldie, what are you gonna do with the leftover pumpkin purée that's in the fridge?'
Well, I'll tell ya...
"Pumpkin Pie" protein shake

1 c. milk
2 scoops protein shake powder (I have switched to ViSalus)
2 heaping T. pumpkin purée (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 t. vanilla extract
3 quick dashes cinnamon
1 dash nutmeg (don't use TOO much)
1 t. Cool Whip (optional)
6 or 7 ice cubes

Mix all ingredients in blender on high, until ice is blended in well. Drink immediately, and enjoy!
This was unbelievably tasty!!!

"Eggnog" Protein Shake

I've had this idea in my head for a couple of weeks, and only got around to making it tonight. This was our dinner...

"Eggnog" Protein Shake

1 c. milk (I used 2%)
2 scoops ViShape Shake Mix
1/4 c. Egg Beaters (or other pasteurized egg product*)
1 t. imitation rum extract
1/2 t. vanilla extract
dash of nutmeg
6-8 ice cubes

Mix in blender until smooth. ENJOY!


CALORIE BREAKDOWN:
milk = 80
shake mix = 90
Egg product = 30 (approximately)
______________
200 calories total (approximately)



* because of the potential risk of salmonella contamination, I cannot recommend using regular raw eggs in your shake; this is why I used the "egg product," which is pasteurized. If you've ever had salmonella, you'll know exactly what I mean! Don't risk it!

My Newest Coffee Shake

What do I call this delicious creation?!

Help Me Name This Shake!

It tastes a lot like Gloria Jean's "Butter Toffee" flavored coffee. But with almonds, too.

So, is it:
A) Butter-Toffee Almond-Coffee?
B) Almond Butter Toffee Coffee?
C) Coffee-Toffee Almond Butter?
D) Buttery Almond Coffee?
E) *other*

Please make some suggestions! :)


1 c. almond milk
2 scoops ViShape Shake Mix
1 t. almond butter
1 t. sugar-free butterscotch instant pudding mix
1 t. instant coffee (I use Maxwell House)
6-8 ice cubes

Mix in blender until smooth. ENJOY!

CALORIE BREAKDOWN:
almond milk = 60
shake mix = 90
almond butter = +/- 60
butterscotch pudding mix = +/- 25
coffee = +/- 0 *
______________
235 calories total


*Black coffee is usually considered free of calories by most nutritionists and dietitians because its caloric value is insignificant relative to most foods and to total daily diet.

Chocolate Mint Protein Shake

Anna's Chocolate Mint Thins make me happy!!!

Chocolate Mint Protein Shake

1 c. milk (I used 2%)
2 scoops ViShape Shake Mix
1 t. cocoa
1 cookie (Anna's Chocolate Mint Thins)
6-8 ice cubes

Blend all ingredients...drink and ENJOY!


NOTES:
Maybe you aren't aware of this, but I have a long-standing gripe with General Foods International Coffees because they A) have a limited selection of sugar-free coffees, and B) they quit making the chocolate mint flavor...I don't even remember what they called it anymore.

This shake is my revenge.

I didn't add the coffee because I didn't want to put off people who are not coffee drinkers. But this tastes sooooooo good, you guys!

I, of course, will add instant coffee in my next shake. And, I was also thinking of using the Hershey's Special Dark cocoa. This also replaces the ON Chocolate Mint shake that I just gave away to a friend.

Oreo Protein Shake

This was inspired by DQ's Oreo Blizzard...

Oreo Protein Shake

1 c. skim milk
2 scoops ViShape Shake Mix
4 or 5 "Double O's" cookies (from the Meijer brand 100-calorie pack)
6-8 ice cubes

Blend the milk, ice and shake mix first; then, add the cookies and "pulse" them in.

I made mine by putting everything in the blender at once, and it mixed the cookies in really well.

After I was done with mine, Casey made his shake, and I advised him to pulse the cookies in after mixing, to keep them more chunky like in a Blizzard:


His was chunky:

Mine was blended:

...but it still tasted wooooonderful! And next time, I think I'll add more ice to make it a thicker consistency.



CALORIE BREAKDOWN:
milk = 80
shake mix = 90
cookies = 25 (approximately)
______________
195 calories total (approximately)

Cherry Bliss Coffee Shake

We've been hooked on some Michigan Cherry coffee for a while now, so I thought I'd incorporate the idea into a breakfast shake...

Cherry Bliss Coffee Shake

1/2 c. 2% milk
1/2 c. almond milk
2 scoops ViShape Shake Mix
1 t. instant coffee (I use Maxwell House)
4 Maraschino cherries
6-8 ice cubes

Mix in blender until smooth. ENJOY!

CALORIE BREAKDOWN:
2% milk = 60
almond milk = 30
shake mix = 90
coffee = +/- 0 *
cherries = 40
______________
220 calories total



*Black coffee is usually considered free of calories by most nutritionists and dietitians because its caloric value is insignificant relative to most foods and to total daily diet.

Not-So-Chubby Hubby Shake

Casey used to snack on ice cream called "Chubby Hubby"... this is his new version, so he had to change the name a little! :)

Not-So-Chubby Hubby Shake

1 c. skim milk
2 scoops ViShape Shake Mix
2 t. peanut butter
1 T. Ovaltine Chocolate Malt mix
5 mini pretzels
6-8 ice cubes

Mix in blender until smooth. Drink immediately. Swirl it in your cup often, to keep the pretzel bits from settling to the bottom.

CALORIE BREAKDOWN:
milk = 80
shake mix = 90
PB = 60
Ovaltine = 20
pretzels = 25
______________
275 calories total

Swedish Coffee Cake Shake

Buttery almond cake taste, with that hint of cardamom...

Swedish Coffee Cake Shake

1 c. milk (I used 2%)
2 scoops ViShape Shake Mix
1 t. Butter Buds
1 t. almond extract
1 dash cardamom (use a light hand; you want a touch of flavor so it's not overwhelming)
4 or 5 ice cubes

Mix well in blender. Drink & enjoy.


NOTES:
My mom always made almond coffee cake around Christmastime, and it was sooooo good! This is a tribute to that wonderful treat.

Buckwheat "Pancakes" Protein Shake

I came up with this recipe spur-of-the-moment, because we were just talking about pancakes...

Buckwheat "Pancakes" Protein Shake

1 c. milk (I used skim milk [yeah, I know])
2 scoops ViShape Shake Mix
1 t. Butter Buds (approximately)
2 t. Mrs. Butter-Worth's Sugar Free Syrup
1 t. Bob's Red Mill Buckwheat Flour
4 or 5 ice cubes

Mix well in blender. Drink & enjoy.

NOTES:
This was actually too sweet for my taste....but, yeah, I drank it anyways. :)

I would probably use one teaspoon of the syrup, and add more of the Butter Buds to help balance out the sweetness. It had plenty of buckwheat flavor, even though I only used one teaspoon of the flour. You could adjust it for yourself, according to your own personal preferences. I'm going to tinker with it, and see what else I can come up with. My husband makes a willing guinea pig when it comes to shake recipes!

HISTORY:
If you've been reading my blog, you are probably aware of my love of strength training, and have noticed I've been strongly brand-loyal to Optimum Nutrition. They have a reputation for quality products and excellent customer service.

However, I have been introduced to something that I, personally, find to be a superior product, and now use exclusively. It is the ViSalus brand nutritional shake mix, which is called ViShape (or Vi-Shape). I'm not going to go on and on about it, since we have become promoters of the product, and this cooking blog is intended to be just that: a cooking blog. But, if you'd like more information about the product, please email me at the addy listed in my profile. [not listing it here, in order to avoid spam]

PB&J Protein Shake

So....what do you do when you can't decide what flavor of protein shake to have for lunch?

I looked in the fridge.

And saw an almost-empty jar of Low-Sugar Strawberry Preserves. (Smucker's, I think.)

"What goes with strawberry jam...?..." I thought to myself. "Peanut butter!"


PB&J Protein Shake

1 c. milk
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 T. low-sugar strawberry preserves
1 T. peanut butter (heaping!)
6-7 ice cubes

Put all ingredients in a blender, and.....do I really need to give you "instructions"? LOL.

Pumped-Up French Toast

I've been thinking about this for a while, and now I finally got around to trying it...because my husband was hungry following a workout.

French Toast w/ Protein Powder Added

1 scoop (13 g.) protein powder (I used ViSalus Vi-Shape shake mix)
1/3 c. milk (I used whole milk)
1 large egg
3 slices whole wheat bread

Mix shake powder and milk in a shaker bottle, so that there are no lumps. Pour into a shallow bowl and add milk; whisk together.

Preheat non-stick skillet; spray with a tiny bit of olive oil cooking spray.

Dip bread into mixture, then flip it over to coat both sides. Drop in pan. Repeat with remaining bread. Cook until browned; turn over and cook on low until it is done to your liking.

Serve as you would regular French Toast. ENJOY!

Calzones

This was a super-easy dinner to make. Use Pillsbury crescent rolls and add your own favorite pizza toppings as filling for "homemade" calzones.

Calzones the easy way

1) Flatten out the dough and press the seams together:


2) Don't ask me where I got this little dough press tool, because it has been many years, and I forgot where it came from. You can cut out a circle free-hand or use a bowl to measure and cut a circle:



3) Use pasta sauce, or mix some Italian seasoning into tomato paste:


4) Add whatever it is that you like in a calzone:
(sounds logical, eh?)


5) Brush edges with egg wash (whisk 1 T. water into a beaten egg), and seal well:


6) Poke some vent holes in the tops, or else they might burst when baking:


7) Slathering them with butter helps the dough to brown on top:


8) Bake according to the crescent roll directions, and give them a little extra time if they are not quite browned to your liking:


NOTES:
Smaller ones can be used as appetizers; fillings could include breakfast sausage & scrambled eggs; dessert ones can be filled with pie filling. Try being creative and see what you can come up with!!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Muffins

These turned out delicious. Because of the amount of baking powder, they got a lot of volume going, but still remained moist. Nice texture; great flavor.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Muffins

1 3/4 c. flour
2/3 c. brown sugar
2 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 egg
3/4 c. milk or cream
2/3 c. peanut butter
1/4 c. peanut oil
1 t. vanilla
1 c. chocolate chips (I loaded them with chocolate chunks, instead!)

Heat oven to 350˚.

In large mixing bowl, whisk together: peanut butter, milk, oil, egg, brown sugar and vanilla. Sift in dry ingredients. Stir until just combined; do not over-mix. Stir in chocolate.



Carefully spoon into paper-lined muffin pans; filling each 2/3 full.


Bake for about 22-25 minutes.



[NOTE: in mini muffin pans, bake for 15 minutes]

Vanilla Sour Cream Bread w/ Berries

I actually combined two different recipes to create this. It turned out very, very good. A nice breakfast bread; serve with honey-butter.

Vanilla Sour Cream Bread with Cranberries and Blueberries

2/3 c. warm water
1 1/2 T. vanilla
1/3 c. sour cream
1 egg
2 T. butter, softened
4 c. flour
1/3 c. sugar
1 1/2 t. salt
1 pkt. yeast
1/3 c. dried cranberries
1/3 c. dried blueberries

1. In large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water.
2. In another bowl, combine butter, egg, sour cream, salt, sugar and vanilla.
3. Mix wet ingredients into yeast mixture. Stir well. Then stir in about half of the flour. Knead in the rest of the flour, to form a soft dough.
4. Allow to rest 10 minutes, then knead in dried berries thoroughly.
5. Cover and let rise until doubled in size; about 1 hour.
6. Punch down, divide in half and transfer to TWO greased loaf pans.
7. Cover and let rise again for about 45 minutes.
8. Bake at 350˚ for 30 minutes, until lightly browned and sounds hollow when tapped on top. Cool at least 10 minutes before removing from pans.


ALT—bread machine:

Place all ingredients into bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select "dough only" cycle. Go to #6 and follow directions to end.



before baking:

Banana Bread

I borrowed this recipe from my lovely friend Jules. Thanks, Jules!

Banana Bread by Jules

2 1/2 c. sifted flour
3 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. soft butter
1 egg, beaten
1 c. mashed bananas - (at least 3)
1/2 c. milk

Heat oven to 350˚.
Grease a 9 x 5" loaf pan; set aside.

In a small bowl, mash up bananas...


Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into another bowl; set aside...


In a separate mixing bowl, beat sugar and butter until smooth...


Mix in egg, and beat until light and fluffy...


Add the bananas and milk; mix well...


Stir in flour mixture...



I split the batch between two pans (8 x 4" each) because I was taking one to our niece...


For the 2 pans, I baked them for about 35-40 minutes, or until browned on top and a sharp knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
In one large loaf pan (9 x 5"), bake for 60 minutes.

Hard Boiled Eggs

This is a great diet food snack....I usually keep some handy in the fridge. If you're lazy, peel them in advance and wrap them in plastic for later, or use one of those little Gladware containers like I had the protein shake mix in...

Hard Boiled Eggs
yes, you can…

eggs
cold water (enough to cover eggs in pan)

Put your eggs—however many you want—in a saucepan and add COLD water to cover them completely. Don't crowd the eggs in the pan, either, or they may break.

Slowly bring the water to boil over low-medium heat. I usually set the timer for 10 or 12 minutes, and check on them at that point. If the water isn't boiling yet, turn the heat up slightly, and set the timer for 5 more minutes.

You may want to just sit there in the kitchen and open the mail, or look at the paper, because those five minutes will go by faster than you think. Last thing you want to do is leave the room and begin with the stupid laundry or something else [FACEBOOK] that might distract you until you wonder…*sniff, sniff*…what's that smell? OHNO! My eggs!!! (NOTE: yes, twice; not recently)

Done clipping coupons? Water's boiling? Good, go turn off the heat. Put a lid on the pan, and let your eggs sit in the pan for 5 minutes. Yeah, set the timer again, or you'll forget.

Now rinse the eggs in COLD water. If you plan to use them for egg salad or something, and want to cool them off quickly, fill the pan with cold water and drop 4 or 5 ice cubes into the pan (don't set it back on the stove; especially not on that same hot burner, genius.)

Your eggs should be done perfectly. Enjoy!

Casey's Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Shake

I was having a vanilla shake with frozen raspberries added to it, and Casey decided he wanted a shake, too. This is the result...

Casey's Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Shake

1 scoop chocolate protein powder
1 c. milk
2 t. peanut butter
7-8 ice cubes

Put all ingredients in the blender; mix until smooth.

Egg Sandwich for Breakfast

This was my breakfast one morning last week...it was sooooo good!

Egg Sandwich for Breakfast

1 hamburger bun (or English muffin)
butter
1 egg
1 slice of cheese

1. Use a non-stick pan, and add a dab of butter.
2. Butter your metal egg ring and place it into the pan to heat up. *
3. Carefully crack the egg and drop it into the ring. (or you can scramble the egg first, if you prefer; I was lazy that day.)
4. Butter your hamburger bun and place it in the pan face-down to toast. (or prep your English muffin however you like it.)

5. Allow the egg to cook on one side, lifting up around the edges if it puffs up and starts to run over the ring. Run a butter knife along the edge of ring to loosen the egg, then remove the ring (put it in the sink—it's HOT!). Flip the egg over to finish cooking.
6. Put the toasted bun on a plate, put the egg on the bun, top with cheese. Eat & enjoy!!!



* I don't know where I got that particular egg ring; I've had it forever. It's nice cause it's got that little handle on it, and some of the cake rings and English muffin rings I've seen in stores or online don't have the handle. Below are some I found online:

LINKS:
Williams-Sonoma: Round; Heart; Daisy
Chef's Catalog
Sur La Table
Cooking.com
King Arthur Flour