Sort-Of Sinful Protein Shake

If you ever get into running as I have, you will quickly learn that the post-run protein snack is paramount to muscle recovery. The 30 minutes after a workout is one of life's few periods when we are encouraged to eat! But why waste this oppotunity on funny-tasting and rather expensive bars or shakes when we can access a perfectly good blender?

Strenuous exercise benefits us by tearing down muscle cells during exercise. The growth happens once the workout is finished and we stand victorious (if a little smelly) in our kitchens, wolfing down a protein-laden object that helps rebuild the damaged muscles into a newly-stronger tissue. It was in this odiferous and yet prideful state that I invented my Sort-Of-Sinful Protein Shake!

The anchor of my shake is protein powder - it's the whole reason we're engaged in this errand, after all. A quick web search will show you literally hundreds of brands of protein powder. I suggest a vanilla flavor for the most Sort-Of Sinful flexibility, but real coneisseurs might start collecting flavors.

The next component of the Sort-Of Sinful shake is milk. but we are hardly limited to cow milk. I use nut milks like almond or hazlenut because they are typically lower in carbs and calories, but any type of milk will do here.

Next, we will add a fresh fruit. My original S-OSS was invented with half of an avacado (yes, it's a fruit - Google it if you don't believe me). Your fruit can be frozen as well as once fresh, now frozen. Because the fruit is typically going to be the bulkiest item we're putting into our shake, be sure to put it into the blender first and then add your protein powder and roughly a cup of milk to start - you can always add more milk later.

But why is this shake sort of sinful, you might be asking, when it sounds like the makings of a Karen-worthy Pinterest-healthy smoothie? Because we're about to add the most important and exciting ingredient: sort-of sinful ice cream!

But let's clarify our terms: sort-of sinful ice cream is the kind of almost-ice-cream you can't really serve at childrens parties or Thanksgiving dessert without looking like one of those people that give out raisins at Halloween. It's missing the fat or sugar or dairy that makes full-fledged ice cream, well, ice-cream. Look for brands like Halo Top, Nada Moo or Breyer's Delights. Your sort-of sinful choice should come in a pint-sized container (in case you overindulge, to minimize the damage) and clearly announce the number of calories on the front of the container - if you have to search for the calorie count, it's probably too high.

My first Sort-Of Sinful shake contained half a pint of Halo Top mint chip ice cream to coordinate with the aformentioned avacado. I poured my milk and protein powder on top of these strange bedfellows, blended everything together, and was initally disappointed. But then it occurred to me to add a little artificial sweetener (I'm a child of the 70s - I can take it) and blend once more, and voila! The Sort-Of Sinful Protein Shake was born!

Once you've mastered the Sort-Of Sinful formula, you can branch out to different combinations. For example, right now I have a couple of mangoes languishing in our fridge. I'm thinking these will go well with Halo Top's Peaches and Cream flavor. I had a delicious bunch of blueberries with their Blueberry Crumble flavor. Fresh lemons with Lemon Cake Halo Top? That may be taking the concept a little too far but what you do in your private home is none of my business.