For my birthday last month, Kyle’s mom gave me individual packets of fun smoothie ingredients like protein and wheatgrass. This weekend, I tried out the vanilla whey protein in one of my smoothies. The type that I had was a vanilla-flavored whey protein isolate powder from Jay Robb.*

I had heard before that the body can only absorb a limited amount of protein at a time and I know that most diets are not insufficient in protein. Also, a body builder I am NOT. However, being a vegetarian, I keep a close eye on how much protein I ingest and realize that I am at risk for protein deficiency. I aim for 60-65 grams of protein per day and I thought that a whole packet may be excessive.

I used a little less than one half of a packet in this smoothie, which made two 12-oz smoothies. It was a little gritty, which I don’t mind too much, but I might try it with 1/3 of a packet next time for a tasty boost of 8g of protein in one batch. The vanilla tasted great and I am looking forward to trying the strawberry packet that she sent along with it. See my recipe below!

Ingredients:

1 cup frozen fruit (blueberries and banana)

1 cup pineapple juice

1/3-1/2 packet vanilla protein powder (15g)

Preparation

Blend all ingredients in a blender. Yields approximately two 12-ounce smoothies. Grab a straw and a large glass and enjoy, or grab two glasses and share with a friend!

*I did some internet research on this and similar dietary supplements before I was comfortable incorporating them into my smoothies. Please remember that it is always best to consult your physician before adding a supplement to your diet.