btw, if I had you at “mint chocolate” you definitely need my Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream (with no refined sugar!) in your life.

Mint Chocolate Chip Protein Shake

This shake is one of my favorite treats for a summer afternoon… but who am I kinding? I love it in the dead of winter too.

The addition of cacao nibs to this smoothie makes it my hands-down, all-around favorite shake. To pump up the nutrition I’ll add a few handfulls of spinach if I have it and some fresh mint if it’s growing in my garden.

But I’m not gonna lie, this shake is yummy with just 3 ingredients too: milk, protein powder, and frozen banana

BONUS: leftovers turn into the most amazing protein ice pop. I show you how in this video: Mint Chocolate Ice Pops

What is a protein shake?

Protein is a hot topic right now. Folks are finally starting to realize that while protein is super important for us, we often aren’t getting enough. Enter powdered protein, stage right. With high-protein food powdered into a flavored mix, we can add it to all kinds of things (not just a milkshake… think pancakes or coffee or hot chocolate).

Protein shakes are often made from eggs, milk, soybeans, or rice. But the tricky part is finding out the other ingredients such as artificial flavoring, thickeners, and added sugar (lots of added refined sugar). In most cases, you’ll get 10-20 grams of protein in a scoop.

But my favorite protein powders are different. Like night and day different…

How to choose a protein powder?

If you want to be using a protein powder that’s actually good for you (not loaded with sugars and artificial ingredients that are whipped up in a lab), ask a few questions.

Does it have multiple sources of protein?

The more sources of protein a powder contains, the easier it is for your body to absorb the protein. (And, afterall, if your body can’t absorb the protein, there’s no reason to be adding it to your food, right?) All of these protein powders contain 4-5 different sources of protein,

‌How is it flavored?

Typically, a protein powder relies on artificial flavors. But these protein powders are flavored with real foods like organic cacao, vanilla beans, strawberries, etc. not artificial (or “natural”) flavors mixed up in a lab.

‌Does it have any added “junk”?

I was first interested in these protein powders because I realized that they have zero junk–NO artificial dyes, flavors, or sweeteners. They also has no added fillers or junk, which can mess with your gut. I worked too hard to improve my gut health (mainly with homemade kombucha) to randomly drink things that kill the good bacteria in my gut.

‌Ask about the whey…

Does your protein powder company source their protein from the by-products of cheesemaking? If so, you’re loosing out. These protein powders are made with 100% grass-fed non-denatured whey protein, sourced directly from milk, not the by-products of cheesemaking. This means the amino acids are still intact, making it easier to absorb & digest.

Bonus, it’s free of casein and low in lactose which makes it a great option for those that are typically sensitive to whey products.

‌Is it made with stevia?

This could be a bad thing… because the processed stevia you typically find on the market has been through a 42-step process, and often causes gut issues. In fact, a lot of you will reach out to me every time I mention protein powder over on instagram and tell me you can’t use protein powder because of what it does to your stomach. I’m always happy to explain that THIS protein powder is very different. It’s sweetened with crushed up stevia leaf… that’s it. ONE ingredient. In fact, it’s the very same way I often sweeten a cup of tea, adding zero calories. I link to the stevia leaf I use below.

Are drinking protein shakes good for you?

Is it OK to drink 1 protein shake every day?

I often have 1 protein shake a day. They fill you up with good stuff, helping you not eat junk food. And–the real reason I started drinking protein shakes–they help maintain muscle mass, which has been important for me in my 50s. Because people need extra protein as they age.

Mint Chocolate Chip Protein Shake Recipe

Grab my Pantry Checklist & lots of great deals on great ingredients

I am happy to share my pantry checklist with you because I firmly believe real food can be much more “doable” and convenient to make if we just make sure to have the important staples on hand.

I also firmly believe we all need to keep some moolah in our pockets whenever possible, so I’ve filled my pantry checklist with exclusive discount codes as well.

Go here to grab yours right now. It will take about 4 seconds & instantly save you time and money.

More drinks you’ll love:

• Top 5 healthy drinks you need in your life
• Healthy hot chocolate mix
• DIY Coke: make delicious homemade soda
• Maple chocolate iced “coffee”

What you’ll need to make this Mint Chocolate Chip Protein Shake

Talk to me about your mint chocolate chip protein shake…

If you have questions, leave a comment below. And please tag me on ig to show me your shake @souly.rested.

“He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.” Psalm 107:9

Find out why SoulyRested was considered to be one of the One of the Top Homesteading Blogs. Glance at my Resource Page if you’d like to get a glimpse of all the supplies I use and recommend for everything from gardening, to sugarmaking, to chicken care, to baking.

I’d love to connect!

To find me in some other neck of the woods, just click any (or every!) icon below:

 

 

 

The post Mint Chocolate Chip Protein Shake first appeared on Souly Rested.

I’ve been drinking a delicious Not Coffee tea for years. It’s really a medicinal herbal tea, made with 3 simple ingredients, that tastes like coffee but sports zero caffeine. So today I’m sharing my Decaf Iced Coffee recipe with you that actually isn’t coffee at all.

But you’d be hard-pressed to know it.

Because it’s 100% delicious.

Decaf Frozen Coffee Alternative

I love a tall delicious frozen coffee, but I don’t always want the caffeine. Once I hit menopause age, it just stirs up problems some days. Turns out it doesn’t agree with most women in menopause, causing exasperated symptoms.

I was elated years ago to discover I could make an herbal tea that tastes like coffee. And, since it’s an herbal tea, it’s also medicinal and decaf.

So it only makes sense to use my tea that tastes like coffee to make my own medicinal, herbal, delicious, decaf frozen coffee. Can I get an amen?

Why avoid decaf coffee?

Decaffeinated coffee is often chemically altered, but there are natural decaffeination methods available, so ask your favorite decaf coffee company if they choose the natural way, which simply uses water to decaffeinate the coffee beans . (If they use methylene chloride, a chemical also used in paint strippers, and a cousin, so to speak, of formaldehyde, you probably should find a new coffee.)

Side note, decaffeinated tea is very similar, so do some due diligence and find out if your favorite decaf teas are decaffeinated with CO2 or chemicals.

What to drink instead of iced coffee?

If you love coffee, but the caffeine doesn’t like you…

If you’re fine with decaf coffee but not the chemicals…

Whatever the reason, if you have had to quit your iced coffee or your frozen coffee and you landed here looking for a great alternative, oh boy did you land in the right spot!

Instead of iced coffee or frozen coffee, you will love this frozen coffee alternative made with an herbal chicory tea and the best salted caramel protein powder. Read on… I give you options too.

What’s a good alternative to coffee without caffeine?

Can you use decaf coffee for iced coffee?

Decaf iced coffee is just as good as the real thing! In fact, I often prefer my homemade version even to an iced coffee from my local coffee shop!

Is there caffeine free cold brew?

Some cold brews contain over 400 milligrams per serving!  And although caffeine free cold brew is hard to find in grocery stores, it’s easy to make at home with just a few ingredients!

Make a (not) Iced Coffee with herbal tea

INGREDIENTS

12 TB frozen, concentrated Not Coffee (see below)

1 scoop of Salted Caramel Protein Powder (my favorite is linked below)

1 1/2 cups milk

1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional)

2 TB maple syrup (optional, but my favorite is linked below)

DIRECTIONS

1. Add ingredients to blender and mix well
2. Enjoy!

NOTES

1. All protein powders are not the same. Watch for two ingredients you will find in almost every brand of protein powder, but never in the ones I am in love with… Artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols. The first are chemicals added to make your drink sweet. And most brands add sugar alcohols because they aren’t completely absorbed in your intestines (which means there will be less calories in your drink), but if you eat too many you’ll get gas, bloating, and diarrhea. This protein powder, linked below, is only real food, and no junk.
2. Sometimes this can wind up being pretty foamy. If you’re not a fan of all the foam (I don’t like it when my straw can’t pick it up well), the blender linked below has been my favorite for years. The vacuum attachment seals in all the nutrients into your drink, removes excess oxygen, makes for fuller flavor, and creates light, fluffy texture without things turning foamy.
3. If you’d like the added protein but don’t have the best protein powder on hand, you can add ingredients like chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, or collagen.
4. Date syrup is a great all-natural way to add a caramel flavor to your frozen coffee as well.

But why avoid coffee?

I’ve been an avid tea drinker for a long time. And then when I discovered I liked coffee, I still tried to limit my coffee intake because I was getting headaches and some dizziness when I had too much coffee in a day–but I loved the taste of coffee! So that’s why I turned to coffee alternatives, like this drink.

–> However, it turns out the headaches I was getting were from using poor quality coffee. Who knew that coffee is the most heavily chemically treated crop in the world? Unless you’re purchasing organic coffee, you’re likely drinking lots of pesticides with your daily cup of joe. I think those pesticides were the reason I was getting coffee headaches. So now I use this stuff and–boom–no more headaches. I still love my coffee alternatives, but I enjoy a “real” latte made with high-quality coffee, too.

Did you also know that coffee naturally grows in shade, but most commercial coffee farms force it to grow in sun? Shade-grown coffee not only tastes better, but is so much better for the soil. Plus, this coffee I’ve come to love is also tested for mold, so you won’t be getting any mold OR pesticides in your coffee or lattes. It’s also low-acid which makes it better for your teeth and mouth microbiome, as well.

If you want to make the switch to regeneratively-shade-grown, low-acid, organic, mold-free coffee (that’s a mouthful!), use the code “soulyrested” to save some cash.

Print

Ingredients

• 12 TB frozen, concentrated Not Coffee see below
• 1 scoop Salted Caramel protein powder
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 2 TB maple syrup optional

Not Coffee Concentrate

• 4 TB of not-coffee tea
• 1 quart water

Instructions

• Make Not Coffee concentrate the night before. Or use hot water let steep until cool.
• Strain and make your not-coffee ice cubes.
• Add right amount of ice cubes, milk, and other ingredients to blender and mix well.
• Enjoy!

Concentrated Not Coffee brew

To make your concentrated Not Coffee brew that you’ll use to make your ice cubes, you just need a saturated version of my favorite homemade healthy tea that tastes like coffee.

To make your ice cubes, soak 4 TB of not-coffee concentrate in 1 quart water overnight. (Or use hot water and steep until cool.) Strain and then make your not-coffee ice cubes.

Make your not-coffee tea, or buy some not-coffee tea. Use code SOULYRESTED to save! (bonus: shipping is FREE in the U.S. if you’re spending $59 or more, so I tend to buy my not coffee in bulk.)

Options for your Not Coffee

Make it yourself — here’s my recipe

Purchase it — this is my personal favorite not coffee. Or see it linked below.

Grab my Pantry Checklist & lots of great deals on great ingredients

I am happy to share my pantry checklist with you because I firmly believe real food can be much more “doable” and convenient to make if we just make sure to have the important staples on hand.

I also firmly believe we all need to keep some moolah in our pockets whenever possible, so I’ve filled my pantry checklist with exclusive discount codes as well.

Go here to grab yours right now. It will take about 4 seconds & instantly save you time and money.

More like decaf iced coffee:

• Top 5 healthy drinks you need in your life
• Healthy hot chocolate mix
• DIY Coke: make delicious homemade soda
• Maple chocolate iced “coffee”
• Cacao Smoothie that you can make with or without espresso
• Find all my delicious, chicory-based drink recipes here.

Making a frozen decaf coffee alternative:

Go here for my recipe for making a herbal tea that tastes like coffee, without the caffeine.

Talk to me about your decaf frozen coffee…

If you have questions, leave a comment below. And please tag me on ig to show me your decaf frozen not-coffee @souly.rested.

“He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.” Psalm 107:9

The post Decaf Frozen Coffee Alternative first appeared on Souly Rested.