7 MUSCLE-BUILDING SHAKES

July 9, 2008

Each of these recipes provides welcome relief from your "whey and water" lifestyle

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Each of the following shakes makes one serving and fits into a certain point on your schedule. One warning, though: After trying these, you may not be able to go back to plain protein powder and water ever again.

Hot Cocoa
When to take: bedtime
>> 1 cup fat-free milk
>> 1 scoop chocolate whey protein
>> 1 packet Swiss Miss Diet Milk Chocolate hot cocoa
>> 1⁄2 cup low-fat cottage cheese

Heat milk until hot (but not boiling) and pour in blender. Add protein, cocoa and cottage cheese; blend until mostly smooth.

Tip: Wondering why there's no casein in this nighttime beverage? Cottage cheese provides all the slow-digesting protein you need to get through the night.

Nutrition Facts: 275 calories, 44 g protein, 20 g carbs, 1 g fat, 0 g fiber

Root Beer Float
When to take: post-workout
>> 1 scoop vanilla whey protein
>> 1 scoop vanilla casein protein
>> 1⁄2 cup fat-free vanilla yogurt
>> 11⁄2 cups root beer

In a separate bowl, slowly mix the protein powders into the yogurt, adding a little at a time and stirring well to avoid clumping. Pour root beer into a large glass and carefully add yogurt mixture. Do not stir.

Tip: The root beer's carbonation makes this an extremely frothy shake to prepare, even though there's no actual shaking. Make sure to use a much larger glass than normal.

Nutrition Facts: 443 calories, 48 g protein, 61 g carbs, 1 g fat, 1 g fiber

Peach Cobbler
When to take: morning or pre-workout
>> 1 cup water
>> 1 scoop vanilla whey protein
>> 1⁄2 can sliced peaches in juice, drained
>> 1 packet Quaker Lower Sugar Maple & Brown Sugar Instant Oatmeal

Combine all ingredients; blend.

Tip: Unless you like the grit of uncooked oatmeal, you'll need to pull out the big guns for this recipe. Use either a blender or an immersion blender.

Nutrition Facts: 305 calories, 24 g protein, 49 g carbs, 2 g fat, 3 g fiber

Orange Creamsicle
When to take: morning or pre-workout
>> 1 cup orange juice
>> 1 scoop vanilla whey protein
>> 1⁄2 cup fat-free vanilla yogurt

Combine all ingredients; blend.

Tip: Be sure you buy real orange juice, not orange "drinks" or anything with less than 100% fruit juice.

Nutrition Facts: 280 calories, 27 g protein, 43 g carbs, 1 g fat, 2 g fiber

Chocolate Almond Brownie
When to take: pre-workout
>> 1 scoop chocolate whey protein
>> 1 cup fat-free milk
>> 1⁄2 Clif Chocolate Brownie bar, finely chopped
>> 1⁄4 cup chopped almonds

Put protein in milk and mix well. Top with Clif bar and almonds.

Tip: Keep a spoon handy for eating this shake — the bar and almonds will settle to the bottom of your glass.

Nutrition Facts: 457 calories, 39 g protein, 41 g carbs, 17 g fat, 8 g fiber

PB + CB
When to take: morning or pre-workout
>> 1 cup fat-free milk
>> 1 scoop chocolate whey protein
>> 2 Tbsp. peanut butter
>> 1 medium banana

Combine all ingredients; blend.

Tip: Look for natural peanut butter, which won't have added sweeteners or stabilizers. Don't be concerned if there's a layer of oil at the top; just stir that in before using, then store the jar in the fridge.

Nutrition Facts: 461 calories, 37 g protein, 46 g carbs, 16 g fat, 2 g fiber

Mocha
When to take: morning or pre-workout
>> 1 cup hot coffee
>> 1 scoop chocolate whey protein
>> 2 Tbsp. honey

Combine all ingredients; mix.

Tip: Fitting this shake into your low-carb diet is easy — just cut the honey.

Nutrition Facts: 215 calories, 20 g protein, 36 g carbs, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber

Lemon Drop
When to take: post-workout
>> 2 cups lemonade
>> 1 scoop vanilla whey protein
>> 1 scoop vanilla casein protein

Add ingredients to receptacle of choice and shake or stir to combine.

Tip: Look for an all-natural lemonade that contains sugar, not high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Besides being unhealthy in large amounts, HFCS is not the best form of sugar to have in your postworkout shake.

Nutrition Facts: 445 calories, 43 g protein, 65 g carbs, 1 g fat, 0 g fiber

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