DIY High Protein Coffee Creamer - Sugar-Free, Low-Carb & Healthier than Coffee Mate!

 High-Protein, Low-Carb Coffee Creamer Powder.

Replace unhealthy sugar-filled creamer with this great tasting protein packed creamer!

This is a really cool formula and I have not seen anything out there like it anywhere. I have been thinking about making a healthy creamer for a long time. Creamer manufacturers make a liquid slurry and then spray dry it into a powder form - Not something we can do at home. Quite a conundrum....

Plus, I wanted a creamer powder that would enhance my diet, not take away from it! Commercial creamers are as bad for you (or worse?) than margarine. This creamer is a delicious and healthy way to include more protein in your diet. You also avoid all the empty carbohydrates and unhealthy fats too. It is wonderful added to herbal chai, herbal coffee substitutes, fruit smoothies, boba drinks, hot cocoas, protein drinks, herbal milk teas, herbal Thai tea etc...

It takes only a few minutes to make this super easy creamer powder. Now you have a better alternative to the corn syrup and chemical laden commercial creamer powders. PARTY.


Here is the ingredient label to Coffee Mate creamer powder:

Note: They say 1 tsp (2 grams) is a serving. Who ever uses only 1 tsp.?

According to their label: 1 gram is carbohydrates (sugar) + .5 g is saturated fat + .5 g is other stuff. 

That means Coffee Mate is 50% corn syrup solids (sugar), and 25% fat. The sodium caseinate is at least 15 % of the formula, probably a little bit more, because the rest of the ingredients are listed as being less than 2% (which would fall under 10% of the total).

This is a cool way to read an ingredient label, huh?

Coffee Mate ingredient label.

Personally, I can do without all the corn syrup solids (the main ingredient), unhealthy hydrogenated fats, and aluminosilicate (aluminum), and artificial flavors. What about you?

Did you notice that the protein content per serving was a big fat ZERO?

I'm good with the sodium caseinate (milk derived protein) and natural annatto coloring (annatto is a brick red colored spice and colorant used in Mexican cooking). I find the lecithin powder colors this enough to make it look like Coffee Mate's creamer powder. If you are against all dairy, this creamer is not for you. I personally find these proteins agreeable to me and they have a much nicer texture than gritty vegetable proteins.

Our creamer dissolves nicely in liquids, and gives a milky look to them. This is low in lactose, due to the type of milk proteins used. Note that this is not a dairy-free creamer. Making a non-dairy creamer powder will be a project for later...

I noticed that if your beverage sits a while (as in, it's starting to get cold), the protein in this creamer settles to the bottom of the glass a bit. I just give it a stir, and it's fine.

The coconut oil I use here does not add a coconut oil flavor and adding it makes the creamer dissolve easily in liquids (hot or cold). My formula is lower in fat than Coffee Mate's, although I don't mind fat from coconut oil, since it is so good for you. The lecithin helps to emulsify the coconut oil into the water-based beverage. Lecithin is also really good for you and it helps your body digest fats in your diet, among other things.

The sweeteners I use here do not negatively impact your blood sugar levels. The IMO powder (related to inulin) is a mildly sweet tasting fiber. You could omit the IMO and just add a bit more erythritol, however, erythritol is a cooling sugar and is slow to dissolve, IMO is warming and dissolves easily, so they balance each other out. F.Y.I.

I also added Collagen (Collagen hydrolysate) powder. Why? Because it is a very clean and bio-available protein, with many health benefits! It dissolves quickly and seems to disappear into what ever you add it to. Collagen is like gelatin, except that it does not set up like gelatin (think Jell-O). At Kitchen Cheetahs, we like to add it to protein drinks, hot chocolate, soups, stews and gravies, gluten free baked goods, and of course desserts!

Here is a link to a very interesting article about gelatin (collagen) and why it is so important to our health. It's called "Gelatin, Stress, and Longevity", by Dr. Ray Peat. He discusses how collagen impacts our hormones, sleep patterns, thyroid, stomach issues, heart arrhythmia, body inflammation, aging, and lots of other cool stuff. I hope you take the time to read it. The take away? Eat collagen.

I also have special organic flavor powders that enhance the cream flavor of my creamer beautifully. Unfortunately, the public does not have access to these flavor powders, since they are made available to us because we are professional food formulators. I would recommend you add some vanilla flavor powder instead.

I really enjoy this creamer with my home made herbal chai tea, and home made boba drinks and smoothies. It is a wonderful substitute that leaves your beverages tasting rich and creamy.

I will be tweaking this recipe further...because I can't leave well enough alone. But this first recipe is definitely worth posting now. This formula is so much better than just mixing powdered milk with powdered sugar and calling that creamer - YUK. Hold out and get the needed ingredients to make this instead, you will be happy you did.

What may I do when I decide to tweak this recipe?

I will add another T. or more of melted deodorized coconut oil.
I will add at least another 2 T. of healthful collagen powder. (a T. of collagen a day is a good dose)
I may add another T. of lecithin powder.
I may lower the whey pro isolate to 1 1/4 cup and add another 1/4 cup calcium caseinate
Then I may need to up the sweeteners a bit, say, IMO to 40 grams and erythritol to 64 grams?

Anyway, here is the yummy recipe I am using now...


High Protein Coffee Creamer Recipe:

1 1/2 c. ( 120 g) plain 100% whey protein isolate
1 c. (80 g) calcium caseinate
6 T. (48 g) finely powdered erythritol
4 T. (32 g) IMO powder
3 T. (24 g) lecithin granules
2 T. (12 g) collagen powder
1 T. (8 g) Hi-Maize resistant starch, optional
Vanila flavor powder, to taste, optional
2 T. (26 g) melted deodorized coconut oil


Method:

Grind the erythritol with the Hi-Maize until finely powdered. The Hi-Maize is an added fiber that also acts as a processing aid for grinding the erythritol without it getting overly sticky. I use a small coffee mill to do this.

Weigh out all of the ingredients, except the coconut oil into a medium sized bowl. whisk to blend.

Process the powder in batches in a small food processor until all is a fine powder.

With the powder still in the food processor, drizzle the coconut oil over top of the powder. Place the lid on the food processor and pulse to blend very thoroughly. The powder will start to cling together nicely.

Transfer the creamer to an air-tight container and store in your pantry.

To use: spoon the desired amount into a hot beverage and stir to dissolve. I use 1 T. for a mug of herbal chai, or 2 T. for a big smoothie. Add to taste freely - It's healthy!

Assemble your ingredients.

Whisk the powdered erythritol with the other dry ingredients.

Here is the creamer after the coconut oil has been well blended in,

Ready to put in my pantry.

Enjoy,

Leila.

Sugar-Free Cinnamon Frosted Paleo Granola

Cinnamon Frosted Paleo Granola

Would you like a delicious, lighter, crunchier, grain-free, low-carb granola? Well, here it is!

Here is our unique and delicious recipe for a sweet cinnamon-frosted grain-free granola. Our recipe calls for an unusual ingredient: YAMS. That's right, soft baked yams or sweet potato. It is a great binder for our granola, making cute crunchy clusters of goodness. 

We will be posting many other unique yammy recipes under the Kitchen Cheetahs category called, "I Yam That I Yam". 

This granola stays crunchy in milk for a long time and the dried fruit stays nice and chewy too. We like that.

There are no almonds (give the poor bees a break!), no grain, and no sugar added to this recipe. It is sweetened only by the erythritol, dried fruit, and sweet potato.

This is a very versatile recipe. There are 4.5 cups of mixed nuts and seeds in this recipe (in addition to the coconut). Feel free to make your own substitutions with any kind of nuts or seeds you wish. For example, you could swap almonds for the walnuts. You may also use other dried fruits like dried diced California apricots, organic raisins, chopped dates, dried cranberries, dried cherries, etc. There could be almost limitless variations...


We can think of many uses for our granola:

You could make a granola "crumb crust" very easily out of it.
You could use it as a base for killer granola bars.
You can sprinkle it on top of ice cream sundaes.
You can make yogurt parfaits with it.
You can create awesome trail mixes with it as the base, adding more dried fruit, chocolate chips...
You can sprinkle it on top of our chocolate or butterscotch protein pudding recipes.

Yes, we really like this granola. It is crunchy and chewy at the same time, and has a real nutty- cinnamon-y flavor. PLUS, it's "CINNAMON FROSTED" 

Cinnamon Frosted Paleo Granola

Cinnamon Frosted Paleo Granola Recipe:

Dry Ingredients:
2 c. chopped walnuts (or pecans or almonds)
1 c.  coarsely ground raw sunflower seeds
1 c. dried coconut chips (wide thin ribbons)
1 c. flaked dried coconut (macaroon-style)
1 c. organic raisins (or chopped dates or chopped dried figs)
1/2 c. freshly ground flax seed meal
1/2 c. sesame seeds
1/2 c. Brazil nut flour (or other nut flour)

Wet Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. powdered Lakanto
1 T. ground cinnamon
1 t. sea salt
1 c. warm mashed sweet potato (baked until soft)
1/3 c. coconut oil
1/3 c. hot water

Cinnamon Frosting:
1/2 c. powdered Lakanto
1 T ground cinnamon


Method:

Mix together the listed dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

In a food processor puree the listed wet ingredients together until smooth.

Scrape the pureed wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and combine well.

Crumble the combined mixture into small clusters onto 2 large rimmed cookie sheets.

Bake in a preheated 300 degree F. oven for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes.

Lower the heat to 200 degrees F. and bake for another hour, stirring every 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes on the cookie sheets.

Toss thoroughly with the Cinnamon Frosting mixture and let cool completely.

Store in an air-tight container.

Enjoy with your favorite vegan milk.

Enjoy with your favorite milk.
This is almond coconut milk and I was surprised how delicious this combination is!

Enjoy,

Leila & Nancy.

Amazing Vegan Hot Fudge Sauce - Sugar-Free, Low-Carb, High-Fiber, Paleo

Amazing Vegan Hot Fudge Sauce

Enjoy this rich, smooth, and chocolaty hot fudge sauce over your favorite ice cream or use as a chocolate fondue. 

The secret ingredient here is soft baked sweet potato. It adds body to the sauce as well as healthy fiber. The quality of this yummy chocolate sauce surprised even us. We are having a lot of fun playing with soft baked yam/sweet potato in our test kitchens. More recipes using these lovely tubers are coming. I created a special section for our recipes containing yams and sweet potatoes called, "I Yam That I Yam". Don't tell me that's corny, I already know.

We love that this is a guilt-free hot fudge sauce. It's sugar-free, dairy-free, high-fiber, vegan, paleo, and contains healthy coconut oil.

Try it,we think you will like it!


Amazing Hot Fudge Sauce Recipe:

2/3 c. of your favorite milk (vegan, coconut, almond, cashew, lactose-free, low-carb...)
1 c. powdered white or golden Lakanto brand sweetener (or erythritol)
2/3 c. dutch cocoa powder
1/3 c. white sweet potato flesh (baked until soft)
3 T. coconut oil (deodorized)
1 pinch sea salt or BioSalt
1 t. real vanilla extract
1 to 2 T. of your favorite sweet syrup (IMO syrup, agave, maple...), optional
A few drops stevia glycerite, if you want it sweeter


Method:

Puree all of the ingredients together until smooth with a stick blender.

Heat and stir the mixture until it reaches 180 degrees F. to fully dissolve the Lakanto crystals.

Cool the mixture 5 minutes.

Taste the mixture to check for sweetness and adjust as desired.

Puree the mixture again on high speed with the stick blender until it is smooth and thickened.

Serve the sauce warm over your favorite dessert.

Store the unused fudge sauce in the refrigerator and gently reheat to serve. Any crystals from the erythritol that form will easily dissolve when the sauce is reheated.

Enjoy,

Leila & Nancy.

Zippy Slimming Cabbage Soup - A yummy clean-eating lunch or dinner

Try this robust, delicious and easy to make metabolism-boosting soup. 

This yummy soup is a great clean-eating meal that is also kind to the pocket book. Even though this is "just a cabbage soup," I feel it is of restaurant quality. It is full-bodied with a nice zippy warmth that makes things interesting. I really like it and can eat it frequently without tiring of it.

It's nice to have a large batch of this in your fridge for quick meals. You can feel good in knowing that this is a great weight loss menu item too. I'ts full of fiber and flavor.

I like to make my own chicken stock when ever we buy a rotisserie chicken from Costco, or when I roast my own chicken. Stock made from our Easy Juicy Roast Chicken recipe is the best! Of course you can use boxed chicken stock if you want to, it just isn't as rich and flavorful.

I make the stock ahead of time by putting the picked over chicken bones and skin into a big stock pot. I add all the left over chicken drippings too! I roughly chop up some onion, celery and carrot and throw that in the stock pot, and cover the whole mess with purified water. I bring it to a boil, reduce the heat, put on the lid and let it simmer on medium for at least 3 hours, or on low heat over night. Make sure you check your water level before going to bed!

Then I strain the stock, pick out any usable meat, transfer it to 1/2-gallon mason jars and store it in the fridge to use for a meal later that week.

In the winter, if it is really cold, I will set the pot outside on the cold cement over night to chill. The fat floats to the top and solidifies and you can easily skim it off. If I have room in my fridge, I'll chill it in there (Ha, that's funny, I never have that much spare room in my fridge). Anyway, I'm not too worried about having some organic chicken fat in my soup. It makes for a rich soup, and eating fat doesn't make you fat. Eating a bucket-load of white flour, white sugar donuts, fried in hydrogenated oil - now that can plump you up a bit.

I use a can of tomato sauce and a can of stewed tomatoes in this recipe. The stewed tomatoes have more ingredients and flavor than just regular canned tomatoes. I used a can of organic stewed tomatoes, Italian-Style from Costco and it has the following vegetables: Onion, green bell pepper, celery, garlic, basil, and oregano. If you only have plain canned tomatoes, toss in some minced celery and bell pepper into the onions as you are caramelizing them. Add a pinch of basil and oregano to the soup as it's cooking. When seasoning at the end, you will need to add up to 1 T. erythritol too.

Another substitute idea is to use 8 cups of canned spicy tomato juice instead of the tomato sauce, canned stewed tomatoes, and the 4 cups water. That tastes good too, I just prefer my recipe the way I listed it below. I like to have options, and thought you might as well.



Zippy Slimming Cabbage Soup Recipe:

1 large to jumbo sized yellow or white onion, chopped
1 T. organic butter or deodorized coconut oil
1 pinch sea salt
1 pinch baking soda
4 large cloves garlic, smashed or minced fine
1/2 c. white wine
2 quarts homemade chicken stock (or boxed organic chicken broth)
1 15-ounce can organic stewed tomatoes, chopped
1 14.5-ounce can organic tomato sauce
4 c. purified water
2 T. fresh lemon juice
1 large head cabbage, cored and chopped
60 grinds fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1 to 1 1/2 t. Louisiana Hot Sauce (If Tabasco Sauce is used, use at least half this amount), to taste
1 T. sea salt or BioSalt


Method:

Heat the butter or coconut oil over medium heat in a large heavy stock pot.

Add the chopped onion and sprinkle with the pinch of salt and the pinch of baking soda.

Stir and cook until the onion starts to caramelize, about 10 minutes.

Add the garlic and saute 1 minute. do not let the garlic brown (it gets bitter if too browned).

Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan.

Pour in the chicken stock, canned tomatoes, water, and lemon juice, Bring to a simmer.

Once simmering, add the chopped cabbage, cover and let simmer 20 to 30 minutes.

After simmering up to 30 minutes, check to see if the cabbage is cooked down and submerged in the cooking liquid. If the cabbage isn't fully submerged, add a little more chicken broth or water.

Let the soup simmer uncovered for at least 30 more minutes, until the cabbage is completely soft. You may also let the soup very gently simmer for a few hours, until dinner time. Add more water as needed.

Season with Louisiana Hot Sauce, salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste. Serve hot.


Tip: My mom likes to garnish of a dollop of sour cream flavored with caraway seeds.

Deglazing the pot with white wine.

The soup has simmered and is ready to serve.

Delicious!

Enjoy,

Leila.

Raspberry Cream Protein Shake Recipe using our Vanilla Sun Warrior "Warrior Blend" Protein BASE

Raspberry Cream Protein Shake

This is a fabulous protein smoothie recipe. It's thick and creamy with a big raspberry punch.

It's a favorite refreshing smoothie around these parts. We love - love - love that this is sugar-free and high in protein. You will feel like you are drinking a dessert but you are really doing your body a favor.

For this smoothie, we use our VANILLA Protein BASE recipe (pictured below in the mason jar). This convenient BASE only takes a couple minutes to whip together and then you are prepared in advance for several smoothies. We love that too.

Oh, did I mention that all of our Sun Warrior smoothie recipes are great for athletes, and those who want to slim down? They are also for the lactose intolerant and those of us who are watching our sugar and carb consumption. It's all good!

Mom's Favorite Raspberry Cream Protein Shake Recipe:

1 c. prepared Vanilla Warrior Blend Protein BASE (made with coconut + almond milk is best)
1 c. frozen raspberries (a generous cupful)
1 c. cold water
1 T. lemon juice
1/2 t. almond extract
6 ice cubes


Method:

Put 1 cup prepared Sun Warrior "Warrior Blend" Vanilla Protein Base into a VitaMix container (a high powered blender).

Top with the frozen raspberries, lemon juice, almond extract, and ice.

Blend on high speed until creamy. Taste for sweetness and add a little of your desired sweetener to taste (we like our stevia glycerite).

Blend well to fully incorporate the sweetener into the smoothie.


Tip: Sweeteners that can be used:

Stevia glycerite, vegetable glycerine, agave nectar, raw honey...

Vanilla Protein BASE at the ready to add to smoothies any time!

1 cup of the Vanilla Protein BASE is added to a blender.

A generous cup of frozen raspberries is added to the blender.

Add the rest of the raspberry smoothie ingredients and blend. YUM

Enjoy,

Leila & Nancy.

Sun Warrior "Warrior Blend" Creamy Vanilla Protein Shake Recipe + A Vanilla Protein Base Recipe Too!

Mug Shot of our Vanilla Warrior Blend Smoothie.

Here is another recipe for creating an even creamier, tastier Sun Warrior protein shake!

The flavor we are featuring in this post is VANILLA and we also show you how to make a super fast and easy Vanilla Protein BASE that can be used in smoothies, ice creams, puddings, etc...

We love using the Sun Warrior "Warrior Blend" vegan protein powders and we have created a way to make this great protein powder even better. You can create creamy, smooth , and delicious vegan protein drinks, shakes, smoothies, and more with Sun Warrior's "Warrior Blend" protein powders and our techniques we show here at Kitchen Cheetahs.

Vegan protein powders by nature, are not the smoothest substances on the planet. They can have a bit of grit to them, not fully dissolving in beverages. Sometimes vegetable proteins also have off-flavors from the vegetable sources they are used from. We show you how to counteract this.

Are you sensitive to the taste of stevia sweetened drinks? Stevia is now commonly used as a healthy sugar substitute and also sometimes causes off-taste issues for some people. We personally love stevia and use it daily in our homes. we have learned some tricks in using it that we will pass along to you here.

So my dad was wondering what my mom was whipping up in the kitchen this time (there are always adventures to be had in my mother's kitchen). A vanilla protein drink, she said. Hmmm, he said. Do you want to taste it, she asked? He acted only minorly interested (after all, it's only vanilla, right?). He took a sip, and he thought it was nice. Well, my mom walked away for a few moments, and when she came back to her vanilla protein shake dinner, it was all gone. He drank it all. Oops. The good news is, he loved it. He told her it tasted really rich and creamy and he felt full and satisfied after drinking it. This drink will keep you nourished for quite a while. My dad drinks a lot of protein drinks and he's really picky about them. He really likes this vanilla shake. We think you will love it too.

First I will give you the formula for the easy to make VANILLA Protein BASE. Make the BASE ahead of time so that it is cold before using.

Next, I will give you a smoothie formula using this BASE.


Just so we are real clear:

Recipe # 1 is the Sun Warrior "Warrior Blend" Vanilla Protein BASE.

Recipe # 2 is the Sun Warrior Creamy Vanilla Protein Shake.

Are you ready?

Sun Warrior "Warrior Blend" Vanilla Protein BASE:

Put in a VitaMix or other high powered blender:

3 c. cold milk of your choice (almond, coconut, cashew...)

Start blender on med-low and add:

1 c. Sun Warrior Vanilla flavored "Warrior Blend" protein powder

add the protein powder 1/4 cup at a time.

Add:

1/4 t. lecithin

Put the blender lid on tight and switch to the highest speed and blend until the mixture heats up to the desired temperature (from 118 to 155 degrees F). *

For the smoothest texture, use the tamper that comes with the VitaMix blender and heat to 150 to 155 degrees F.

Add:

1 t. almond extract and blend in very well.

Pour and scrape the finished BASE into a 1-quart mason jar and refrigerate overnight before using in the Creamy VANILLA Protein Shake recipe below.

This BASE needs to be kept cold and used within 4 to 5 days.



Tips: 

* 118 degrees F is for "raw"smoothies - heat up to 155 degrees F for the smoothest texture.

The BASE will be cooked at a low temperature and will be steaming at 150-160 degrees F. Some people find this "cooked" pea protein easier to digest.

Use an instant read thermometer for more accurate results.

Our favorite milk combination is 2 c. almond milk and 1 c. full fat coconut milk. Any combination of vegan milks will work to equal 3 cups of total milk used.

Lecithin is a healthy addition and makes it creamier and smoother. Lecithin is especially good for emulsifying the coconut milk.

1 cup of this prepared BASE contains 1/4 cup of the Warrior Blend protein powder.



NOTE: See our Raspberry Cream Smoothie recipe using this Vanilla BASE HERE.

____________________________________________

The following protein shake recipe is like a blank canvas, ready for you to add any combination of fruits or other ingredients that you want. Have fun with this basic recipe!


Sun Warrior Creamy Vanilla Protein Shake Recipe:

Put in a VitaMix or other high powered blender:

1 c. cold almond milk (or other vegan milk of choice)
1 c. prepared Vanilla Warrior Blend BASE, well chilled
1/4 c. coconut milk powder or 1 to 2 T. of your favorite nut butter, optional for a richer shake
1/4 to 1/2 c. mashed baked white sweet potato, or banana (makes it creamy)
3/4 to 1 t. real vanilla extract
1/4 to 1/2 t. almond extract
1 pinch cinnamon, optional
10 ice cubes (use only 8 ice cubes if not using coconut powder)

Blend everything together on high speed until nice and creamy.

Taste for sweetness level and add:

 2 T. vegetable glycerine, optional to sweeten to taste

Blend in well and serve while cold and icy.



NOTES: 

The vegetable glycerine is super low on the glycemic scale. Glycerine also enhances athletic performance by preventing dehydration. Cool huh?

The baked mashed yam, sweet potato, or banana both thickens and sweetens the drink and also cancels out the taste of the stevia, which is part of the Sun Warrior protein powder formula.

You may use other sweeteners to sweeten to taste like: Stevia glycerite, raw honey, agave nectar, etc...

Have fun with this rich and creamy basic vanilla shake recipe. You will see us use this a lot in upcoming smoothie recipes.


Here's some photos of my mom making the Rich & Creamy Vanilla Shake:

Adding ingredients for the Vanilla Shake (including the Protein BASE above).

All of the ingredients are now in the VitaMix blender.

The ready to drink Vanilla Shake topped with a sprinkling of fresh chopped figs!

Enjoy,

Leila & Nancy.

Sun Warrior "Warrior Blend" Creamy-Chocolate-Dreamy Protein Shake Recipe + A Chocolate Protein Base Recipe Too!

Hi - Do you want a smoother, creamier, tastier Sun Warrior Chocolate Protein Shake recipe? Do you want to know how to make any Stevia off-flavors disappear?

Sun Warrior "Warrior Blend" Creamy-Chocolate-Dreamy Protein Shake

We have the recipes and the answers for you here!

Our new Warrior Blend Base is a breakthrough recipe strait from the Kitchen Cheetahs Test Kitchens. 

All in one sweep, this recipe greatly improves the texture of plant protein shakes, as well as canceling out any stevia taste issues (chilling the BASE overnight alone helps mitigate objectionable stevia taste ☺️).

Our Chocolate Protein BASE only takes a minute to make, then you have a ready supply of the "BASE" for making tasty & creamy chocolate protein shakes at the drop of a hat! NICE.

By the way - Any flavor of "Warrior Blend" protein powder works well for making this thick and creamy protein BASE, but if you want the chocolate version shown here, then you need to use the chocolate flavored "Warrior Blend" protein powder.

Sun Warrior "Classic" can also be used to make this "BASE". However, rice protein does not soften much, so it won't make as smooth a protein shake as the "Warrior Blend" made from pea protein.

Remember, with this BASE, you can make several smooth & creamy Chocolate Warrior Blend protein shakes. This is very convenient for those busy days.

Sun Warrior "Warrior Blend" Chocolate Protein BASE:

Put in a VitaMix or other high powered blender:

3 c. cold milk of choice (like almond, coconut, cashew...) *


Start blender on med-low and add:

1 c. Sun Warrior Chocolate flavored "Warrior Blend" protein powder

add the protein powder 1/4 cup at a time.

Add:

1/4 t. lecithin

Put the blender lid on tight and switch to the highest speed and blend until the mixture heats up to the desired temperature (from 118 to 155 degrees F). *

For the smoothest texture, use the tamper that comes with the VitaMix blender and heat to 150 to 155 degrees F.

Pour and scrape the finished BASE into a 1-quart mason jar and refrigerate overnight before using in the Creamy Chocolate Protein Shake recipe below.



Tips: 

* Our favorite combination of milks to use for the BASE are 2 cups almond milk plus 1 c. full fat coconut milk.

** 118 degrees F is for "raw"smoothies - heat up to 155 degrees F for the smoothest texture.

The BASE will be cooked at a low temperature and will be steaming at 150-160 degrees F. Some people find this "cooked" pea protein easier to digest. 

Use an instant read thermometer for more accurate results.

NOTES:

1 cup of this prepared BASE contains 1/4 cup of the Warrior Blend protein powder.

Lecithin is a healthy addition and makes it creamier and smoother. Lecithin is especially good for emulsifying the coconut milk.

____________________________________________

Sun Warrior Creamy Chocolate Protein Shake Recipe:

Put in a VitaMix or other high powered blender:

1 c. prepared Chocolate Warrior Blend BASE, well chilled
1 1/2 c. cold almond milk (or other vegan milk of choice)
2 T. coconut milk powder or 1 to 2 T. of your favorite nut butter
2 T. Dutch cocoa powder
2 T. vegetable glycerine
1/4 to 1/2 c. mashed baked sweet potato, yam or banana
1/2 t. real vanilla extract
1/2 t. almond extract
1 pinch cinnamon

Blend everything together on high speed until nice and creamy. 

Garnish with sugar-free chocolate crumbles for added texture and chocolaty flavor and Serve at once.

If you would like a colder, thicker shake, reduce the almond milk called for to only 1 cup and add 4 to 6 ice cubes or cubes of almond milk. Process in the VitaMix to a texture of fine ice crystals.


NOTES: 

The vegetable glycerine is super low on the glycemic scale. Glycerine also enhances athletic performance by preventing dehydration. Cool huh?

The baked mashed yam, sweet potato, or banana both thickens and sweetens the drink and also cancels out the taste of the stevia, which is part of the Sun Warrior protein powder formula.

A fresh batch of our Sun Warrior "Warrior Blend" Creamy-Chocolate-Dreamy Protein Shake.

Enjoy,

Leila & Nancy

The Kitchen Cheetahs!

Yummy Vegan Milk Recipe using our Creamy Plant Protein Base

Try our smooth textured, mild tasting, and easily digested Vegan Milk.

Here is a recipe for a fortified vegan milk that uses our Creamy Plant Protein Base formula.

We like this recipe because it makes a creamy milk that is higher in protein, as well as fiber.

Having a jar of already prepared Creamy Plant Protein Base in your refrigerator makes whipping together a batch of delicious vegan milk much easier. This creamy base replaces the whey protein powder called for in our Rich Lactose-Free Milk recipe posted earlier.

You can always just mix in your favorite plant protein powder blend (as is) if you are in a hurry - but your finished milk won't be so smooth and creamy, and the flavor of the protein will be stronger. You will make a nicer milk when using the prepared creamy protein base.

This is a very versatile recipe. You can sweeten the milk a little, or not, depending on what you intend to use it for. We use healthy sugar-free sweeteners in our milks, as we don't want the extra calories from sugar.

We especially like a combo of almond milk and coconut milk or coconut cream mixed in with our Creamy Plant Protein Base. Try combining your favorite seed milk with coconut milk, we think you will like it. You can easily make a quick coconut milk by pureeing dried unsweetened coconut with a little warm water in a VitaMix, and then squeezing it through a fine cloth.

Mom's Rich Vegan Milk Recipe:

1 quart lactose free milk *
2 to 3 T. Creamy Plant Protein Base, or more to taste
1/8 to 1/4 t. BioSalt, to taste
2 to 4 T. coconut milk powder (for a creamier taste), optional
1/4 t. stevia glycerite, to taste
A few drops of real vanilla extract
A few drops almond extract, optional


Method:

Place the 1 quart lactose-free milk of choice into a blender container.
Add the prepared Creamy Plant Protein Base. Blend to combine well.
Add the flavoring. (Vanilla and/or almond extract is especially good with coconut milk.)
Add the salt to taste, until the mixture does not taste "flat or watery".
Add stevia glycerite, to taste.
Chill.


* You may choose from a variety of unflavored and unsweetened lactose free milks:
Almond milk (in milk section of grocery stores)
Coconut milk (in milk section of grocery stores)
Organic Soy milk (in milk section of grocery stores)
Rice milk (in milk section of grocery stores)
Cashew milk (homemade)
Hemp seed milk (homemade)
Sesame seed milk (homemade)
Sunflower seed milk (homemade)
etc...


See our Copy-Cat Almond Breeze Recipe for an example of how to make your own nut milk.

Notes: 

You can make this milk rich and sweet enough to be similar to Half & Half.

You may add 1/4 t. non-GMO liquid lecithin to this vegan milk, particularly when using coconut milk - It helps emulsify the fat, and adds wonderful nutrition for the nerves. Lecithin also makes the milk taste even creamier and richer.

Almond extract is the best thing we have found for complimenting the flavor of coconut, in fact going so far as to partially neutralize the coconut taste for people who do not like the taste of coconut milk.

This milk is wonderful used in many ways:

Added to hot cocoa mix
Poured over hot cereal like oatmeal
Used as a base for smoothies
Used as an ice cream base
Chilled for drinking a tall cold glass along with a side of cookies


Enjoy,

Leila & Nancy.

Creamy Base for Smoothies, Protein Drinks & Milks (several vegetarian & vegan options)

Make this rich and creamy protein smoothie base ahead of time for quick healthy morning smoothies or dairy-free milk. 

Creamy Plant Protein Base

We have several ingredient options listed here, to fit just about any dietary need out there. We like keeping a mason jar full of this creamy protein base in our refrigerator. 

Add a bit of this base to your favorite smoothie recipe to up the protein and fiber content. We also use this Creamy Base recipe in our Yummy Vegan Milk Recipe post.

We highly recommend that the plant proteins be prepared ahead of time as a "Base". This results in a smoothie or milk with a smoother texture, milder flavor, and easier digestibility. Some people have an easier time digesting this gently heated plant protein base verses the raw form of the plant protein.

You can always mix in your favorite plant protein powder blend (as is) if you are in a hurry - but your finished smoothie or beverage won't be so smooth and creamy, and the flavor of the protein will be stronger.

Use this PLANT PROTEIN BASE formula to make our protein and fiber enriched VEGAN MILK.


Mom's "Creamy Plant Protein Base" Formula:

Put 3 cups of very hot distilled or purified water in a high powered blender (VitaMix) with a snug fitting lid.

Add 6 to 8 T. of your favorite vanilla flavored plant protein powder blend *

Put the lid on securely and then cover the top with a folded dish towel (in case some hot liquid should escape - be on your toes). Keep your hand on the towel-covered lid while processing.

Start the blender on the lowest speed and slowly increase to the highest speed, blending for at least 30 seconds - until the contents are steaming hot (120 to 160 degrees).

Set aside and allow to cool.

This is your "Creamy Plant Protein Base". It will thicken as it cools. Add desired amount of this protein base to your vegan "milk" - to taste.

My mom likes to keep a quart of this "Plant Protein Base" in her refrigerator, so that it's ready to add to "milk" or smoothies.

All of my mom's "Mylk" versions are rich and creamy, so it's easy to add a little cold water if a less rich mylk is desired.


* Vegan Protein Fortification Options:

1. Pea protein powder base (Sun Warrior "Warrior Blend").

This "Plant Protein Base" works best when using pea protein. Pea protein seems to make a smoother, creamier "base".

2. Pea plus rice protein powder (Sun Warrior "Classic")

3. Vanilla non-GMO organic soy protein blend of choice

4. Non-GMO organic Plain Soy Milk Powder.

5. "Silken Tofu" puree.

6. Rice protein powder: Using rice protein as your base is definitely not our first choice! The results with our first experiments with it were this: It did not soften with the hot water and blending on high speed, no matter how long we blended it. The rice protein stayed gritty, chalky, and gacky, unlike the pea protein that softened up nicely. We tried again with another brand of rice protein from Top Health. It was fresher and is a protein of high quality and fine texture. The taste was quite nutty and mild, and after shearing a couple of rounds on high speed in the VitaMix , the texture was acceptably smooth - and should be OK once mixed with other truly creamy milks.

6. Your other favorite vanilla flavored vegan protein "base".



Our "Plant Protein Base" conclusions: Be sure your plant based proteins are of good quality and fresh!


OVO - Vegetarian protein fortified "mylk" options:

1. Egg white powder

2. Pasteurized pure liquid egg whites

Egg white if used in moderation, is invisible in your beverages.

Do not heat any "Mylk" containing egg!


Lacto-Vegetarian Options:

1. Whey protein isolate (contains lower lactose than whey protein concentrate or regular milk).

2. Whey protein concentrate.

3. Powdered milk (cow or goat, if liked).

4. Reduced fat ricotta cheese - pureed smooth.


Enjoy,

Leila & Nancy.