A Sugarless Chocolate Milkshake

Photo: Unsplash

I've been making some version of a chocolate milkshake for years. If consumed as a quick meal, I'll toss a scoop of whey chocolate protein powder into a cup of skim milk with ice and drink it. 

Today let's make a healthy, thick chocolate milkshake as a snack. It has the protein of milk and potassium of a banana but for a meal, I need additional whey protein. 

Ideally, a healthy snack should be 100 to 200 calories and not more. The banana gives the milkshake its thickness, but the unsweetened cocoa powder will dominate its flavor. Here's the recipe:

Healthy Thick Chocolate Milkshake

Ingredients:

1 - 1 1/2 cups skim milk - Start with 1 cup and test the thickness. If you think ahead to use frozen banana slices, you'll need the extra milk.

2 tablespoons of cacao powder, or dark cocoa powder, unsweetened

1 large banana - If you want to slice and freeze your banana ahead of time, you can skip the ice cubes. But who always thinks ahead when you crave a snack?

4 ice cubes

Directions:

Toss the milk, cocoa powder, banana, and ice cubes into a

blender and mix until you get a rich, thick, and delicious milkshake. At this step, you can add the extra 1/2 of milk if the shake is too thick. Pour into a tall glass. If you need to gain weight lucky you, you can garnish with extras like nuts, seeds, chocolate shavings, or whipped cream. I drink my milkshake as is. It's still tasty!

Yes, you can make this milkshake with oat milk, almond milk, or soy milk. My favorite is cow's milk, which has 8 grams of protein per cup.  

Skim milk is 90 calories per cup, the banana is about 100 calories (usually I use a medium banana so 70 calories) and the cocoa powder is 50 calories, so our milkshake is over 200 calories but not by a significant amount, and they aren't empty calories. Personally, I'm mindful, yet not obsessive when counting calories. My aim is to stay in the ballpark. When hungry, I consider vegetables, fruit, or skim milk -- free food, never fretting over the few extra calories they contain. 

Enjoy!

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Dry Nonfat Milk Is A Worthy Pantry Staple

Dry nonfat milk has many uses in cooking and baking, making it a good value. With a scoop, you can add protein to foods without having to adjust other ingredients as you would if using liquid milk. It's delicious added to a bowl of microwaved (1 minute, or 5 minute) Quaker oatmeal. I put dry powdered milk into bread and cake recipes. I also make Greek yogurt and smoothies with it. In addition, I buy a gallon of regular milk, but if I run out before I can get to the store, I use dry powdered milk in my coffee, or to drink. Naturally, fresh milk tastes better. But an ice-cold glass of reconstructed dry powdered milk is relatively good and tastes much better than having no milk to drink!

Some customers can find dry powdered milk cheaper than regular milk, not true in Manhattan, yet it is still a worthy staple to stock. Not sure why, but I have this unfounded fear of running out of milk. Dry nonfat milk never sours, and it keeps a long time.

From Walmart, I often order two 4 pound bags at once. During our pandemic, I was happy to have it in the pantry. Here are two recipes dry nonfat milk works well for:

I ate half warm before pouring it into a container to chill. Delish!

Rich Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients:

10 tablespoons instant nonfat milk
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Up to 1/4 cup of sugar (I try to reduce sugar when possible.)
2 cups of water
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Directions:

1) Whisk all the ingredients together in a saucepan cold.

2) Turn on the heat on the stovetop and whisk continuously until it boils.

3) Whisk while the mixture simmers and thickens. This takes 4 - 5 minutes of simmering.

4) Pour into dessert dishes and refrigerate.

Creamy Whipped Topping

Ingredients:

1/3 cup ice-cold water
1/2 cup of nonfat dry milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar

Directions:

1) Pour ice-cold water in a mixing bowl.

2) Add the dry milk. Beat at high speed with a mixer until it stands in peaks. A tip: Chill the beaters and bowl before starting for the best results.

3) Add the sugar, vanilla and lemon juice. Beat, beat, beat until firm.

4) Chill and top pudding and desserts.

I will drink soy, oat, or almond milk, but in my home, I prefer cow's milk.

I like having items in my pantry so if I wish to make a dish, I don't have to run to the store first -- I never have to fetch a box of pudding mix, or whipped topping as I can reach for ingredients in my pantry to make them myself ... usually cheaper and I know what's in it. 


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What 6 Foods Are Always in Your Kitchen?

I know people who eat all their meals out and keep practically nothing in their cupbards or refrigerators, except for bottled water, or perhaps a single serving of yogurt. Not true of me. Although I can be a minimalist in other areas, I never let myself run out of certain foods. You will always find them in my kitchen. Here are six:

1) milk – I buy a gallon a week, per person. That's a lot, isn't it? Lots of Vitamin D!

2) eggs – Boiled eggs make easy snacks, or sandwiches on very short notice. {All you need for a serving is: 2 cut-up hard boiled eggs, salt, pepper, low fat mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and diced red onion.} Plus, eggs are needed for baked goods and a variety of simple dishes like meatloaf, stuffed peppers, and even green salads.

3) peanut butter – I buy it freshly ground at a neighborhood health food store, and it only has one ingredient, peanuts. You don't need sweeteners, hydrogen vegetable oil, or anything else. Pure pb is delicious and a satisfying stick-to-your-ribs food.

4) solid white tuna – A quick and easy meal. Actually, “light” tuna has less mercury, but I prefer the texture of solid white. Just don't eat it more than once a week.

5) sharp cheddar cheese and 6) saltine crackers – This is my favorite "at home" snack. And when I get carried away, it becomes a dinner.

Other foods may come and go, but not these staples. Now do tell, what 6 foods are always in your kitchen?

You Are What You Eat

Good nutrition builds body cells, keeps us healthy and helps us stay mentally alert. With spring here and summer fast approaching, it's the perfect time to add healthy foods, including an assortment of fruits and vegetables to your diet. The price is right, and you can afford to be adventurous. Have fun mixing it up. Eat a variety of colors and experiment with new recipes.

Recently I tried making homemade tomato sauce. It was nearly as convenient as opening a jar, and I thought tasted better and fresher without the unnecessary preservatives -- with names I can't even pronounce.

Then I wanted a cool, sweet treat, so I threw blueberries and skim milk into a blender and added sweetener to get a refreshing, low fat - high protein smoothie. It's cheaper than ice cream, good for you and delicious. (You may not want to give up ice cream entirely; just reserve it as a special treat.)

Both recipes are keepers. See if you agree:

Homemade Tomato Sauce

2 28 oz cans whole tomatoes (Break the tomatoes up with your fingers.)

Extra virgin olive oil for sautéing garlic, onions and vegetables in a skillet --

1 medium onion, diced and sautéed

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon salt
fresh black pepper

1 teaspoon oregano [all the spices to taste]

1 tablespoon basil

1 teaspoon garlic (or sautée 4 cloves garlic)

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Optional:

Add any, or all the following to the tomato sauce --

1 small bell pepper, diced and sautéed

1 small zucchini, diced and sautéed
2 or 3 mushrooms, sliced and sautéed

Separately, brown and add some (1/4 - 1/2 pound will do) lean ground beef

Throw the above into a large pot, bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Pour over cooked pasta of your choice. Makes 6 servings.

Berry Smoothie

Drop into a blender:

1 cup skim milk

Choose one: 1/3 cup frozen strawberries; or 1/3 cup frozen blueberries; or use fresh berries and 3 ice cubes

2 teaspoons sugar, or a natural sweetner.

Blend for a minute, or until smooth. Pour into a tall glass. Makes one serving, so multiply for the number of servings needed. Enjoy!