Dairy-Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Smoothie

If you are new here, I have been on a strict dairy-free diet since my son was diagnosed with a cow's milk protein allergy at 2 months old. I wanted to continue breastfeeding and so this diet change was required. It has NOT been easy but it has been worth it.

This diet restriction has many challenges, but one has certainly been getting enough protein, especially post-workout. Without cheese, Greek yogurt, or whey-based protein powders my protein options were limited and I'm just not always in the mood for meat or beans after a session. And before you say it, yes, there are vegan protein powders but 1 - I have not found one I actually like the taste of, and 2 - my gut does not do well with those doses of pea protein. It is a frenzy of nausea, bloating, and gas galore.

So, I needed to find ways to incorporate protein in higher doses in more ways. This smoothie recipe became one. With a serving of dairy-free Greek yogurt (12g protein), 2.5 tbsp of powdered peanut butter (7g protein) and 1 cup of chocolate oat milk (3g protein), I am getting about 22g of protein from a variety of plant-based sources. Bonus points because it has the consistency of a Frosty.

As this recipe only has around 30g of carbs to it, most days I would combine it with a slice of whole grain toast and nut butter, offering me closer to that 30g of protein I aim for post-workout.