I was just starting to get into protein powders when I decided to go vegan. My husband Brett would always have some protein powder mixed with water after an intense workout so I figured I'd join in. But when I stopped eating dairy, I realized that all the protein powders we had, and most on the market, had dairy in them. So, just as I stopped eating animal products cold turkey, I stopped having protein powders. I hoped that eventually after some research I'd be able to find a protein powder that was dairy free and tasted good.
With all the traveling I've been doing this past year, it was hard to find time to research and test out different protein powders. So far I've only tried out two kinds: Arbonne and Trader Joe's Hemp Protein. One of my friends heard I had gone vegan and sent me two packets of Arbonne Essentials Protein Powder Shake, one chocolate and one vanilla. Other than the price, I love this protein powder! It tastes great and I love the list of ingredients. You can read up on my full review of Arbonne protein powder here.
The first time I tried TJ's Hemp Protein was in some plain oatmeal. Dirt. That was my initial thought on the taste. It's not very sweet and there isn't a ton of protein per serving compared to other powders. I found I could enjoy it in smoothies, but on its own it's not my favorite.
So, I still hadn't found a protein powder that fit into my budget and that tasted good.
The search continued.
Last week, however, my friends who actually played a big role in my going vegan shared with me a homemade vegan protein powder recipe that they had found on The Daily Garnish. They gave me a batch of some they had already made so that I could try it out before I bought the ingredients to make it myself.
The ingredient list is awesome.
- hemp protein powder
- PB2 powder
- ground flax
- maca powder
- chlorella powder
- spirulina
- cinnamon
- stevia
So many of these ingredients like the maca powder, chlorella and spirulina have been on my list of things to purchase and try, but I hadn't gotten around to it yet. So that's a win.
The smell is similar to algae due to the spirulina, but I chose to not let that phase me.
The first time I tried it was with frozen banana chunks, strawberries, blueberries, almond milk and kale. I wasn't sold on the taste after the first sip, but the more I kept drinking it, I grew to like it more and more. I has a subtle seaweed taste but the taste of peanut butter has a stronger presence which I really like.
Even better are the stats and price it cost to make this powder:
In ¼ serving with 104 calories there are:
- 4 grams of fat
- 9 grams of carbs
- 7 grams of fiber
- 11 grams of protein
The cost to make this protein powder at home is only $0.53 per serving! Now that's a steal.
The full recipe for this homemade vegan protein powder can be found at The Daily Garnish. Try it out for yourself and let me know what you think!
I'd also love to hear of any other vegan protein powders that you know of and love!
Eat Consciously,
Faith
Julia Roberts says
Thanks for sharing such a good thought. Your writing is neat, and that’s why I have read it entirely. Thanks once again for sharing.