Chapter Eight: TOP 10 MUSCLE BUILDING SHAKE RECIPES

Getting your protein in the form of a delicious, healthy shake seems like the ideal muscle nutrition solution. It can be, but it can also be an expensive trap for the unwary. The number of protein and muscle gain powder options out there is mind boggling. Unfortunately, many of them are loaded with fillers, artificial sweeteners and low grade quality sources that will clog up your system and make you fat. When it comes to buying protein powder, it is definitely a case of caveat emptor –let the buyer beware!

When it comes to protein supplement drinks, there are actually two different kinds that you need to be aware of. Firstly there re protein drinks that have no added calories except for those found in the protein itself. These will typically give you a total calorie count of about 150 calories. On the other hand, there are weight gainer dinks that are packed with extra calories in addition to what is contained in the protein. These may give you as mush as 2000 calories in a single serving!

The following ten muscle building shake recipes will give you a constant source of variety as you mix up delicious muscle building meals in an instant that will satisfy both your taste buds and your muscle cells.

Berry Smoothie

· 3 oz mixed berries

· 2 tsp maple syrup

· 2 tbs orange juice

· 1 medium banana, frozen

· 2 tbs protein powder

· 12 cup cold mineral water

Remove the stems from the berries and place them in the blender. Add the maple syrup and orange juice and blend thoroughly for 15 seconds. Cut the frozen banana into several pieces. Add the banana, protein powder and water to the blender and blend for 15 seconds.

Pour the mixture into a frosted cocktail glass and serve with a straw.

Berries are jam packed with vitamins and minerals. They fill you with energy, calm the nerves and leave you feeling fit and healthy.

Mango and Coconut Smoothie

· 1 piece mango

· 1 lime

· 2 tsp brown sugar

· ¼ cup cold unsweetened coconut milk

· 2 tbs protein powder

· ½ cup cold unfiltered apple juice

· 1-2 tbs grated coconut

Remove a spiral shaped strip of zest from the lime and set it aside. Squeeze out the lime juice, then add the lime juice, sugar and coconut milk to the blender. Blend vigorously for 15 seconds.

Add the protein powder and apple juice. Blend thoroughly for an additional 10 seconds.

Moisten the rim of a large glass with water, turn the glass upside down and dip the rim into the grated coconut. Place ice cubes in the glass and place the blended smoothie over the top. Thread the reserved mango cubes onto a cocktail skewer and lay them across the rim of the glass. Garnish with lime juice and serve with a zest of lime.

Strawberrry Pineapple Mix

· 3 oz strawberries

· 2 tsp lemon juice

· 1 tsp floral honey

· 2/3 cup cold pineapple juice

· 2 tbs protein powder

Wash the berries and set aside one large berry for garnish. Remove the stems from the remaining berries and cut them into quarters. Put the strawberries, lemon juice, honey and half the pineapple juice in a blender and blend thoroughly for 15 seconds.

Add the protein powder and remaining juice and blend for an additional 10 seconds. Pour the mixture into a tall glass. Cut partway into the reserved strawberry and place it on the rim of the glass for garnish. Serve with a straw.

Kiwi Avocado Mix

· 2 oz ripe avocado

· 1 kiwifruit

· 2 tbs lemon juice

· 1 tsp brown sugar

· ½ cup cold mineral water

· 2 tsp protein powder

· 1 sprig fresh mint

Peel the avocado and chop the flesh, removing the pip. Put the avocado in a blender and drizzle with the lemon juice. Set aside one nice kiwifruit slice for garnish. Peel the remaining kiwifruit, chop it coarsely and add it to the blender along with the sugar and half the mineral water. Blend thoroughly for 15 seconds. Add the protein powder and remaining mineral water and blend thoroughly for an additional 10 seconds.

Place ice cubes in a large glass and pour avocado mixture over the top. Cut partway into the reserved kiwi slice and place on the rim of the glass. Garnish with the mint.

Apple Eldeberry Smoothie

· 3 oz tart apple

· 2 tsp lemon juice

· 2 tsp floral honey

· 2/3 cup cold, unfiltered apple juice

· 2 tbs protein powder

· ¼ cup cold elderberry juice

· 1 sprig fresh mint

Wash the apple and set aside a nice wedge for garnish. Peel the remaining apple, remove the core, and cut into small pieces. Place in the blender and blend for 15 seconds.

Add the protein powder and elderberry juice and blend for a further 10 seconds. Place ice cubes in a large glass and pour the mixture over them. Put the apple wedge on the rim of the glass. Garnish with mint and serve with a straw.

Almond Attacker

· 1 cup almond milk

· 2 scoops protein powder (soy based)

· ½ cup oatmeal

· 2 tablespoons dark chocolate

Put all these ingredients in a blender and blitz.

Almonds are full of healthy fats that help mental alertness. Optimum brain power equals optimum body power. This drink is ideal for people with stomach sensitivity, as there are no dairy products in this smoothie, its ideal for those who suffer from lactose intolerance. Oatmeal has a low GI, making it slow burning, leaving you feel fuller for longer. Dark chocolate is an anti-oxidant, helping kill off any free radicals in your system.

Bananarama

· 1 frozen banana

· 1 cup skim milk

· 1 tablespoon cinnamon

· 1 scoop protein powder

· ½ cup desiccated coconut

Put all these ingredients in a blender and blitz

Bananas are full of potassium, which promotes heart and kidney vitality. Cinnamon helps blood circulation and good blood circulation helps stimulate weight loss.

Chocolate Pear Shake

· 2/3 cups low fat milk

· 4 oz ripe pear

· 1 tsp orange juice

· 1 tsp orange juice concentrate

· 2 tbs finely grated chocolate

· 2 tsp protein powder

Heat the milk until lukewarm. Wash the pear, setting aside a nice piece for garnish. Peel the remaining pear, remove the core, and cut into pieces than place in the blender. Add the orange juice, apple juice and chocolate (leaving a little aside for garnish) and half of the milk. Blend thoroughly for fifteen seconds.

Add the protein powder and remaining milk and blend for a further 10 seconds. Pour the mixture into a tall glass and place the pear slice on the rim. Sprinkle with the remaining chocolate and serve with a straw.

Cherry Buttermilk Smoothie

· 4 oz sweet cherries

· 1 sprig fresh mint

· 1 tbs lemon juice

· 2 tsp apple juice concentrate

· 2 tsp protein powder

· 2/3 cup cold buttermilk

Wash the cherries and set aside a pair joined by the stem for garnish. Remain the pits from the remaining cherries and place the cherries in the blender. Remove the leaves from the mint and set aside one or two nice leaves. Chop the remaining mint leaves and add them to the blender along with the lemon juice, apple juice concentrate, protein powder and half of the buttermilk. Blend thoroughly for fifteen seconds.

Add the remaining buttermilk and blend for a further 10 seconds. Pour into a tall glass, hanging the reserved cherries over the rim and garnishing with the reserved mint leaves.

Mango Carrot Mix

· 1 piece mango

· 1 tbs lime juice

· 2 tsp floral honey

· 2/3 cup cold carrot juice

· 2 tbs protein powder

· 2 pinches ground ginger

· 2 carrot strips

Peel the mango. Cut a wedge and aside a piece for garnishing. Coarsely chop the remaining mango and place in the blender. Add the lime juice, honey and half the carrot juice and blend for fifteen seconds.

Add the remaining carrot juice, ginger and protein powder and blend for a further 10 seconds. Place ice cubes in a large glass and pour the mixture over them. Garnish with the reserved mango wedge. Place the carrot strips on the rim of the glass.