Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Shake

Here is a recipe that Katie and I have been enjoying for quite some time now. Katie originally got the recipe, or something close to it, from her Uncle Chris. It is super easy to make, and it tastes crazy good. Katie usually has one for breakfast a couple times a week and I will have one occasionally on the weekends after a big workout. Again, I am not a doctor or a nutritional expert, but I've read a lot of stuff online (mostly Facebook) so I'm basically the smartest person you know.

Recipe:

• 1c Unsweetened Almond Milk
• 1 Banana
• 2T Peanut Butter
• 1 pack Chocolate Breakfast Powder
• 4-5 Ice Cubes

Put everything in a blender and blend until silky smooth and delicious.

Now, I wouldn't recommend eating this RIGHT before a workout, but if you ate it in the morning when you had a big workout planned that day, it would work well. It has everything you need. Banana for some quick acting carbs and potassium to keep you fueled and not cramping. Peanut butter for some muscle sculpting protein, and slow burning fat. Almond milk for natural vitamins and antioxidants. And chocolate breakfast powder for a balanced breakfast and delish taste.

Variations: Milk- We use almond milk. A couple years ago I went on a paleo kick, and even though that phase has come and gone, almond milk has stayed in our household. You can use any kind of milk you want. Because this is America, where we have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of whatever milk we want. Banana- You can use fresh or frozen bananas. We buy a whole bushel of bananas, wait till they're ripe and then peel and freeze them all. Then, we can throw them in smoothies whenever we want. If you use a frozen banana, you don't need to add ice. Oh yeah, I tried an apple in the shake once. It was awful. You've been warned. Peanut butter- We say use two table spoons, but go crazy! 3 tablespoons, 4 tablespoons, 2 jars! The possibilities are endless! Or you could of course try other types of nut butters (almond, cashew, sunflower seed). Chocolate breakfast powder- I sometimes substitute with some protein powder after a big workout (or if i just want to feel super strong). But you could also use Nesquik, Carnation Instant Breakfast, or even Ovaltine (do they still make Ovaltine?)

So, if you want to be super strong, have an awesome workout, or just want something delicious, you should try this out.

If you come up with a milkshake like this one with some different ingredients and you think it's pretty good, let us know! We are constantly looking for new things to blend and fuel our workouts.

Cheers!

Jeff

Homemade Energy Gel Recipe

Hello everyone!

We decided it might be a fun idea to share some of the weird recipes I use. If you have a better idea (impossible) let me know! I must say, I've been using this gel for a couple weeks now, and it has worked great. I've used it for high intensity workouts and long slow workouts. So, without further aGU here is the recipe.

(Makes about the amount of two standard energy gels.)

• 1T honey (or agave if that's your thing)
• 1T molasses (I know, it's weird, bear with me)
• 1T chia seeds
• 1-2T water 
• 1 pinch of sea salt
• 1/4c coffee

I put this all in a little running flask, let it sit for a bit so the chia seeds can soak in the liquid, then shake it up really good, and throw it in the fridge til it's time to run/bike.

Before I go further I should say I am not a doctor, nutritionist, or an expert in any field regarding sports nutrition. I did however take a biology class in college, and I'm pretty sure I even passed. But judging on my research, here is a rough take on the nutritional facts of this experiment.

70g per batch (minus the coffee)

180 calories

40 calories from fat (fat is needed for these long workouts)

4.5g total fat (7% DV)

460mg sodium

293mg potassium (8% DV)

35g carbs

28g sugar

3g protein

So, why is this better than what you can find in the store? That's a great question..

Honey is an excellent all natural energy source. Not to mention it's good for preventing allergies. Plus, it's sweet and delicious.

Molasses (which is not tasty by the way) has a TON of potassium. This will help prevent cramps and is one of the electrolytes found in sports drinks and energy gels.

Chia Seeds are all the rage right now. But for good reason. They have a ton of fiber, fat, and protein. This gel has a lot more fat and protein then the average gel out there.

Sea Salt is far better for you than table salt. The sodium in this will help prevent cramps as well.

Oh and Coffee is delicious and makes the gel taste better and gives you a little caffeine kick. Not too much though. I would think too much coffee on a race course wouldn't be good.

I should probably also say, this should be consumed while working out or maybe a little bit before. Do not make three batches and eat a big bowl of it for breakfast because you will get sick for sure. But if you consume maybe a serving per hour or so you should be good.

Cheers! Prost! Kampai!

Jeff