Mean Green Mocha Protein Shake

I’m not a big protein shake girl. It’s just that water and some powder just… don’t do it for me. If I’m doing a protein shake, I need it loaded with stuff so that my stomach actually gets full, and I feel like I’m actually eating food.

A big java mama, I always have a little coffee left in my pot each morning, so I’ve been making enough to ensure I have an extra cup or so, brewed and then refrigerated, to add to this shake. Caffeine plus some greens? That’s a full meal if I do say so myself. And that’s about all that’s in this shake anyways.

I prefer to use vegan protein powders (just not a fan of whey) but you can use whatever you usually use here and its totally fine. To each their own protein powder.

Arbonne chocolate is the best vegan (pea protein) powder that I found in my years of trying protein powders so I’ve stuck with it. It’s been a kitchen staple for me for probably 6-7 years. You can half a serving of protein powder here if you want to keep the calories lower because one serving (two scoops) of this specific powder is 160 calories (20g protein, 3.5g fat, 16g carbs).

Pro tip: I save my morning coffee, put it in the fridge, and then use this recipe to break my fast around noon each day.

Adding “mean green” to the front of the title because you’re getting a 1-2 punch in the green department. Spinach & spirulina, the Green Goddess duo. You can totally skip the spirulina if you can’t find it, but I highly recommend adding it into your diet. (I get mine from Thrive Market, get 30% off your first order from Thrive with my code here).

Spinach: high in (insoluble) fiber, incredibly nutrient dense with loads of vitamins C, K, folic acid, iron, and calcium, antioxidants that fight oxidative stress on your cells.

Spirulina: blue-green algae that grows in fresh and salt water, high in ultra clean protein, packed with B vitamins, a powerful antioxidant that fights inflammation (hello stupid RA!), fights bad cholesterol, and on and on and on. Spirulina is King in the nutrient-dense powerhouse category.

Also, it's incredibly concentrated and its potent green color stains easily.

So, add your coffee, spinach, spirulina, chocolate protein powder, almond milk, a bit of almond butter, maybe some ice, and blend away.

One last thing I must try and sell you on is a good, high-speed blender. It makes ALL the difference when blending greens in a protein shake. No-one wants to get caught with spinach between their teeth, ugh. I have this personal size Ninja blender that I got from Amazon and I use it damn near every day (for this shake). I promise, it’s worth the initial investment and its still so much cheaper than a Vitamix. Use the Auto setting for thorough blending. It even comes with to-go lids for less mess.

I haven’t been including a banana in this shake because I don’t need the added carbs right now (clearly I’m watching my diet if I’m including macros and laying off the carbs – woe is me), but if you want to turn this into more of complete meal replacement, add in a banana. Do what you want, it’s your party.

So, that’s about it. More fun protein shakes soon because I have one or two more versions that have been in the rotation lately.