The Best Low Carb Fast Food

There aren't too many low carb convenience foods, are there? One of the hardest things about low carbing is the lack of "snatch and go" food choices. We all find this particularly irksome at breakfast when we've got to get up, we've got to get going, and we darned well don't have the time or the inclination to cook.

Protein shakes fill this void quite nicely. They're quick, they're nutrient and protein rich, and they even taste good. Protein shakes can be tailored to our own personal tastes and preferences. Protein shakes can be made at home in a blender or taken to the office in a shaker cup. (Look for shaker cups at your local dollar store.) They can be sipped or spooned up at our leisure, or they can be gulped down in the car on our way to work. As meal replacements or snacks, they're absolutely terrific. The are the original - and to my mind best - low carbohydrate fast food.

The Real Cost Of Protein Shakes

I have heard people complain about the high cost of shake mixes and protein powders, but if you really cost them out on a per serving basis, they are quite reasonably priced.

For example, CarbSmart currently sells 2-pound canisters of Designer Whey Protein for $27.88. The label states that there are 30 1-scoop servings in the canister. That means that each serving (or scoop) costs approximately 93 cents. Even if you use two scoops of protein powder in your shake, the cost doubles to only $1.86 per shake for the protein powder.

Is there anywhere you can eat a meal for 93 cents? Is there even any snack you can get for that price? I don't think so. Even the more expensive 2-scoop shakes will not cost you as much as a decent burger from a fast food joint. Shoot, I don't think you can get fries and a soft drink (with no nutritional value whatsoever!) for under two bucks!

Since protein powders do have uses other than in protein shakes, it is important to note that whey and soy protein powders are more versatile than the egg protein powders. Egg protein powders turn into scrambled eggs when heated (chocolate scrambled eggs - not a pleasant thought), so if you are also going to be using the protein powders for cooking or baking, your best alternative is to buy the soy or whey protein powders. If you have an intolerance to either dairy or soy products, though, the egg protein powders are your safest choice.

Protein Powders For Shakes

You can buy premixed protein shakes like the Atkins brand, or you can buy protein powders and mix up your own concoctions. I prefer to do the latter, but the choice is yours, of course.

I prefer whey or egg protein powders myself, but you can find soy protein powders or combination protein powders as well. If you are unsure if you are going to like a particular type of powder or shake mix, initially buy the smallest possible container. Once you've tasted one and have found that you like it, then buy the largest possible container. It's more cost effective that way.

Protein powders and shake mixes are not all created equal - or low carb. Before you buy any canister of shake mix or protein powder, carefully read the nutritional information on the label to make certain that there is no added sugar and that the shake mix/protein powder has the lowest possible carbohydrate count.

You can also use Just The Whites powdered egg protein to make protein shakes. Just The Whites is 100% pure egg white protein, and is truly zero-carb. Additionally, Just The Whites is fat free (for those of you who are counting calories as well as carbohydrate) and adds no taste to a protein shake. If you have any trouble finding Just The Whites locally, CarbSmart will be carrying it in the near future.

Variety Is The Spice Of Life

Protein powders come in a limited variety of flavors. Chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry are available in most brands. Designer Protein also has a vanilla praline flavor. The shake mix flavors are also rather limited, although Dr. Atkins does have a cappuccino flavor in his line of products.

But with a little ingenuity, you can concoct just about any flavor protein shake that you want. Variety is the spice of life, and with a few discreet additions you have a virtually unlimited array of flavor choices. You are only limited by your taste buds and your imagination. Don't forget the count the additional carbohydrates from any additions you make, though!

Below are dozens of different shake recipes for you to try. I hope you enjoy each and every one.

Di

Did I miss your favorite protein shake? You can send me your personal shake recipe at di@carbsmart.com and we'll post it on the CarbSmart web site.

Protein Shake Recipes

Di's Basic Protein Shake And Variations

Di's Basic Protein Shake

Place everything but the ice cubes in the blender and process until well-combined. Add the ice cubes one at a time until your shake reacher the desired consistency. (Pulse works best for crunching up the ice cubes.)

If you use 12 to 15 ice cubes, the end result will have the consistency of a Wendy's Frosty. Omit the ice cubes, and you can just drink the shake.

Di's Chocolate Protein Shake Variations

To a basic shake using chocolate protein powder I add 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder + 1 packet artificial sweetener + one of the following:

Di's Strawberry Shake Variations

To a basic shake using strawberry protein powder I add a packet of artificial sweetener and one of the following:

Di's Vanilla Protein Shake Variations

To a basic shake using vanilla protein powder I add a packet of artificial sweetener (or liquid artificial sweetener to taste) and one of the following:

Di's Vanilla Praline Protein Shake Variations

To a basic shake using vanilla praline protein powder I add a teaspoon of Brown Sugar Twin one of the following:

Alice's Awesome Cheesecake Protein Shakes

Alice's Lemon Cheesecake Protein Shake

Alice says: "I suppose that I could have left out the ice, poured all this into a springform pan, and had cheesecake in a few hours, but I just didn't have the patience to wait. This shake was just as satisfying as eating cheesecake."

• 1/3 package sugar free lemon gelatin
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup sugar free lemon/lime soda, chilled
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 ounces farmer's cheese or cream cheese
• artificial sweetener to taste
• crushed ice (to taste)

Pour the boiling water and the sugar free gelatin into the blender and blend to dissolve the gelatin. When the gelatin is completely dissolved, add the lemon/lime soda, cream, farmer's or cream cheese, and artificial sweetener.

Continue processing until everything is well-combined, then slowly add ice cubes until your protein shake reachers the desired consistency.

Variations: Any flavor or sugar free gelatin will work, of course. You might want to experiment with using different sugar free sodas as well. For example, if you are using sugar free raspberry gelatin, you might want to try using Diet Rite raspberry soda. If using orange gelatin, you might want to try sugar free tangerine or orange soda to intensify the flavor.

Lora Dalton's Protein Shakes

Lora says: "I have a basic shake recipe to which I add ingredients to make many wonderful flavors. Shakes are high protein and low carb. I use them for meal replacements often and for when I want something sinful!"

Lora's Basic Protein Shake

• 1 scoop whey protein powder
  
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 ounce cream cheese
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 packets artificial sweetener
• 1 cup water
• 6 ice cubes

Lora's Cherry Smash Protein Shake
Add to basic recipe:

• 1 tablespoon. DaVinci sugar free cherry syrup
• 1 tablespoon. chopped peanuts or sugar free peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon. cocoa powder

Lora's German Chocolate Protein Shake
Add to basic recipe:

• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon sugarless coconut
• 1 tablespoon chopped pecans

Lora's Pecan Praline Protein Shake
Add to basic recipe:

• 1 tablespoon chopped pecans
• 1 tablespoon DaVinci sugar free caramel syrup

Lora's Raspberry Truffle Protein Shake
Add to basic recipe:

• 1 tablespoon DaVinci sugar free raspberry syrup
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon chopped pecans

Lora's Reece's Cup Protein Shake
Add to basic recipe:

• 1 tablespoon sugar free peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder

Lora's Banana Nut Protein Shake
Add to basic recipe:

• 1 tablespoon banana extract
• 1 tablespoon chopped pecans

Lora's Grasshopper Protein Shake
Add to basic recipe:

• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Lora's Pina Colada Protein Shake
Add to basic recipe:

• 1 tablespoon unsweetened coconut
• 2 teaspoon pineapple extract

Lora's Orange Dream Protein Shake
Add to basic recipe:

• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons orange extract

Di's Just The Whites Protein Shakes

Di's Basic Just The Whites Protein Shake

Place everything but the ice cubes in the blender and process until well-combined. Add the ice cubes one at a time until your shake reacher the desired consistency. (Pulse works best for crunching up the ice cubes.)

If you use 12 to 15 ice cubes, the end result will have the consistency of a Wendy's Frosty. Omit the ice cubes, and you can just drink the shake.

Di's Black Forest Just The Whites Protein Shake

Place everything but the ice cubes in the blender and process until well-combined. Add the ice cubes one at a time until your shake reacher the desired consistency. (Pulse works best for crunching up the ice cubes.)

If you use 12 to 15 ice cubes, the end result will have the consistency of a Wendy's Frosty. Omit the ice cubes, and you can just drink the shake.

Di's Tangerine Just The Whites Protein Shake

Place everything but the ice cubes in the blender and process until well-combined. Add the ice cubes one at a time until your shake reacher the desired consistency. (Pulse works best for crunching up the ice cubes.)

If you use 12 to 15 ice cubes, the end result will have the consistency of a Wendy's Frosty. Omit the ice cubes, and you can just drink the shake.

Di's Root Beer Float Just The Whites Protein Shake

Place everything but the ice cubes in the blender and process until well-combined. Add the ice cubes one at a time until your shake reacher the desired consistency. (Pulse works best for crunching up the ice cubes.)

If you use 12 to 15 ice cubes, the end result will have the consistency of a Wendy's Frosty. Omit the ice cubes, and you can just drink the shake.

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