There's nothing like the satisfaction you get from sipping down a rich and chocolatey milkshake. But like all other tasty things in life, they are high in calories, sugar and fat and low in all the other amazing things like lean protein. Believe it or not, it is possible to turn your average chocolate protein powder in to a Thick and Creamy Chocolate Protein Shake without adding ice cream or a banana.
Your first choice is to add Xantham Gum. It's an unflavored thickening agent used to change the consistency of a liquid. It's often used in salad dressings and sauces. Just add 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon to your shake before blending.
Another option is to use a blend of proteins including Casein. Casein is a milk protein that is naturally creamier than other protein powders when mixed in water. If you mix it with cream or milk it will be even thicker.
Finally, my favorite way to thicken up a shake is to use about a tablespoon of Sugar-Free/Fat-Free Instant Pudding mix. Add the pudding mix to your shake before blending. For an even thicker shake, add a bit of milk as well. The pudding mix comes in a ton of flavors (pistachio, cheesecake, vanilla, double chocolate, chocolate, butterscotch, banana, etc) making it easy to come up with new and interesting flavor combinations. Pudding mix can be found in the baking aisle of any local grocery store (besides Whole Foods because they don't carry anything that has artificial sweeteners added).
What's your favorite way to thicken up a shake? Have you ever used Xantham Gum or instant pudding mix?
