Roasted Strawberry Cheesecake Protein Smoothie

One of the many things I love

about My Gym ..

Is the wealth of ideas for feeding your body well

A friend & I sat putting on our shoes .. a container of protein powder sticking out of her bag .. “OK, gotta ask .. what are your favorite ways to eat it?” 30 seconds later I reached for my notebook     “Wait .. will you say that again?”

I lingered longer than normal after kickboxing .. a husband & wife heading back to work .. she handed him a smoothie .. “Do tell .. what's in it?” Everyone within ear shot started to offer their favorite tips & tricks .. what a wealth of knowledge!

This recipe came from a coach .. wanting for something other than her standard greek yogurt smoothie .. she searched Pinterest & found this recipe .. “I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner! Of course .. cottage cheese”   

I couldn't resist .. roasted strawberries are wonderful .. cottage cheese a fridge staple .. and smoothies are a world I've been wanting to delve further into. Not to mention the recipe was a perfectly balanced meal.

The end result, as expected, was absolutely delicious .. though its consistency offered a surprise. The creamy texture was similar to a shake made of ice cream .. something I've never experienced in a smoothie made from yogurt or milk.

Other reasons I love the idea of a smoothie made from cottage cheese

If you're not a fan of cottage cheese because of its texture, but the time your smoothie is blended, you wouldn't know it's there. Greek yogurt or a medium sized frozen banana would be great replacements

Maybe the tang of greek yogurt is off-putting? This offers an alternative way to get your protein

Not a fan of fruit on its own? Again .. an alternative way to add it to your meals

I think I'll be doing some Pinterest searching of my own .. in the very near future

Enjoy!

xoxo

ps:  I've also been enjoying this smoothie with spiced walnuts sprinkled on top

pps:  I'd be remiss to part without speaking of vodka. Often, I'll make a couple servings of a smoothie at a time .. freezing some for another day. The problem .. the second serving emerges hard as a rock. A trick that works for me .. since alcohol doesn't freeze .. and vodka doesn't impart an intrusive taste .. for every 2 cups or so of finished smoothie .. I'll blend in a Tbsp or so. If you're feeling extra fancy .. a bit of Champagne or Rose would compliment the strawberries beautifully 

~ Tips for making homemade ice cream softer come from David Lebovitz's The Perfect Scoop .. and also online .. here

~ Adapted from minimalist baker.com .. here

Roasted Strawberry Cheesecake Protein Smoothie

 

Print

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Author: Sexy Veggie

Serves: 1 Smoothie

Ingredients

• ¾ cup strawberries, sliced
• 2 tsp coconut, olive, or grapeseed oil
• ¾ cup cottage cheese
• ½ scoop vanilla protein powder (optional .. my favorite is from Food Coach NYC)
• 1 Tbsp honey (sweetener of choice)
• 8-12 ice cubes, depending on preferred thickness
• ¼ cup water
• ½ tsp vanilla paste (or extract)
• ¼ tsp chia seeds for thickening (optional)
• 1 Tbsp graham cracker crumbs, for topping (optional)

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 deg F
2. Place strawberries on a baking sheet.
3. Drizzle with oil and toss.
4. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the strawberries are soft and juices have begun to release.
5. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes or more.
6. Add all of the ingredients, except the graham cracker crumbs, to a blender.
7. Blend until well combined.
8. Serve immediately with the graham cracker crumbs (if using) either sprinkled on top or swirled throughout

Notes

Nutritional Data by %:
% Protein: 48
% Carbs: 45
% Fat: 13

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 1 smoothie Calories: 305 Fat: 5.13 Carbohydrates: 35.03 Sugar: 25.78 Protein: 37.82

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