October 23, 2015
4 Ways to Make Brown Rice Protein Shakes Taste Delicious
Mixing up protein shakes can be tricky business, especially with some of the plant-based proteins out there since these tend to have a little more natural flavor than other options. While organic brown rice protein has a very subtle, slightly sweet flavor – which some have said reminds them of rice milk – it can still be a little daunting to know what to do with it when adding it to a shake. To get you started, here are four ways to make brown rice protein shakes taste delicious.
- Go for chocolate – Most people love chocolate and, fortunately, rice protein powder happens to complement it very well. Throw some cocoa powder into your blender along with the rest of the ingredients and allow the nature sweetness of the rice to make up for any “missing” added sugars. If you plan on adding some other strong flavors to the mix, like peanut butter, chocolate is a good base that can hold its own without being overpowered.
- Opt for vanilla - Or you can take a totally different route if you prefer. The natural flavor of rice protein will work well with the subtle taste of vanilla, again bringing some healthy sweetness. This is a particularly useful if you prefer more delicate flavors and don't want any one ingredient to overtake the rest.
- Use frozen fruits - One of the challenges of concocting a delicious shake involves balancing flavor with texture. If you use too much fluid or even too much ice, it can water-down the other flavors. Too little, though and the shake will just be undrinkably thick. This is especially when working with rice protein, which has a habit of absorbing large amounts of liquid quickly. To get around this and still maintain flavor, use frozen fruit. With one ingredient, then, you have all the benefits of fresh fruit and ice – without risking too much liquid.
- Use Your Milk of Choice – Although milk is the traditional base for shakes, many people have gotten away from that and use a wide variety of liquids when constructing their beverages. If you chose not to use cow's milk, that's fine. But try adding almond milk, rice milk or whatever milk you prefer to add some flavor and texture to your shake. Plus, this can be a great way to increase the nutritional value of your shake. Depending on the texture you prefer, you likely won't need to add much before you notice a difference.