3 FABULOUS Protein Shake & Smoothie Recipes for Our Fit Fam!

I've done fabulous Postum recipes for cocktails, desserts and dessert-like beverages, even savory recipes too, but it occurred to me that all of those recipes were very rich and some even included ice cream or alcohol - what about recipes using Postum for the health conscious? And let's face it, we are ALL health conscious every now and again, especially when we are trying to cut back a little or get in shape before a big event.

So I wanted to do some smoothies and protein shake type of recipes that would be great to enjoy before or after workouts, as meal replacements, or as healthy snacks for when you are trying to eat a bit more on the clean side - but of course, in true Dirty Vegan style, they are fun and delicious too!

All recipes make 1 large shake or 2 small ones.

Double Chocolate Covered Strawberry Protein Shake

Double Chocolate Covered Strawberry Protein Shake 
(tastes like the decadent dessert!)

What you will need:

-2 teaspoons Postum Cocoa Blend
-6 ounces boiling water
-6 ounces chocolate almond milk
-1/2 cup frozen strawberries
-1 serving/scoop chocolate protein shake powder
-ice (optional)

What you will need to do:

Prepare Postum by mixing it with boiling water; set aside and allow to cool a bit. In a blender add prepared Postum and the remaining ingredients; blend until smooth. Enjoy!

Banana Split Protein Shake
(tastes just like a banana split - maybe even better!)

What you will need:

-2 teaspoons Postum Cocoa
-6 ounces boiling water
-6 ounces vanilla soy milk
-3 ripe strawberries
-1/2 ripe banana
-1/8 cup frozen pineapple
-1 serving/scoop chocolate protein shake powder
-2 tablespoons walnuts (optional)
-ice (optional)

What you will need to do:

Prepare Postum by mixing it with boiling water; set aside and allow to cool a bit. In a blender add prepared Postum and the remaining ingredients; blend until smooth. Enjoy!


Carrot Cake with Coffee Smoothie
(tastes like you are drinking carrot cake with a cup of coffee!)

-2 teaspoons Postum Natural Coffee Flavor
-6 ounces boiling water
-6 ounces vanilla almond milk
-1/2 ripe banana
-1/2- 1 large carrot
-2 tablespoons walnuts or pecans, optional
-ice (optional)

What you will need to do:

Prepare Postum by mixing it with boiling water; set aside and allow to cool a bit. In a blender add prepared Postum and the remaining ingredients; blend until smooth. Enjoy!

These drinks totally taste like desserts in a cup, without adding any additional sugar, other than what is already in the fruit or the vegan milks. If you want to cut down on the sugar even further, you can always opt for protein powders sweetened with stevia or other sugar-free sweeteners instead. These pre- or post workout beverages are so easy to make and customize. Try using different fruits or nuts and even nut butters to create your own! Be sure to share pictures of your creations with us on social media! You can find Me on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook AND you can also find Postum on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook as well. And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off, smiles from my kitchen to yours!

This blog post was sponsored by Postum.

Neopolitan Fountain Float & Almond Joyful Postum Cocktail Recipes!

This is the second part of yesterday's post where I introduced Postum Cocoa Blend. Today, we are going to look at two super fun recipes using this awesome new cocoa stuff, one being a cool summer cocktail.

I was initially planning on posting two alcoholic drink recipes, but since not everyone drinks alcohol and a portion of my readers are under the age of 21, I wanted the post to be fair and have one boozy drink and one non-alcoholic kind. Of course the cocktail can be made non-alcoholic by using another type of liquid, like coconut milk or maybe even coconut water instead. These are both really fun drinks and seriously so yummy! Get creative and don't forget to keep sharing pictures of your Postum creations with us on social media!

Neopolitan Fountain Float
makes 1 drink

What you'll need:

-2 teaspoons Postum Cocoa Blend
-6 ounces boiling water
-3 scoops vanilla ice cream
-3 ripe strawberries, sliced

What you'll need to do:

Prepare Postum by mixing it with boiling water and set aside to cool. Once cooled, fill a tall glass with ice cream scoops, strawberries, then fill with prepared Postum. Top with whipped cream and an additional strawberry for garnish, if desired. Enjoy!

Every Postum recipe I make I really do say that it is my favorite one, but this has got to be my favorite one! HA HA! They are all so good, but I drank this down the fastest of them all! Just so absolutely tasty! The flavors melded so well together and it really does taste like neopolitan ice cream!

Almond Joyful Postum Cocktail
makes 1 drink
(*21+ to make and enjoy this one!*)

What you'll need:

-1 teaspoon Postum Cocoa Blend
-4 ounces boiling water
-1 ounce coconut flavored rum
-.5 ounce almond flavored liquer
-splash of vanilla coffee creamer
-ice

What you'll need to do:

Prepare Postum by mixing it with boiling water and set aside to cool. Fill a cocktail shaker about 2/3 up with ice and add rum and liquer to the shaker. Then add cooled prepared Postum and coffee creamer (a splash or to taste) to the shaker (you can even add the creamer in afterwards and just float it in the glass, like I did in the photo - which I think looks more beautiful!); shake it up! Then fill a tall glass with ice and pour shaker contents into it. This drink can be topped with whipped cream, if desired.

Please, as always, drink responsibly! This one was really interesting to make and I loved the way it turned out! It tastes just like drinking one of those classic candies that has coconut, almond, and coated in chocolate - and the drink is just as decadent as I remember the confection being!

I hope you enjoyed this one! I always have a good time creating and I truly love what I do, but this one was big fun for sure! Please stay tuned for more recipes using Postum; the next one is totally unexpected and will be awesome, so get excited for it!

And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off - hope your day is soda fountain and candy shop sweet!

This blog post was sponsored by Postum.

Introducing Postum Cocoa & Recipe!

When I found out about Postum's new addition to their product line, Cocoa Blend, I could hardly contain my excitement on wanting to review it! And then my mind started racing with recipe ideas. My mind is already filled with so many Postum recipe ideas that I have yet to create and share, but now with adding Cocoa to the mix, I never want to leave my kitchen. This post is a review of the new product and a very exciting recipe at the end!

If you aren't familiar with the Postum brand, please check out my other Postum posts - they are an all-natural, vegan, kosher, non-GMO brand that specializes in an instant warm beverage in original, coffee and now cocoa flavor; a caffeine-free alternative to drinking coffee or tea, or a wonderful beverage to add to your life in addition to the other drinks.

I felt like a kid on Christmas getting this package! I couldn't wait to open the jar and smell it! Yummm...smells just like hot cocoa mixed in with that familiar and comforting aroma of Postum. I noticed that it is still only 10 calories, no sugar and same carbs, just 2. 

I prepared a cup as usual. I usually take my cup of warm Postum by mixing 2 teaspoons of the product with 6 ounces of boiling water, Sometimes I add soy creamer or vegan milk, sometimes I drink it black. My initial reaction upon tasting it, was that it wasn't sweet like hot cocoa, but has that nice and subtle chocolate flavor intertwined with the flavor of Postum; it is simply delightful. It is also so very accommodating to customization since you can add sweetener or creamer/ milk of choice, that really brings out the cocoa flavor. I personally liked enjoying it both ways - plain and sweetened with creamer. Just like the other Postum products, very versatile in terms of beverage as well as recipes you can do with it.

I can also see this flavor being amazing made with steamed milk, or prepared then cooled to enjoy cold, and of course in so many fun drink recipes. Let's take a look at the recipe I created - like a frozen s'more in a cup!

Campside Frozen S'mores Hot Cocoa

makes 1 large beverage

What you'll need:

-2 teaspoons Postum Cocoa Blend

-6 oz. boiling water

-sweetener (optional)

-vanilla creamer, to taste and for marshmallow sauce

-ice

-1 graham cracker

-3 large vegan marshmallows

Optional toppings: vegan whipped cream, chocolate syrup for drizzling or for rim, crushed graham crackers to garnish or for rim, marshmallows for garnish.

What you'll need to do:

In a mug designed for hot beverages, mix Postum with boiling water until well combined. Sweeten to taste if using sweetener and add creamer to taste. Let the beverage cool. In a blender, blend prepared Postum drink, ice and graham cracker; set aside. In a microwave safe dish or cup, place marshmallow and creamer then microwave in 15 second increments, stirring when needed, until marshmallow is a liquid sauce. Drizzle marshmallow sauce in the inside of a glass or tumbler cup designed for cold beverages, then pour in your icy Postum from the blender. Top with toppings, if desired.

ENJOY!

Vegan<3

You can find Postum on social: twitter, instagram, facebook!

Tomorrow will be Postum cocktails!!! You won't believe what I came up with either. And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off - have a sweet day!

This blog post was sponsored by Postum.

Summer Prize Pack Flash Instagram Giveaway featuring Postum!

InstaFlash #GIVEAWAY! Winner chosen on Tuesday, just Like this post and follow me @theedirtyvegan and @wholesomepostum to #WIN this awesome #Postum #prizepack filled with both flavors, two awesome cold cup tumblers, an inflatable pool lounger and a 3-pack of inflatable beverage boats! Perfect for making the coffeeccino recipe featured on my blog and to enjoy your #iced Postum all #summer long! #vegan #whatveganseat #natural #poolside #poolparty #win #sponsoredpost

A post shared by The Dirty Vegan (@theedirtyvegan) on May 27, 2017 at 5:57pm PDT

Since my last post Postum post where I shared the most refreshingly delicious frozen iced coffee recipe, I have been getting so much positive feedback about it and so many of you are interested in trying it (here is the store locator to find Postum in your area! Or read on for a chance to win some too)! I have decided to do a flash giveaway on my Instagram. 

All the details are above, but basically just follow me and Postum on the gram and give the above post a Like! That's it! Here is the link to the instagram giveaway post in case for any reason the above image is not loading properly on your device. And since this is a flash giveaway, the winner will be chosen and announced in just a couple of days, on Tuesday!

Click here for this amazing summery recipe! And make sure to enter the giveaway, it is so quick to do, and you can score an awesome Postum prize pack (both flavors plus two sweet cold cup tumblers, an inflatable pool lounger and floating drink holders!) that you can enjoy all summer long!

Good luck!

Testing Exciting New Vegan Products: Enjoy Life Foods!

This is such an exciting time for vegan food and I'm so grateful that companies send me care packages to try out the latest products. There are so many amazing new food items just recently released or that will be available very soon, and I am over-the-moon happy about this!

The latest Enjoy Life vegan stuff! Yay!!!

I wanted to talk about the latest three delicious and gluten-free Enjoy Life products added to their line of wonderful vegan offerings and allergy-friendly foods.

The red bag is the Dark Chocolate Regular Size Morsels, which I thought they always had but maybe these are new because they are 69% cacao. Anyways, these are for baking and other recipes but are so good straight from the bag! What?? I didn't eat the whole entire bag before getting a chance to use them for a recipe post. What? There's a recipe using these scrumptious chocolate morsels coming soon...maybe.

Then there's the brand new protein bites, ProBurst Bites that I'm most excited about! They are nut-free, made with sunseed butter (sunflower seed butter), they are completely natural, they pack a 6g of protein punch, but most importantly...they taste more like a dessert than a snack. I was expecting these to taste like the protein balls that I sometimes eat (you know when I'm in workout mode, occasionally) but they actually taste like the best chocolate truffles I've ever eaten! You get 5 servings per (resealable) bag, however that's 3 bites per serving and they are so rich and decadent that I can easily eat one or two and be satisfied. These are a great value and nutritional, but yummy, offering.

And last but certainly not least, the Muffin Mix with Ancient Grains. My favorite aspect of this muffin mix is that the mix has 5g of protein per serving developed with probiotics. I absolutely love when something like muffin mix isn't void of nutritional value. These muffins are coming in at only 170 calories each prepared muffin, and you can make about 10- 12 muffins per box, so if I am in workout mode (haha, yeah right) I won't feel guilty at all eating them...all...eating all the muffins. Damn, they are tasty muffins - don't judge me.

Big thank you to Enjoy Life Foods for sending these new products over to me to try. I am a big fan of this company and they really continue to make vegans lives so much easier with their delish and revolutionary products. Bravo!

Which of the latest Enjoy Life products are you most exciting to try out? 

Homemade Vegan Chocolate Malt Candy Cookie Bites Recipe featuring Postum

I have been really enjoying my morning cup of Postum. I'm sure you guessed that from my Postum review, if you read it. I like to drink a variety of beverages, like many of us do, so I don't limit myself to just coffee or tea. I have added Postum to my daily beverage intake, just like I enjoy water and other drinks throughout the day. What has been perfect about drinking Postum, is that it is ideal for those mornings that I want the taste of coffee or a nice warm drink (and that distinct and comforting flavor of Postum), but don't want the caffeine. I would drink coffee all day if I could, but the caffeine often makes most of us feel jittery, for me even decaf can do that, so enjoying a Postum has been awesome lately! I'll have one in the morning or sometimes if I fancy a coffee first thing, I'll sip a nice cup of warm or iced Postum at night, without worrying that it'll keep me up for hours! I'm loving the Postum product so much that I thought to myself, what else can I do with it? The flavor is amazing and there are so many servings (a whopping 75!) per can. How about experimenting with some recipes?

I was sitting down with a cup of Postum and a book the other day, and was really stuck on what it had reminded me of, in that one sip, in that moment. Then it struck me! Remember those chocolate malt candies that you get at the movies or they came in a speckled candy coated Easter egg version at this time of year? Those types of candies have been off limits for us vegans but also for people who avoid overly processed foods and candy, and those who prefer to make their own sweets. After countless hours and testing in my kitchen, I perfected the recipe inspired by what I remember, what my childhood memories recall of those chocolate malt candies, but with a healthier twist and in the form of cookie bites! It was all possible because of this wonderful and versatile product, Postum. So here is the recipe! I hope you enjoy them! When you try this recipe, I'd love to see your pictures or hear what you think about it. Feel free to mention or tag me and Postum on Twitter!

Homemade Vegan Chocolate Malt Candy Cookie Bites Recipe featuring Postum
Makes 2 dozen cookies

Cookies Ingredients:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 cup Postum (or more for stronger malt flavor), I used Original (Roasted Wheat-bran Molasses) Flavor
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup vegan milk (use a little more if needed to achieve cookie dough consistency)
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Chocolate Coating Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips
2 tablespoons coconut oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with baking-safe parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, mix first five ingredients (dry ingredients) then add in vegan milk and vanilla extract. Drop small balls of dough, about one teaspoon in size, on parchment lined baking sheet, about one inch apart. Bake for 8- 10 minutes then remove from oven and allow cookies to cool. Place cookies in freezer for about 5 minutes. Melt chocolate chips and coconut oil together and blend well. Dip each cookie in chocolate to coat, then place on parchment paper. Freeze cookies for 30 minutes, or until coating is dry, to set then enjoy! Cookies can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Coming soon: a Postum prize pack giveaway!!! Keep an eye out for that in my next Postum post!

This blog post was sponsored by Postum.

VEGAN Organic Chocolate Hazelnut Spread and GIVEAWAY!

Remember Nutella? That chocolate hazelnut spread that literally every person I have ever met loved and ate like a million jars of in their lifetime? Well, for vegans, we haven't really had anything like that. Justin's brand has a nice chocolate hazelnut spread, but it is their own, does not taste like anything else, and definitely does not taste like Nutella.

Then I was approached by a company named Rigoni di Asiago, and had no idea what they were sending me in the mail until it arrived. See, I get a TON of emails every day from companies asking me to try their products (and if I were to say yes to every single email, all I'd be doing is writing reviews every second of my life), so when they are certified vegan and I'm pressed for time, I'm like sure send it and I kind of half-read the email about Nocciolata...woops! So I thought it was vegan jams (I'm like, oh that's cool - I'll give it a try; something different), then it arrived and I realized what it was and I was like...WHAAAAAT, SAY WHAAAAAT...this is VEGAN NUTELLA right here! Wake up, KATIE, wake up! They sent you the world's only vegan Nutella, to your knowledge, and it is ORGANIC and certified vegan and freaking AMAZING!!! Not only does Nocciolata taste exactly like that other non-vegan stuff that I already mentioned too many time than I should have, but it tastes BETTER! I cannot stress this enough. You all know me, you know when I dig something, when it is just okay, and when I'm like over-the-moon wanting to marry it...So here it is, Nocciolata, will you marry me and make me the happiest woman alive??

Here are the specs on the product, to be technical...

"Made with organic ingredients completely free of GMO's, preservatives, colors, additives, or artificial sweeteners, Rigoni di Asiago's Nocciolata Dairy Free combines hazelnuts, cocoa and cocoa butter, natural vanilla extract, and raw cane sugar for a chocolate-hazelnut spread with undeniably superior flavor. Nocciolata Dairy Free is like a vegan, organic, better-for-you Nutella, made with environmentally-responsible cold-pressed sunflower oil. It also contains far less sugar than other brands and is free from hydrogenated fats"

Rigoni di Asiago also makes amazing fruit spreads called Fiordifrutta. The company has confirmed that they are vegan - pectin is an ingredient, but I'm told it is vegan, so fruit pectin - and they taste fresh and just really delicious. This company has impressed me more than any food products company has, in a long time.

I have been eating copious amounts of this Nocciolata and haven't gained a pound, not one. It is rather amazing, but I know why. This is an organic product made with pure ingredients that my body can recognize...and my body is absorbing this nutrient rich treat and I'm smiling like a nut! I hope you noticed that pun because I work rather arduously trying to be funny.

Here's the fun...oh I'm no rub-it-in-your-face'r...I'm gonna GIVE one LUCKY reader TWO jars of Nocciolata and TWO jars of Fiordifrutta (for the two jars of fruit spreads, you pick the flavors you want - Apricot, Strawberry, Peach, Wild Berries, Wild Blueberry, Raspberry, Cranberry, Lingonberry, Lemon, Seville Orange, Cherry, Organic Fruit Spread Cherry, Blackberry, Black Currant, Fig, Pomegranate, Pink Grapefruit, or Pear)!

TO WIN the GIVEAWAY: all you have to do is RT my giveaway Tweet on Twitter that has the link to this blog post. You MUST be following me on Twitter. Winner will be chosen and announced on August 10th after Midnight, so RT and Like and Tweet about it until then! Rules: must be U.S. resident, must follow me on Twitter (@theDirtyVegan), must RT my tweet with the link to this blog post in it, to be eligible to win.

Let's tell the world about this amazing vegan Nocciolata!

The Vegan Easter Basket

Anyone who is vegan understands that their Easter basket will not be the same as it may have been before becoming vegan. No dyed eggs. And let's face it, most stores are lacking in the vegan candies department. Luckily, these products make it all better. Here are some ideas for your vegan Easter basket.

You can get most of your candy from A Real Treat candy boutique in Los Angeles, California. They are an all natural candy store that literally has the largest selection of vegan, organic, kosher, gluten-free, non-GMO, and allergen-free sweets around! Think candy store, huge selection, picking different sweet treats and putting them in your candy bag... yeah that is A Real Treat. And if you're not in the Los Angeles area, no problem. Check out their website for online ordering. Here are some delicious vegan candies that I sampled from A Real Treat. Also, a little birdy told me that they are carrying vegan cream eggs for Easter. All you Californians better head on over. No, run on over. I'm pretty sure a treat like this is very hard to come by!

 In the pictures you will notice a plethora of Easter basket candy. A Real Treat has everything from gummies galore to vegan starburst-type candies (which taste like real fruit, melt in your mouth candies) to vegan milk chocolate covered and filled candies (that tasted absolutely heavenly). All of the candies that I tried tasted divine. The best part? These cruelty-free candies are also free of corn syrup and dyes. I, like many people, have a sensitivity to certain dyes and artificial ingredients. This candy boutique is out-of-this-world! This is something just so unique and clever. I totally want to move to California just so I can park my vegan butt in front of A Real Treat candy store and basically eat their delicious candy all day long. I've already started manipulating Hubby... West Coast here I come!

The goodies from A Real Treat are perfect for filling plastic eggs with for baskets or for Easter Egg Hunts. When you are filling your plastic eggs with these candies, every egg is like finding the GOLDEN EGG!

Definitely check them out; you won't be disappointed. I loved them!

And when you need the convenience of finding your vegan candy at virtually any store, you can always rely on America's Favorite Candy for 64 years, vegan Smarties. Smarties are easy to just pop in your mouth and munch on, as well as being the perfect plastic egg filler. The folks at Smarties even have a section of their FAQ dedicated to vegan-love, stating, "All Smarties® products are vegetarian and vegan. Feel free to refer to our Product page for the nutritional information and ingredients in each product, and our Vegan Candy page for more information about our vegan sweets.". How sweet is that? Smarties are awesome!

And last but certainly not least, I would like to introduce you to a product called Eggnots. These extremely realistic eggs are made of ceramic and you treat them exactly how you would an Easter Egg. You can dye them, write on them, paint them, stain them, or keep them "as is". They are fantastic and best of all... you can keep them forever! We will be dying these Eggnots for Easter with Baby and signing them with the date. What a wonderful keepsake for Baby's First Easter! 

Eggnots arrive in an egg carton complete with instructions and an egg dye recipe.

My mother thought that these were real eggs. I handed it to her and after she held it, she still thought it was an egg. These are so cool for us vegan folk who have since resorted to dying tofu, painting rocks, and other creative things at Easter. Eggnots take the guesswork out of things.

What an amazing egg to dye for Easter. They can go right in the Easter basket as soon as they're dry, they won't spoil, they are vegan-friendly, and great for people with egg allergies as well. I can definitely see this becoming a beautiful tradition in many homes, year after year. Your family can see how your works of art evolve over the years and you can create such pretty memories. These are not just for Easter; think other holidays and craft ideas all year long. You can even surprise your honey by writing a romantic message or proposal and hiding it in your love's Easter basket. Or how about a fun Easter scavenger hunt with the kids; just write the clues on the eggs and hide them! For just $15.95 per dozen, the possibilities are endless! There are 20 days until Easter, so get your orders in fast to ensure that you can receive your Eggnots in time! 

 So there you have it, vegans can still partake in Easter traditions and festivities. No animals harmed in the process. And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off. Hoppity, hop!

SoDelicious: They Ain't Kiddin'!

I thought that I have tried all of the SoDelicious vegan products. From the beverages, creamers, frozen desserts, and other vegan dairy products, SoDelicious seems to always be coming out with something new. With that being said, there is always something new to try! Lucky for me, they sent me a couple coupons to try some of their new, or new to me, stuff. I perused Whole Foods and found a couple things that I hadn't tried before so that I can review them. Here it goes...

I decided to try SoDelicious Almond Milk Minis ice cream sandwiches in Vanilla. I have tried their other Minis sandwiches that are made with coconut milk and soy milk, so I was curious to try these. They were delicious but not as creamy as the coconut and soy ones. They tasted lighter than the others. If given the opportunity, I would definitely get them again, however if I had a choice, my favorite minis are their coconut milk ones. I'm a huge fan of their Coconut Milk Minis bars in Coconut Almond flavor. Aside from their Coconut Creamers that I use in my coffee and recipes, those minis are my favorite item in the line.

I then chose to try their soy ice cream in Chocolate Velvet flavor. I have had practically every ice cream of theirs whether it be soy, coconut, or almond, but haven't tried this flavor. I am a fan of their Chocolate Obsession and Chocolate Peanut Butter flavors, so I thought that this would be pretty similar. I thought wrong! Chocolate Velvet is hands down the best chocolate flavored vegan ice cream that I have ever tried. It is so smooth, creamy, and downright velvety! Even the look and texture is like frozen velvet, it is just beautiful! I had this by itself and also made milkshakes with it. Once I made a chocolate and vanilla shake and the next time I made a chocolate peanut butter shake. The peanut butter paired with this chocolate flavor was out of this world! This is my new addiction and definitely the only vegan chocolate ice cream that I will be buying.

SoDelicious has so many products out there that it is hard to keep up! I recently found out that their super new products are their Culinary Coconut Milk (I imagine would be great in Thai recipes), Mini Dessert Bars that are organic, Gluten Free ice creams, and Cashew Milk. All of which, I am extremely interested in trying! Hopefully I'll get my hands on those soon so that I can let you all know what I think of them.

On a side note, and a random one at that, I would love to see SoDelicious make a vegan cream cheese. I think that they would be great at that since they certainly have a way with vegan dairy.

And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off. Sweet velvety deliciousness to you my friends!

Read THIS Before Buying Your Next Batch of Protein Powder!

When I first tried protein powder by Naturade, I tried their Pea Protein, Vegan Formula in Vanilla flavor. I was overjoyed to find this in my local natural foods store because it has 20 grams of plant based protein, potassium, and some fiber. Basically all I would need to boost my protein intake or help my body out when I have a french fries only day. But then again, on those days I am still supplementing with vitamins, omegas, etc. Well, it wasn't until I tried Naturade's VeganSmart All-In-One Nutritional Shake that I thought of their Pea Protein powder as great and all, but more like VeganSmart's annoying (but still loved) little brother.

Naturade was nice enough to send me some VeganSmart to try. And as a technicality, I must disclose that I am only paid in VeganSmart sample packets, and no other green stuff. As you can see from my picture, the packaging is a lot more hip looking than their Pea Protein packets. You can get VeganSmart in Vanilla, Chocolate, and Chai flavors. In my opinion, Naturade is like the better version of Vega protein powder, and I'm not just saying that because Vega hasn't sent me any samples, I say that because VeganSmart is cheaper to buy, and it tastes better than Vega.

Now let's take a look at the scientific stuff. As you can see from this picture of the Supplement Facts in Naturade VeganSmart, this can be a vegan's most valuable insurance policy. With a healthy vegan diet and drinking one of these babies everyday, how can anyone say that they are deficient in anything as result of a vegan diet (unless there is seriously something medically wrong with them, like they can't absorb nutrients correctly)? Not only are you getting 20 grams of plant based protein in each shake that you make with each packet, the protein that you are getting is complete (Pea, Hemp, Chia, Potato, and Chlorella). And 20 grams of protein in your daily diet that comes from something other than soy, will shut your friends and relatives up won't it? Yeah, if you are vegan you know exactly what I mean. Other than protein, this is an all-in-one nutritional shake, including good stuff like a whole food complex (yes, with real food), fiber and omega blend, probiotic blend, and digestive enzyme blend. Looks like I only have to drink this and take my daily vitamin rather than supplementing to achieve a superior level of healthy everyday. VeganSmart has everything that I would want and more! This is what I want to have tons of in an apocalyptic situation. These shakes taste great too! They are decent on their own, but I recommend vegan milk and/ or fruits and ice. I have created a yummy recipe for you to try with Naturade. I call this peanut butter and jelly tasting shake the Purple Protein Monster!

Add 1 packet/ serving of Vanilla VeganSmart in blender with 9 ounces of almond milk, 1 cup of blueberries, 1 cup of strawberries, 1 cup of ice, and 1 tbsp peanut butter. Blend all ingredients for at least 30 seconds.

Enjoy!

Naturade's VeganSmart tastes delicious, is packed with lots of protein, 22 vitamins and minerals, and lots of other really great stuff! I loved the taste, but I also loved the way it made me feel. My body started feeling better than it had before I drank the protein shake. I also felt a gentle energy boost. This protein is terrific for breakfast to replenish your body after the fast of the night, or ideal after a workout for recovery. And you gotta love how this product is nearly half the price of those other vegan protein powders and has the same all-in-one nutrition that us vegans desire. Hey, anything that provides me a healthy cushion so that I can still enjoy my vegan pancakes and french fries, is alright in my book!

And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off. Hats off to Purple Protein Monsters and Pea Protein!

BREAKING NEWS: Candy Bars Disguised as Protein Bars!

In my time, I have tried many protein bars. Most of them boast that they taste dessert-like or that they taste incredible and they usually taste like cardboard. I can say with all honesty, that NuGo Dark bars are the superstars of protein and nutrition bars, hands down. NuGo Nutrition makes a ton of bars with lots of organic and/or vegan options, but the NuGo Dark bars are definitely my faves; they taste just like candy bars! And they have a couple new flavors, so I'd like to tell you about them.

I've always loved the Mocha Chocolate and Chocolate Chocolate Chip flavors, but recently they sent me a couple new ones, including their two newest Darks, Peanut Butter Cup and Chocolate Pretzel.

YUM!

Upon opening the new ones, I thought to myself, "Okay, they look the same as the others. Crisps covered in dark chocolate. What's the big deal?", but then once I tried the Peanut Butter Cup and the Chocolate Pretzel bars, I was impressed!

DELICIOUS!

NuGo Dark bars have always been an exceptional protein bar (NEVER having the nasty protein bar aftertaste, you know the one) but these two new flavors are amazing! I really liked the Mint Chocolate Chip, but to be honest, I could live without it. My faves are the four others.

SWEET!

These bars are crispy, protein packed (10 grams of protein per bar!), real dark chocolate (that melts so deliciously in your mouth!) dipped, nutrition bars, that taste more like a dessert than a recovery supplement. Eating these after a workout is the best treat ever! I love that eating one of these when a sweet tooth craving strikes, not only satisfies that craving, but also is a way to not cheat on a healthy eating plan, while curbing that hunger at the same time. These bars have a lot of health benefits in addition to a protein boost. In each bar you are getting antioxidants; I absolutely love a "candy bar" that delivers a nutritional advantage as well. I have to mention that these bars are a great compliment to a nice cup of hot or ice coffee. A NuGo bar PLUS a vanilla iced coffee with extra soy milk EQUALS my weakness!

NOM, NOM, NOM!

You can find these bars at Whole Foods Markets, other health food stores, or on their website. To find a participating retailer that carries these delicious NuGo Nutrition products, check out their store locator. 

GET IN MY BELLY!

I really adore these bars and I'm happy to be able to share the good news with you. Hopefully you'll get to try them, if you haven't already, especially their newest flavors! And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off. Here's to chocolaty deliciousness!

CHOCOLATE!

Beans are the New Trail Mix!

Move over Trail Mix, there's a new healthy snack in town!

Gone are the days of boring snacking. No beans about it, I am glad that I got my hands on some goodies from The Good Bean! So here is the scoop, The Good Bean makes all natural, roasted chickpea snacks in a whole bunch of delicious flavors. Flavors like, Sea Salt, Cracked Pepper, Smoky Chili & Lime, Sweet Cinnamon, Mosquite BBQ, Thai Coconut Lemongrass, and Chocolate! Basically, any flavor that you fancy. Why snack on these chickpeas when you can get potato chips in lots of flavors, you ask? Well because just one serving of The Good Bean roasted chickpeas has as much protein as almonds, as much fiber as two cups of broccoli, and as much folate as three cups of spinach (hello prego mamas)! For just those reasons alone, makes these tiny crunch-machines superior snacks, but there is more.

Taste The Good Bean rainbow!

Not only are these portable and great for lunchboxes, briefcases, gym bags, lockers, desks, camping or hiking backpacks, you name it, the flavors are outrageous! Each flavor has a unique taste and texture also. Depending on your mood, you have flavors that range from simple to sweet to savory to complex. The Sea Salt has a smooth coating and is crunchy and smooth. Sea Salt is great for snackers who typically go for the plain or classic flavors but love the major crunch factor. For the sweet tooth there are flavors like Chocolate or Sweet Cinnamon. They remind me of healthy, candied nuts with huge flavor; what a smart way to snack when you are craving dessert. When you want savory and spicy you can choose Smoky Chili & Lime and Mosquite BBQ which are better than any potato chip that I have ever had. And as for the most complex of The Good Bean flavors, the Thai Coconut Lemongrass literally tastes like I'm eating at a Thai restaurant! It actually almost reminded me of Penang Curry Tofu!

Another great thing about these roasted chickpeas is that your jaw has to do a lot of work to eat these! You can't possibly overeat these and even if you did it is healthier than scarfing down chips. Usually with snacks I can easily eat much more than the recommended serving size, however with The Good Bean I am completely satisfied after my one ounce serving, not to mention my jaw is completely tired! These are also great for people looking to lose weight or maintain their weight and have a snack obsession like I do!

The Good Bean roasted chickpeas come in two bag sizes, a single serving bag to take on the go and a larger bag with a resealable zipper. And although snacking right from the bag is great, you can also enjoy these as salad toppers instead of croutons, in soups, mixed into vegan yogurt, over vegan ice cream (especially the chocolate - yum!), to make your own snack mixes with, or any other way that you can think of! These would also be fabulous to put in pretty dishes or bowls to offer guests during cocktail parties. These are absolutely scrumptious and are now my new go-to snack!

You can find The Good Bean at Whole Foods and other markets using their store locator or you can simply shop right on their website. The Good Bean offers FREE SHIPPING for orders amounting to $35 or more! That is easy to do when you stock up for school lunches, camping trips, road trips, college dorms or care packages, etc. 

I am so psyched about this great product and excited to make this a regular part of our family's snacking! And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off. I hope you have a crunchy, crispy, flavorful day!

For the Love of Zevia... and Cola Cake Recipe!

I'm basically in love with Zevia soda now. See, way back when, I used to be a huge diet soda junkie. In fact, my girlfriends and I could polish off several bottles of diet cola while pulling all-nighters and playing cards. Oh, to be a teenager again. If I were a teenager in 2014, I would have done the whole soda thing a lot differently. I would have chosen Zevia. For anyone who has not heard of Zevia, it is zero calorie soda that is naturally sweetened with stevia, erythritol, and monk fruit extract (the monk fruit is a new addition to their product). These non-sugar sweeteners have no effect on your glycemic index and therefor do not trick the body that you are getting sugar or not getting sugar; there is just no effect at all. Zevia has 15 flavors of soda (sweet, right!?) and so far my favorites have been, cream, cola, ginger ale, and black cherry. I'm super excited to try their root beer, dr. zevia, orange, lime cola, and grape flavors; if they are anything like what I've already sampled, I can say for sure that they all taste amazing! 

Upon initial tasting of the cream Zevia, it was hardly noticeable that this was a "diet" soda at all. At first, it almost tasted like a cane sugar soda, but then after a few seconds you get the stevia aftertaste, which is similar to the diet soda aftertaste except this is not a chemical aftertaste at all like with aspartame or saccharin. The cream taste was crisp and delicious and the same goes for ginger ale and cola. I absolutely loved the cola because it tasted more like a regular cola than a diet one. With black cherry, you can taste it as soon as you open the can and bring it towards your mouth, that is how powerful the flavor is. The cool thing with these flavors are, that they are so apparent yet so natural and clean tasting. Some other sodas that are artificially flavored have that strong flavor but taste so disgustingly chemical. I love the fact that Zevia is naturally flavored and has that really delicious way of representing each of it's flavors. It is actually very difficult to choose a favorite flavor because of how much I enjoyed each one. Bravo to the folks at Zevia!

So, since I have all of these cans of Zevia handy, I wanted to do a recipe. Yes, a recipe with soda in it! I decided to do a cake and let me tell you, it came out freaking amazing! I tried this cake a few different ways while I was experimenting; I tried it once with cream and once with cola. Also, I made this in two variations; once with chocolate chips and once without them. In all variations this cake came out super delicious! It is very moist and easy to work with and tastes amazing without any frosting at all. Yes, it is that cake, you know the cake that you can eat without having to make frosting as an additional step. However, this cake would be perfectly yummy with whatever frosting or glaze you choose. I might be trying this recipe with frosting, but I truly did enjoy the cake just itself. So here it is, the only cake you will ever love!

Chocolate Cola Cake

(with variation to make it as Chocolate Cream Soda Cake or Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cola Cake)

What you will need:

• 2 tbsp ground flax seed
• 3 tbsp water
• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups cane sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 cup vegan butter
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup Zevia cola (or flavor of your choosing)
• 1/2 cup vegan milk
• 1/4 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• OPTIONAL: 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips, 3 tbsp for sprinkling on top

What you will need to do:

Preheat oven 350 degrees and grease your pan (I used an 11 inch round but you can use your favorite pan). In a small bowl, mix together flax and water and set aside. In a large bowl, combine your dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt) and set aside. In a sauce pan combine butter, cocoa powder, Zevia soda, and vegan milk and stir constantly on medium/high heat until brought to a boil, then remove from heat. Add vanilla to the sauce pan mixture then mix in your flax mixture. Lastly, combine your dry and wet ingredients and pour into your greased pan. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and removed cleanly.

To make this a chocolate chip cake, after combining dry and wet ingredients, fold in 1/2 cup chocolate chips, pour into greased pan, then sprinkle 3 tbsp chocolate chips on top. Bake the same as above.

And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off. Cake wishes and soda dreams!

What's Vegan-New at WholeFoods

I love going into WholeFoods because it feels like vegan Christmas (that you pay an arm and a leg for, but nonetheless vegan Christmas) every time. It feels like there are new vegan products constantly rotating and I love checking out the goods! 

WholeFoods bakery has added some new cakes and has a great selection of house-made vegan cupcakes. Pictured above is the chocolate chip chocolate cupcake with strawberry frosting and a pretty glazed strawberry on top. They do a great job with their cupcakes corresponding with seasons and holidays also; I love that! They've done really neat ones for Halloween; this seems to be their Valentine's Day one.

Whole Foods has an awesome vegan dairy selection. Unlike other grocery stores that will carry a few items, you'll find a vegan alternative to any dairy product at Whole Foods. I've seen vegan kefirs, sour creams, cream cheeses, shredded cheeses, Parmesan cheeses, cheese slices, cheese blocks, yogurts, milks, creamers, and ice creams at Whole Foods. Recently we found an amazing almond cheese that is cultured and made just like dairy cheese and located in the artisan cheese section. Please read my full review on this awesome vegan cheese in tomorrow's post. 

Another cool new vegan dairy item I've discovered there is Nancy's Cultured Soy. I tried the vanilla flavored yogurt. My first impression was that I loved the container and plan on washing and re-using it for various things. Initially the soy, brown rice, and maple syrup taste was a little overwhelming, but then once I took a few more bites and got used to it, I actually found it quite delightful! This yogurt is extremely natural and simple with only a few recognizable ingredients. So natural that I gave my baby a try and she loved it! I've been wanting to start her on vegan yogurt and I think this brand is great. Nancy's also has 4 grams of protein per serving, is GMO-free, and is low sodium. I plan on getting more containers of this yogurt to keep on hand for the family. I can't wait to try the other flavors.

So those are a couple new vegan products at WholeFoods. I will be sure to report back again soon! And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off. Have a strawberry-glazed-sweet day! 

New Products I'm Loving Right Now!

You know how I love checking out cool new products, right? I take great pride in trying vegan products to review and give you the scoop on the best ones. Who am I kidding? This is the most fun job ever! Here are some new products that I have come across recently and am totally in love with. I found these in local grocery stores, in the natural isles, so they are not hard to find or only located in specialty health stores. Not only are these crazy-good, they are easy to obtain. Let the yum begin!

Go Veggie! Vegan Strawberry Cream Cheese

Go Veggie continues to get me into trouble with their delicious vegan cheese products! This strawberry cream cheese is phenomenal. It is all that I remember about strawberry cream cheese as a kid and then some. I ate this on bagels, soft fresh baked bakery bread, and even made cake balls with it! On the fresh bread it tasted like a pastry dessert! This would also make a mighty fine cheesecake. Perhaps that will be one of my upcoming dessert recipes! I definitely recommend this cream cheese, it is superb and my favorite Go Veggie product next to their vegan parm.

Lara Bar ALT Fruit and Nut Bar in Peanut Butter Cookie

 I love Lara Bars, and although they are absolutely delicious and even dessert-like, they were somewhat lacking in the protein department...until now that is. ALT bars contain a whopping 10 grams of protein per tiny bar. What an easy and delicious way to get your protein, especially on the run. These are great for before or after the gym and the Peanut Butter Cookie is absolutely delicious!

SoDelicious Mini Coconut Milk Coconut Almond Dessert Bars

SoDelicious is another vegan food brand that gets me into a lot of mischief. If you remember what Almond Joy candy bars tasted like, well this is their vegan ice cream twin. I literally savored each and every single bite of these scrumptious little frozen treats. Get this one, each bar is only 170 calories and even has 2 grams of protein! Now that is a reason for me to eat one of these with each meal! This is my favorite new product right now and I am absolutely crazy over it.

Popcorn Indiana Fit Popcorn in Sea Salt

We found this popcorn in the store by chance, checked the ingredients, and found that they were vegan and really natural (only 3 ingredients). This popcorn is just 37 calories per cup but tastes like movie theater, buttery popcorn! Not sure how they do it, but it has now become my favorite popcorn. Another cool fact is that it is Biggest Loser approved. If Jillian Michaels says its okay to eat this on our weight loss diets, than I'm all for it! Another neat fact is that if you eat the entire bag it is still less calories than one serving of the fattening popcorn that you might get at the movie theater.

So that was my latest installment of New Products I'm Loving Right Now! Hope you enjoyed! If you have any ideas for new vegan products that you would like me to review, or you are a company with a product that you would like me to try, please e-mail me at: thedirtyvegan@thedirtyvegan.com or tweet me at: @thedirtyvegan

And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off. Hooray for vegan snacks!

New Products I Am Loving

When you are a new mom you need nutritious snacks that are easy, especially if you are a breastfeeding mom because your nutrition is important to your milk supply and energy levels. That's why I wanted to share these newish vegan products that are great on-the-go and fun snacky items that just happen to taste extremely delicious.

Earth Balance has done it again folks! Not only are we hooked on their buttery concoctions, now we are completely addicted to their snacks... And loving it by the way. These cheesy curls, buttery popcorns, and absolutely addicting peanut butter popcorn balls are so darn yummy! I take stuff like this with us in the car to munch on and put the popcorn in little baggies to keep in the diaper bag so that I don't forget to nourish between meals. I can totally see these going into my child's lunch box when she is school age. Great snacks to bring camping, on picnics, to the beach, really anywhere the summer takes you this year. Vegan cheese curls have been longed for, for quite some time now. Bravo, Earth Balance! Glad I had the pleasure to get my hands on these tasty treats. They were delish!

The Clif Bar company has made vegan protein and nutrition bars for a while now. Luna Bars and the mini version have fueled my entire pre-pregnancy and pregnancy (and now my nursing mom needs), and I always love a good Clif Bar, or Blok, or their other vegan products. Right now I'm loving the new Luna Fiber bars! These are 7g of fiber for only around 100 calories! And all of us Ladies who just had babies know the importance of fiber right now to ward off that inevitable constipation that happens after baby arrives. And yes, even if you are vegan and eat all your fruits and veggies, you still get it, it's from hormones, so fiber is amazing right now to help with that situation. The flavor combinations of these bars are awesome. Raspberry and chocolate, peanut butter and strawberry, vanilla and blueberry... Oh my! I love them all and am totally guilty of eating multiple bars in one sitting. Hey, Momma needs her fiber. Ain't no shame in it.

So, have you tried any of these new vegan offerings yet? If not, what are you most excited for?