Recipe: Quick Vegan Vanilla Shake

Enjoy protein and fiber packaged in a nutritious, cool and creamy shake with this vegan recipe from wellness chef Jim Perko.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup almond milk, unsweetened
• 1 whole banana (8 to 10 inches long), peeled, frozen
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of almond butter, unsweetened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions

1. Place all ingredients into a blender.
2. Process until well-blended.
3. Serve immediately.

Chef’s note: Create your own version by adding soy milk to make it creamier and other nut butters to explore different flavors.

Ingredient health benefits

• Almonds: Packed with perks, almonds are rich in calcium and other nutrients that support your bones, like magnesium and vitamin K. Natural compounds called flavonoids and vitamin E are antioxidants that promote healthy skin and a happy heart. These antioxidants also fight free radicals and oxidative stress, which can damage your cells and lead to disease. And heart-healthy unsaturated fats help your body absorb certain vitamins in your food (like vitamin E) and help lower your “bad” (LDL) cholesterol. As a dairy alternative, almond milk is still high in vitamin E, and as a spread, almond butter has more unsaturated fats than peanut butter, plus a little more calcium.
• Banana: There are so many ap-peel-ing reasons to add these tropical fruits to any smoothie or shake! Bananas are a good source of fiber, and unripe bananas are double as prebiotics, meaning they nurture good gut bacteria that help to keep your digestive tract healthy. Potassium and magnesium are essential minerals for regulating your blood pressure and other vital systems, like nerves and muscles. But that’s not all bananas are good for: Even your immune system and metabolism can benefit from the vitamin C and vitamin B6.

Nutrition information (per serving)

Makes 2 servings

Calories: 160
Saturated fat: 0.5 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Fiber: 3 g
Carbohydrate: 19 g
Protein: 4 g