Pumpkin Spice Protein Shake -

Thick & Creamy Pumpkin Spice Protein Shake

Hey friends!

It’s been awhile, huh? A long while!

I’m still here, still plugging away at this blogging thing (albeit slower than ever).

How was your summer? Mine was a complete whirlwind but full of so many good things: JR’s 2nd birthday, a girl’s trip, a gold-and-pink themed baby shower for my sister-in-law, and a fun trip to Vegas with my hubby! Life has been good — it’s been full and busy, but really, better than ever.

Except of course blogging, I miss it so much!

I didn’t feel right hopping back on the scene without a single thing to show for myself so I whipped up this and a few other fall recipes to share. I’ll admit: I’m not a huge pumpkin milkshake girl, but for a protein-packed snack, this checked the box for both decadent and delicious. Plus, like so many of you, I’ve welcomed the season with open arms and have been diving face-first into all things pumpkin, including even cereal! ? Yes. You read that correctly! I got suckered into trying General Mills Pumpkin Spice Cheerios! The verdict? They’re just so-so.

Halo Top on the other hand has been a delight! This was my first taste of the low-calorie, protein-filled ice cream and I have to say I’m quite pleased!

Halo Top Ice Cream Wins Over Arctic Zone

Awhile back I gave Artic Zone a try but something about the flavor and texture were off to me. I didn’t like it and it definitely didn’t satisfy my urge for a creamy, smooth treat so since then I’ve veered from any kind of low-calorie ice cream, but once again the pumpkin display got me and this Halo Top called my name. I was pleasantly surprised at the difference between it and Artic Zone.

Below you can see Halo Top’s ice cream is creamy and smooth (I couldn’t help but snap a photo). To make this milkshake I just blended two heaping scoops with ice, almond milk, cinnamon, a half a frozen banana and 2 ice cubes.

A Few Milkshake-Making Tips:

Don’t be an idiot like me and put your protein powder in first!! Add your almond milk first, then your ice cream, then your protein powder. I put the powder in first and ended up having to scrap protein chunks off the bottom of the blender cup to get everything mixed well (ugh). ?

Also watch the almond milk to ice cream ratio. A little almond milk goes a long way! After the first blend it was way too watery which prompted me to add the 1/2 a frozen banana. The texture turned out great but be careful not to dilute the ice cream too much!

Oh and don’t forget the whip cream — you have to add it! ?

I also sprinkled a little cinnamon on there which topped the whole thing off nicely!

A little info about the protein …

You might have also noticed the black bag of protein I’m using for this shake – it’s Xwerks Grow Vanilla, Aaron’s absolute favorite protein powder! I’ve only used it a handful of times myself but it smells amazing and mixes really well. He’s pretty much swore allegiance to this brand (after trying a billion others) so I asked him to run down a few reasons he loves it. See below! ?

Xwerks is sourced from naturally raised grass-fed cows all the way in New Zealand and they’re free of hormones, antibiotics and pesticides.
- Something to keep in mind is the difference between grass fed and grass finished. A lot of products tout being grass fed when in actuality those cows are allowed to graze and eat grass but are finished with grain to get them up to weight before being slaughtered.
- For each serving of Xwerks there is 2 grams of fat, 2 grams of carbs and 23 grams of protein.
  - I’m a believer in one gram of protein per pound of body weight. I am not heavy but have you ever tried eating 160 grams of protein a day without supplementation? Let alone 200 grams? That’s a lot of food if 4 oz of meat generally yields you 20 grams of protein not to mention the fat that accompanies the meat.
  - It’s not cheap but it’s not crazy expensive ($50 for 2 lbs) and the ingredients are purer than most you’ll find in other whey proteins — not to mention there’s free shipping (all the way from New Zealand)!
  - Xwerks is gluten, soy, and bleach free and includes no artificial flavors, sweeteners or coloring.
  - Xwerks is also a great alternative to plant-based protein if you’re looking for something “clean” but tasty (I’ve never been able to stomach pea protein).

What’s it boil down to? Happy cows; free shipping; nice packaging; very little crap (sweetners, etc), no lcatorse; no carbs; and it mixes well!

If you’re big into protein this one is definitely worth checking out! Also for the record this post is not sponsored by Halo Top or Xwerks, I’m just sharing our experience with these brands! Thanks for reading and more to come! ✌

Pumpkin Spice Protein Shake

5-ingredient pumpkin spice protein milkshake made with almond milk, halo top pumpkin spice ice cream, vanilla protein powder, a banana and a dash of cinnamon.