Powerhouse Peppermint Mocha

Before my clean eating and heavy lifting days I used to be a Starbucks girl.  Almost EVERY morning I’d stop on my way into school or work to get my VENTI latte.  I hate cold weather but there was one good thing about the winter-Peppermint Mochas!  You know what wasn’t so good?  The fact that my pants kept getting tighter despite my hours of cardio and SKIM lattes. Hmm…and I thought I was doing everything right.

Do you know that a SMALL Peppermint Mocha with skim milk has almost 300 calories and 42 grams of sugar?!?!  That’s over TEN (10) teaspoons of sugar.  TEN!  Ugh.  Give this baby a try and let me know what you think.  I have tried this recipe on all kinds of friends and family (even non-coffee drinkers) and everyone loves it!  I’ve even made it with tea before and had awesome results.

Ingredients:

• ½-1 Scoop Chocolate Protein Powder (See below my recommendation, as it tastes delicious, and it’s what I use in all of my recipes) *If you use icky protein your drink will be NO bueno.  Get the good stuff!

• Fresh brewed coffee (regular, decaf, etc. it all works!)

• ⅛ tsp Peppermint Extract (optional-leave out for a regular mocha!)

• Stevia drops or powder to taste

• half & half, or other creamer of choice (measure it out and be aware of what/how much you are adding.) Cream is optional.

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Tools:

• Immersion blender or magic bullet

• Large Deep Cup for mixing (if using immersion blender)

• Coffee Mug

Directions:

• Take your coffee and pour it into blender cup, deep bowl or glass container.

• Add ½-1 scoop of protein powder, 2T half & half, or other creamer

• measure ⅛ tsp peppermint extract (more if you want but be careful, it’s STRONG!).  You can add a bit of stevia powder or drops (around 10 drops or so) to taste if you like a sweeter drink.

• Once everything is in the blender cup use your immersion blender or bullet to whip everything up until a nice froth appears.

• Pour into your favorite mug, sprinkle with cocoa powder if you wish, and ENJOY!

Other Additions:

Okay, so I am all about making things as easy as possible (while still being healthy and delicious) so that people don’t pull the “I don’t have time” excuse.  This drink IS quick and easy.  However, if you want to impress your friends with a fancier version, feel free to spice ‘er up:

• Add in a teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder for an extra chocolatey treat.

• Skip the coffee and use water or almond milk for a peppermint hot chocolate!

• Use a mild flavored (or peppermint, or chocolate) tea in place of coffee.

• Add a dollop of whipped cream for fun and deliciousness!

Nutrition:

Serving Size: 1 cup

Total Calories: 165

Fat: 4.5

Net Carbs: 1g

Protein: 12-20g

* This can differ depending on the type of protein and fat source you use.  The above is based on 1 scoop protein, 2T half & half.  If you are using this as a replacement for your breakfast, feel free to add more protein.

My protein recommendation is Beverly International UMP. It mixes the best, has the best texture and flavor, and I've tried a lot of protein powders! It's a casein/whey mix so it is dairy based if you are avoiding dairy it's best to find an alternative protein option.