High-Protein Vanilla Chai Protein Smoothie
Nutrition per serving
Protein per 100 kcal: 8.5g · Energy from macros: 34% protein / 52% carbs / 13% fat
Ingredients
- 2 black tea bags
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 cardamom pods
- 3 slices fresh ginger
- 2 cloves
- 2 ripe bananas, sliced and frozen if possible
- 1 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
- 2 scoops vanilla protein powder (about 60g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 1/2 cups ice
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, to serve
Instructions
Simmer the water, cinnamon stick, cardamom, ginger and cloves in a small saucepan for 8-10 minutes until the spices smell fragrant.
Take the pan off the heat, add the tea bags and steep for 5 minutes, then strain the tea and discard the spices and tea bags.
Let the tea cool completely, about 15-20 minutes, or chill it in the fridge if you have time — warm tea will melt the ice and thin the smoothie out.
Pour the cooled tea into the blender and add the bananas, Greek yogurt, vanilla protein powder, vanilla extract, honey and ice.
Blend on high for 60-90 seconds until smooth and thick, scraping down the sides once if needed.
Taste and adjust the sweetness or cinnamon, then pour into 2 glasses, dust with ground cinnamon and serve straight away.
This is the drink I reach for when I want something that tastes like a treat but still counts. Real chai, simmered with cinnamon, cardamom and ginger, then blended cold with banana, Greek yogurt and vanilla protein — warm in flavour, cold and refreshing, and properly filling. Log it after drinking at nutricounter.net/tools/tracker and it sits well in a healthy weight-gain day without weighing you down.
