There’s no better feeling than when your body feels strong and healthy. Getting the right amounts of daily nutrients and exercise are key to achieving this feeling! Fueling your body with the right foods will provide necessary energy, nourishment for your organs and tissues, and allows you to feel good from the inside out.
There are so many special foods and spices that not only contain great flavor, but also possess nutritional benefits as well. In this blog, I’d like to discuss how amazing and versatile the vanilla bean is and provide you with a few recipes to make with your Total Gym FIT Blast protein.
For the Love of Vanilla
Like it or love it, vanilla is a common flavor of choice to many ice cream or desert lovers. Its taste and smell can send your senses wild. Vanilla beans are a highly prized bean that is native to tropical rain forests. It is very special in its original form and how it is harvested. Vanilla beans are pleasantly fragrant fruit pods obtained from the tropical climbing orchid, Vanillin planifolia, which is one of the three main cultivars and the most sought after worldwide!
Vanilla Bean or Extract
Adding vanilla into a recipe adds a warm, sweet flavor that is rich to the senses.
Two main choices of vanilla are pure vanilla extract or actual vanilla beans. Typically, vanilla extract is mainly used due to it being easy to find and it’s affordable. The actual vanilla bean is a bit more expensive but it is the ultimate natural flavor in a recipe.
- Vanilla Extract: Made by macerating vanilla beans in a mixture of alcohol and water.
- Vanilla Beans: Consist of a dark brown pod filled with thousands of little brown flavorful specks, which are the beans.
Vanilla beans are magical. Not only do they look like fairy wands and have a rich, intense aroma that makes your mouth water, but these beans also have the ability to make any recipe delicious!
If you’re intent on using real vanilla beans, delicately scrape the seeds out of the vanilla pod and add them to your shake. One vanilla bean is roughly equivalent to about 3 teaspoons of vanilla extract. Therefore, if you use the actual bean, a little goes a long way! After using the beans from the pod, you can use the scraped out pod to infuse almond milk or tea to give it a subtle vanilla flavor.
Benefits of Vanilla
- – Vanilla beans is a great non-pungent spice used to flavor foods and drinks.
- – Vanilla extract is composed of simple and complex sugars, essential oils, vitamins, & minerals.
- – Contains small traces of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, manganese, iron and zinc. (Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure.)
- – Contains small amounts of B-complex vitamins (niacin, pantothenic acid, thiamin, riboflavin and vitamin B-6), which help in enzyme synthesis, nervous system function, and regulates metabolism.
Vanilla Smoothie Recipes:
If you need some inspiration, I have some fresh, healthy, and delicious smoothies you can make to nourish your body and warm things up this winter season. These recipes are simple to make, have a great vanilla bean flavor, and provide nutrients your body will love.
Nutty Popeye
This smoothie is great to have post workout to replenish your muscles and tissues. It provides energy, strength, and tastes great!
- 1 Scoop Vanilla FITBLAST protein
- 2 table spoon almond butter
- 1 cup Unsweetened vanilla Almond milk
- 3 pitted dates
- 1 small banana
- 1 cup spinach
- 1 table spoon vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean
- 2-3 ice cubes
- *Option to add chia or flax seeds
Add ingredients into blender. Blend until smooth.
Enjoy & feel strong!
Watch the video to see how to prepare this smoothie!
If you enjoy the video, please show some love by hitting the ‘like’ button and ‘share’ it with your friends!
Avocado Vanilla Bean
Next time you’re in the mood for ice cream, try this deliciously healthy shake instead. The ingredients in this smoothie create a smooth and creamy texture, similar to soft-serve! It’s a nutritious and satisfying treat!
- 1 avocados
- 1 large frozen banana
- 1 cup light coconut milk
- 1 scoop Vanilla FITBLAST protein
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean
- Pinch of sea salt (optional)
- 2-3 ice cubes
Add ingredients into blender. Blend until smooth & creamy.
Enjoy with a smile!
Strawberry and Vanilla Cream
Strawberry and vanilla flavors combine well to make a tasty smoothie.
It’s packed full of calcium and vitamins too!
- 4 frozen strawberries
- 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1 scoop Vanilla FITBLAST protein
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean
- 2-3 ice cubes
Add ingredients into blender. Blend until smooth & creamy. Enjoy with satisfaction!
There are so many wonderful foods and spices that can be blended together to make a satisfying and delicious meal. Adding vanilla can warm up your creations with a flavorful taste that will make you craving more.
Best of luck blending up a variety of wonderful meals!
Maria
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