Make a Shake, Make it Great: Use Spices, Coffee and Cocoa
Originally published October 24, 2011
This blog was part of an early series on add-ins to jazz up your HMR Shakes. We thought it was worth sharing again, in case you missed it the first time...
In the first four “Make a Shake, Make it Great” blogs, we discussed using add-ins like diet soda and sugar-free flavored water, sugar-free syrups, sugar-free puddings and jell-o , and extracts. In the last blog of this series, we will wrap things up with spices, coffee, and cocoa.
Most people have at least a few spices in their kitchen. Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and pumpkin pie spice are commonly used in shakes. (Just for the record, pumpkin pie spice is a mixture of nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and ginger.) Oh, while I’m on the topic of Fun Spice Facts: Not all store-bought spices have expiration dates, and chances are you don't remember when you bought each spice that’s in your cabinet. If they are more than a year old, throw them out, since spices lose taste over time. If you’re not sure how old a spice is, give it a sniff - the stronger the aroma, the fresher it is. In terms of measure, the general rule of thumb for spices is 1/8 teaspoon per shake. If you like a stronger spice flavor, feel free to add more.
| Gingersnap Shake 4–6 oz. cold water 1 HMR Vanilla Shake 4 or more ice cubes 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves Pour cold water into a blender. Cover blender and start blending on low speed. Add the HMR Vanilla Shake mix. Add ice cubes, one at a time, replacing the blender cover after adding each ice cube. Add the spices. Continue mixing until ice is thoroughly blended—about 1 minute. Click here for a printable version of this recipe. |
Coffee does some interesting things to chocolate shakes. In small quantities it can cut the sweetness a bit without adding any real coffee flavor. In slightly higher quantities it creates pure shake heaven: Mocha. You can use cool leftover coffee from the pot you made this morning or instant coffee (regular or decaf). Generally, 1-2 teaspoons of instant coffee is a good place to begin. If you are adding leftover coffee, just substitute the coffee for the water in the shake.
Cocoa does just what the label says – adds more chocolate flavor. Just to be clear, by “cocoa” I mean unsweetened cocoa powder, not hot chocolate mix. Adding too much cocoa can yield a slightly bitter flavor, so a good place to begin is ½ tablespoon per shake.
So let’s put some coffee and cocoa together and make a…
| Mocha Shake 4–6 oz. cold water 1 HMR Chocolate Shake 1 teaspoon instant coffee 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa 1–2 packets noncaloric sweetener Dash cinnamon (optional) 4 or more ice cubes Pour water into a blender. Cover blender. Begin mixing on lowest speed. While blender is on, add shake mix and flavorings. Blend for 10 seconds. Gradually add ice cubes, one at a time, replacing the blender cover after adding each ice cube. Continue blending until smooth – about 1 minute. Click here for a printable version of this recipe. |
Spices, coffee, and cocoa are “in the box” for all diets in Phase 1. So I encourage you to go out and try a few flavors. If you find a recipe you would like to share, please post them by clicking here. Look for “Share Your Healthy Recipe”.
About the Author
Keith Van Gasken began obesity treatment in a clinic setting in 1982, and has been with HMR since 1992. Roles have included health educator & mentor, as well as program and product development, with a special affinity for product & recipe development. He has maintained a 100-lb. weight loss since 1982.
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