Chocolate Cheesecake Shake

Every once in awhile I like to add cottage cheese to my Medifast shakes. It helps me on those days when I am feeling extra hungry or before a tough workout. You can sneak it into any flavored shake, but Dutch Chocolate and French Vanilla are my favorites. Mainly because you can come up with so many delicious flavor combinations just by adding powdered peanut butter, a variety of extracts, or sugar free syrups! The possibilities are endless!

Cottage cheese makes the shakes come out smooth, thick and creamy... just like a yummy milkshake! Even if you can't stand the taste of cottage cheese, you have to try it in a shake at least once. I don't think you can really taste the cottage cheese flavor anyways and that is coming from a person who isn't a big fan of it.

The Medifast shakes already have 14 grams of protein, but adding an extra 1/2 cup of cottage cheese adds another 14 grams of protein! That's almost 30 grams of protein for just a little shake! Also, cottage cheese has a high content of casein protein, which is a longer lasting protein, so it helps keep you fuller longer. That makes my tummy very happy!

Adding cottage cheese to the Dutch Chocolate shake makes it taste like chocolate cheesecake! I like chocolate anything, but chocolate cheesecake? I am in heaven! I added unsweetened cashew milk, vanilla extract, and ice. Then I topped it with Reddi Wip and a light sprinkle of walnuts. Sometimes I like to use a drizzle of Walden Farms Chocolate Syrup on top, but unfortunately I was out. Feel free to add extra sweetener, such as Stevia Sweet Leaf Vanilla Drops or Stevia packets, if you like. I think it tastes fine without it.

Enjoy this delicious twist on the shakes!

Chocolate Cheesecake Shake

Ingredients:

1 packet Medifast Dutch Chocolate Shake (1 Meal)

1/2 cup 1% cottage cheese (1/3 Lean)

1/2 cup unsweetened cashew or almond milk (1/2 Condiment)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract (1/2 Condiment)

1 cup ice

Optional Toppings:

2 tbsp or 5 grams fat free Reddi Wip (1 Condiment)

7 walnut halves, chopped - I used a little sprinkle as a garnish (1 Snack)

Directions:

Combine chocolate shake mix, cottage cheese, cashew or almond milk, vanilla extract and ice in a blender. Blend until mixture is smooth.

1 Serving with 1 Meal, 1/3 Lean, 2 Condiments and 1 Snack

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Sandy's Kitchen

Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino

Fall is coming just around the corner and everything pumpkin or pumpkin spice is everywhere! I recently just saw Limited Edition Pumpkin Spice Twinkies at the grocery store! I mean it has got to be good because the box says limited edition right? Maybe. Maybe not, but they sure did look good. Although they were extremely tempting, I did not cave in. Mainly because my husband just gave me that look as he said "Really?". I said, "Ummmm... of course not. I was just looking.", but in my head I was thinking... but they are pumpkin spice! You just don't see it too often. Pumpkin spice things ONLY come out a few weeks of the year. Oh well. I guess I am going to have to make my own pumpkin spice things to satisfy my cravings.

Of course the first thing I had to make was Starbuck's Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino. Oh my goodness! That coffee drink just screams Fall! I love the combination of warm spices that make up pumpkin spice. Then you add it to cold coffee with a few other ingredients and you have yourself one heck of a drink. If you do not have pumpkin spice at home, don't fret! You can can easily make it yourself. 

Here is the recipe:

Pumpkin Spice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp ground cloves

Combine all ingredients together and store in an airtight container.

Now that you know how to make pumpkin spice, don't go putting it everything. People may start to look at you weird. Although, you could always blame it on the Fall season. I do!

One thing I wanted to add is that we can have pumpkin puree on the Medifast plan. Hallelujah because you know how much I love pumpkin! We can not have a whole bunch of it, but 1 tbsp of pumpkin puree is 1 Condiment. A little bit of pumpkin can go a long way, especially in your shakes! I usually get the canned pumpkin because it is convenient. You are probably wondering well gosh... that whole can of pumpkin is going to go to waste if I can only have one tbsp at a time. You are right, but I found a way to save my pumpkin! I put one tbsp of pumpkin in each compartment of an ice tray.

Then I freeze the tray and then add the pumpkin cubes into a Ziploc bag. I used a small sandwich sized Ziploc bag for one small can of pumpkin puree. Make sure you do not use the pumpkin pie filling which is usually next to the pumpkin puree.

 Then when you need one tbsp of pumpkin puree for your shake, your brownies, your pancakes or whatever you may have in mind, just grab one of those frozen cubes. It is easy peasy because you already measured it out. 

To make the Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino, add one of these pumpkin puree cubes in a blender.

Then add really cold coffee. I like to use this coffee because it is really bold and strong. I say the stronger the better when it comes to coffee!

Next add pumpkin spice and ground cinnamon. I actually had some pumpkin spice in my pantry, so I didn't have to use the recipe above. Once I do run out, I will be making more!

I added Walden Farms Maple Walnut Syrup to the coffee drink because I think it enhances the flavor. I am not a huge fan of all Walden Farms products, but I do like their sugar free syrups. This includes their pancake, chocolate, and caramel syrups. You could also use Medifast's pancake syrup if you have it or a little bit of maple extract. If you do not have any of these ingredients, I am sure the drink will still taste great without them.

Add everything into a blender with a few more ice cubes. Blend and enjoy this delicious treat! 

Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino

Ingredients:

3/4 cups cold coffee

1/2 cup unsweetened cashew milk (1/2 Condiment)

1 tbsp pumpkin puree (1 Condiment)

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon (1/4 Condiment)

1/8 tsp pumpkin spice (1/4 Condiment)

1 tbsp Walden Farms Walnut Maple Syrup or sugar free pumpkin pie syrup such as Torani or Da Vinci (1/2 Condiment)

1 pkg Optavia Vanilla Shake (1 Fueling)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a blender.

Add desired amount of ice and blend until smooth.

Makes 1 Serving

1 Fueling and 2.5 Condiments

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Sandy's Kitchen

Whatever floats your boat! Root beer floats!

Here is an excellent cold treat for you to enjoy during those warm summer months! Root beer floats! I love, love, love root beer floats! Nothing beats vanilla ice cream and root beer besides except maybe orange soda and vanilla ice cream as an orange creamsicle. You can always freeze it for about 30 minutes to get a nice slushie. I am sure some of you have probably already thought of this idea, but if you haven't, give it a try! Enjoy!

Root Beer Float

Ingredients:

1 Medifast or Optavia Vanilla Shake (1 Fueling)

1/2 cup to 1 cup ice

1 cup diet root beer or more if you like (make sure there are 0 carbs)

Directions:

Combine ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

1 Fueling

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Sandy's Kitchen