This Energizing Mocha Cardamom Shake Packs 35 Grams Of Protein

After a tough morning workout, I always crave a Michelin-star meal on a fast-casual timeline. I'm eager to reward myself for the work I did with something delicious, but even thinking of breaking out a pan takes too much time and effort. After I wrap up a run, I have about a 20-minute window before I enter the hangry zone.

This conundrum used to find me in the bodega across the street from my apartment with a greasy, wonderful breakfast sandwich in hand. But this year, I'm trying to prioritize post-workout fuel that will give my body more of the nutrients it needs to recover optimally. I don't want to lose out on any of the benefits I just pushed so hard for, after all!

To hit my daily protein goals, I've started to build my meals and snacks around high-quality protein sources—and this shake is no exception. Since I interview R.D.s and exercise physiologists often, I know that eating 20-30 grams of protein within a few hours of a workout is essential for helping our muscles recover and build back stronger.

To tick my protein and leucine boxes, I start my shake with a combination of full-fat Greek yogurt and mindbodygreen grass-fed whey protein isolate+ in chocolate. The yogurt lends healthy fats, a creamy consistency, and 10 grams of protein (but only about 0.5 gram of leucine) per half-cup serving. From there, adding the grass-fed whey protein isolate+ makes this shake a real home run from both a taste and muscle-support perspective.*

Each serving of the whey protein contains 25 grams of protein and 2.5 grams of leucine from grass-fed cows. Other protein powders I've tried have left behind a funky aftertaste—likely because they're made with stevia or artificial sweeteners. Instead, mindbodygreen's is made with organic cocoa, pink Himalayan salt, organic monk fruit, and organic cinnamon for a smooth flavor made from clean ingredients. I'd heard rumblings from our science and development team that this new protein is the tastiest around, and now I can confirm: It really does taste great, and it forms the perfect chocolate base for my mocha—rich, indulgent, but not overly sweet.

From there, the shake gets a hit of caffeine. I don't usually have coffee before or during morning workouts, so by the time I'm done, I'm ready for a little pick-me-up. Chia seeds add some gut-healthy fiber to the mix, and unsweetened almond milk gives the shake a creamy, caffe-like consistency. You could stop right there, but I like to add a bit of cardamom, vanilla extract, and sea salt to give the drink a more complex flavor.