Recipe: Vanilla Iced Latte Protein Drink

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Iced vanilla lattes are a great and simple go-to. By definition, a latte is an espresso with steamed milk. I changed it up for this one and used a protein drink for the vanilla flavor and “steamed” milk. It gives me a little pick-me-up in the afternoon and tastes great! This recipe makes 2 (one for me and one for the hubby), but you could easily split it and refrigerate it to have an extra one for the next day. Or put it in a large glass and have a double, I’m not here to judge. 😉

This coffee drink requires only two ingredients, not counting the ice: Espresso (You can use coffee from your coffee pot, but I’m gonna be real with you, espresso is better. I tried both and the espresso takes it from meh to coffee shop mmmmm), and a vanilla protein drink of your choice (I like Fairlife-not sponsored in any way, just my fav).

Why Espresso?

Espresso is:

• Smooth, and almost creamy
• Strong in flavor, not in bitterness because it’s essentially concentrated. Bonus! You need less of it.

Some Tips for Success…

• If you don’t have an espresso machine, of course, you can use coffee… Although the flavor profile won’t be the same, I’m definitely not going to tell you that you 100% MUST have an espresso machine. If you use Coffee Pot Coffee, you will need 1-2 cups depending on how strong you like your coffee drink.
• If you use protein powder you will need to mix it with milk and make the equivalent of 11.5 oz of liquid. The protein drink I use has 30-g of protein in the drink.
• Be sure to use a boldly flavored dark roast coffee, since the protein shake and ice will dilute the drink.

Fun Facts about Espresso

Espresso is meant to be strong.

Of course, this depends on a lot of factors, including:

• the beans used
• the machine you’re using
• ensuring the time that it’s expressed the correct amount of time so as not to get the “brown water” at the end.

Brewed espresso has 2.5% fat, while filtered coffee contains 0.6% fat.

This is because espresso is an emulsion or a liquid composed of stratified oils because just one coffee bean is roughly 12% oil, and you’re obviously using more than one bean to make espresso

However… Espresso is a beverage that is known to be comparatively low in calories.

Don’t let the fat content freak you out! Espresso also contains essential micronutrients like vitamins, and potassium, to name a few. This makes it fairly healthy on its own. So, BEFORE you add tons of sugar and heavy cream, consider that protein shake again. Not only do you can all those coffee benefits, you just added to all that goodness with this yummy vanilla protein shake.

Note: Coffee is also shown to have these benefits as well, and there is nothing to say one is healthier than the other.

It is a majorly concentrated form of coffee.

Something to consider… the amount of caffeine within one shot of espresso can vary. A double shot of espresso (about 1.5 oz) may contain anywhere between 60 and 100 mg of caffeine. That’s a lot of caffeine in a little cup. Comparatively, a regular 8 oz cup of drip coffee (not decaf) can have about 95mg of caffeine.

OK, now that you have all that coffee knowledge in your pocket… let’s make a latte!

Vanilla Latte Protein Drink Instructions:

To Make 2 Vanilla Latte Protein Drink

Do the following twice:

1. Make your espresso/coffee (I can make 2 shots at once with mine, but if you need to, make one at a time)
2. Pour 1 shot over ice filled in a 10 oz glass
3. Pour half of the protein shake over the ice and coffee.

To Make 1 Large Vanilla Latte Protein Drink

1. Make your espresso/coffee (I can make 2 shots at once with mine, but if you need to, make one at a time)
2. Pour both shots over ice filled in a 20 oz glass
3. Pour all of the protein shake over the ice and coffee.

Need More Fun Coffee Drink Inspo?

Here are a few of my other favs!

• S’mores Coffee
• Vietnamese Style Cold Brew Coffee
• Golden Milk Latte (With Coffee)

ENJOY and Share! 

Let me know how your Vanilla Latte Protein Drink turns out! Your star ratings with your comments are tremendously helpful! I love seeing friends and family come together over food. If you take a picture, tag me on Instagram or Facebook! Use @alwaysjennsmith & #alwaysjennsmith. Or share it on this post’s Pinterest Pin!

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