Vegan Blackberry Protein Pops
These blackberry vanilla protein pops are the perfect post-workout snack or treat for a hot day. With a balance of carbs and protein, they’ll keep you more satisfied than a typical popsicle. This method can also be used to save leftover smoothies from being wasted! Did I mention these pops are vegan-friendly and include only plant-based ingredients?
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post I developed for Silk. All opinions expressed in this post are my own.
Why I Love this Recipe
I don’t know about you, but anything hot or savory would not be my first choice after a workout, especially on a hot day. Something I can always stomach? A popsicle. Maybe it’s a holdover from the days where my mom would feed me grape popsicles when I was sick. It just works for me.
If you have the ingredients to make a smoothie, you can make popsicles. This was a rare recipe that worked out perfectly for me on the first try. I just guessed on the proportions, blended everything together, poured it into the mold, and hoped for the best. The result was a perfectly icy popsicle with a touch of satisfying creaminess from vanilla yogurt, almond milk, and protein powder.
The gang’s all here with this recipe! Plant-based protein from vegan protein powder, yogurt (and a bit from almond milk) + carbs from blackberries and the cane sugar in the almond milk and yogurt. (Yep, I’m telling you it’s cool to have some refined carbs during recovery!) Honestly, I’d probably have 2 of these after a tough workout. Individually, they’re a pretty light little snack you could have any time (not just after a workout!)
Nutrition Tidbits
These protein popsicles make the perfect post-workout snack for hot summer days.
If you find yourself with a low appetite after strenuous workouts, you’re not alone. But — even if you’re not super hungry, a post-workout snack can still be helpful.
The ideal post-workout meal should contain some easily absorbable (i.e. not super high in fiber) carbohydrate (bread, potatoes, and yes… some sweetened things ) and protein. A few simple options (other than these blackberry vanilla protein pops) that contain carbs and protein are:
- Sweet potato and ground turkey
- Chocolate milk
- Protein powder with sweetened almond milk
- Turkey wrap
- 1 slice toast + 2 scrambled eggs
- 1 cup yogurt + fruit + granola
- Quinoa egg cups
Wondering about when to eat your post-workout meal? Does it need to be within 30 minutes? 1 hour? Do you need to shove food in your face immediately after putting your dumbbells back to prevent muscle atrophy? The short answer? Not exactly.
In the 60-90 minutes after a workout, your body is in peak repair and replenishment mode, but this recovery will continue for the next 12-24 hours. With that in mind, it is definitely helpful to have a meal soon after your workout, but you can also aid your body in recovery by consuming balanced meals throughout your day.
Preparation Tips
I felt like making this a completely plant-based recipe, so I used non-dairy milk, yogurt, and protein powder, but it would work with just about any milk, yogurt, and protein powder you choose. I just wanted to show that you can get a ton of protein from plants alone! There seems to be a misconception that vegans and vegetarians can’t get enough protein and man… that’s wrong. Just like an omnivorous diet, vegan and vegetarian diets can be super nutritious when planned well.
I bought these molds for about $5 at TJ Maxx. Nothing fancy. (If you haven’t been to their kitchen section, do it! So many cheap little kitchen gadgets…) I can’t wait to try making more smoothie concoctions into fun popsicles while the weather is warm! I know these vegan blackberry vanilla protein pops would be the bomb.com remixed into a healthy fudgesicle or maybe strawberry/banana swirl… Yum.
I’ll get back to dreaming about popsicle combos while you make these. I’d love to hear how they turn out!
Blackberry Protein Pops
Equipment
- blender
Ingredients
- 1 cup vanilla almond milk
- 1 cup vanilla soy yogurt
- ¼ cup vegan protein powder
- ½ cup frozen blackberries
Instructions
- Blend almond milk, soy yogurt, protein powder, and 1/2 cup frozen blackberries in blender or food processor until just blended.
- Drop two blackberries in each popsicle mold.
- Pour blended mixture into popsicle molds. Tap out bubbles or gaps. Place sticks in molds. Freeze for at least 6 hours.
- Remove popsicles from molds and enjoy!
Notes
- Please note that nutrition facts are an estimate and can vary widely based on amounts and specific types used.
