Sometimes it can be hard to find healthy plant-based replacements for the things we used to love as kids. For me, its ice cream (you might’ve noticed I have a lot of nice cream recipes around here!)
One thing I used to love getting was a Wendy’s Frosty. And I’d stick those greasy salty french fries in it! Disgusting when I think about it now, but I absolutely loved it as a kid! I was pretty much a fan of any cheap soft serve style ice cream.
Anyway, when I recently figured out the trick to getting that same kind of consistency in a smoothie – I was gung-ho to figure out how to make my own dairy-free ‘frosty’! Want to know the secret? ICE CUBES!
Dairy-Free ‘frosty’ ingredients
So, a lot of these are similar to my High Protein Plant Based Smoothie, but with a few small exceptions.
Ice Cubes
Typically, I’m not a huge fan of adding ice cubes to my smoothies, but this actually may be changing – I think this frosty recipe has convinced me otherwise!
You’ll want to use filtered water for your ice. (Learn about the best water filters EVER here.) Ice helps the texture in this dairy-free ‘frosty’. Creates this ice-y melty thing that is just to die for – exactly how you remember your Frosty being!
Chocolate Protein Powder
So, you can really use any plant-based chocolate protein powder you like in this! Be aware that a lot of protein powders that are not vegan contain whey – which is the liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained. So it is not a plant based product!
I’m not a huge fan of highly-processed protein powders. I recommend making sure they don’t contain huge amounts of sugar or unnecessary added ingredients. Pea protein powders are generally the way to go if you want a more mild-flavored protein powder. Hemp Protein can be really overpowering, so it’s not the best for this type of drink.
This Plant Fusion protein powder is the one we’ve been using (and is what I used in this recipe). I’ve also used this Vega brand of protein powder before and highly recommend it!
Non-Dairy Milk
We’re only going to need a splash of this, so any flavor is fine. I personally prefer unsweetened ‘original’ Almond Milk (nothing added – its not vanilla flavored and has no sugar added). But anything is going to be fine here.
Cocoa Powder & Cinnamon
Adds a little additional flavor. You can use standard Cocoa Powder here, or Cacao Powder/Nibs (
Cacao Nibs are less processed than cocoa
). The cinnamon is optional, but I love the flavor it brings! Plus, both of these ingredients add extra antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, and are good for your heart!
Peanut Butter
Also optional, but I love the flavor! It also adds a little thickness and some extra plant-based protein to the ‘frosty’. You only need a little bit here, because you don’t want the peanut butter flavor to overwhelm the entire thing! I used a small spoonful (maybe 2 teaspoons).
Frozen Banana
The frozen banana is crucial here! It creates a creaminess when mixed with the ice cubes, and has a really pleasant flavor. You want to be sure to use a frozen banana here and not a room temperature one, since you want the entire ‘frosty’ to be as cold as possible.
Dairy-Free ‘Frosty’
Dairy-Free ‘Frosty’
Serves 1
Ingredients:
About 12 Ice Cubes (using filtered water)
Splash of Non-Dairy Milk
1/2 Frozen Banana
3 Tbls Chocolate Protein Powder
1/2 Tbls Cocoa Powder or Cacao Nibs
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon (optional)
2 Tsp Peanut Butter (optional)
Directions:
- Place the ice cubes in the blender first and pulse for a couple of seconds until roughly chopped – you just want to break them up slightly – don’t turn them into completely crushed ice.
- Add the rest of your ingredients and blend until smooth. You may need to use a tamper, or stop the blender and move the ingredients around with a spatula (I love this Kitchen Aid Blender Spatula I use it constantly) a few times.
Nutrition Info (will depend on the protein powder you use – this includes the peanut butter):
253 Calories
25g Protein
23g Carbohydrates (3g Fiber, 14g Sugar)
8g Fat (1g Saturated Fat)
466mg Sodium
294mg Potassium
2%DV Vitamin A
8%DV Vitamin C
6%DV Calcium
8%DV Iron
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