I remember some of you guys (Demonskin and Brambles, I think?) talking about Spiru-tein a while ago. Is it good? Would you recommend any particular flavors?
I like to mix it w/ a spoon b/c I pref the chunks in the drink...although foamy would probably just as good (and the only mixing device i have would be a spoon)
Janet is anti-chunks though and wouldn't drink it until I found a suitable way to mix it thoroughly. I was using a milk frother before and it just didn't cut it.
Spiru-tein has been my breakfast five days a week for years. The best place I've found to get it is here, and I use one of these (except a cheaper Braun model w/o all the attachments) to mix it up.
I found the Tropical, Peaches 'N' Cream, and Strawberry Shortcake flavors to be way too sweet, and the Cappucino flavor actually tastes more of cinnamon to me, but otherwise all of the other flavors are good. We use more of the vanilla than anything else, because it mixes well with different types of fruit.
If you wanna mix it with fruit juice instead of milk, they also make a "Simply Natural" version without sweetners, that works well with juice.
Thanks for the advice! I guess I'll buy the Vanilla first. Maudie's parents gave us a handy dandy immersion blender that we use to make smoothies pretty frequently, so I should be all set to mix it up.
I have a recipe for high-protein pancakes made with the unsweetened vanilla Spiru-tein that I can post if there's any interest. They freeze really well. We usually make a triple batch and then freeze them in ziplocs in stacks of 2 or 3. Grab a stack out of the freezer and toss 'em in the microwave, and a minute or so later you've got a stack of hot (and fairly nutritious) flapjacks.
I'll take that as some level of interest. :) Recipe attached.
I didn't put it in the recipe, but I often add blueberries. Just thaw a bowl of frozen berries (wild blueberries have the most flavor -- Trade Joe's has them at reasonable prices) in the microwave before you start cooking the pancakes, and then sprinkle a teaspoon or so of them on each pancake right after you put the batter in the pan. (Be very careful with the blueberries, though, as their juice stains almost anything it comes in contact with!)
(wild blueberries have the most flavor -- Trade Joe's has them at reasonable prices)
I'll dispute this...wild berries seem to have a fresh taste about them, and are sweet...but seem more bland compared to store blueberries that have a more sweet flavor (I do pref wild ones, although they are so small)
then again you could be mentioning a different strand of blueberries to the ones i tastes in the Appalachian and Smokey mountains
But on a more consumable topic, I generally can't eat pancakes b/c of the high egg content (makes me gag, or worse) are there any recipes that don't require eggs? (or would that ruin the consistency of the pancake?)
i used to love pancakes and miss eating a stack of 'em, it'd be nice to know of a substitute for the eggs in them
If I had to make pancakes w/o eggs I'd probably try the same recipe but substitute in a volume of milk and vegetable oil (1 part milk to 2 parts oil) equal to the liquid volume of the eggs.
I think it'd be tough to get the cooked texture right without eggs, though having an additional protein source (like that supplied by the Spiru-tein) may help.
On that pancake recipe: I used the unsweetened "SImply Natural" version of Spiru-tein, but I think you could use the regular vanilla Spiru-tein by cutting the amount of sugar in half. Also, looking at it again I suspect the batter may be too thick for most, so I'd suggest starting with an additional 1/2 cup of water and fine tuning it from there.
Brambles, Vegan with a Vengeance by Isa Chandra Moskowitz has a half dozen egg-free pancake recipes. I've had a few of them, and they're all delicious.
I took a picture of the plain ol' basic pancake recipe for you. Find it attached.
By the way, Isa's newer book, Veganomicon is fantastic, but it only has one pancake recipe.
I think the peach flavor of Spirutein has a nasty aftertaste, and that the chocolate was ok but not great. Those were my first experiences with soy protein however. I think the vanilla was best but it's been a few years since I had it so they might have tweaked it some. GL!
Thnx guys, now I need to start cooking!
although maybe i'll start at home...over break
since the fire alarm in the kitchen in the dorm seems to be highly sensitive
They've reformulated Spiru-tein in the last year or so, to use a combination of soy, pea, and rice protein, instead of just straight soy, though I didn't notice any change in taste. I think they did this because for people who have thyroid issues, a diet very high in soy can interfere with thyroid peroxidase activity. Ironically the same component in soy (isoflavones) that causes these problems is also the component that provides the anti-cancer effects that have received so much press recently.
Thanks for the cookbook lead, Sumul! I've ordered a copy. :)
Qyn
Wed, 09/24/2008 - 1:38pmJanet and I ordered the Chocolate and Vanilla flavors and both were pretty tasty. We'll probably look into more exotic flavors next order.
We spent a few weeks trying different methods of mixing the shakes and found that one of these works perfectly and is really easy to clean up.
Crazy Rambles
Wed, 09/24/2008 - 2:56pmStrawberry is good too, goes well mixed in with
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51kZHAQVbbL._SL500_AA280_PIbundle-27,TopRight,0,0_AA280_SH20_.jpg
I like to mix it w/ a spoon b/c I pref the chunks in the drink...although foamy would probably just as good (and the only mixing device i have would be a spoon)
Qyn
Wed, 09/24/2008 - 5:16pmI actually like the chunks too. >.>
Janet is anti-chunks though and wouldn't drink it until I found a suitable way to mix it thoroughly. I was using a milk frother before and it just didn't cut it.
Demonskin
Wed, 09/24/2008 - 9:16pmSpiru-tein has been my breakfast five days a week for years. The best place I've found to get it is here, and I use one of these (except a cheaper Braun model w/o all the attachments) to mix it up.
I found the Tropical, Peaches 'N' Cream, and Strawberry Shortcake flavors to be way too sweet, and the Cappucino flavor actually tastes more of cinnamon to me, but otherwise all of the other flavors are good. We use more of the vanilla than anything else, because it mixes well with different types of fruit.
If you wanna mix it with fruit juice instead of milk, they also make a "Simply Natural" version without sweetners, that works well with juice.
Good stuff.
Qyn
Wed, 09/24/2008 - 11:40pmYea the link DS provided for Vitalgo is where I purchased from as well...I think on his previous recommendation.
Sumul
Thu, 09/25/2008 - 7:19pmThanks for the advice! I guess I'll buy the Vanilla first. Maudie's parents gave us a handy dandy immersion blender that we use to make smoothies pretty frequently, so I should be all set to mix it up.
Demonskin
Thu, 09/25/2008 - 11:57pmI have a recipe for high-protein pancakes made with the unsweetened vanilla Spiru-tein that I can post if there's any interest. They freeze really well. We usually make a triple batch and then freeze them in ziplocs in stacks of 2 or 3. Grab a stack out of the freezer and toss 'em in the microwave, and a minute or so later you've got a stack of hot (and fairly nutritious) flapjacks.
Sumul
Fri, 09/26/2008 - 12:29amSounds good!
Trumby
Fri, 09/26/2008 - 7:34amHmm this is relevant to my interests.
Demonskin
Fri, 09/26/2008 - 8:16amI'll take that as some level of interest. :) Recipe attached.
I didn't put it in the recipe, but I often add blueberries. Just thaw a bowl of frozen berries (wild blueberries have the most flavor -- Trade Joe's has them at reasonable prices) in the microwave before you start cooking the pancakes, and then sprinkle a teaspoon or so of them on each pancake right after you put the batter in the pan. (Be very careful with the blueberries, though, as their juice stains almost anything it comes in contact with!)
Qyn
Fri, 09/26/2008 - 8:48amHandy!
Thanks, DS, may try these this weekend.
Crazy Rambles
Fri, 09/26/2008 - 9:15amI'll dispute this...wild berries seem to have a fresh taste about them, and are sweet...but seem more bland compared to store blueberries that have a more sweet flavor (I do pref wild ones, although they are so small)
then again you could be mentioning a different strand of blueberries to the ones i tastes in the Appalachian and Smokey mountains
Crazy Rambles
Fri, 09/26/2008 - 9:17amBut on a more consumable topic, I generally can't eat pancakes b/c of the high egg content (makes me gag, or worse) are there any recipes that don't require eggs? (or would that ruin the consistency of the pancake?)
i used to love pancakes and miss eating a stack of 'em, it'd be nice to know of a substitute for the eggs in them
Crazy Rambles
Fri, 09/26/2008 - 9:18amAlso gonna forward your recipe to my mom tvm!
Demonskin
Fri, 09/26/2008 - 9:42amIf I had to make pancakes w/o eggs I'd probably try the same recipe but substitute in a volume of milk and vegetable oil (1 part milk to 2 parts oil) equal to the liquid volume of the eggs.
I think it'd be tough to get the cooked texture right without eggs, though having an additional protein source (like that supplied by the Spiru-tein) may help.
On that pancake recipe: I used the unsweetened "SImply Natural" version of Spiru-tein, but I think you could use the regular vanilla Spiru-tein by cutting the amount of sugar in half. Also, looking at it again I suspect the batter may be too thick for most, so I'd suggest starting with an additional 1/2 cup of water and fine tuning it from there.
Sumul
Fri, 09/26/2008 - 11:28amThanks, Skinny!
Brambles, Vegan with a Vengeance by Isa Chandra Moskowitz has a half dozen egg-free pancake recipes. I've had a few of them, and they're all delicious.
I took a picture of the plain ol' basic pancake recipe for you. Find it attached.
By the way, Isa's newer book, Veganomicon is fantastic, but it only has one pancake recipe.
Verisa
Fri, 09/26/2008 - 5:51pmI think the peach flavor of Spirutein has a nasty aftertaste, and that the chocolate was ok but not great. Those were my first experiences with soy protein however. I think the vanilla was best but it's been a few years since I had it so they might have tweaked it some. GL!
Crazy Rambles
Fri, 09/26/2008 - 7:35pmThnx guys, now I need to start cooking!
although maybe i'll start at home...over break
since the fire alarm in the kitchen in the dorm seems to be highly sensitive
Demonskin
Sat, 09/27/2008 - 12:15pmThey've reformulated Spiru-tein in the last year or so, to use a combination of soy, pea, and rice protein, instead of just straight soy, though I didn't notice any change in taste. I think they did this because for people who have thyroid issues, a diet very high in soy can interfere with thyroid peroxidase activity. Ironically the same component in soy (isoflavones) that causes these problems is also the component that provides the anti-cancer effects that have received so much press recently.
Thanks for the cookbook lead, Sumul! I've ordered a copy. :)