I’m just over a year post-op, have lost just over 100 pounds and am stalled out… Mentally and on the scale. I’m trying to get back to basics and the 1st step there is Protein. I do remember the early days of protein-protein-protein, and not with much fondness!

While I did eventually come up with a “latte-like” recipe I’ve used with all sorts of vanilla & chocolate powders, I am just sick of the cream-base. The only non-milky Protein powder I can find locally is the nectar line. I’m big on juice & kool-aid, so I was excited to test them out. In fact, I tired all the flavors last year, and didn’t like any of them on its own merits. I did buy a tub of Crystal Sky but it has a strong whey aftertaste to me thus in the pantry it remains. After that purchase I started getting sample packs of Nectar, so I didn’t have much with which to experiment. Only if I mixed them with juice were they actually palatable, but that is NOT what I was looking for newly post-op! But I’m so bored with creamy protein that I’m ready to play around with my Crystal Sky & all of the Nectar flavors again…

What specific mix-in (Crystal Light, kool-aid, etc) flavor combinations did y’all successfully use to transform the different Nectar powders into tasty drinks?

Are protein powders heat stable? Like in Jello or puddings? Would they work in soups or broths? Has anyone tried them? I agree that my shakes taste pretty good at first but as time goes on they don't go down as well.:thumbup: Any info would be appreciated.

I've heard people cook with plain & vanilla flavors quite a bit, and I've gotten the recommendation from my nutritionist to make jello & pudding with powders. But when I suggested microwaving the latte-style concoction I was told by several people NOT to do so because of the protein stability. I'd love to know the real answer to that question, too...

Edited March 20, 200818 yr by Zannie
typo, as always

Ooh, interesting. Sounds pretty good, but then again, so did the "creamy, dreamy milk chocolate" that was neither creamy nor dreamy. :thumbup:

I found out how to make that extra fantastic too! Da Vinci S/F chocolate syrup. It makes it what it was supposed to be to begin with! ;o)

Matter of fact, I actually ordered another of those and got that one today. That's how much of a difference Da Vinci makes.

I don't know what it is about the S/F syrups but it makes Protein shakes sooo good. Kills the aftertaste, changes the texture, just a huge difference.

I've heard people cook with plain & vanilla flavors quite a bit, and I've gotten the recommendation from my nutritionist to make jello & pudding with powders. But when I suggested microwaving the latte-style concoction I was told by several people NOT to do so because of the protein stability. I'd love to know the real answer to that question, too...

Yeah, microwaving protein curdles it. Completely disgusting. If you do want it warm, you have to heat it very slowly and stir it often, and you can't get it much past "warm."

Yeah, microwaving protein curdles it. Completely disgusting. If you do want it warm, you have to heat it very slowly and stir it often, and you can't get it much past "warm."

Oh, ick! :Dancing_shocked: Good to know! :thumbup:

Yes. Thanks. So much for mixing it into hot oatmeal.:thumbup:

I just placed an order for a bunch of Nectar samples to fool around with again, because I remember that while the flavors were heinous, the texture was rather like fruit punch or Kool-aid.

I’ve read all sorts of things on the net where people mix their Nectar with Crystal Light but nobody ever says which flavor Nectar gets mixed with which flavor C.L. drink mix! Never mind what ratio of C.L. to Nectar is used to make these cocktails! Or if it is prepared or still-in-powder-form Crystal Light being used! Maybe there’s success with adding specific Da Vinci S/F syrups to certain Nectar flavors...?

It’s all a great mystery to me...but I’m desperate enough for something NOT creamy to try my hand at unraveling the secrets behind Nectar! Any suggestions?

Suzanne

I use 2 scoops of protein powder ( Body Fortress from Wal-mart) in 32 oz. of Crystal Light peach tea. No creamy taste and not to sweet. Thats 52mg of protein and it tastes pretty good. Of course everyone has different tastes...so you might not like it. I guess we just have to experiment until we find something we can stand to drink. :embaressed_smile:

...The Lemonade (to me) smells like if you took smelly socks and put old cheese in them and let them get ripe. Gahhhh....

Yeh-what is with that smell?:cheers2: Drink is tolerable if I don't breathe. Has anyone figured out a way to deodorize it? Is lemonade the only one that stinks? After I bought a huge canister of it, I don't want to waste any more money on another flavor if all of them stink.

IDS liquid Protein Ingredients: I believe that ingredients are usually listed by what is contains the most of first to last. So it looks like the main ingredient is Collagen Protein. They would only have to put a small amount of whey protein in it to market it as "whey".

Whey Liquid Protein Other Ingredients: Pure Deionized Water, Actinase) Patent Pending Blend of Enzymatically Hydrolyzed [Predigested] Collagenic Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Isolate and Casein Protein Isolate), Malic Acid, Myovol Complex (Proprietary Blend of Leucine, Valine and Isoleucine), All Natural Flavors, Acesulfame-Potassium, Sucralose, Blue 1 and Red 40.

Right now I am drinking the Nectar Chocolate Truffle with a tiny bit of SF Coffee Mate and a splash of SF caramel syrup and it tastes like a Milky Way bar to me. It is yummy!

I’m just over a year post-op, have lost just over 100 pounds and am stalled out… Mentally and on the scale. I’m trying to get back to basics and the 1st step there is Protein. I do remember the early days of protein-protein-protein, and not with much fondness!

While I did eventually come up with a “latte-like” recipe I’ve used with all sorts of vanilla & chocolate powders, I am just sick of the cream-base. The only non-milky Protein Powder I can find locally is the nectar line. I’m big on juice & kool-aid, so I was excited to test them out. In fact, I tired all the flavors last year, and didn’t like any of them on its own merits. I did buy a tub of Crystal Sky but it has a strong whey aftertaste to me thus in the pantry it remains. After that purchase I started getting sample packs of Nectar, so I didn’t have much with which to experiment. Only if I mixed them with juice were they actually palatable, but that is NOT what I was looking for newly post-op! But I’m so bored with creamy protein that I’m ready to play around with my Crystal Sky & all of the Nectar flavors again…

What specific mix-in (Crystal Light, kool-aid, etc) flavor combinations did y’all successfully use to transform the different Nectar powders into tasty drinks?

I saw (albeit in a Nectar ad...) the suggestion to mix: Nectar Lemon Tea w/Crystal Light Peach Tea. Supposedly is delish..........but I haven't tried it.

Is there some reason no-one is suggesting smoothies: frozen fruits, plain lo cal yogurt, unsweetened apple juice, whey powder -- run thru the blender for an icy drink. My big problem: makes too much.

I saw (albeit in a nectar ad...) the suggestion to mix: Nectar Lemon Tea w/Crystal Light Peach Tea. Supposedly is delish..........but I haven't tried it.

Is there some reason no-one is suggesting smoothies: frozen fruits, plain lo cal yogurt, unsweetened apple juice, whey powder -- run thru the blender for an icy drink. My big problem: makes too much.

I saw (albeit in a nectar ad...) the suggestion to mix: Nectar Lemon Tea w/Crystal Light Peach Tea. Supposedly is delish..........but I haven't tried it.

Is there some reason no-one is suggesting smoothies: frozen fruits, plain lo cal yogurt, unsweetened apple juice, whey powder -- run thru the blender for an icy drink. My big problem: makes too much.

Thanks for the tea suggestion! My mom is about to have LapBand & she's dreading the entire shake concept. I'm not a *iced* tea girl myself, but I think she might like the Nectar tea idea.

My problem with the smoothies is there are so many cals in one that I'd rather be eating than drinking.

I'm just after one Protein drink a day to ensure I get enough protein in. I do pretty well at hitting the low end of my protein goal with whole foods alone anyhow -- most days, but I like that "got it covered" sense of security that I get from having a shake, too.

I love my latte version, but I've always been big on fruit juice & love the "idea" of enjoying a "juice-like" Protein Drink.

Not sure what nectar Protein is but I too can't stand the creamy Protein shakes so I found the protein bullet which is fruity and I mix one of the bullets with Water or lemonade crystal light and it is just wonderful! I can drink it as if it were my water between Breakfast and lunch and get all my protein in. 48gm Love it. Cheapest place I've found it on line is:

Bulk Nutrition - IDS New-Whey Liquid Protein 42g at discount prices! (Whey Protein, Whey Protein, Whey Protein Concentrate (WPC), Whey Protein Concentrate (WPC), Whey Protein Concentrate (WPC), Protein, Protein, Whey Protein, Whey Protein, Muscle Gro

Hi Suzanne, have you tried the Muscle Milk from Smart and Final? It's very high in protein and it taste wonderful it's also Lactose Free. Calories if I can remember are about 270 but if you're replacing a meal it's great. Flavors are Banana Cream, Strawberry, Chocolate. There's also the flavorings that I was introduced to in my support group by Torani and they're sugar free. (Purchase at Smart and Final Also) You can add them to any protein mix and it makes a world of difference. I was just banded on May 27, 2008, but I did alot of experimenting and attended the support group before surgery a few times. Good Luck. :biggrin2: