There are a million ways to put a spring in your vanilla protein shake. But it’s nearly winter so we’re going to focus on…

The Top 10 Ways to Spice Up Your Protein Shake this Season

1. Peppermint Extract (a little goes a long whey!)

2. Anise Seeds for a little twist of black licorice

3. Cranberries

4. Starbucks VIA Christmas Blend

5. Apple or Pumpkin Pie Spice

6. Pomegranate Arils or POM Wonderful juice

7. Almond Extract or Vanilla Bean (yes, I know these are two different things, but this is a top ten list so consider this your fitness bonus)

8. Metromint Cherrymint or Orangemint Water (use it in place of the water in your shake)

9. Butterscotch or Pistachio Sugar Free Instant Pudding Mix (a heaping tablespoon…ok, two!)

10. Pumpkin Puree, of course!

Now I really must go to the gym…you can bet I’ll be dashing all the whey!

Q. How do you make a blueberry shake?

A. Take it to a scary movie.

Hold your applause until the end.

A friend of mine recently suggested that I shake up the flavor of my protein shakes by substituting sparkling water in place of water. The result? A sparkling success!

Here’s the scoop…

• 1/3 cup Vanilla Protein Powder
• 1/3 cup Berries
• 1 cup Sparkling Water (plain or flavored)
• Ice

Blend. Enjoy!

Adding sparkling water put a refreshing twist on my protein shake without adding any calories. I can’t wait to experiment with other colorful combos.

Now I really must go to the gym and add some dumbbell flyes with that shake.