Here’s the dietitian’s recipe for simple homemade protein powder – using a surprise budget-friendly protein source and a natural thickener.
This recipe was originally published in 2014 – and has become our most popular recipe. I’ve updated the post with new photos and recent information (and side note: people often ask me what blender I use – here’s the $40 Black & Decker Blender I’ve used for decades now! [affiliate link].
So, over the years, dozens of friends have told me this homemade protein powder is a favorite for their kids and even for sick relatives. Here’s how it all began…
My sister wanted a grab-and-go breakfast for herself and her teenager; she thought a fruit smoothie with a scoop of protein powder would combine all the components of a balanced breakfast. But…she wanted a more affordable option than most store-bought varieties – and she doesn’t care for the artificial sweeteners in lots of the powders.
Here’s the recipe she texted me for my dietitian approval: “dry oats + brown rice + raw lentils: grind to powder”
Yikes. I texted back “breakfast #bellyache” as raw lentils are indigestible. In fact one of the reasons you cook them is to destroy some of the anti-nutritional factors that makes them inedible when raw.
So, instead, here’s the wholesome recipe I came up with using an under-utilized, convenient and super-nutritious item in the supermarket: instant nonfat dry milk – it’s actually just milk with the water removed – thus powdered milk. So, just like a glass of liquid milk, it contains whey. And according to a growing group of researchers, high-quality protein like dairy (whey) and eggs yield the best results in terms of muscle growth, muscle recovery, and may be beneficial for weight loss.
Each 1/2 cup-scoop of my Homemade Protein Powder has 140 calories and 10 grams of protein. To make it I combined:
- Dry milk powder: A 1/3 cup serving has just 80 calories, a whopping 8 grams of protein, including whey protein, AND 8 essential nutrients.
- Dry oats: A natural thickener because oats ‘plump’ in liquid. All oats are a healthy whole grain with significant amounts of fiber. Plus some researchers have show oatmeal has a special type of fiber that helps you feel fuller longer.
- Almonds: Contains fiber and heart-healthy fats.
Combine my Homemade Protein Powder (recipe below) in the following quick recipes for a protein-packed grab-and-go-breakfast that will do your body good plus keep you going all morning. These are also some of this dietitian’s favorite ways to refuel after a workout. Use a 1/2-cup scoop (46.2 gm) of Homemade Protein Powder:
- Berry Berry Smoothie: 1 scoop Homemade Protein Power + 1/2 cup plain (or flavored) Greek yogurt + 1 cup milk + 1 cup berries = 31 g protein
- Extra Creamy Chocolate Smoothie: 1 scoop Homemade Protein Power + 1 cup milk + 1/4 avocado +1 tablespoon cocoa powder = 18 g protein
- Sweet Potato Pie Smoothie: 1 scoop Homemade Protein Power + 1 cup milk + 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice + 1/4 cup canned sweet potatoes = 17 g protein
Here's the dietitian's recipe for simple homemade protein powder - using a surprise budget-friendly ingredient.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (240 gm) instant nonfat dry milk, divided
- 1 cup (80 gm) old fashioned or instant dry oats
- 1 cup (142 gm) almonds
- Sweetener of your choice
Directions
- Place 1 cup instant dry milk, 1 cup oats, 1 cup almonds in blender. Pulse until smooth.
- Place remaining instant dry milk in blender and pulse just a few times until blended.
- Place in container and cover tightly. Keep at a cool room temperature if you use within 2 weeks - if storing longer store in the refrigerator so the nuts don't go rancid.
- To use, scoop 1/2 cup into 1/2-1 cup liquid in a blender; if possible let set 5-10 minutes for oats to plump. Add additional fruits, flavorings, yogurt or milks of your choice. Vanilla or almond extract is especially delicious.
Do you use protein powder? Have you ever made your own?
If you like this recipe, check out more of our Healthy Kitchen Hacks series here.
If you like this recipe you may like to slurp these recipes with a scoop of my Homemade Protein Powder:
Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie Bowl
Now, check out my review: WHICH PROTEIN POWDER IS BEST FOR BAKING? And see the results when baking this Protein Banana Bread.
This is GENIUS! I spent a ludicrous amount of money on unflavored whey powder at the store the other day. I was simply looking for something that wouldn’t impart vanilla or chocolate flavor into my smoothies! I’ll be experimenting with this very soon!
Kate @ Indulgent Wellness recently posted..8 Resolutions For My 35th Year
I know, right? Those powders can get pricey. This would be that! Let me know what your favorite combo is Kate!
I made the powder n added 1cup finely grond pumkin seed for extra protein….i will let you know how its working in a couple of weeks. So excited to have found this healthy protein powder recipe!
I going to try this recipe. Looks yummy! I made my own version of homemade protein powder. You can check out the recipe here: http://www.craftylittlegnome.com/2016/01/27/yes-you-can-make-your-own-protein-powder/
Hi, Is it possible to make pancakes with this mixture, how would that be done, have you any recipes…thanks
Thanks for visiting Bev. Try the protein powder in this recipe for Banana Pancakes (at the very bottom of the recipe). Instead of the 1/3 cup milk in the recipe, use about 1/2 cup of protein powder and add 1/2 cup water. If the batter is a little thick, add water (or milk) 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency. (:
I totally need something like this to keep me nice and full all morning long!
Sues recently posted..Festive Finds with Nespresso (and a giveaway!)
It will keep you going all morning Sues…to to your fabulous blogging!
Serena this is SUCH a great idea!!!
Regan @ Healthy Aperture recently posted..We’re #SoyInspired for Thanksgiving Starting with Pumpkin Pie Milkshakes
Love this idea… real and easy to get ingredients- yes please!!
Dietitian Jess recently posted..Gluten Free Sweet Potato Bars
I was surprised I saw nothing like this recipe online, Jess. It’s sorta #oldschool. My mom had a similar recipe in an old cookbook from the ’70s: cocoa, sugar, instant milk powder. (:
I love this! My fiance is a big runner and has been on the lookout for a healthier, sweetener free protein powder. We’ll definitely be trying this 🙂 Also, thanks for including the interesting fiber article – acetate? How cool!
Let me know how it fuels your fiance Ashley! (:
Why do the ingredients call for 1 cup almonds when you only use 1/2 cup in the recipe?
Hi Karen, your email address sounds like you’re from Montana! My parents report there is lots of snow there today. You could use this powder in a hot drink! Typo was fixed thanks for catching.
how much exactly is “1 cup”?
I just added metric weight measurements to the recipe. Thanks for the great question and thanks for visiting us!
Ummm yeah. Dried lentils would NOT feel good going down! I much prefer your recipe. Had no idea nonfat dry milk had so much protein!
HA! Yeah, dry lentil powder is not what I crave 1st thing in the morning either, Joanne!
Love this Serena for when you’re not wanting something super high in protein like the store bought ones!
xoxo Sarah Grace, Fresh Fit N Healthy.
Sarah Grace recently posted..YouTube Videos! Mugcake Recipe + Volunteering at UF
Thanks Sarah Grace. I just slipped the powder in my hot cocoa this afternoon: Thick and rich and yummy! (And a tiny bit crunchy from a few stray almond chunks, but still so yummy – and higher in protein than regular hot cocoa.)
I am so excited & can’t wait to try this. Sure will be a cost savings. Thanks for your dietary creativity.
Thanks! I’m sipping my drink right now…great with just 1 tablespoon of cocoa + sweetener!
didnt know this was possible! love it!
Thanks Rachel! Let me know if you try it…and the combos you make.
I would love to try this, but my son is allergic to tree nuts – would peanuts work just as well?
Absolutely Michelle. And the protein content would be about 1 gram higher – as peanuts are slightly higher in protein.
Excellent recipe! I can’t wait to try it. What size is your scoop? It looks like a small measuring cup on my phone.
Use a 1/2-cup measuring cup. Let me know what you think Margaret! Thanks so much for stopping by.
I just tried this with peanuts instead of almonds and I absolutely love it! It did bulk up my smoothie without being too heavy! Thank you so much!
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment Lindsey. Great idea to use peanuts…yummy taste + about 1 gram more of protein per serving!
My mom was just asking about the best protein powder …. sharing this link with her now!
Jenny Shea Rawn recently posted..Dark Chocolate Mousse with Orange Zest
Since still a bit chilly here Jenny, I’ve been using it as a hot cocoa mix too! Just add baking cocoa powder + sweetener + 1 tablespoon of powder to a cup with hot water or milk. Toasty, yummy! The oatmeal makes a bit thicker (although sometimes there are a few stray oatmeal flakes.)
Since still a bit chilly here Jenny, I’ve been using it as a hot cocoa mix too! Just add baking cocoa powder + sweetener + 1 tablespoon of powder to a cup with hot water or milk. Toasty, yummy! The oatmeal makes a bit thicker (although sometimes there are a few stray oatmeal flakes.) Enjoy!
Hi Serena,
I’m so glad to find your page. I searched for homemade protein powders after being inspired for D-I-Y recipes I saw on Dr. Oz and found you.
Tell me, I have raw and roasted/unsalted almonds at home. Which would be best?
Actually either one would be delicious Nichelle. The raw almonds would have a more subtle flavor (you really wouldn’t taste them much.) The salted almonds would give more almond flavor – plus as you probably know, salt helps bring out other flavors in food. So if you added chocolate to a smoothie with the homemade protein powder, the salted almonds would give the chocolate flavor just a bit more oomph!
Can this protein be used after workout..??
Absolutely! Milk powder is rich in leucine which is great for rebuilding muscle after work-outs.
I think the reason you don’t find formulas like this on the Internet is because people are looking for protein powders that are not dairy based. There are inexpensive dairy based powders out there but the alternatives are expensive. Any suggestions on replacing the dairy in your recipe?
If you replace the dairy, you miss out on the amino acid leucine – which has been shown to have excellent muscle repair/rebuilding properties.
Leucine found in both oats and almonds.
That’s right Christina. A 1/4 cup (35 g) serving of almonds has 527 mg of leucine. And a 1/2 cup (40 g) serving of dry oats contains about 400 mg of leucine.
Hi Serena, thanks for sharing this recipe. I’d like to have it a go. Any idea how many servings the above total would make please? I’m trying to calculate the macros per serving 🙂 Thanks in advance
It makes about 10 servings Aliona. If you’re curious about recipe servings in the future, check the top of each recipe – near the title; that’s where we generally list the serving amounts. Thanks so much for stopping by – and please let us know how you like the Protein Powder!
Hi when making my smoothe I use my small blender makes one glass do I use 1/2 cup of the protein powder or can I use two tablespoon of the powder
Try to use at least 1/2 cup of powder – then you will get a better amount of protein to help fuel your day. Use less liquid if needed to make everything fit in your small blender. (: Hope that helps – thanks for visiting Gabrielle!
This is brilliant!! Thank you so much for sharing this. Bravo!! 🙂
i am a 16 years old boy i wanted to ask that this protein powder contains the same amount of calories and protein as that of protein powders found in the market…
if not then how can i increase the protein content in it…..
Thanks for visiting Kishan! A 1/3 cup serving of my protein powder has just 80 calories, 8 grams of protein and includes whey protein. Protein powders in the market vary a great deal, but if you used 2/3 cup of my protein powder, you’d be close to the amount of protein in packaged protein powder and close to the calories. The main benefits of my recipe is it’s inexpensive and made with ingredients you can find in a normal grocery store. Plus you can control the ingredients including sweeteners (and there’s no ingredients you don’t know what they are!) If you want to add MORE protein to this recipe, make a smoothie with Greek or regular yogurt.
Has anyone checked the carb count on this recipe yet? I’d be interested…it’s hard to get protein powder here in Ecuador. 🙂
One serving has about 18 grams carbohydrates. Thanks so much for stopping by Lois. I hope you can make this in Ecuador!
Have you a dairy free version for those who are lactose intolerant? 🙁
Yes! You could make this dairy free and vegan by leaving out the instant dry milk powder. However the protein content would be lower and the protein powder would contain no leucine – which is a key amino acid for muscle building. But the proportions of 1:1 oats to almonds would work just fine! Let me know how you make out.
I only use canned coconut milk
Thanks for stopping by Alane. You could make smoothies with canned coconut milk and my Homemade Protein Powder recipe. This smoothie would be delicious: 1/2 cup Homemade Protein Powder + 1/4 cup canned coconut milk + 1 banana!
Thank you for this Serena! It’s so hard to find a protein powder that’s easy enough to make at home. Will pin this for future reference – adding cacao will be my first try 🙂
Miss Food Fairy recently posted..In my Kitchen October 2015
Oh man, cacao would be so delish in this…and the antioxidant benefits…well, so beneficial!
hi, is it okay if I want to use it for weight loss take this instead of meals.
Thanks for stopping by Eva! We are focused on healthy eating in general on this site. I will have to direct you to a weight-loss focused site like loseit.com. I will say, that there is a good amount of protein in this protein powder and when I make my breakfast smoothies, it contains this protein powder, fruit and generally milk or yogurt. Thanks again for your comment!
This is incredible! I love how few ingredients there are and how economical this would be- I will definitely try it and see how I digest the whey- I have only used vegan protein (pea or rice), so I wonder how much I was actually digesting anyway- are split peas like lentils as far as digestable nutrients?
Thanks so much for stopping by Barrie! Actually pea protein powder is an ingestible protein source that’s formulated by several upstanding companies…but raw beans or lentils ground up at home is a totally different product and is not safe.
Antinutrients are not indigestible, they simply stop you from being able to absorb the nutrients they bind to. However, i you just up your nutrient intake, or decrease your intake of antinutrients, you will be just fine…
Thanks for your insight Mary. The study I linked to in the post has some good info on anti-nutrients.
I made this by substituting peanut butter powder for the almonds. I then added 1 1/3 cup cocoa powder and 2/3 cup sugar to the whole mixture( I didn’t have any powdered stevia and I wanted to be able to scoop it out and just add liquid). I used the 1/2 cup scoop to 1 cup of milk and it was delicious. Can water be substituted for on the go shakes?
Now that sounds like a great adaptation Michelle! Yum. Yes, you can absolutely sub in water – that’s the beauty of this protein powder because it uses dry milk powder. (I don’t really care for the taste of whey protein powders in water – but this is still good when made with water – although it’s certainly better made with milk.) Thanks for trying out the recipe and taking the time to comment!
Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe…i love it. Can you please suggest a suitable alternative for the berries since it is expensive and found in only selective stores in india. Please also mention the amount of protein, i want the smoothie to still have around 31g protein after the berries are substituted. Thanks again.
Actually the berries don’t add much protein to the Berry Berry Smoothie. So you could substitute another fruit that’s more affordable for the berries and still get to about 31 g protein. THanks so much for stopping by and taking the time to comment!
You could try sweet potato. You could boil or roast it and keep it in your refrigerator.I have no idea what this would add nutritionally but I thought it may be something that you could source more easily.
Thanks Colette.
I am a mother of an ADHD 11 year old son, He is on meds. for it and he keeps loosing to much weight ….The Dr wants me to use ensure or instant carnation brkfts to help him gain weight ….would this help him gain weight if i put them in smoothies for him…..thank you
Carnation Breakfast Essentials has 130 calories and 5 g of protein per serving. My protein powder has 140 calories and 10 g of protein per 1/2-cup serving. So this give you a comparison on calories and protein to share with your doctor. Different from my protein powder, Carnation is fortified with many other vitamins and minerals which may be important for your son. Thanks for stopping by Gina! We appreciate it!
You can also use full cream milk powder for higher calorie content, and add some coconut oil to your son’s smoothies.
Good idea Meredith.
Hi..my gym trainer asked me to start with protien powder but I don’t want to go for the market ones.
Can I use this post workout??
Yes! Absolutely. Thanks for asking. It would be great to help build muscle after a workout.
What if I replace the Almonds with Walnuts?
Walnuts would be a great sub for almonds. The nutrition listed above would be slightly different. Walnuts have less protein than almonds, but walnuts are a fabulous source of omega-3 fatty acids. In fact they have more omega 3’s than any other nut – by a long shot! Here’s more info on that here: http://teaspoonofspice.com/2016/06/walnut-baked-goat-cheese/. There are 6 grams of protein in 1 ounce of almonds and 4.3 grams of protein in an ounce of walnuts. So the smoothies listed here would have about 1 gram less of protein listed if made with walnuts.
Hi Please can you tell me how this powder should be stored and how long it lasts for.
Great question Lisa. If you use it within a week or two – just keep it in your pantry. But to keep the almonds fresh, keep it the refrigerator if it’s stored more than 2 weeks.
Hi am I supposed to use 4 oz of protein mix to a cup of milk?
Yes, 4 fluid ounces in a 1/2-cup measuring cup.
I’ve just made this with a few modifications because my husband has lost a tremendous amount of weight due to illness. I substituted fatfree powder for whole milk powder, added 1/2 cup ground linseed & 3 generous tbsp peanut butter powder. I plan to give him 2 smoothies a day using the powder and whatever fresh fruit I have on hand, which abound here in Costa Rica. We monitor his weight daily so hopefully we’ll see some weight gain in the next few weeks.
I so appreciate you let me know you found this useful Jocelyne. Your changes sound wise for your husband’s situation. I hope he gets well soon! Adding some ice cream or coconut oil could help too.
Never considered making my own protein powder and am amazed at how simple it is. Can’t wait to try.
what a great idea! The powdered milk makes me giggle because I accidentally recommended a young male college student to use powdered milk instead to save $$$. haha he didn’t think that was cool 😉
I’m totally in awe of this idea… and a little embarrassed I never thought of it! I bow to your genius. 😉
Hi. I would like to know since I can’t find non fat milk powder in South Africa can i use full fat also can I add 100g of flax seeds to the recipe. Will I be correct in saying that per 1/2 cup is 17,6 grams of protein
Yes you could certainly add full-fat milk powder. That would delicious. I wish we could get full-fat milk powder in the States – it would be very good for people who use my Homemade Protein Powder for weight gain. Also some research has shown the fatty acids in dairy are not typical saturated fats – and are health-promoting.
Lara, look for Dano Slim.
Thanks for this recipe- what can I substitute for almonds as I have a nut allergy? Someone mentioned pumpkin seeds but what about chia seeds or flax seeds etc?
Thanks
You could substitute flax or chia seeds, and they would ‘plump’ up and make the shake to which you added the powder even thicker. However, they would not have the same amount of protein as almonds. Are you allergic to peanuts too? (As you probably know, they are a ground nut/legume and not a tree nut.) Peanuts have a similar amount of protein as almonds.
Hi, I am trying to find a good protein powder for use during the Insanity program. Is there a substitute for the dry milk? I do not consume dairy, and was just wondering if there was an alternative for this in your fantastic recipe. Thank you!
If you removed the dry milk powder, you would be removing the leucine-rich source of amino acids – and the major source of protein – which would not be recommended. But you could make a protein powder of blender-ground almonds and oatmeal – then add a scoop to a dairy-free milk in the blender to make a smoothie. Thanks for reading Valerie!
That sounds like a great option! Thank you!
Hello is this safe.. For a teen 18yrs old one.. Hmm just read it somewhere if the doctor prescribed then only can these be taken. I didn’t prescribe anything just read that protein powders may help you in weight gain.. Is it true..?? Thanks in advance.
Cheers..
KT
Yes, it’s safe for kids. In fact it’s the only protein powder I give my kids. Thanks for commenting.
I was wondering…how much would I need after a session of strength training?
After strength training, you should get about 20-30 g protein depending on your weight. This protein powder has a good balance of protein and carbohydrates. If you need more protein, add Greek yogurt to your smoothie made with this protein powder.
This looks great but sadly not for someone like me who is lactose intolerant. Is there an alternative I could use that would give me the same amount of protein without the dairy component?
There is no substitute for the dairy component with the similar amount of protein or the valuable leucine found in dairy. However, you could make this Homemade Protein Powder with just almonds and oatmeal. Then you could make a smoothie using a dairy free milk beverage. And then eat an egg on the side, as eggs have leucine which is important for muscle preservation.
They do make powdered coconut milk. I use it when I make homemade vegan hot cocoa mix. I can’t tell you the nutritional info, as I don’t have a package of it now, but it would be something to look into.
Good to know Heather! Thanks for sharing!
Hey, can we take this protein powder in one glass of soy milk post workout for losing weigbt?
Yes, this protein powder it great in soy milk. But you may want to blend it with a blender for the smoothest drink.
I am going to use your homemade protein powder as a base for my smoothies. The thing that I run into with a lot of smoothie recipes is that they call for frozen banana. I absolutely loathe the taste of frozen bananas! It’s way too strong and overpowers everything else in my smoothies. What do you recommend as a substitute for frozen bananas to add the creamy texture to smoothies?
Frozen berries are great to add volume, sweet taste, good fiber and thickness to smoothies. I like frozen raspberries best – but blackberries work very well too. And blueberries are tasty too!
I have an allergy to casein, the protein in dairy, that causes a terrible rash. Is there a diary free version of this recipe?
Yes, you can make this protein powder dairy-free by leaving out the dry milk powder. But you will be also cutting out a major source of protein, so make your smoothies with a soy milk instead of almond or another dairy-free milk. As soy milk has more protein than other dairy-free milks.
Hi Serena, glad I found your recipe. I’ve always detested the Sucralose sweetner added to most every protein powder available, so this is great. One question though. I’m trying to go very low carb, so I’d like a substitute for the Oats. Any suggestions? Thanks. 🙂
Oats are a key part of this recipe because they are the natural thickener. They plump up and make smoothies thicker. But of course you can leave them out. The protein content will be slightly lower too, but not significantly. Thanks for visiting Robert!
UH…what about vitamins, minerals, AMINO acids? No good for anyone trying to prevent or to build any amount of muscle. This is a “milk shake”!
Correction to my previous post. It should read not good for anyone trying to PREVENT muscle loss or for those who are trying to build muscle during a weight loss program. Thanks
The amino acid leucine (found in the whey protein of dry milk powder) is also one of the best to help prevent sarcopenia – or muscle loss occurring with age.
Actually, the leucine amino acid found in dry milk powder is one of the best amino acids for building muscle.
Interested to try. Protein powder has high whey protein. just wondering since dry milk contain higher casein than whey protein, will adding the almond increase the whey protein level in the overall mixture?
Almonds add plant-based proteins and healthy fats. Thanks for visiting Anna.
i am a teenager with impropered growth of body,can this help me in gaining some height as my parent’s height is good but i lacked the right amount of protein which should be consumed.can a teenager drink protein shake.can this shake help me in doing so
Check with your doctor or schedule an appointment with a registered dietitian to check about growth, Saurabh. But yes, this is a good protein powder for a teen.
Serena
You are correct but it is only ONE. We need more than that.
What if I use fresh skim milk? What are the ratios and proportions of each ingredient?
1/3 cup of dry milk powder + 1 cup milk = 1 cup skim milk. So if you want to make 1 smoothie, use 1 cup skim milk, about 1.5 Tablespoons ground oats and 1.5 tablespoons ground almonds.
What would be a good sweetener for this recipe? I plan on making this today, but I want to make it as healthy as possible and I’m not exactly sure what sort of sweetener to use. Any ideas?
Angie, I just use sugar or honey. I add both when I make my smoothies because if you make a banana smoothie, you won’t need sweetener. If you make a vanilla one (with only vanilla extract, milk and protein powder, you probably will. You can also use artificial sweetener or stevia.
It makes sense!!! my mother used to feed us the powder milk blended with fruit, and it was delicious. I will definitely be trying this recipe and will add a cup of spinach for more fiber and extra protein.
Spinach in a smoothie with fruit would be great with my protein powder! Thanks for the idea Maria.
Can you used this homemade protein powder in bake goods or pancakes/ waffles recipes???
Yes! Thanks for asking Jay! Check out my post on Which Protein Powder is Best for Baking? You may sub my Homemade Protein Powder for any of the powders mentioned in this post. The results will be very good.
HI
thank you so much for this recipe. i was looking for cheaper options for protein powder.
can i use this powder with water after workout?
or should it be used with milk?
Yes, Jessica. You could mix this into water after a workout. To make it tastier, I would add a bit of sweetener and maybe a few berries you could pack. Shake everything together in a portable smoothie shaker, or wide-mouthed water bottle, and add ice if they have it at your gym. Thanks for stopping by!
Am I the only one who’s name brand blender doesn’t mix the dry mix together wel when prepping the mix? Finding I have to pulse & stir repeatedly.
Thanks for visiting Frank. So sorry for your troubles. I have an inexpensive blender, but have never had this issue. You may try roughly chopping the almonds first, before blending with the oats and dry milk.
It is high carb?
18 carbs per serving.
Hi there
Can you tell me how many carbs per serve
Hi there,
Just seen the carb count 18 carbs per serve !!!!
Is there any way I can lower the carb count to 4grm per serve !!!!!
Thanks D
D, I’m afraid you’d have to trade out this natural recipe for a packaged protein powder. The milk naturally contains carbs, which if you do any endurance training is needed for fuel and refuel. Milk powder contains a good balance of whey protein and carbs. But thanks for the question and for visiting!
Do you think this would work if I substituted organic pumpkin seeds for the almonds? I have peanut/tree nut allergies in my house.
Pumpkin seeds do not have as much protein as almonds. But I’ll bet they would be delicious in this protein powder! Thanks for visiting Alicia!
Hey there Serena. Awesome wrk! I have been searching for a homemade recipe for soo long as protein powders are expensive here. I wanted to ask something. What if i dont have a nonfat powder? Can i substitute it with whole milk powder or atleast slim or lowfat milk powder? Nd yes can i add hemp seeds for more protein content? Nd what will be the total protein content if add the hemp seeds? Thank you and pls reply soon.
Yes, you can absolutely add whole milk powder or lowfat milk powder. Hemp seeds would be a great addition. I would start by adding 1/4 cup (about 40 grams) of hemp seed to the blender with the other ingredients. If you get 10 servings out of the protein powder, as specified in the recipe, each serving would have an additional 1.3 grams of protein. My recipe has 8 grams of protein per serving. So with the addition of hemp seeds, a serving would have 9.3 grams of protein.
Thanks for this recipe !!
I want to ask that can this protein powder help me to gain muscles ?? As I am a teenager with a lean body !!
I also want to state that I eat a lot of healthy food but it gets hard for me to gain muscles !!
This protein powder is a great source of healthy protein. Also try adding eggs to meals. They are also a source of complete, high-quality protein.
Hi, I have an autistic son who will only eat toast and cereal and drink apple juice and milk. I would love to give him protein powder in milk, but nothing store bought has worked, I believe its cause of the flavor. Do you have any suggestions on a protein powder I can make that may work?
I can imagine it can be a challenge to find foods for your son to enjoy. Try this Homemade Protein Powder. When you blend it in the blender, make sure to get the almonds perfectly ground to a powder so they have no crunchy texture.
Hi!
Love this recipe! Can’t wait to try it out! Had a idea for a sub on the milk powder, maybe dry soy powder would work for those lactose people?
Let me know if it works Lanie. I haven’t tried it. Thanks so much for visiting Lanie!
Can I add soya chunks in it to get more protien??
Soya chunks is what we call textured vegetable protein in the US, I believe. I’ve never thought to add TVP to a smoothie, or to protein powder. If the soya chunks blend up in the blender, it may work in this. However, you will need to keep the protein powder in the refrigerator or freezer as the soya chunks will not stay fresh if left on the counter in the protein powder. If you don’t add the soya chunks (or TVP) you do not need to refrigerate this protein powder. Thanks for visiting Shantanu!
Okay thanks a ton. I am using your recipe from last couple of weeks and I am getting a good result. Thanks you so much for such a wonderful recipe ☺️
Hey I am from india and want to know if instead of instant dry milk can I use normal milk powder or soy milk powder will that work?
I’m afraid I don’t know what milk powder is. But it sounds similar to instant dry milk. I have never used soy milk powder, but it would probably work too. However, it does not have as much protein as dairy milk powder. And it has a much lower leucine content. Thanks for visiting.
Serena, thank you so much for this recipe! I have been looking for an affordable protein shake mix for a long time and most importantly one that didn’t have gobs of ingredients that can’t be pronounced. I found some that have minimal ingredients but they’re pricey. This is a beautiful recipe you’ve created. My son practically lives on protein shakes and favors the boosty drinks but I loathe the long list of ingredients and I don’t know what they’re doing to his little body. They’re definitely not helping him gain weight.
I’m going to whip some of this up with cocoa/cacao in it because he’s crazy for chocolate.
I have gobs of pecans right now, do you think they’d be a good substitute for almonds for the time being? I’m so excited to try this recipe. Thank you again. This is an answer to a prayer.
Oh good! Thanks so much for taking the time to write! (: Pecans would be wonderful it this Homemade Protein Powder. The protein content would be slightly lower, but your son would still be getting protein and several good fatty acids and lots of important nutrients.
Thank you so much!!
Would you get the same effect for a breakfast smoothie with, no added sugar almond milk, plus the oats and which ever fruit you wanted, i.e. Blueberries, or is the almond milk too high in fat.
Forgive my ignorance, but i thought that if you didn’t want to make a whole batch of protein powder, maybe this would work. Or have i got it wrong.
Almond milk beverage + blueberries + oats would be a tasty drink, but it would not be as high in protein as the same drink with my Homemade Protein Powder added. The Protein Powder contains protein from milk and almonds (almond milk contains almost no protein, which is surprising, but true.) One of the best protein sources for building muscle is the amino acid leucine, which is in the milk powder in my Homemade Protein Powder. I hope you get to try it soon, Chris!
Can you just grind the almonds and oats and then just mix in the dry milk? My blender kept sticking so that’s what I have done..
That’s a good idea. That’s unfortunate your blender stuck. Usually when you add just part of the non-fat powdered milk, it doesn’t stick. Maybe your milk is a higher milk-fat?
Hi- I’m excited to try this! I’m wondering if I could use the almond pulp that’s left over from making almond milk in place on the sliced almonds. A few questions re: pulp vs sliced almonds: Would I be losing nutritional value by using the pulp? Would the pump be too wet? Thanks for the insight!
Thanks for visiting Beth. I have never made almond milk from almonds. So I’m only guessing. But i’ve heard you can dry out almond pulp in the oven on a sheet pan. This makes it into a sort of almond flour. If this is the case, then yes, you could use in this protein powder. But I would caution you to store the powder in the refrigerator, as I’d never be sure if the almond ‘flour’ was totally dried out. If not, the protein powder wouldn’t be fresh if stored in the pantry. Also, I’m not sure of the nutrient content of almond pulp, but my guess is that some of the protein goes into the ‘milk.’ So I don’t think the final protein powder protein content would be as high when made with almond pulp.