Fuel Your Workout: Peanut Butter Protein Smoothie Recipe

Chef Toni Sakaguchi from the Culinary Institute of America shares a quick and delicious recipe designed to keep athletes energized: the Peanut Butter Protein Power Smoothie. Peanut butter aids athlete recovery by providing protein and other essential nutrients that help repair muscle damage, replenish energy stores, and reduce inflammation. Whether you’re training, recovering, or just looking for a nutritious snack, this smoothie is a simple and satisfying way to fuel your body.

Get the Peanut Butter Smoothie recipe here.

Episode Transcript

(00:03):
[Music]
Welcome to Peanuts in the Plant-forward Kitchen. I'm Ashton Pelum.
Today we're diving into performance nutrition,
specifically how peanuts help fuel athletes at every level.
I'm thrilled to be joined by Chef Toni,
who is going to share some tips for athletes to save fuel, focus, and ready to compete.
Athletes push their bodies to the limit, so what they eat matters. I think you're going to
share a recipe that can help with postgame or post-workout recovery. Is that right?

(00:27):
Yes, that's right. I'm making a protein peanut butter smoothie. This smoothie is perfect for
recovery. Peanut butter aids athlete recovery by providing a combination of protein, good fats,
and other essential nutrients that help repair muscle damage,
replenish energy stores, and reduce inflammation.
Specifically, the protein content supports muscle repair and growth,

(00:48):
while the good fats sustain energy, and contribute to reducing inflammation and muscle soreness.
Wow, Chef Toni, that was really informative.
Can you tell me what else is in the smoothie other than peanut butter?
We have some peanut protein powder that we're going to mix with some
cocoa powder and we're mixing it in a bowl because what'll happen
is if we don't sometimes it'll tend to clump around the sides of the blender.

(01:10):
Okay. And then we also have some frozen bananas.
So, I'm going to put those in here first. And then we have peanut butter. Now,
does it matter how much peanut butter? Or is it to your liking?
It's kind of to your liking. Like if you go too heavy, it'll tend to get really thick,
but you can always add more oat milk if you need. We're going to add in some vanilla extract.

(01:31):
We're going to pour our peanut powder and cocoa mixture on top. Wow. The last thing is
we have some ice and we have some oat milk. And this is so easy. It's so fast to make.
This is like... you wake up late and you have to hurry.
Which I so often do.
Start it on low. Make sure your blend is on low. And then slowly you can crease it. Okay.

(01:53):
All right. And let it ice this thing. All right. And then we're gonna add the ice. Oh,
wow. All right. And that's it! And that's it? That's it.
That was super fast. Now, with all the training and the on-the-go lifestyle,
this looks like a quick and easy way for athletes to get the fuel they need on the go.

(02:14):
Yes. Peanuts and peanut butter are an automatic
go-to because it's shelf stable and helps you sustain your energy without crashing.
Okay. Well, let's give this delicious shake a try.
All right. And cheers. Cheers. Yes. Mm delicious. This is amazing.
Quick, easy, and on-the-go, full of protein and all the nutrients,

(02:37):
huh? Absolutely. Wow. Well, thank you, Chef Toni, for joining us today. Clearly,
peanuts are a powerful player in any athletes meal plan and a secret weapon
for chefs who want to keep their teams energized and ready to win.
Thanks for watching Peanuts in the Plant-forward kitchen. I'm Ashton Pelum. See you next time. And
Chef, before you go, I'm definitely going to need this recipe. [Music]