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Warm up from the inside out with these winter-friendly recovery-drink recipes.
Warm up from the inside out with these winter-friendly recovery-drink recipes. (Photo: fcafotodigital/iStock)

The Best Cold-Weather Protein Drink Recipes

Swap your protein shakes for these cozy beverages packed with protein and electrolytes

Published: 
Warm up from the inside out with these winter-friendly recovery-drink recipes.
(Photo: fcafotodigital/iStock)

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At the end of a long workout, many athletes make a beeline for their聽recovery drink. Beverages like protein shakes and electrolyte mixes are gentler on the stomach than solid foods, and they鈥檙e easy to drink on the go, whether you鈥檙e stretching, driving, or rinsing off.聽 supports the habit, too, showing that beverages with carbohydrates and electrolytes effectively replenish the body after exercise, while protein聽offers an added and can聽improve聽performance the following day.

But classic recovery drinks like chocolate milk, fruit smoothies, and protein blends cater mostly to warm-weather workouts. The last thing you want after a frigid training session is a drink that keeps you shivering. To solve this seasonal dilemma, we asked聽four pros鈥攁 mix of elite athletes and registered dietitians鈥攖o share their best workarounds. Warm up from the inside out with these winter-friendly recovery-drink recipes.

Mocha Spice Recovery Drink

Canadian Olympic marathoner and registered dietitian offers a great post-workout solution for busy athletes: a just-add-water drink mix. 鈥淵ou could make it when you walk in the door, keep it warm in a thermos, or stop somewhere on the way home to get hot water to make it on the road,鈥 DuChene says. It鈥檚 also easy to scale up and make for a group聽or customize to your own flavor preferences.

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon protein powder (vanilla or chocolate work best)
  • 1 teaspoon chocolate-milk powder (or a mix of cocoa powder and sugar)
  • 1 teaspoon skim-milk powder (or whole-milk powder for a creamier drink)
  • 1 teaspoon instant coffee, or omit and use freshly brewed coffee instead of water (below)
  • 1 pinch of your favorite聽spice blend (DuChene uses聽one with ground聽cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and cinnamon)
  • 1 cup boiling water

Directions

Mix dry ingredients in a mug or thermos. Add a few teaspoons of boiling water to form a paste before pouring in the rest of the water. Mix thoroughly. Top with聽warm frothed milk, marshmallows, or whipped cream with sprinkles聽if desired. If you鈥檙e聽working out聽with a group, prepare ahead of time and keep warm on the stove or in a Crock-Pot.

Pumpkin Spice Smoothie

For her wintry spin on post-workout fuel,聽professional marathoner , who is based in Flagstaff, Arizona, keeps the temperature of her beverage聽cold聽but adds festive flavorings. She got the idea for this pumpkin spice smoothie from nutrition coach and recipe developer聽, who helped dial in Bruce鈥檚 nutrition before the 2020 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials,聽where Bruce聽finished sixth. Feel free to swap in your protein powder and milk of choice.

Ingredients

  • 2 to 3 scoops vanilla rice protein powder
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
  • Maple syrup to taste
  • 8 to 10 ounces unsweetened almond milk
  • Dash of nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt
  • 3 to 5 ice cubes

Directions

Blend all ingredients together and enjoy!

Golden Milk Turmeric Latte

Catherine Ward, a registered dietitian for personalized nutrition system聽, centers her recovery latte聽around one star ingredient: turmeric. Golden milk is a traditional Indian beverage, also called haldi doodh, long thought to have healing properties. Turmeric is the only food source of , an anti-inflammatory compound,聽Ward explains,聽and has been shown to aid in oxidative stress reduction. After exercise, it can help reduce muscle damage, decrease soreness, and reduce inflammation. Adjust the sweetness in this聽recipe as you like鈥攋ust don鈥檛 forget the black pepper, which can .

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup milk of choice
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 pinch black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sweetener of choice (honey, syrup, or agave)

Directions

Add the聽ingredients to a small saucepan, and whisk together over medium heat. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let simmer for ten聽minutes. Serve in mugs, and top with a pinch of cinnamon.

Three On-the-Go Options

, an elite runner and registered dietitian in Boulder, Colorado,聽shares her three favorite recovery drinks that can be made in advance or mixed on the spot. Each one is warming, nourishing, and recovery boosting.

Sippable Bone Broth

鈥淏one broth naturally contains collagen, protein, and electrolytes to help rebuild muscle and rehydrate,鈥 Alm says.聽Use this recipe from the Minimalist Baker website聽to聽 if you have time, or try one of Alm鈥檚 recommended brands: , ,聽and the more budget-friendly . Drink steaming hot.

Recovery Hot Chocolate

Hit your post-workout protein needs with Alm鈥檚 hot-chocolate recipe. Simply add a聽scoop of chocolate protein powder (she likes the聽) to eight聽ounces of heated milk, mix well, and sip away.

Hot Apple Cider

Turn this聽winter classic into a recovery-boosting beverage by heating up your preferred version of apple cider鈥攈omemade, premixed, or powdered鈥攁nd then stirring in one to two聽scoops of peptides (try those by 听辞谤听). The carbohydrates from the cider will nudge your recovery forward, while the added collagen聽may support your joint health, too.

Lead Photo: fcafotodigital/iStock

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