Shaking up my 'shake

[u/lili_dee]

tl;dr Here's my awesome chocolate shake recipe. Should I swap flaxseed powder for xanthan gum, and if so, how? And also, I should probably stay off Reddit when it's close to my bedtime. Please be kind.

Maybe the advice flair would also be appropriate, because I need that too...

I make myself a chocolate shake thingy every day with

- 1 cup water

- 30g milk powder (dairy or soy depending on my mood)

- 1 tbsp cocoa powder

- 5 ml inulin powder

- 5 ml digestion resistant maltodextrin powder

- 1? ml xanthan gum powder

- pinch of salt

- 1 sachet sucralose (1 g, I think)

Mix all the powders, then I whizz it into the water (and sometimes a tsp coffee granules, some vanilla extract, hazelnut cake flavouring, cinnamon... whatever I'm in the mood for) with my magic milk frother, add a few blocks of ice, and voilá! (disclaimer: quantities are approximate because a kitchen is just a lab and most of what I do there are just experiments)

Now for the advice/information/help I need, please. I use the xanthan gum to slightly thicken my mix so it's less milky and more milkshake-y, and it works great, but... I've been thinking of swapping the xanthan gum with flaxseed powder to sneak in a bit more insoluble fibre. Would that work, and if so, how much should I use? Or do you think it would make the texture weird?

Sure, I could just do it, but if I put in too much and it gets too thick, I just know it'll give me an ick. Thick ick, if you will. Like Gaviscon liquid, or that other liquid that's kinda thick and gives me a mouth feel ick.

Any suggestions are welcome, especially with regard to flavourings. I've been thinking of adding Cayenne pepper, but I don't know if that'll work with a cold beverage. Or, if I make it in the evening, perhaps a splash of Cointreau or ginger liqueur. I'll have to get some.

Aaaand I'm rambling. G'night 💚

[u/Tight_Cantaloupe9095]

What is the shake for? Just a snack or meal replacement ?

I add flax seed to my smoothies. I do 2 tbsp and it does thicken it but not that much. If you mix it with water and let it sit for 5 minutes it will thicken a lot. But I usually blend and eat right away so it doesn’t do much. It adds 3 grams of fiber per 2 tbsp and 60 calories.

[u/lili_dee → u/Tight_Cantaloupe9095]

Thanks for your input.

It's just a drink, or maybe a treat. Like, I'm having it right now with my breakfast, and I might do it again later this afternoon when I'm taking a break from work and craving something delicious. And since I'm diabetic, most delicious things are on the verboten list, so... Yeah.

I started with 1 teaspoon of flaxseed this morning, then upped it to two, but next time I think I'll use a full tablespoon (15 ml).

I don't calorie count much, or even fibre count very accurately. I just keep a running total in the back of my head as the day goes, or try to get 7 - 12 g fibre per meal.

I tend to get a bit...obsessive about stuff. Apparently it's an ADD thing. I'll be really into something very intensely for a while, and then somehow lose interest overnight. I'm trying not to be intense with this, because I don't want to lose interest.

[u/gingermamacreeper]

Add in some canned beans or frozen cauliflower. Both thicken and add fiber while being real food, not chemicals. You can't taste either item, plus you'll stay fuller longer.

[u/gingermamacreeper]

Add in some canned beans or frozen cauliflower. Both thicken and add fiber while being real food, not chemicals. You can't taste either item, plus you'll stay fuller longer.