I'm a big fan of soft-serve ice cream. Especially if it's the salted caramel kind, in a sugar cone.

Every so often I will enjoy a pint of frozen goodness after a tough resistance training workout.

Problem is, dairy makes me feel downright awful. So, over my adult life I've messed around with different meal-replacement shake recipes in an attempt to achieve an ice-cream-like consistency.

In this lesson you'll learn how to make a delicious protein shake.

On an unrelated note, if tomatoes are fruit does that mean ketchup is a smoothie?

Dairy-Free Chocolate Protein Smoothie

For years I struggled with nightly ice cream cravings.

I love a good scoop of gelato as much as the next guy. But, with all of that added sugar and calories, it's not exactly going to help you get lean.

But protein smoothies? That's a whole different story.

They're creamy, delicious, and packed with protein, so you can satisfy your sweet tooth without sabotaging your diet.

And the best part? You can add all sorts of flavors, from berries to chocolate to peanut butter, so you never get bored.

So go ahead, give it a shot. Trade in that pint of Ben & Jerry's for this protein smoothie recipe and see how good you feel.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 frozen organic banana, peeled and sliced
• 4 cups organic baby spinach
• 5-10 fresh mint leaves
• 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
• 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
• 1/2 lemon (squeeze the juice)
• 1 cup almond milk
• 4 cups ice

DIRECTIONS:

Grab your heavy-duty blender. Add the almond milk, frozen banana slices, spinach, mint leaves, protein powder, and cinnamon.

Now squeeze some fresh lemon juice into the mix. Be sure to strain the seeds.

Blend everything together for one minute. Finally add the ice and blend again.

Why add the ice at the end, you ask? It allows you to use less liquid, resulting in a thicker soft-serve-ice-cream-like consistency.

It's about 300 calories; however, this will change based on what ingredients you add or subtract.

If you're cool with dairy, try this delicious chocolate whey protein powder.

If you like this tasty concoction, please share.

Something else for you.

Fitness on your own is challenging. It's especially tough to train smart, eat mindfully, and get enough rest.

And can you maintain the healthy habits required for long-term success?

But what if I told you we have a solution where you can get leaner, stronger, and happier?

We're looking for a few over-40 men and women who want to join us for our 14-Day Fat Flush.

No, this is not some generic workout DVD. These are on-demand coaching sessions, led by yours truly, especially for over-40 men and women who want to jump start fat loss.

We made them available 24/7 to accommodate your busy schedule. Your expert coach is right there the whole time, telling you what and how to do it.

Plus you'll learn modifications for common injuries, varying ability levels, or equipment limitations.

The best part? With on-demand coaching sessions, you can train as early as you choose.

The early bird gets the worm, right? Or do your workout later in the day, if you are too busy in the morning.

Just remember to treat your training session as an important "meeting" on your calendar.

Give it high priority and you will reap the rewards of following a smart training plan.

Rewards like less chance of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

I hope you can join us.

If you're still on the fence and unsure, go here to learn more about the 14-Day Fat Flush.

We'll send you all the details after you read this letter.

To your success,

Coach Joe

Joseph Arangio helps 40+ men and women lose weight, gain strength, and slow aging. He's delivered over 100,000 transformation programs to satisfied clients around the globe. If you want to increase longevity with the best online age-management program, or you want to visit the best age-management program in the Lehigh Valley, you can take a free 14-day trial.