Hot cocoa with chocolate protein powder makes my post-workout life infinitely better

I think of my chocolate protein powder the same way I think of kale: a necessary nutrition evil. The taste isn’t exactly like Nutella, the texture leaves much to be desired, and the after-taste—gah, don’t get me started. But alas, I’m into the post-workout tonic—which I gulp down with 8 ounces of water whilst holding my nose—for the influx of nutrients in each sip. I’m so invested, in fact, that I recently found a more appetizing way to lap up all the benefits of the bottled dust. Two words for you: hot cocoa.

While staring into the cold, clumpy contents of a shake last week, I sighed dramatically to myself and thought: “If only this were warm, filled with marshmallows, and didn’t taste vaguely like chilled chalk.” Then, in a eureka moment, I heated up some almond milk and poured in my usual scoop of chocolate plant-based protein. I took one sip, then another sip, sizing up my gourmet creation. “This is good,” I told myself. (It was a solid B+.) “This could still be better,” I decided. (An A- would be nice.)

While staring into the cold, clumpy contents of a shake last week, I sighed dramatically to myself and thought: “If only this were warm, filled with marshmallows, and didn’t taste vaguely like chilled chalk.”

Sure that someone somewhere in cyberspace would have taken the time to trial-and-error their way to a blog-worthy protein hot cocoa, I Googled. A website called Food Coach Me suggests adding a just a dash of unsweetened cocoa powder. And everyone, that was it. The sour richness of the cocoa powder masks the plastic-y bite of the protein powder perfectly. Still sporting my drenched leggings, I settled down at my dining room table to truly savor my cup’s contents. Julia Child once said: “I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate.” To riff off the kitchen maven: “I was 22 when I started enjoying hot cocoa with protein powder; up until then, I just endured it.”

If you’re vegan, here’s how to make sure you’re eating enough protein. Plus, how to field unwanted questions from your relatives about your diet, according to Rachel Brathen.