What is the epitome of gluttony for you?…
For me, it’s the chocolate malt. My husband was all about the milkshakes until I introduced him to this temptress of a dessert. Now, he has seen the light….
For years, I’ve scoured the web looking for a healthy alternative to using malted milk powder. Lucuma, mesquite, maca…they’ve all made their way into my blender to no avail. I like all of these ingredients well enough, but there’s something a bit off about each of them for me, not to mention they’re all costly and don’t agree with me the best. 🙁
Who would have thought I’d finally perfect the recipe using staples in my home…and NO actual chocolate.
This delicious 'malt' is an incredible facsimile for the traditionally high fat, high sugar variety!
- 3/4 c. almond milk
- 2 T. raw almond butter
- 1 1/2 frozen bananas
- 1/2 room temperature banana
- 1-1 1/2 t. carob powder start with 1 teaspoon and add more if desired (this is what makes it!)
- 1/8 t. almond extract
- 1/2 t. vanilla extract
- dash sea salt
- 8 drops liquid stevia or 1 soft date
- 6 ice cubes the size I use comes from traditional ice cube trays
- Put everything into a high-powered blender, and puree!
The nutrition facts are based on using stevia and 2.5 grams (1 teaspoon) of carob powder. Weight Watchers points (new system): 7
Now, I know this isn’t ice cream and malt powder, but this is a darn fine alternative (and it’s healthy!).
For those of you that may be thinking, ‘I don’t like carob’….let me just say that the amount in here is really only enough to give off a malt taste, rather than a strong ‘earthy’ flavor (just don’t exceed 1 1/2 teaspoons).
For stevia, I’ve really been enjoying this one by Body Ecology…
…if you can see the ingredients list, there are only two: stevia powder and water. No maltodextrin, no ‘flavors’, artificial or natural, and no alcohol! A great find for a bubble girl, such as myself.
What products are you most fond of right now?
Aside from the stevia, I recently purchased a NutriBullet, and it is awesome. I completely pulverizes anything you put into it, and it is easy to clean! I have an array of blenders and processors, but am always looking for something with even more power and capability.
elc says
So obviously malted milk powder is out. But why not use barley malt powder (contained in powdered malted milk) directly?
Claudia says
Mmmmm…. Delicious! I was about to hit the store for some mid-afternoon sweetness and decided to look for a vegan malt recipe. I’m so glad I did! I just used homemade hemp milk instead and skipped the sweetener. Wonderful! Thanks for posting!
Lauren says
Thanks Claudia, I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Matt @ The Athlete's Plate says
Looks delicious!
Gabby @ the veggie nook says
Oh carob, what a magical ingredient it is 😉
I love the flavour, but would totally be down with a malt drink too 🙂
I have a NutriBullet as well and I like it well enough. I do find though that mine is leaking through the bottom now and it’s not so pretty! Still functional but a pain to clean!
Ella says
sounds delicious, i have to try liquid stevia. i tried a stevia powder once and it was so bitter i couldn’t stand to finish my meal. does his one have an aftertaste?
Lauren says
Not that I’ve found, but everyone’s tastes are different. 🙂
Kathryn says
I’m absolutely MAD about carob! I’ve been putting it in everything for ages (I’ve actually been making close to this exact shake for quite a while – it really does make it gloriously malty!)
Michelle @ Eat Move Balance says
I have not messed around with carob powder yet, but I’d like to give it a try. I’ve seen a couple of recipes using it, and I’m intrigued. A product I’m quite fond of right now is erythritol. I finally got around to finding some, and I’ve been liking it as a sweetener that has a different texture than stevia (it’s granulated, which can be nice for certain recipes). Happy Friday!!
Lauren says
I’ve used xylitol before, but not erythritol. I’ve read that both are good if you have candida or blood sugar issues though! Whole New Mom uses it a lot in her recipes if you’re ever searching for some! 🙂
Michelle @ Eat Move Balance says
Thanks! I will check that out! 🙂
Renard Moreau says
[ Smiles ] Lauren, thank you for taking the time to post your recipe for vegan chocolate malted milkshake; I must admit that the ingredients are vegan-friendly!
Kiersten @ Oh My Veggies says
Malt without malt powder?! I am intrigued. 🙂
Lauren says
Hahaha, I hope you try it Kiersten! 🙂
Susan says
This shake sounds wonderful. Too bad the mesquite didn’t work, because I could easily use that – I have a huge supply of mesquite flour that I made from the pods of our two honey mesquite trees. For me it’s only expensive in terms of the labor involved. Anyway, I’m going to save this recipe for when I want malt flavor. Also glad to hear that you found the NutriBullet. I have a regular Magic Bullet and couldn’t live without it (wouldn’t have mesquite flour without it!).
Lauren says
You could still try the mesquite! I seem to react to the store-bought kind, but maybe if I made my own, I’d tolerate it better… Would you mind telling me how you go about making your own? Do you just grind the seeds inside the pod or the entire pod?