RECOVERY HOT CHOCOLATE

By Leah Kirchmann, Olympian & professional road cyclist

Riding outdoors these days in Canada is quite chilly, so this is one of my favourite drinks to kick-start my recovery. I discovered this idea a few years ago after struggling to regain my energy after long rides in the cold. This hot drink speeds up the defrosting process and gives me the energy to wash my bike, shower and cook a good lunch.

Ingredients:

• 1 scoop chocolate flavoured protein powder (or add 1 Tbsp cocoa powder to plain protein powder)
• 1 1/2 cups almond milk (or other milk alternative)
• 2 tbsp maple syrup

Instructions:

1. Warm up the almond milk in the microwave or on the stovetop being careful not to scald.
2. Add the protein powder and maple syrup and use a whisk or a blender to mix until smooth. It is better to add the protein powder after heating the milk to prevent it from clumping together.
3. You can also add other flavours like cinnamon or almond extract if you want to be adventurous.

Enjoy!