Reflex Nutrition Chocolate 3D Protein & Mug Cake Recipe (CNSport)

I've been gradually getting to grips with the different types and brands of protein powders on the market. There's one brand than I feel I can undoubtedly trust to deliver high quality, and that is Reflex Nutrition. For those of you who aren't convinced, hopefully the knowledge that their powders are made at their dedicated Science Park facility here in the U.K and that every batch is tested might go some may to persuade you that nutritional excellence is at the very heart of Reflex's ethos.

 This time I'm reviewing their 3D protein, which is 'the only time-release protein powder to contain Native Whey Protein, Micellar Casein and Egg White Protein in the world' in a 45:45:10 ratio. It's designed to deliver a comprehensive combination of protein to aid both during a workout and in recovery. Reflex's 3D protein contains 360kcal, 80g of protein, 6.5g of carbs (just 0.4g sugars) and 1.6g of fat per 100g. Technically it sounded wonderful, but let's be frank: it's got to taste good too. 

And it does. It doesn't have a super rich chocolate flavour, but it's pretty damn tasty. Given the graduated release of the protein in this powder, I tend to use it in my proats before a workout. 

I've also mixed with it skyr and enjoyed it semi-frozen on hot days and used it to make cakes to munch before bed too. In fact, I've had many people asking how I make my mug cakes, so here's the recipe -which is a slight amendment to the one that Nat gave me (thanks Nat).

Protein Mug Cake Recipe

• 25g Reflex 3D protein
• 10g Coconut Flour
• 1 egg white
• 1/2tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp Xantham gum
• 50ml milk (I use dairy but I imagine that almond would also work)
• A splash of chocolate salted caramel Jordan's skinny syrups.

Simply mix all of the above in a mug/bowl and microwave for 70ish seconds (I have to do it by eye as my microwave doesn't have a digital timer). Then top it with whatever you heart desires... or your macros allow!

9/10

A huge thank you to Reflex for the protein! 3D protein is available from Reflex's website, CNSport and most good sports nutrition retailers.

NEW! Proper Powders Mint Chocolate Whey Protein (Online)

A few weeks ago I was approached by a brand new protein powder company who asked me if I'd like to review their products. Proper Powders pride themselves on only making protein powders made with natural ingredients, using ingredients you can read and understand, so of course I accepted. At the moment they only make and sell whey, but there are plans in the pipeline to increase the range as the company develops. Proper Powders' whey is currently available in four flavours: banana, strawberry, mint chocolate and unflavoured (designed so that you can add your own flavourings). I opted for the most unusual and chose mint chocolate. 

I love Proper Powders' packaging design, which embodies everything the company is aiming to portray, i.e It's clean and simple. The second thing I noticed was the large serving size, so I took a look at the macros -after all that's why many of us buy and use protein. 

That means that per 100g, Proper Powders' Mint Chocolate Whey Protein contains: P:48.9/C:20/F:6.6. Compared to Reflex's Instant Whey Pro (P:80/C:6.4/F:4.5 per 100g) It's considerably lower on protein content, the carbs are much higher, and the fat content is higher too. It's not an issue for me as I use protein to supplement my (non low-carb) diet, and I'd rather have something that tastes good, but it's worth baring in mind.

As soon as I opened the bag I was greeted with the delicious scent of both chocolate and mint . As a shake it tastes delicious, reminding me of a cold mint flavoured options. Be warned though, it does take a lot of mixing to get the clumps out (I used an electric whisk). 

I tried Proper Powders with a couple of recipes as I prefer to eat, rather than drink, my whey. I first tried the classic Beltsander recipe, but as with many of the wheys I've tried before it, the resulting cake was dry and cardboard-like. It does however work really well in porridge, and isn't the slightest bit grainy, hurrah!

Not one to give up, Last night I made a slightly different mug cake using coconut flour and egg whites, which I served warm with Oppo mint chocolate swirl ice cream. Now that, ladies and gentlemen, was delicious.

Proper Powders whey is ideal for those who don't like putting unpronounceable products into their bodies. The mint chocolate whey simply contains: Whey Concentrate, Skimmed milk, maltodextrin, Cocoa, Xylitol, & natural flavouring. The 900g bags contain 20 servings and are currently available for just £22.00 (normally £27.00) direct from their website.

8/10 

A huge thank you to Proper Powders for the sample! 

FlapJacked Buttermilk Protein Pancake & Baking Mix (Online)

I'm not sure if you've heard but It's PANCAKE DAY tomorrow! I'm actually far more excited about it than I ever get about Valentines or Halloween (not Christmas though, that's impossible). Do you prefer a fluffy scotch pancake, thin French Crepe, traditional British lemon & sugar covered cake, or big old stack of American pancakes? I'll happily eat any of the above. Fortunately for me, making pancakes has just been made slightly easier thanks to a delivery of samples courtesy of FlapJackedUK.

FlapJacked is an American brand, now available in the U.K, specialising in ready mixed protein pancakes and muffins. Their philosophy is to create "fibre rich products are made with only the highest quality ingredients such as whole grain oats and coconut flour" and are fortified with whey and pea protein. They're free from artificial colour, flavourings and preservatives to boot. Sounds good to me, but only if they taste as great as they sound..

Now for those of you who aren't aware, Flapjack is the American term for pancakes (they don't have our buttery, syrup laden oat bars the poor things). My parcel of goodies contained a selection of their 'Mighty Muffins' -review to follow- and a bag of their ButterMilk protein pancake and baking mix.

The bag informed me that to make a single serving of FlapJacked pancakes I simply needed to mix 1/2 cup (53g) of powder with 1/3 cup (78ml) of cold water and let rest for a few minutes whilst my griddle (read frying pan) warmed up.

The mixture was thicker than I'd usually make, but had a lovely scent of butter and oats to it. As suggested I cooked the batter for 2-3 minutes before I spotted bubbles appearing and the edges started to crispen. I then flipped them and cooked for the same amount of time. The only change I made to the method was to form 6 smaller pancakes rather than the recommended 3. They were then hastily topped with sugar free maple syrup and a dusting of cinnamon before I hurriedly tucking in.

Ooh they were certainly soft and fluffy. I think I expected a sweeter flavour but I liked the fact that they could be used to compliment savoury toppings too. I imagine maple and bacon would work particularly well with this Buttermilk FlapJacked mix. The smell of the pancakes was hedonistic, and the lingering aroma made me salivate for hours after.

I couldn't beat the ease of these pancakes, and their nutritional values are pretty darn good too. Each single serve contains 20g of protein and 23g of carbs with just 6g of naturally occuring sugar. The packet also gives recipes for using the mix to make waffles and chocolate chip cookies too! FlapJacked also sell a number of different flavoured protein pancakes including the delicious sounding banana & hazelnut, carrot spice and apple & cinnamon, all of which are available here.

8/10

Thank you to FlapJackedU.K for the samples!

Reflex Nutrition Strawberries & Cream 100% Native Whey & Chocolate Peanut Butter 100% Whey

Who knew that there was so many differences in whey protein powder? I realised that there's a million and one different flavours out there, but within that there's also a plethora of types of whey. I'm certainly no expert on the ins and outs of the different proteins, but I know that Reflex is a name I can trust thanks to their precision and expertise - I mean they built their own factory to produce their own powders here in UK and rigorously test every batch, even publishing the results online.

I was very lucky to receive a number of their products to review last year (including their flapjacks, white chocolate & Raspberry R-Bars, protein coffee, diet protein and instant whey). During December I was fortunate to receive another big parcel of goodies from the sports nutrition Kings; including two huge tubs of native whey and 100% whey. 

Strawberries & Cream 100% Native Whey
So what is Native Whey exactly? Reflex say...

"100% Native Whey is a protein shake with a proven 80% protein content, utilising the purest and most natural form of whey protein currently produced.
Reflex Nutrition’s native whey is made from fresh milk, sourced in the EU, from grass-fed cattle. This is the most pure and natural form of whey protein, and it is collected in its native form, created by nature.
Native whey protein contains more branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), up to 16% more L-leucine, more essential amino acids, and nearly 40% more cystine than cheese derived whey.
We’ve gone to great lengths to ensure 100% Native Whey delivers an incredible flavour and mixes easily and instantly. By not using cheese-based whey, our products hit the spot with no strange aftertaste, across a range of flavours."

The smell was really good, reminding me of Strawberry Nesquik -always a good thing! As a shake it mixed easily, and was especially tasty with milk. It's on the sweet side, but that's a bonus for me. Reflex's 100% Native Whey delivers 28g of protein per 35g serving and over 6gs of BCAAs, making it the perfect go-to for post-workout. It even gets the thumbs up from Bert, who now regularly drinks it too -having originally turned his nose up, believing that all whey shakes were grainy and nasty. That's certainly not the case with any of Reflex's powders I've tried.

The only trouble for me, is that it does not take kindly to being heated -which means that proats and variations of beltsander blondies are off the menu (unless you enjoy eating rubber). I have found an alternative to the shakes that does work well though, and I'm slightly addicted to it: protein fluff. If you've never made it, it's the perfect high-volume snack, and a great low calorie, low fat, low sugar and high protein alternative to mousse or ice cream. Simply take:

• 30g Strawberries & Cream 100% Native Whey
• 50ml milk
• 100g frozen fruit (I loved it with frozen raspberries or cherries)
• 10ml Jordans skinny white chocolate syrup.

Pop all the ingredients into a jug/blender and pulse until smooth. Whisk (using an electric mixer on high speed) for 4-5 minutes until fluffy. Like something from Chemistry class at school the mixture grows in size to an unbelievable amount! A great filling and delicious snack.  

9/10

Chocolate Peanut Butter 100% Whey
This whey is available in a wide variety of flavours in both 875g and 2kg tubs, but what is it exactly?

"With 100% Whey Protein, the clue is in the name; it’s a protein shake that delivers 100% of its protein from whey. Only the finest undenatured whey is used, with no added sugars, no amino spiking, and no soy protein, giving you the finest protein to supplement your fitness and sporting efforts.
100% Whey Protein contains over 5g of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) per 24g of protein, which are arguably the most crucial amino acids for athletes. The three BCAAs are balanced at a 2:1:1 ratio of L-Leucine, L-Isoleucine and L-Valine, giving you the perfect equilibrium in every shake. Our whey protein is extracted during the cheese-making process, made with quality fresh milk under EU regulations, from cattle that are free from banned antibiotics and growth hormones."

This didn't smell as great as the fab strawberries and cream Native Whey, but it still smelt rather good with a more potent chocolate flavour. Once again, the whey makes a lovely smooth and sweet shake, which tastes exponentially better when made with milk.

This was another powder that didn't make great proats, as I found that the mixture split slightly, resulting in lumpy porridge -not great. This powder survived being turned into a beltsander brownie though (recipe here) and I found that it tasted best when slightly undercooked (60 seconds instead of the normal 90).

7/10

Both of these Whey Protein Powders are available to buy directly from Reflex's website.

*Once again, a huge thank you to Reflex Nutrition for the samples -and my muscles say thank you too!*