NEW! Green Apple Moose Juice (Online)

I was just leaving my house the other day for the gym when I spotted a note through my letterbox from a courier, who had assumed I was out and had left a parcel in our safe place. Goddamnit Bert, I asked you if you were expecting something and you said no! I quickly had to retract my nagging thoughts though when I found a box with my name on, bound together by Muscle Moose tape. What could it be? I didn’t know that they were sending me anything. The weights would have to wait. I needed to know what the mystery parcel contained…

A case of Moose Juice Extreme Energy, and their new green apple flavour at that! Now I’ve seen their energy drinks on many Instagram feeds but haven’t tried any before. I was excited by them though, especially given that my weekly Friday morning treat is a can of Monster Ultra to kick-start my lecture.

For those of you who also haven’t tried Moose Juice, I’ll let Muscle Moose fill you in:

“Moose Juice Extreme Energy is a sparkling energy drink with added BCAAs and B-Vitamins. Low calorie, zero fat and zero sugar – Moose Juice is your new best friend for an energy boost without the crash.”

Each can contains 200mg of caffeine, 8mg of vitamin B6, and just 15kcal.

I’m not fond of having fizzy drinks before working out, and I’m trying to cut down my caffeine consumption in the afternoon, so I decided to wait until the following morning before opening a Moose Juice. I cracked open the first cold can just when I needed the extra energy after walking the dog and settling down to do uni work.

I expected the liquid to be green, but instead it was clear. Flavour-wise the apple was a balanced mixture between sour and sweet (despite the lack of aspartame).  I could taste the taurine in the background though, so imagine a Red Bull-Apple Tango hybrid and you’ll have a fair idea of what to imagine.

I didn’t expect my face to tingle though, which it did. At the time I wondered if I was imagining it, but whilst writing this up I read the warning: ‘Long term intake of 10mg of vitamin B6 may lead to mild tingling and numbness’. I don’t take any additional vitamins (anymore) but it happened again when I had my second can yesterday morning -alongside my Peanut Butter Cup Muscle Mousse proats. It didn’t last long so I don’t imagine it’s anything to worry about, but for those of you who are on extra vitamins or are sensitive to vitamin B6, it might be something worth bearing in mind.

As an energy drink it’s rather good, and the extra BCAAs are welcome too (especially the day after leg day 😉). Moose Juice is also available in Blue Raspberry & Berry, and is available in cases from their website as well as in single can format from reputable retailers such as CNSport.

8/10

Thank you Muscle Moose for the samples!

NEW! Muscle Moose Protein Pancakes & 1 Minute Mug Cakes (Online)

A couple of weeks ago I received a message from Muscle Moose who said that they would really like to send me some goodies. I certainly wasn't going to turn down an offer like that, especially given how much I enjoyed their peanut butter cup protein mousse. I then heard through the grapevine that MM were launching mug cake and pancake mixes. Hmm. I've tried a few protein cakes and pancake mixes over the past few months (including my homemade versions) and so it felt a little like they were late to the game. I found myself wondering what MM could add to the market.

When the delivery arrived early this week I was pleased though on a few accounts:

1. It was the first time I'd come across a large multipack bag of cake mix
2. The macros for both pancakes and cakes were pretty damn good
3. They're GOLDEN SYRUP flavoured!

Good shout MM. Golden syrup is so under appreciated! If by any chance you've read my rant in the Weetabix Additions post you'll know how much we value the golden syrup in my house. Also the flavour makes for a very good base for adding toppings and/or fillings.

Protein Pancakes

"Muscle Moose Protein Pancakes are what breakfast was invented for. These extra fluffy, easy to make pancakes are a taste sensation. The world is your oyster when it comes to toppings – fresh berries, banana, peanut butter and more (not oyster though, no one wants that for breakfast!) – a perfect way to start your day!"

With over 26g of protein in every 50g (dry mix weight) serving and only 194kCal, these pancakes are little powerhouses. Instructions are similar to those on the Flapjacked pack: simply add 75ml water and mix.

The pancakes aerated as they cooked, turning a lovely tan colour. They didn't stick to the pan either and were easy to flip. I made 6 scotch sized pancakes from one serving and topped them with sugar free maple syrup and fresh raspberries.

The pancakes were soft and fluffy, with a good texture and gentle syrupy sweetness. I could taste the protein powder but it wasn't off-putting.

Good macros, easy to make and a decent flavour. They're more expensive than flapjacked but contain more protein and much lower carbs. My only complaint is that they didn't fill me up for very long (flapjacked was better for that due to the oat content) but MM's protein pancake mix is good as a snack.

8/10
Macros per 50g serving: kCal:184 P:26.2 /C: 13.1 / F: 3.7

1 minute mug cakes

"Muscle Moose Mug Cakes are your high protein, gluten free daily treat of fluffy cakey goodness! There’s no need to wait for after dinner to enjoy this cake mix – it’s a great snack any time of day. Even better, no baking is required so you’ll be saving time and increasing your protein intake – everyone wins!"

It's a shame that the old school puddings have fallen out of favour really. Golden syrup sponges and treacle tarts are desserts of beauty but often fall by the wayside in favour of salted caramel everything. I was therefore thrilled when I opened the bag of cake mix and was greeted with the most delicious nostalgic hit of syrup. Mmm.

Each cake serving contains just 186kCal, with 20g of protein. The instructions suggest adding 50-60ml of water to 50g of the mix, whisk, and microwave for 60 seconds. Simple.

Except of course I decided to be fancy and full my first cake with sliced banana and Hershey's caramel sauce.

The smell that emanated was almost unbearable in its in-toxicity. Fortunately I didn't have to wait long to dig in. 60 seconds wasn't quite long enough in my paltry little microwave, but 70 did the trick.

Mmm. The gooey cake was simply scrummy. I was at once transported back to the days of cold winters evenings and comforting puds, and I instantly wished I'd got some Ambrosia to go with it. The texture was soft and squidgy and the flavour was powerful. It was everything I hoped for and more.

9/10
Macros per serving: 186kCal P:20.1 /C:16.1 /F: 3.8

Summary
Bravo Muscle Moose. The pancakes are good but the cakes are even better. I can't wait for more flavours to come out. Both 500g packs contain 10 servings and are now available to buy from Muscle Moose's website.

Thank you for the samples Muscle Moose!

Peanut Butter Cup Muscle Mousse (CN Sport)

A couple of months ago I was perusing Instagram during a very dull PR lecture when I spotted a very good deal on short dated quest bars in my local sports nutrition store CN Sport, swiftly followed by another offer on USN's protein mousse.

I didn't know much about USN's mousse, but had spotted Muscle Mousse so often on Instagram that I decided to give it a whirl -especially as Conor (the owner of CN Sport) was offering it at such a good price. The strawberry and white chocolate USN mousse is utterly fab, tasting just like Angel Delight, so it wasn't long before the temptation to try Muscle Mousse took hold -not least because they sell a peanut butter cup flavour! I bade my time and waited for the Black Friday deals, and luckily Conor matched an offer I found. The Moose's Mousse was mine at last!

Muscle Mousse contains 30g of protein per 50g serving from a combination of Micellar Casein, Whey Protein and Egg Albumen -making it ideal to enjoy before bedtime. N.B it also contains gelatin and sweeteners (namely Stevia and Sucralose).

P.S Glittery stars not included in the pack! 

The mixing instructions suggest adding 2 scoops to 150ml water in a shaker bottle, but I've found it mixes much better with a quick whisk, and tastes much better made with milk! Unlike USN's instant mousse, Muscle Moose suggest chilling their made up mousse for at least 30 mins (and consume within 48 hours).

The resulting mousse is fairly dense with a strong and sweet peanut butter flavour. The chocolate is somewhat lost against the nuttiness, but to be honest I didn't really mind. I have to admit that I prefer the fluffier consistency of USN's protein mousse, but it's still an enjoyable treat (and makes a very welcome change from yogurts and shakes).

The very best use I've found for Muscle Mousse however is on my morning porridge. I make and heat my oats as normal, then stir in a single scoop of powder, top up with milk, and reheat. This combination produces the creamiest, most flavourful porridge ever! Adding chopped banana make for an even tastier creation, but the other night I had a brainwave....

How about adding banana and Reese's chocolate? Genius.

I was lucky enough to receive an inordinate supply of Reese's goodies for Christmas, including a giant (141g) heart from my dear Daddio. I topped the peanut butter cup muscle mousse banana proats with a quarter of the peanut butter heart and indulged in the heavenly ecstasy of my creation... easily the best bowl of oats I've ever had.

8/10

Macros per 50g (as sold): P30/C12/F1