In fall, everyone craves a pumpkin spice latte, and with winter comes the peppermint hot mocha. It’s now March and that means it’s time for a classic SHAMROCK SHAKE!! You can make this healthy homemade shamrock shake recipe in less than five minutes.
Shamrock Shake with mint, spinach and protein! In fall, everyone craves a pumpkin spice latte, and with winter comes the peppermint hot mocha. It’s now March and that means it’s time for a classic SHAMROCK SHAKE!! You can make this healthy homemade shamrock shake recipe in less than five minutes.
The Shamrock Shake is a creamy, mint chocolate milkshake was introduced by McDonald’s in the 1970s and has now become a tradition on St. Patrick’s Day. I’m one of those people who marks my seasons based on the seasonal foods so I’m all about the concept of a festive Shamrock Shake. What I’m not about is the long ingredient list full of things I can’t even pronounce. That led to this homemade Shamrock Shake Smoothie recipes!
What’s In The Shamrock Shake?
You are what you eat. I’m sure you’ve heard this saying many times and you’ve probably realized by now that some ingredients just make your body feel better. The McDonalds Shamrock Shake is basically a concoction of syrup, ice cream, whipped cream, and maraschino cherries. There are over 50 ingredients in a single Shamrock Shake! These ingredients include artificial dyes and preservatives, along with high fructose corn syrup, and a medium-sized drink comes out to 600 calories.
Shamrock Shake with mint, spinach and protein! In fall, everyone craves a pumpkin spice latte, and with winter comes the peppermint hot mocha. It’s now March and that means it’s time for a classic SHAMROCK SHAKE!! You can make this healthy homemade shamrock shake recipe in less than five minutes.
What Makes My Version Healthier?
Healthy is a subjective term. To me, healthy means consuming ingredients that are made with whole foods, simple ingredients, and make me feel good. Loading up on preservatives can be tasty at first but can leave me feeling lethargic and drained in a matter of a few hours. By swapping out the dyes and preservatives for more wholesome and nutritious ingredients, I set myself up for success!
- The Green Color: Instead of using artificial green coloring, we add in a little bit of spinach. Just a little bit, not even enough for you to taste! I promise, it gives the same color, and you WILL NOT TASTE IT. Spinach is extremely nutritious and it packs high amounts of vitamin C, folic acid, iron, and calcium. Even though we’re not using too much, this is a great ingredient to add in those micronutrients first thing in the morning before a long day of work.
- The Creaminess: Don’t get me wrong, vanilla ice cream is delicious, but it’s not exactly what I have in mind for breakfast. Instead, I use a frozen banana to give that creaminess while also giving my energy for the day ahead. A banana will also power you up for the day and provide you with nutrients like potassium that will help replenish and grow your muscles.
- The Mint Flavor: Rather than using a sugary syrup with complicated ingredients, we use pure peppermint extract! You can find it at literally any grocery store in the spices aisle. It’s completely natural.! McDonald’s syrup includes things like High Fructose Corn Syrup, Glycerin, Xantham Gum, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate (preservative), Yellow 5, Blue 1. My recipe just calls for some plain, simple, and pure peppermint extract!
Tips And Tricks:
- Since the flavor of peppermint extract can vary from brand-to-brand, you may want to start off with just 1/8 teaspoon. Add to taste to ensure you don’t over-do it. The extract can be very potent which is why it is important to start off with less and work your way to perfection!
- DON’T USE A NON-FROZEN BANANA! A frozen banana really adds to the creaminess and richness and help give the shake its milkshake-like texture.
- Protein powder is completely optional, but can be a great way to boost your protein intake for the day. If you leave it out, you can also add almond butter to make this more filling.
Not sure what to do with the extra frozen bananas? Make my favorite Coffee Smoothie Recipe!
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Healthy Shamrock Shake Smoothie (high protein!)
- Total Time: 5
Description
Healthy Shamrock Shake, Girl Scout Thin Mint Smoothie… call this mint chocolate smoothie what you want, but it’s delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 Frozen Banana
- 3/4 cup Milk of Choice
- 1/8–1/4 tsp Peppermint Extract (or 4 Mint Leaves)
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
- 1 Handful Spinach
- 1 Scoop Vanilla Protein Powder
- 1–2 tsp cocoa powder
- Sweetener, optional and to taste
- 1–1.5 cups ice
Instructions
Add everything except the ice to a blender. Blend until completely smooth and you can’t see any specs of spinach – this is key for the shamrock shake experience. Add in the ice and blend for 1-2 minutes until creamy. Garnish with fun green sprinkles and enjoy!
- Prep Time: 5