It is tradition to celebrate St. Paddy’s Day in our family…heritage and all, y’know!  (Your name can’t be coleen ann brigit mcelroy hayden…and not recognize your Irish background!)  So while we have a really nice gluten-free ‘almost’ rye bread, and some lovely oven-roasted cabbage steaks to serve with the corned beef and other veggies, this little healthy indulgence fits in perfectly, too!  We enjoyed it in the morning.

So, I have to admit to indulging <in the past!> in a Shamrock Shake or two 😉 from a certain fast food place…uh-huh…you know what i mean!  But that just does NOT fit into our healthier eating lifestyle now…by God’s grace!…and so I took a little peek ‘n see about the nutrition facts (from the manufacturer) for that minty shake of my past.  Can you say “Holy Saint Paddy!”  530 calories, 86 grams of carbs (of which 73 were sugar carbs, mostly corn syrup), and 15 grams of fat in a 16 ounce cup!   If you were here, I would share these healthy but-oh-so-yummy! green minty “shakes” with you!

I think you will find this version equally satisfying and delicious.  I would love to hear from you if you decide to try this recipe!  Enjoy!

Good-for-you Shamrock Shake

ingredients:
1 scoop protein powder
2 cups almond milk (or sub some full-fat coconut milk)
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract (or 2 drops peppermint essential oil)
1 packet of stevia sweetener
1 cup greek yogurt (sweetened or unsweetened, your choice)
1 ripe avocado
2 handfuls of raw spinach
2 very ripe bananas, cut up and frozen
4 or 5 ice cubes

directions:

• start off with the first six ingredients; blend for 10-15 seconds
• pile in the balance of the ingredients and whirl away ‘til nicely blended!

This made more than enough for two big servings; the glasses pictured hold more than 14 ounces each.  You certainly can prepare this shake/smoothie in a standard blender, too. i would suggest doing it in two batches, however, using 1/2 of the ingredients at a time.

Also, check out this link…here are a few other options for making a healthier Shamrock Shake—one includes kale instead of spinach!— (note that some of these do include food coloring).

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

may the road rise up to meet you.
may the wind be always at your back.
may the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields
and, until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen