St. Patty’s Mint smoothie
When I was in grade school, my mom would take me to baton practice once a week, and afterwards we would have dinner at McDonald’s. The memory of their famous Shamrock Shake, which is only available around St. Patrick’s Day, evokes nostalgic feelings for a time when I didn’t know what high-fructose corn syrup was.
While I can’t justify spending my calories on a Shamrock Shake today, I suspected there was a way to enjoy this memory without the guilt, so I spent some time refining a protein-rich smoothie that reminds me of the good old days. My St. Patty’s Mint Smoothie is still sweet and minty, but packed with nutrients like:
Heart-healthy monounsaturated fats
Detoxifying glutathione
Probiotics
Calcium
Pea protein
Vitamin A
Hope you enjoy my grown-up version of this childhood treat!
St. Patty’s Mint smoothie
Ingredients
½ cup milk of your choice (unsweetened)
½ cup plain Greek or coconut yogurt
2 Tbsp agave syrup (or a natural sweetener of your choice; optional)
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
½ avocado
2 ½ Tbsp finely chopped mint leaves
10-12 ice cubes
Instructions
Rinse and finely chop mint leaves before measuring.
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth, adding milk if the consistency is too thick.
Garnish with fresh mint leaves if desired.
TIP: If the ingredients get “stuck” and the blender doesn’t seem to be making progress, you can stop the blender and mix the ingredients with a wooden spoon and blend again, or gradually add more milk. I like a thick smoothie, so I’m careful not to add too much liquid unless it’s necessary.
