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

1. Rinse and finely chop mint leaves before measuring.

2. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth, adding milk if the consistency is too thick.

3. 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.

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