Shamrock Shake Smoothie
Shaking up St. Patrick’s Day with a healthy version of the iconic vanilla mint treat that only comes in March.
My kids (and I) all are obsessed with the ridiculously chemical loaded McDonald’s Shamrock Shake. This smoothie version doesn’t entirely replace it, but it gives it a good run for sure. Loaded with super healthy ingredients and a lasting minty vanilla flavor, maybe this is what we need?
I have found that frozen chopped spinach blends into smoothies better than fresh, likely because it is pre-cooked before packaging. Feel free to substitute if you only have fresh, or you can also make it without – there are plenty of healthy ingredients around it.
Shamrock Shake Smoothie
A healthy version of the iconic vanilla mint shake
Equipment
- blender
Ingredients
- 1 cup vanilla coconut milk, unsweetened any milk will work here
- 1/2 avacado
- 1 frozen banana
- 1/4 tsp pure peppermint extract
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup chopped frozen spinach optional
- 1 cup ice
- 1-2 Tbsp honey
- pinch kosher salt
- chocolate chips and mint leaves for garnish
Instructions
- In a blender, combine all ingredients (aside from chocolate chips and mint for garnish) and blend on medium speed for about 1-2 minutes, making sure to get rid of all green specs from the spinach. This often takes 2 full minutes.
- Top with fresh mint leaves and chocolate chips, if desired.
Notes
I find that cooked chopped frozen spinach works better in smoothies vs. fresh, as it tends to blend into the base more consistently.
Winter Citrus Immunity Smoothie
A delicious winter smoothie to boost your immune system, and wake up your taste buds!
It’s January, a month when everyone seems to focus more on nutrition and wellness, even in a normal year. Add to that a colossal surge in viral cases in this seemingly endless pandemic, and you have the makings for an over the top desire for overall health. This smoothie fits the times perfectly. I first made this two years ago, from this recipe and immediately fell in love. https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/immune-boosting-winter-citrus-smoothie/.
This smoothie perfectly balances all the flavors and delivers a huge punch of vitamin c – something we all could use more of these days! Berries and mangoes make things sweet, while ginger and cayenne bring the heat, and the pomegranate and orange juices pull everything together.
If you are making this for someone who won’t like the heat, you can add more honey, and omit the cayenne and turmeric. I would still suggest using the ginger, but you could lighten the amount.
Winter Citrus Immunity Smoothie
A zingy blend of winter citrus, ginger, turmeric, raspberries and beets to boost your immune & digestive systems.
Equipment
- blender
Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen mango chunks
- juice of one lemon
- 3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric (you can use less)
- 1/4 tsp cayenne (optional)
- 1-2 tsp freshly grated ginger root
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1 small red beet, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup frozen raspberries
- 1 cara cara or navel orange, peeled and segmented
- 1/2 cup pomegranate juice
- pom seeds and ground nutmeg for topping
Instructions
- This smoothie is made in two batches to preserve color and make it fun. First, blend the mango chunks with the lemon and orange juice, turmeric, cayenne ginger, and honey. Pour into two glasses to form the base layer.
- Rinse out the blender, then make the red batch, blending the beets, raspberries, segmented orange, and pomegranate juice. Top the glasses with the second layer, stir a bit to combine if desired. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and ground nutmeg.
Notes
This smoothie is from Tieghan Girard's Half Baked Harvest. It leans on the spicy side, so adjust for your own tastes, and you can omit the cayenne and turmeric completely if you wish - they do, however, offer great digestive properties for gut health.
If you are new to using beets, make sure you have a piece of parchment paper to protect your cutting board when chopping, as the juices will stain easily.
