We all know Shamrock Shakes aren’t healthy for us. I really don’t think anyone orders one thinking they are. And maybe we can even agree that they are somewhat addicting. At least for me, they certainly used to be. In my post, What’s in a Shamrock Shake? I confessed that I used to sneak into McDonald’s on Valentine’s Day with high hopes that maybe they’d have a batch of Shamrock Shakes whipped up and waiting for me. So… why don’t I drink them anymore? I mean, they’re only around once a year, right?
When I realized how many chemicals and horrendous ingredients go into those bad boys to make them bright green and oh-so-addicting, it actually began to gross me out (and still does). For the full rundown on ingredients you can refer to the blog post I wrote last year, but the short story is that they’re full of chemicals and high fructose corn syrup. Lots and LOTS of high fructose corn syrup. To see a visual of the amount of sugar in one of these cool, minty shakes, watch the video and prepare for your jaw to drop.
I decided to make my own green concoction using real food ingredients (because real food always wins). I won’t admit how many tries it took for me to nail this one, but I will say that when my taste-tester (mom) took a spoonful of THIS one, her eyes got wide and she said “Ooo! That almost tastes like McDonald’s!” And on top of that, she went back for another spoonful. (Side note: her reaction to my several previous attempts induced facial expressions reminiscent of biting into a lemon.)
The best news of all? This entire recipe (two servings — it fills a 16 ounce glass) contains only 8 grams of carbohydrates which breaks down to just 2 teaspoons of sugar. (Divide the grams of carbohydrates by 4 to get teaspoons!). Compare this to a medium Shamrock Shake which contains 23 teaspoons; it’s no comparison! There’s lots of healthy fat and hardly any sugar, so it will keep you full and not leave you crashing an hour after. It’s definitely a healthy alternative to the sugary temptation. That said, keep in mind that it’s not quite PFC balanced. It contains healthy fat and a teeny bit of carbohydrate so it counts for a bedtime snack. If you’re having it during the day you can always add a scoop of protein powder and a side of green grapes to make it PFC balanced (and still festive!).
Put all ingredients in a blender (put the ice in last) and blend until smooth.
Enjoy!
Click the button below to grab the guide with for my BEST tips to BUST sugar cravings so that you don’t feel the urge to grab one of the sugary Shamrock Shakes!
Your version sounds delicious! Will have to try! 🙂
Yes, you can sub more coconut milk for the cream! Or coconut cream might even be better. I’m not sure how much honey or maple syrup u2014 experiment and let me know! 🙂