Real Food Shamrock Shake!

A few weeks ago my cousin posted a link about how unhealthy those delicious shamrock shakes really are. It wasn't really much of a shock to either of us, but it got me thinking about figuring out a way to make my own, healthy version so I wouldn't be so tempted to run down the street and grab a sweet, minty, chemical-laden treat on a whim. I decided to try creating a similar shake today, and I'm pleased to announce that I've created a tasty version, full of real, healthy foods! Here's the recipe, which will make 1 serving:

1 very ripe banana (peeled, cut into chunks and frozen ahead of time)
1/2 an avocado
8-10 oz of whole, organic milk
1 drop of pure peppermint essential oil*
honey to taste (I didn't add any because I thought the banana added plenty of sweetness)

That's it! Throw all of that in the blender and blend well. We have this ninja blender which comes with single serve smoothie cups, so you can blend right in the cup and I LOVE them. I only just recently started using them for smoothie making instead of using the large blender and I don't know why I waited so long, because clean up is so much easier and I never make too much smoothie on accident, which used to be a big, wasteful problem for me. I'm horrible at "guestimating" measurements. 

A few tips:

I always keep ripe, peeled bananas in the freezer. They're the base for my main smoothie addiction (a chocolate protein smoothie that tastes like a frosty! Watch for that recipe soon) and I seem to run out of them pretty quickly. I buy the largest, ripest bunches of bananas I can, wait for them to get to peak ripeness, and then peel them and put each one in a plastic baggie or small plastic container and pop 'em in the freezer. It makes the smoothie super creamy and almost like ice cream and it eliminates the need to add ice, which I think tends to water down a smoothie too much. I prefer a creamy smoothie, not a watery one. 

*If you're using essential oil for this recipe, please make sure it is of high enough quality to safely ingest! You will know this because it will state right on the bottle that it can be used internally or be ingested. For more information about this and why it's so important, click here. You could probably use peppermint extract for this recipe as well, but I didn't have any on hand so I opted for the essential oil. If you're using peppermint extract, start with just a small amount - you can always add more if needed and peppermint is a strong flavor!

Enjoy!

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”