Recipe by Chris Newport, Nutritionist and Head Coach

There’s nothing wrong with occasionally indulging. And I’m definitely a fan of all things minty.

But have you seen what’s in some of the popular chain restaurants’ green shakes? In fact, here’s McDonald’s nutrition facts and ingredient list on their shake, which includes about 50 ingredients (none of which are actual “green” foods) and has…brace yourself…6 tablespoons of sugar (that’s 18 teaspoons or a little more than 1/3 cup). Ouch.

So could I create a healthy, REAL FOOD green smoothie that actually tasted good? I’m always up for a challenge. And today, I got pretty lucky.

So here’s my 5 raw ingredients: organic milk, raw organic spinach, organic peppermint extract, half a frozen banana and 2 pitted medjool dates.

I used organic whole milk, just because that’s what I happen to have on hand. But this would be awesome with unsweetened vanilla almond or coconut milk. In fact, it’s probably be even tastier than my final product. So that’s on my list to try.

So here’s the final product (don’t knock my horrible photography, but really, this is such a cool green color in person!). This has all the makings of a great pre-workout/race drink. In fact, I called it lucky because I envision a few record setting times emerging from this special green shake. It would also make the perfect recovery shake since it’s packed with quality carbs, potassium, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin K and more. It’s truly a green powerhouse. If you’re a heavy sweater, throw in a pinch of sea salt and you’re really lucky with this one.

So I do have a confession to make. I made the smoothie I just described. While you might drink it before or after your favorite endurance activity, I had to sit down and write about it. And this also had to double as my lunch. So I threw it back in the blender with a scoop of my favorite protein powder and a couple tablespoons of flaxseeds to make it more of a meal. Chia seeds or a couple tablespoons of avocado would also be delicious. Feel free to do the same thing for an awesome, healthy meal replacement.

If you’d like to reduce the amount of carbs, you can replace the dates with stevia or monkfruit, although it will reduce the fiber and potassium.

I hope this one brings you luck!

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Lucky Shamrock Recovery Shake

Course Beverages

Cuisine American

Keyword smoothie

Prep Time 2

Total Time 4

Servings athlete

Calories 452kcal

Ingredients

1 cup low fat milk organic dairy or non-dairy alternative
2 large pitted medjool dates *see recipe notes
1 cup organic spinach I like the pre-washed kind
1 small banana preferably frozen for a great shake texture
1/4 tsp peppermint extract or a generous handful of mint
1 scoop protein powder optional

Instructions

Blend milk and dates on high until no longer chunky. Add spinach, banana and peppermint extract (be careful here...a little goes a long way). Blend until you've reached your desired thickness. If you want it "icier," then add a handful of ice cubes. Feel the luck flow through your veins.

Notes

Be sure to get medjool pitted dates. I find them at BJs in the dried fruit section in a clear box. They are super soft when they're fresher, so the blend very easily. The drier they get, the harder they are to blend. They'll do great in a high powered blender like a Vitamix. If they don't feel really squishy, let them soak in the milk overnight in the fridge (in the blender is fine and saves time) or at least for a few minutes to soften them. They are super high in potassium and fiber and add the perfect amount of sweetness. If you're in a pinch and don't have them, use extra banana and try adding honey or other liquid sweetener to your liking.

Nutrition