It’s that time of year! Spring is just beginning to show its beauty in small pieces with the occasional glorious 50-degree sunny day in the midwest. Of course, it can easily snow the next day and be in the 20s. You never would appreciate the light without the dark is a lesson I always try to focus on as a lover of all things warm and sunny. Many also love this season for a different reason, Shamrock Shakes from that arched fast-good giant I prefer not to name. I personally haven’t had a Shamrock Shake since I can remember. However, on a recent girls’ trip, I received a text from my husband saying he was taking my youngest to go get a “green smoothie”. I found this a little odd since it was 7 at night. He then texted a pic of a Shamrock Shake. I guess when mom’s away…
If you can’t miss your annual Shamrock Shake indulgence that’s cool, but if you were to make this a habit just realize you could end up in big trouble. A medium has 78 grams of added sugar! A can of coke for example has 39 grams. These indulgences are leading to a metabolic crisis in our world. Just last year I was speaking to the point that only 12% of Americans are metabolically healthy. Now, this year it has been reported that LESS THAN 7% of Americans have good cardiometabolic health. What the what??
What’s the deal with added sugar?
Instead of making that daily trip through the drive though, you could try to stick to one Shamrock Shake per year and replace it on other days with this version instead. This has zero grams of added sugar. The only sugar is coming from bananas and dates. When looking at natural sugars you need to understand that while they are still sugar, they are bound in a fiber matrix which typically causes them to impact blood glucose in smaller amounts. This also boasts healthy fats, high levels of protein, and many vitamins and minerals. By adding protein and fat you are also decreasing the impact even the natural sugars will have on your blood glucose. Over time these small changes will lead to much better metabolic health. If you are a carb counter, remember you should be subtracting fiber from your carb count to get net carbs. Again, fiber is a great tool to lessen the impact of carbohydrates on blood sugar.
I find reaching and maintaining my health goals is much more achievable when I focus on adding in, versus replacing. No one likes to live in deprivation, but when you add in food that makes you feel good AND tastes good, it’s a win-win.
Cheers to your health and Happy St. Patricks Day! XDeeDee
Equipment
- 1 High-Speed Blender
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 cup spinach
- 1/4 cup mint leaves
- 1/4 frozen banana
- 1 date (soaked for 15 minutes)
- 1 cup frozen riced cauliflower
- 2 tbsp cashews (soaked for 15 minutes)
- 2 tbsp chia seeds (soaked for 15 minutes)
- 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
- 1 serving vanilla protein powder (I used Dr Amy Myers MD Paleo Protein)
- 1 tbsp psyllium husk (optional for added fiber and to make thicker)
Instructions
- Soak cashews, date and chia seeds in warm water for 15 minutes prior for a creamier smoothie.
- Add all ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
- Top how you wish! I used cacao nibs.
