[I don’t want to sound like your mother here, but I have to ask. How are you doing with the challenge of eating your greens everyday? Remember I’m looking for your experiences and someone guest blog about their week with greens challenge. I REALLY want to get some submissions from you guys, so please don’t be shy about it, and let me know how your week went!
And if you want to enter this week’s giveaway to win a bamboo cutting board, make sure to read this, and also make sure to comment on any of the posts this week!]
Coming up, I’m going to show you how to make this:
A bright, minty, thick Hawaiian shamrock shake. (I know it’s a stretch , but the mint is our green food of the day.)
But first, Happy (early) St. Patrick’s Day!
May you get pinched many times, enjoy lots of green food, and remember that you are one lucky person, because you’re you!
[more on the cute free printables from my talented friend Melissa, that say lucky you, below]!
Hat Fun in the Kitchen
When we were in the kitchen this morning making the shamrock shakes (ala McDonalds, without the nasty stuff), a neighbor stopped by to show my kids some of the hats he makes and let them try them on.
Then fill ‘er up with ice (I went to almost the top of my Blendtec).
If using a Blendtec, process on smoothie once. Stir a few times, scraping the sides and process again, until very smooth (should also be really thick).
Pour shake into pretty glasses, garnish with fresh mint leaves, and serve with a side of fresh pineapple to make it truly Irish/Hawaiian (if there is such a thing, if not, I just invented it!).
Consume immediately (and may the luck o’ the Irish be with ya!).
Colorful, bright, and long.
Here’s Mali wearing one. Oh, isn’t she pretty? I love, love her.
Asher, showing off the colors.
Now on to that recipe.
Vegan Hawaiian Shamrock Shake
Are there any Irish in Hawaii? I’m sure there are. So I decided to make a tropical version of the traditional Shamrock shake, using coconut milk and macadamia nuts to get me there.
[There are a lot of good vegan more traditional shamrock shakes. Check out
Chocolate Covered Katies or this one, at the (never home) maker blog).]
The materials: fresh mint leaves, coconut milk, peppermint extract, Truvia (stevia), agave, macadamia nuts, and lots of ice, making this shake soy-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
Joseph agreed that the mint leaves gave it a freshly picked flavor, but not everyone will be wild about that.
If you like the taste of fresh mint leaves and you have some on hand (like I know we all do, right?), use it.
Otherwise use a bit more peppermint extract (3/4-1 tsp. extract depending on how minty strong you’d like it to be). And remember, if you use the leaves, a little goes a long way!
I wanted the shake to be able to compete with the richness of a traditional McDonald’s shamrock shake, so I used full-strength coconut milk.
This stuff is rich. See for yourself:
Making the shake higher in fat (coconut milk is pretty much straight up fat), but it’s better fat than what they put into those McD shakes, that’s for sure!
It was so filling and rich to me, that I only could have a few bites at one sitting–but minty, thick, satisfying, it was.
Vegan Hawaiian Shamrock Shake
SF, GF, DF!
(Soy-free, Gluten-free, Dairy-free!)
4 Servings
- One can coconut milk (I like Thai Kitchen organic, not lite)
- 3 TBS. macadamia nuts, chopped (may substitute with raw cashews)
- Small handful of fresh mint leaves (again, you can omit, see above notes)
- 1/4 c. agave nectar
- 1/2 tsp. mint extract (or 3/4-1 tsp. if you don’t use fresh mint leaves)
- Green food coloring, a few drops (optional, I didn’t use this because I used the leaves, which gave it a natural light green color, plus I try to avoid dyes if possible, but I understand why people want it to be green, it’s St. Patty’s day!)
- 5 packets Truvia or equivalent in stevia
- Lots of ice (I filled my Blendtec all the way to the top with ice)
Put milk in blender first, then 2 TBS. of the macadamia nuts, or cashews (you’ll want to reserve the rest for garnish) and other ingredients except ice.
Then fill ‘er up with ice (I went to almost the top of my Blendtec).
If using a Blendtec, process on smoothie once. Stir a few times, scraping the sides and process again, until very smooth (should also be really thick). For a festive touch, make custom straws by downloading this free printable, created by my crafty friend Melissa (she really has some awesome stuff, especially the free downloadables, check it out!).
Print, and then cut out the strips and glue to straws, like so:
Pour shake into pretty glasses, garnish with fresh mint leaves, and serve with a side of fresh pineapple to make it truly Irish/Hawaiian (if there is such a thing, if not, I just invented it!).
Consume immediately (and may the luck o’ the Irish be with ya!). Nutrition info
(If you’re watching calories and fat, split a serving with someone, and your calories and fat are cut in half!)
Makes 4 Servings. Per serving: 298 calories, 25 g fat, 2.5 g protein, 18.7 mg sodium
Question of the Post: What are YOU doing to celebrate St. Patty’s day?
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