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Can you believe it is already the first week of March? I’m having a hard time believing it, but here we are! In celebration of March and all things green, I wanted to share with you a simple recipe for a Shamrock Protein Shake. It’s a great way to get into the St. Patrick’s Day Spirit and satisfy your sweet tooth!

What is a Shamrock Shake?

A Shamrock Shake, if you have never had one before, is quite the treat! It is basically soft-serve vanilla ice cream blended with mint flavor. Don’t forget it also gets topped with whipped topping and is the most festive shade of green for St. Patrick’s Day.

This treat was first served in 1967 at a McDonalds in Connecticut.  Ever since then, it has become a popular seasonal treat at McDonalds. This year, you can also get Oreos blended into your Shamrock Shake, which sounds heavenly to me!

But the macros? They’re a little rough! Although I am a big proponent of making your favorite treats work in your day, I’m not sure it would be worth it to fit in a full-fledge Shamrock Shake into mine. For a small, it will cost you 460 calories 13F/72C/10P. If you wanted to include Oreos (which, of course, sounds so yummy!), a small Oreo Shamrock McFlurry is 560 calories and 17F/93C/12P. The macros for the Protein Shamrock Shake are much easier to fit into your day!

Ingredients

1. Protein Powder: Of course, protein powder is necessary for a protein shake. I personally like to use this PE Science Cake Pop protein, but your favorite flavor of vanilla protein will work well, too.
2. Ice. This helps your shake get nice and cold! It sounds ridiculous, but I highly recommend weighing out your ice. Too little ice and your shake won’t get very thick. Too much ice, and you won’t be able to taste the protein powder.
3. Almond Milk or Milk of Choice. You’ll need to add some liquid to your protein powder to make it smooth. You can choose whichever milk you’d like, but keep in mind the macro-count will likely change. I almost always go with Unsweetened Almond Milk, which is just 30 calories for a cup.
4. Peppermint Extract. Peppermint extract is what gives this shake its minty flavor. Remember to be cautious when adding any extract into your protein shake. A little goes a long way! And with peppermint, too much could leave you feeling like you’re brushing your teeth. HA!
5. Xantham Gum. This one is optional BUT if you can stomach it, I highly recommend adding some to your protein shake. It helps make the shake extra creamy. I enjoy this one from Amazon.
6. Something Green. Of course, this is optional and purely for looks. If you wanted to, you could add a couple of drops of green food coloring to make your shake that iconic color. Or, like I did, add some frozen spinach. Promise you can’t taste it, but it does add a pretty color and some micronutrients, too!

Preparing

Preparing this shake is very simple, although getting the consistency just right can take some work. I personally use the Ninja Bullet, and it works great. I blend mine until everything is combined and then just a touch longer to allow the xantham gum to thicken the shake. I find the perfect amount for me is about 30 seconds total of blending.

You may need to add a touch extra almond milk to your shake but add it very sparingly. If you add too much your shake could end up becoming too loose. It will still taste good, but not quick have a shake-like consistency.

Extras

Of course, this shake is yummy on its own, but I am all about the toppings. And what goes better with some mint than some chocolate? I’ve rounded up some ideas that could really make your shake over the top! Of course, add whatever you have room for. The more the merrier!

• Oreos. Obviously, this is a great addition, since the original Shamrock Shake can now be eaten as an Oreo McFlurry. Regular Oreos would be delicious in this, and even Oreo Thins!
• Cocoa Bar in a Jar. If you haven’t heard about this spread before, it’s as delicious as the name sounds! They have a variety of flavors, but I spread the Brownie Batter on top of my shake. So yummy! And lighter macros than peanut butter!
• Andes Mints. These chopped up would add some delicious chocolate flavor and even more minty goodness.
• Chocolate Syrup. Another great way to add some chocolate flavor to this recipe, and you can even use sugar-free chocolate syrup if you’d like.
• Thin Mint Cookies. Of course, these would be awesome in this shake! If you don’t have access to them by you, you can make these copy-cat thin mints from Chocolate Covered Katie instead!
• Whipped Cream or Cool Whip. In my opinion, a creamy option is always a welcomed addition on a protein shake. If you can find fat-free or a lite option, even better for your macros!

The Macros

For just the base of the Shamrock Protein Shake, it’ll cost you just 154 calories and macros are rounded to 3F/5C/26P. With macros this low, you’ll have plenty of room for toppings! Yum!