No need to randomly hit the McDonald’s drive-thru for that seasonal Shamrock Shake craving, now you can easily make it at home with this Shamrock Shake Copycat recipe that is keto, paleo and Whole30 friendly. This gluten-free, dairy-free shake doesn’t require any ice cream and it’s so basic and simple, you get healthy fats and even some veggies, you could even add a little protein powder and call it breakfast.
If a fast food drive thru is a no-go for you, there is no need to miss out on McDonald’s St. Paddy’s Day special with this healthified paleo and keto shamrock shake! Plus, with no ice cream required, this all-natural breakfast shake is packed with healthy fats, is extra creamy and ultra minty.
Shamrock shakes used to be a favorite growing up, especially on St. Patrick’s Day. There is something about that creamy, sweet, lightly mint flavor that is so refreshing and brings back great memories. As time went on and I looked up the ingredients, there version was no longer appetizing to me. But no reason to go without and miss out on the nostalgia, so, I decided to create my own version with real ingredients that tastes very similar to the original and I’m full of energy after drinking.
You can’t get much simpler for a smoothie recipe than this one. There is no food dye or fancy ingredients that are hard to get. The green color comes from the fresh spinach. The creaminess comes from the avocado. The light and fresh flavor comes from the fresh mint leaves. The ice creamy flavor comes from our homemade vanilla extract and if you haven’t tried making your own here is a link to our recipe and we HIGHLY suggest you make it because the flavor is amazing!
You can use store bought cashew milk if convenience is a factor but if you want to make your own, we have an easy no strain cashew milk recipe. If nut milk is not part of your food list, you can use coconut milk, raw milk, hemp milk (you can also make this homemade), basically any creamy liquid will work. If using canned coconut milk, make sure to blend the coconut cream on top with the liquid so that it is evenly combined and balanced before using in your smoothie.
The reason we chose to use cashew milk is that it is super easy to make. I feel like homemade has a thicker consistency than store bought which adds to the bulk and creamy factor of a delicious smoothie. Lastly, we buy raw cashews in bulk, so it is economical for us to make our own because some store-bought brands with just cashews and water can get a little pricey. Don’t get us wrong if time is a factor, we will not hesitate to pick up a bottle at the store.
Once you’ve decided on your base liquid the add-ins are clean and simple. One ripe avocado. A trick to having avocado ready for smoothies is if you have one that has gone a little soft and you don’t want to use on a fresh salad or guacamole, you can cut it into small chunk and freeze it on a cookie sheet and then store in a container to use a few chunks at a time. It adds creamy thickness and acts as a sort of ice cube in a way. Just a little pro tip we thought we share with ya. This provides healthy fats and adds a creamy texture. A handful of fresh spinach offers vitamins and minerals and helps to provide that natural green color without having to use food dye. The sweetener we use is pitted dates. Please do not forget to pit your dates! It will sound like rocks in the blender and you could chip a tooth. If you don’t have dates, you can use 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup, stevia, monk fruit, honey (this gives the smoothie a different taste than the flavor we are going for, but it’s up to you if you want to use that as a sweetener). Also, your preference of sweetness for a smoothie could be more or less sweetener than our recipe states, so don’t be afraid to add a little more or a little less to get it exactly how you like it.
Fresh mint in my opinion is what gives this recipe that hint of light mint of the original Shamrock Shake. It is not like a mint chocolate chip milkshake. The mint is much more subtle. If you don’t have fresh mint, you can just as easily use mint extract. Start with 1 teaspoon and then slowly add ¼ of a teaspoon at a time because mint can become overpowering very quickly. Lastly, add as much ice as you like to get the thickness you love. We’ve found that 1 to 1 ½ cups of ice works out perfectly.
Now comes the time to blend everything together. We like to put our dates and spinach in the blender first. We add about ½ cup of the cashew milk on top and blend until the spinach and dates are broken down. Then we add the avocado, fresh mint leaves, vanilla, and the rest of the milk. We blend until smooth then add in the ice.
If you want to bulk this smoothie up you can add your favorite vanilla protein powder, vanilla yogurt, pastured cottage cheese, kefir, or collagen peptides.These items can change the flavor of the original smoothie so just keep that in mind. The reason we recommend using vanilla items is that it will help the recipe taste more like the original with that vanilla taste added with the light mint flavor.
Lastly if you want to top your shake with a little whipped cream or coconut whipped cream, we say go for it! You can also add some of our Tasty Yummies Basic B Dark Chocolate cut up into bits to make it like chocolate chips or shave a piece of the bar on top! Remember, it doesn’t have to be a special occasion to add in some dark chocolate.
This recipe is simple and delicious! You can make it Keto, Paleo, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, any way that fits your needs. Remember to share your photos with us!
Shamrock Shake Copycat {keto, paleo, Whole30, dairy-free}
Ingredients
- 1 cup cashew milk, coconut milk, almond milk, hemp milk, raw milk all work too
- 1 cup fresh baby spinach
- 1 ripe avocado
- 4-6 dates
- 1 handful fresh mint leaves, 1 teaspoon mint extract or more to taste will work as well
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 cup ice
Instructions
- Place 1 cup of spinach, 4 dates and ½ cup of cashew milk in blender.
- Blend on high until smooth.
- Add avocado avocado, 1 handful of fresh mint leaves or 1 teaspoon of mint extract) 1 tablespoon vanilla and blend on high until smooth.
- Add one cup of ice and blend until smooth. Depending on thickness preference you can add more ice.
- Pour into a glass and drink.
- You can add on a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of our Tasty Yummies chocolate to take this shake next level. Enjoy!
Notes
