Shamrock Shake

It’s officially Shamrock Shake season at all of our favorite fast food restaurants. Even if you’re not a shamrock shake lover, there’s something mint, chocolate or green everywhere you go! With that being said, is this Irish holiday one that you decorate for? Do we go from Valentine’s hearts straight to Easter bunnies? Either way, with St. Patrick’s Day quickly approaching, there’s no better way to celebrate than with a protein-packed version of the classic ice cream concoction.

Did you know that McDonalds LARGE Shamrock Shake has 800 calories with 21 grams of fat, 133 grams of carbohydrates and only 19 grams of protein?! YIKES. Sorry to ruin your day with that fun fact. Whether you’re in a cut or eating surplus calories for a bulk, that’s a lot of calories for one drink. Alright, yes it’s the large, but even the small is 460 calories.

Now, don’t get me wrong. In the right time and place, the REAL thing is the answer like Reese’s Eggs? Nothing will ever replace those in my book. But this is one healthy swap that you will never know the difference on…and you don’t even have to leave your house. That’s a win! So, let’s jump into it.

What Ingredients Do I Need To Make A Healthy Shamrock Shake?

200-300 g crushed Ice:

I don’t mean to be extra, but you really need to use crushed ice. It makes all the difference for me because the texture becomes so much smoother.

1/4 tsp Peppermint Extract

Obviously. I’ve been messing around with peppermint flavored liquid stevia and skinny syrup, which works great depending on what you have on hand, but the extract really gives the best and strongest flavor…but be careful. A little goes a long way!

1/2 tsp Xanthan Gum Powder

(I’ve been using Pamela’s Not Xanthan/NotGar, but haven’t been able to found that ANYWHERE anymore)

5 g Sugar Free Jell-O Cheesecake Pudding Mix

Make sure you’re using the sugar free mix. I like the cheesecake flavor, but vanilla or white chocolate would be a great alternative!

1/4 tsp Salt

Just a hint!

40 g Spinach

Sneaky, sneaky vegetables. How do you think we get that green color anyway?

1/2 scoop (15 g) Vanilla Protein Powder

I have been using Clean Simple Eats because I love the taste and the texture. It’s great to drink plain, but it’s one of my favorites to bake with, so it’s always on hand. Any vanilla protein will work…even mint, mint chocolate or cake pop would be delicious!

5.5 oz (1/2 container) Vanilla Premier Protein Shake

The more protein the better. Adding the Premier (or FairLife) protein shake to create a more liquid consistency like a traditional milkshake would have. If you don’t need extra protein, regular milk, almond milk or any milk of your choice!

How Do I Make This Shamrock Shake?

In a high powered blender (I use the Ninja brand, individual cup blender), add your ice. It should take up about half of your cup. Blend until you get a snow-like consistency. If you’ve made protein fluff before, that’s the initial consistency you’re looking for.

Add the remaining ingredients to your blender and blend slowly for 1-2 minutes. I often start out by pulsing the ingredients before mixing on low for the full time. It should blend together and start to thicken up similar to a traditional Shamrock Shake. You may find it even starts to grow like protein fluff would.

Top with chocolate syrup, chocolate chips, crushed Oreo thins or dare I say it, Girl Scout Cookies – Thin Mints! The toppings are not added into the macros listed below.

What Are The Macros?

All that? You’re still talking 500+ calories, right? Not a chance.

This GIANT milkshake is all for only 167 calories. Our healthy Shamrock Shake doesn’t even come close to the 800 calorie competitor. We’re topping out at only 1.7 grams of fat, 13.7 grams of carbohydrates and an incredible 26.2 grams of protein!

The best part of having such a lower calorie snack, it leaves so much room for fun toppings.

Did Someone Say Fun Toppings?

As if you needed help topping this masterpiece…here’s some of my favorite toppings to really take your Shamrock Shake to the next level, and dare I say, better than the original.

You can’t go wrong with Walden Farms Chocolate Syrup if you want to keep it low in calories, but if you have the room, Lilly’s Chocolate Chips, Oreo Thins, Girl Scout Cookies, Pro-Dough (because that stuff goes in everything), brownie bites, Lucky Charms Marshmallows, or even American Dream Mint Chocolate Dream Almond Butter. The options are really endless.

Lastly, you can’t have a Shamrock Shake without a little bit of spray-can whip cream and festive sprinkles! Put it all in a fancy container and move over McDonalds, there’s a new Shamrock Shake in town…

Can I Pre-Make A Shamrock Shake?

You can! But remember, when you pre-make it, it’s not going to be the same consistency. You may have to re-blend it or let it sit for a little bit. It’s going to get a lot harder than a traditional ice cream shake. Add your toppings right before you eat and enjoy!

One more helpful hint, if you plan on taking it on the road, use an insulated tumbler! Freeze the tumbler before making your shake and then add your Shamrock Shake to the cup before heading out. That way, it stays cold as long as possible.

Celebrate With Your Shamrock Shake!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, girlfriends. Share your Shamrock Shake concoctions with me on Instagram. Don’t forget to tag us @MorganEatsMacros_ and @haleynicolefit and tell us what you think. We can’t wait to hear what you topped it with!

What’s another traditional dish to celebrate this Irish holiday? How about corned beef and cabbage? …Or maybe we just stick with green beer!

XOXO

Coach Morgan