A Healthy Spin On The Classic Mint & Chip Shake

There is smoothie/juice bar in the lobby of my gym and I typically never get anything there because it can be pretty pricey. Last week I had to get something in my stomach after working out because I was going to run a bunch of errands. I wouldn’t have been able to get home to make anything to eat for a while. So, I ordered the Mint Chip smoothie and it was probably once of the best smoothies I’d ever tasted. It had a bunch of good stuff in it like freshly sprouted almond milk, vanilla protein powder, coconut water and dates. I loved it so much and it truly tasted like a mint and chip shake.

The next day I was craving it again and tried recreating it at home. I had everything already except I did go out and buy fresh mint leaves. My version didn’t come out just like the real one, but I have to say it was pretty delicious. You get the mint and the chocolate chip flavors with the first sip! I added frozen bananas to mine to give it more of an ice cream feel. I love both versions, but I’ll be making mine way more! ;)

Here is how I made my version of the Mint & Chip “shake”…

-In a blender pour about a 1/2 cup of almond milk. I like to use the Malk unsweetened vanilla almond milk now for smoothies and in my tea. It seriously is so good!

-Next I add a whole frozen banana. I like to buy bunches of bananas to freeze for smoothies. I peel and cut them in half and store them in an air tight container in the freezer. We go through them so fast since we make smoothies nearly everyday. Frozen bananas just give smoothies such a great thick texture. Similar to an actual shake.

-Add in a hearty handful of fresh spinach. This is how the shake gets its nice green color. Plus, spinach is really great for you! Spinach is full of iron, Vitamin C, folic acid and a ton more health benefits. We add a handful of spinach to our smoothies every time because it is so mild in flavor that it simply just adds nutrients rather than flavor.

-I love using fresh mint in this smoothie! It is something I’ve never done before though I’ve fallen in love with the fresh mint flavor. I’ve been using three mint leaves and I like to cut them up a bit to help the blender out. Cutting them up a bit prior to blending helps so you don’t get a big mouthful of mint when drinking the smoothie. I’ve also come to learn that mint is a soothing herb that is great for your digestien.

-Adding a tablespoon of Cacao nibs is what gives this smoothie its chocolate flavor. Cacao nibs are high in fiber, known to protect the cardiovascular system and improve cellular heath. I like the texture the best and the bitter chocolaty flavor. Be careful though, these are extremely bitter when eaten alone. In the smoothie they taste great and the bitterness is balanced with the other ingredients. I like to add a little extra on top for more of a crunch.

-I love adding a teaspoon of bee pollen to all my smoothies. You can completely omit this ingredient if you’d like. Bee pollen is rich with antioxidants and known to be an immunity boost/builder. We take a teaspoon of bee pollen in each of our smoothies and I also like to add a little extra on top because I love the texture and taste.

-Now here I like to add 1/4 of a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Though if I had a date I’d add that instead. Basically the vanilla or the date adds a nice sweetness to the smoothie. Either or is great! Though I’d side with the date myself. I like to keep dates in the refrigerator for smoothies and a quick sweet snack. Mila loves them and calls them gummies.

-Blend until smooth and enjoy!

If you have any questions, I’d be happy to answer them in the comments below!