GOODe Ole Boy’s Spinach Shake

Hey y’all!  GOODe Ole Boy here.  Cris is sacked out on the couch after a long day’s work and she left her laptop open.  I figured it was a great way to sneak in and do a guest post recipe on the spinach shake I drink almost every day.

HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!!!  Don’t click off just yet!  I know, I know.  I just said that I drink spinach for breakfast.  I bet some of you are making a face similar to this one:

I know this because that’s the face that I made when I first heard of spinach shakes.  I mean, who in their right mind would want to drink green liquid anyways, right?

‘Cept I drank another green liquid for breakfast, lunch and dinner almost every day for years…Mountain Dew.  Now I don’t think that there is anything wrong with an occasional soda, pop, or whatever you call it.  But that being said, I realized that in our Year 2 Change Challenge I needed to turn to foods that promoted a healthy diet and I’m afraid my fizzy little green friend just didn’t cut the mustard…. (and no, there is no mustard in my spinach shakes either)

The recipe is simple and is PACKED full of great vitamins, protein, fiber, calcium and healthy fats.  It is also a very simple drink to make.  All you need is a few ingredients, most of which I bet you have in your house right now, and a blender.  Combine the following ingredients in yer blender and get ready for a breakfast/lunch/dinner/snack made in heaven:

3 cups (one big handful) of spinach

2 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter (I use Jif)

1 Tablespoon honey

3/4 cup skim milk

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (I use Penzey’s cinnamon, I promise it’s better!)

1 scoop whey protein powder (found in most grocery stores in the health foods section, I use Pure Protein Vanilla)

1 handful of ice

1 cup of water  (Depending on how you thick you like your shakes you could add more ice and less water, but I like my shakes like I am working to be…thin)

Now before you turn on the blender, remember two things.  Depending on your style of blender, you might check to make sure the bottom is completely screwed on tight for a secure seal.  Also remember to put on the lid before hitting the “LIQUEFY” setting on said blender.  I won’t go into detail on how I came about this advice, but let’s just say that I have used many paper towels over time…

Now that the blender is loaded with soon to be greatness and the lid is on tight, crank that baby up to full speed and let it run until everything is blended smooth.

“But Mikey” you say, “I don’t like the taste of spinach!”  Here is my promise to you, my friend, you WILL NOT taste spinach.  What you will taste is the creaminess of the peanut butter and the sweetness of the honey and the vanilla protein powder as well as the sweet bite of the cinnamon.

You will feel full after drinking this blessed concoction as well.  It is great for a meal or a snack.  The full recipe is 32 ounces and 478 calories.  “That’s just too much shake for me”, you say.  Then don’t drink the whole thing.  An 8 ounce glass is just under 120 calories.

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GOODe Ole Boy’s Spinach Shake

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Total Time5 minutes mins

Servings: 32 ounces

Calories: 32kcal

Author: Mikey

Ingredients

• 3 cups one big handful spinach
• 1/3 cup skim milk
• 2 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 scoop vanilla flavored whey protein powder
• 1 handful of ice
• 1 cup of cold water

Instructions

• Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth.

Notes

All nutritional info based on 32 ounces:
Fat=18.9 g
Carbohydrates=39.9 g
Fiber=4.7 g
Sugars=30.9 g
Protein=41.7 g

As any shake, this recipe is versatile as well.  Don’t like honey but want the sweetness?  Substitute a half a banana for the honey.  Don’t like cinnamon?  Don’t put it in.  Want more antioxidants? Add a half up of blueberries adding only 10 calories for every 8 ounces.  Want to boost the fiber to, well, you know?…  Add a spear of pineapple.  Find the mix of flavors that you enjoy all while feeling better for what you are putting in your body.  It will thank you, I promise.  So far I have lost 27.5 pounds and part of it is due to the spinach shakes!  Now if I could just stop all the boys from coming to the yard…

Uh oh, she’s wakin’ up!  I gotta go!

Mikey