Lean and Green

I know I'm not alone when I say that McDonald's Shamrock Shakes are one of my favorite treats this  time of year. Pure deliciousness. 

Or rather, Shamrock Shakes used to be one of my favorite treats until I found out that a SMALL has a whopping 500-plus calories. Yowzah. I fortunately was able to find a recipe for a "healthy" alternative-- a Shamrock Protein Shake. It's not nearly as creamy as the real deal, but I don't feel an ounce of guilt after savoring every last drop. 

Shamrock Shake

(You may read the ingredients and think, "Ewww!" But I was pleasantly surprised-- even though my shake looked like the Green Monster disaster, it was pretty tasty!)

1/2 Cup low fat cottage cheese 

1/4 cup Vanilla or plain protein powder 

1/8 tsp Mint extract (Don't make the mistake of using more! I did the first time...)

2-3 Packets of stevia or sweetener of choice (or to taste)

5 Ice cubes 

4 oz Water 

Handful of spinach to make it green

1-2 tbs Sugar Free Instant Pistachio Pudding Mix

Pinch Guar or xanthan gum

(I skipped the last two ingredients since we didn't have them on hand.)

Nutrition Breakdown

1 Servings (1 shake)

180 Calories per shake

5 g Fat

8 g Carbohydrate

6 g Sugar

30 g Protein

5 WWP+*

*Weight Watchers Points per serving

via Dashing Dish (Much more appetizing than mine!)

More green goodness! 

I'm a lucky lady. The Sailor has gone to great lengths to find me the perfect pair of kicks since I blogged about being such a big fan of his snazzy footwear. He picked out some for me on Zappos after reading all the reviews, which saved me the time, effort and decision-making agony of trying to find the perfect pair. The winner even is in my all time favorite color combo-- Love that man!  

Saucony Mirage 3

I tested them out this weekend and wasn't really sure what to expect with my first minimalist shoe. In fact, I wasn't really even sure if a minimalist shoe was right for me. I'm a heel-striker, so cushioning is kind of a big deal. But after reading Born to Run and a number of other running blogs, I figured I'd give the minimalist shoe a try (no, not those weird five finger things though). So far, so good!