Run Me, Baby!
Sadie just about peed herself (in fact, she may have actually peed herself) when she saw my friend Laurel hop out of her SUV to meet us for a 5-mile run around the lake near my apartment.
We took this morning’s run nice and easy because both Laurel and I were feeling rather sluggish. Apparently indulgent eating over Thanksgiving does not make for a light-as-a-feather run! 😉
5-Mile Stats
It was great to catch up with Laurel while checking my workout off my to-do list!
As our run was concluding, Ryan was walking out of the gym, so Sadie and I joined him for a one-mile walk which served as a great cool down from our run.
Breakfast
When we arrived home, I busted out the blender to make a protein-packed shake for breakfast.
A craving for peppermint was in full swing this morning which I’m assuming can be attributed the hot mug of my favorite Williams-Sonoma peppermint hot chocolate that I enjoyed last night. I figured I could satisfy my craving by making myself a healthy peppermint chocolate shake using chocolate protein powder and peppermint extract.
Minty
Into the blender went…
- 1.5 scoops chocolate protein powder
- 1 cup almond milk (regular milk would also work well)
- 5 ice cubes
- 1 tsp. Bob’s Red Mill xanthan gum (a must-have for thickness!)
- Peppermint extract, to taste (CAUTION: Add a tiny bit at a time. This stuff is strong.)
- 2 large handfuls fresh spinach
And out came…
Green Machine
Didn’t your mama tell you not to judge a book by its cover? Well, don’t judge this shake by its appearance. 😀 Though it looks like I blended up Slimer for breakfast, the shake actually tasted like a thin mint cookie!
Thin Mint Green Monster Protein Shake
I promise you can’t even taste the spinach!
Green is Good
Side note: Taking a picture while pouring a smoothie out of a blender is no easy task…
Oops
This little accident was well worth the trouble of making this smoothie. It was minty, chocolatey and tasted like a Girl Scout cookie. Sounds like a winn-ah! 😀
Now it’s off to work!
Happy Tuesday!
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My dog pees when she gets excited too 😉 Glad that was never a problem in my own life, cause I get pretty excited sometimes too, haha! Ah that shake sounds AMAZING! I wish I could muster up to a cold smoothie, but the weather here just doesn’t permit!
Enjoy your Tuesday!
lol!
That sounds so delish! I love the chocolate + mint combo.
What a great idea! I just bought a huge bunch of spinach and have been wanting to make some sort of green monster with it. I’m thinking something seasonal, gingerbread perhaps? Imagining what color that would be is not very appetizing though…
i don’t think any smoothie w/ spinach could ever look appetizing! at least they taste great! if you make your gingerbread version, definitely let me know!
Yea a smoothie that tastes like a girl scout thin mint for breakfast sounds pretty dang good to me too.
PS – In my post going up in a little while I have a special shout out to you and Lisa. 🙂
woo! i’ll be on the look out!
I love thin mints. I need to pick up some peppermint extract!
Love it, Girl Scout Cookie in a Glass. I’m not a fan of thin mints, so maybe I’ll try to make the tagalong version of this instead.
Winnah fo sho!
Yummm sound delicious! I’ve been meaning to add a little mint to my green monsters lately but need to go out and buy some! I’ve also been making mint hot chocolates by mixing the hot chocolate powder into a mug of mint tea. Tastes so winter-y!! Have a great day Julie! 🙂
I made a green smoothie with chocolate & fresh mint once and it was delicious!
Peppermint extract – that is so smart!!!! I need to try it!
Since I don’t have chocolate protein powder I bet I could substitute with a little chocolate jello pudding mix and some cottage cheese. Delicious!
I love running with friends! Time passes so quickly 🙂
And you make me want to buy peppermint extract! I think I’ll get some this weekend, chocolate + peppermint is just irresistible!
Hello! I have a quick question for you. What time do you get up in the morning to get your workout done? I am starting a full time position where I have earlier mornings that I am used to as a graduate student. 🙂
I need some help getting going for a workout in the morning instead of at night.
Thanks!
hi jessica! i typically wake up at 5:30 a.m., but sometimes will sleep in if i combine my workout w/ sadie’s exercise (like take her for a run). in that case, i’ll wake up around 6:30 a.m. also, i did a post about working out in the morning which may be of interest to you… you may find here: https://www.pbfingers.com/2010/08/16/how-to-work-out-in-the-morning/
I LOVE the color green, so I guess I find the smoothie more appetizing than the normal person…
I love chocolate and mint. And mint is green, so you’re good. It’s not like you made a berry smoothie and it came out green. 🙂
I love spinach smoothies. I have at least one a day! Even now that it is cold. Gotta have it!
I ate too many thin mints once (I was about 10 years old), and I threw up!
Don’t worry, I still like to eat ’em though! Especially out of the freezer!
we always kept ours in the freezer too! they’re perfect crumbled over ice cream.
Well where else would they go, besides . . . MY BELLY!
Mmm, must find me some of that peppermint extract. I can think of all sorts of yummy baked goods!
I love thin mints or anything mint mixed with chocolate. I’ve never had a smoothie with spinach before. I’ve seen it on so many people’s blogs. I should try it.
Sounds so good! Girl scout cookie. You won me over!
Thin mint cookie smoothie? Yes, please! Sounds so sinful, but it’s healthy! 🙂
How much peppermint extract did you personally use? I’ve never used it, so I don’t want to throw, like a teaspoon in it, and it be too much? But I’m guessing a teaspoon??
Thanks!
a little bit goes a long way! i think i used between 1/2 and 1 tsp.
oh that sounds so good! What a great idea!!
yummmmy! I want peppermint! I almost bought some Torinis SF peppermint syrup the other day! So should have!
Can’t wait to try this, yum!
Ooh, I love the idea of adding peppermint extract to a Green Monster! Sounds delicious!
now, THIS is on my “NEED to try” list! 🙂
I have looked for xanthan gum everywhere… I had no luck, so I just ordered some online. thin mint shake, here I cooome!
I am thrilled to find this blog – it is so refreshing! Find myself reading all your different recipes and anxious to try them out. Peanut butter is quite simply one of the best foods out there – I have made Peanut Butter Buckeyes for my friends several times (dipped in Dark Chocolate, of course!). Have lost 40 pounds in last 6 months and now have my skinny body back thanks to workouts and healthy eating. Look forward to your blogs in future! Now if I could only force my body to workout in the mornings….. 🙂
AH, and I meant to ask you, Julie!
I’m considering asking for one of those watches for christmas. what do you think of it? I have a free pedometer on my iTouch, so I can’t decide if it’s worth it or not.
What’s your advice? 🙂
Yum to the mint chocolate combo! Nothing better this time of year 🙂
I made a mint chocolate smoothie tragedy last winter when I thought a cap full of peppermint extract was a good amount to use. Fail. That’s waaaaay too much mint. It made it soo bitter.
Julie, you are a genius! I just had the Thin Mint Shake for an after-dinner snack and it was DELISH! I thought the shake would be bitter for lack of banana, but it was super good!
That looks awesome! I haven’t tried any smoothies with spinach yet. I should try it.
Awh, if only I lived in Florida and could still stand to sip on smoothies! Alas, the frigid Kansas temps don’t allow it!
Is that a TERVIS TUMBLER I see? I am a Tumbler addict. They will be the majority gift to family members this year!
it absolutely is! my whole family is addicted!
Sounds yum! My favorite flavors – chocolate and mint!!!
Cheers,
Kristen
I just made this for my breakfast! Even though it’s -18 here today, it’s still so yummy! Thanks for the great recipe 🙂
Hi! I just found your website and I’m pretty much addicted! I bought the materials to make the Green Monster and tried it out last night…delicious! I actually forgot to buy the Xanthan gum so I was worried, but looked at the ingredients in the protein powder and there was some in there. It was a LITTLE thicker than milk in the beginning (probably because of the ice), but toward the end, was the same thickness as milk. Would you use extra xanthan gum in this smoothie (if there is already some in the protein powder?) Just curious!
Have you tried this with Mint extract rather than Peppermint?
Also, why is Almond Milk you ‘milk’ of choice? Just curious. Thanks!!
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