Happy St. Patrick’s Day! ♣ 
♣
Some people celebrate St. Pat’s Day with parades, green beer and corned beef…I’m celebrating it with a Green Monster! 
In the mix:
- 1/2 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
- 1/2 Tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond breeze
- 1 Tablespoon almond butter
- 1 frozen banana
- enough spinach to fill the blender to the top!
What, you’ve never put spinach in your smoothies?! 
I put all the ingredients, except for the banana, into my blender last night. This morning I took it out of the fridge, blended the heck out of it, added the frozen banana and continued blending until it was silky smooth.
Ahhh, look at that nutrient packed, holiday inspired goodness!
I am seriously never making another smoothie without vanilla whey protein powder. I cannot tell you how thick and luxurious it makes any smoothie I add it to. It’s like drinking a milkshake in the morning…albeit a brightly colored green one!
And, no, you can’t taste the spinach, I promise! If you don’t trust me, trust 3 year old Theo, who can’t get enough green monsters in his life! You’ll love them!
Word to the wise – check your mug after drinking this. Chances are high that you’ll be sporting a festive, green mustache.
Lunch is also going green – I packed a big Spinach Salad!
In the mix:
- Mixed greens
- Spinach
- Carrots
- Celery
- Low-sodium deli turkey
- Dried cranberries
- Almond slices
Oh and I wanted to tell you – I put so much spinach in here that it was literally overflowing out of the container, so I whipped out my homemade “salad chopper“, aka a pizza cutter, and zipped through the leaves a couple times. 15 seconds later, I had a manageable, non face-whipping salad. Cool, huh?
And a 100 Calorie bag of popcorn for the 2:00 muncheroos.
Green attire: check.
Green breakfast & lunch: check.
Green happy hour: we’ll see.
Have a great day!
~~~~~
How do you partake in St. Pat’s Day festivities? Green clothes, Irish food, parades, green beer?
MAYBE some Irish food later…but no real plans here.
I may have green happy hour at home. 
I was so mad, our blender didn’t come clean in the dishwasher last night, so I couldn’t do a green smoothie. BUT I’m wearing green and making Irish food for dinner
I used to be into green beer when I was young and fun. Now Granny simply celebrates by rocking a green coat to work
Green monsters > green beer!
Have a fun day!
We’ll be wearing green for sure today! Maybe a happy hour will be in our future
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!!!
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I’m sporting green myself today! I also brought a salad to work, so the green is overflowing!!
I’m hoping to hit up an Irish Pub tonight, *fingers crossed*
Have a fantastic day!
Green is a GREAT color on you
My 17 month old daughter loves green monsters too. If kids can enjoy them, then there is no reason us adults shouldn’t!
Gah, I’m having major GM cravings now…thanks for that
Have a great (green) day!
LOVE THE SALAD! I needed an idea for some left over spinanch in my fridge and now I have one….=)
I’m definitely making a green monster today for St. Patties
Have a good day!
I’ve got to try this green monster thing! So, do you not add ice to yours? Most of the recipes I’ve seen call for ice, but my blender does NOT do ice well – it basically comes out like crushed ice rather than a smoothie!
Green monster is definitely in the plans for tonight, and some America’s Next Top Model after a long walk with the puppy. That’s enough celebration for me. My husband’s Irish enough that I get my fill every day.
Definitely green clothes, green beer and Irish food.
Someone in my office just put a platter of green food in the kitchen-it has everything from green pears, grapes and apples to green chips and guacamole. It’s only 10am but I just couldn’t pass up the guac!
Happy St Patrick’s day!
That green monster is the GREENEST one I’ve ever seen in the bloggin’ world, its beautiful! I plan on celebrating with some green clothes and friends, Hope you have a great St. Patrick’s Day!!!
It looks like you’re all set for the big day!
I don’t usually do anything for St. Patrick’s Day, but today I’m flood fighting. Yes, poor Fargo (ND) is flooding this week. We hit “major flood stage” this morning. I’m heading to my parents after a car check-up to help save their cal de sac. We did it last year, and we’ll do it again! Go out and enjoy some happy hour for me.
Cheers!
Yum!!! I”m thinking a green monster for lunch!
I’m wearing a bit of green in my shirt…but that’s probably gonna be all! It’s amateur night. Just one of several nights a year when folks who don’t normally drink & drive go out & do just that! Good time for us profesionals to stay off the streets!
You go girl. The green monster is a great way to celebrate!
mm mmmm i could use a green monster right about now!!
I’ll be walking to Flanagan’s after work! Whoo hoo. I’m really craving some shepherd’s pie right now.
Man! I wish I’d thought of making a green monster this morning! I’m wearing my green, that’s about it.
I’m flat out sick for St Patty’s day so the only green in my life is my green PJ’s.
Where did you get your Whey Powder? Would love to try some. You have inspired me to eat more salads for lunch, so just got back from the grocery store & already CAN NOT WAIT!!! Having an Ahi Tuna Salad with mushrooms, asparagus, grilled zucchini ribbons, tomatoes, spinach, cabbage & whatever else I can find! I’m so excited!!!! Have a great day!
We have the same blender!!
I love my green monsters too! I had an epic one this morning to celebrate St. Patty’s day!
The color of your green monster is beautiful! Mine never turn out quite that green!
A green monster is by far the best way to celebrate st patties day. All the cool kids are doing it!
Since I’m not gonna be doing any drinking…I went to the local bar & grill for some corned beef & cabbage for lunch. It was Dee-Lish!
Green happy hour is a must! Mine will be a little late for a happy hour as I have a run planned after work…but a happy hour is any hour with (green) (light) beer!
And I couldn’t agree more — a GM is not as good without the vanilla whey protein powder! I’m a believer and a taste test I did at work backed me up…everyone loved the GM’s with vanilla whey protein powder and the GM’s without didn’t make the cut among my co-workers!
I celebrated with a green smoothie too! It had been way to long since I had one!!
I love corned beef and cabbage!! I wish I could say I was making it tonight, but the hubby and kids are not a fan. Boo. I guess I’ll just have to dye all our food green, ha
Looks like a delicious smoothie, and SUPER green! Nice pictures
ahaha, it’s obviously such a big deal over here(metro-new york area). parades all week, special Mass all week, bars going *crazy*, and boiled dinner(ham, not corned beef)at my parents’ house. it’s fun to be irish and we love to share it. slainte <3
Kristin! I was SO inspired by your pineapple post that I bought a whole one today while grabbing some groceries. And while I’d hardly call my first attempt at cutting an entire pineapple a complete success, my bowl in overflowing with wonderful, juicy pieces of summer! Thanks for your most helpful instructions.
In regards to St. Patty’s Day – it’s the anniversary of our very first date. So we typically wear green, and enjoy some flowers. Carl usually has a beer or two at home. We’re kinda boring for this holiday. Hope you and Ben have some fun!
Ummm…had my first green monster on the way to work this morning…I was totally skeptical of the spinachy taste. PLEASANTLY surprised to say there is NONE! I loved it so much I walked to the farmers market during my lunch break and bought more spinach!! Big thanks from Pittsburgh!
I had my FIRST green monster this morning! I was AMAZED at how you could NOT taste the spinach! Honestly, if you tell me a three year old couldn’t taste it, I’m willing. So happy I tried it! Thanks for the tip on using vanilla whey protein, mmmmmmm thats the good stuff. deee-lish
I love this spinach smoothie! I used organic baby spinach and I substituted the chia for 1/4 cup of flax seed and the protein powder for 1/4 cup of organic vanilla yogurt.
Thank-you for the recipe!
Janice
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I really wanted to try this smoothie but didn’t have all the ingredients
so I improvised and I think it turned out lovely, will still have to get the ingredients for your recipe to try. Here is my version-
1 frozen banana
touch of vanilla and almond extracts
1 cup of greek yogurt (honey vanilla flavored)
2 squirts of honey
splash of milk
fresh spinach to the top of the blender
I made my first green monster for breakfast this morning. It was delicious despite my beginners mistake: I froze the banana with the peel still on and it was like a cement block when I took it out of the fridge! I used a fresh one and it was still great and I have a new banana in the freezer sans peel as we speak for tomorrow
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Ya, i always make smoothie type things with vanilla protein powder after working out, its almost as good as ice cream. I also always add a frozen banana and sometimes spinach. I guess what im trying to say is stop spying on me.
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