Your body is a machine, requiring good fuel through appropriate nutrients, vitamins, and calorie consumption. Trust me, I know how tempting unhealthy food can be, but the rewards of eating healthy are so worth it. Plus, healthy living does not just mean a diet of vegetables, fruits, good carbs, and sustaining fats. Healthy living can also mean milkshakes if you use the healthier ingredients that have less fat and less sugar.
With every healthy lifestyle, there must be some balance – finding moderation and healthy alternatives is key when sticking to your fitness plans. And it’s quite surprising how many healthy foods actually can fulfill any sweet tooth if you just give them the chance. These healthy milkshake recipes are the best replacement for your late night cravings.
1. Cookie Dough Protein Shake
All you need is 1 cup of milk, 1/8 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp baking soda (for flavor), 1/4 cup vanilla protein powder, sweetener of choice, and 6 drops of maple extract (for flavor). Blend the ingredients together until smooth and garnish with raw oats and chocolate chips if wanted. Easy to make milkshake at only 120 calories with almost 20 grams of protein.
If you aren’t so interested in protein – Raw Cookie Dough Milkshake recipe available also.
2. Healthy Shamrock Shake
The perfect replacement for the McDonalds shamrock shake, and it’s available all year round. All you need to fulfill that mint chocolate chip ice cream craving is 1 overripe frozen banana, cacao nibs/chocolate chips, peppermint extract (1/4-1/8 tsp depending on your preferences), and 1 cup of milk (for thickness, try canned coconut milk for healthy fats), and an optional addition is 1/4 cup frozen spinach for extra health benefits.
3. Healthy Cake-Batter Milkshake
Wholesome ingredients and totally insta worthy, this milkshake will make you completely forget you’re watching what you eat. All you need is 1 frozen, large, ripe banana, 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract, 2 tbsp melted coconut butter for extra buttery-ness (or melted coconut oil), and 1/2 to 2/3 cup of milk (depends on how thick you want it). Super super easy, and obviously you can throw in a handful of sprinkles to make it all the more fun.
4. Healthy Nutella Milkshake
Someone please pick my jaw up from off the floor because I am a little too excited right now. Nutella is such a craving of mine (and probably most of the world), but like all generally delicious things, it is not too great of an indulgence. But you no longer have to say bye to chocolate Nutella goodness because of this shake from The Rawsome Vegan Life. All you need is 4 frozen bananas, 1 tbsp cacao powder, 1 tbsp Prana’s organic hazelnut butter, 6 Medjool dates, and 2-3 cups nut milk/water/milk. Blend it up and enjoy, I know I will!
5. Creamy Blended Frozen Mocha
Frozen coffee drinks are, for me, the perfect summer beverage (I never got on the whole iced coffee trend), but they are packed with calories and sugar that I fail to consider. Luckily, I found a healthy alternative to those McDonalds and Starbucks frozen mochas, and at under 100 calories with no cholesterol, low sugar, high fiber and a bunch of other ingredients, this option sounds much more appealing to me. Super easy to make – all you need is 1 cup milk, 1.5 tbsp cocoa powder, 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract, 1 tsp instant coffee, pinch salt, and stevia/sweetener depending. Stir all those ingredients together and freeze the mix in an ice cube tray or shallow plastic containers. Once frozen, blend into your mocha slushy, top it with some healthy whip cream and you’re set.
6. Chocolate Almond and Chia Smoothie
I’m getting some Almond Joy vibes from this, and I can’t complain. Vegan and gluten free, this smoothie is packed with nutrients to start your day off right. And all you need is 5 ingredients: 1 cup baby spinach, 1.5 frozen bananas, 2 tbsp almond butter, 1.5 cups chocolate almond milk, 2 tbsp chia seeds, and ice. Blend it all together and, if you want to take your culinary skills to the next level, garnish with chocolate chips and toasted coconut. YUUUMMMM!
7. Healthy Banana Cream Pie Protein Smoothie
This shake is insane! With over 40 grams of protein per serving, it’s filled with packed ingredients like greek yogurt, cinnamon, and cashew or almond milk. All you need is 1 large ripe frozen banana, 8oz of cashew or almond milk (depending on your preference), 1 scoop of protein powder, a dash of cinnamon, 1 graham cracker or 5 vanilla wafer cookies (for garnish), 6oz of vanilla greek yogurt, and ice. Super delicious and super filling with all that protein.
8. Strawberry Cupcake Milkshake – Vegan and Healthy
So this milkshake is a little more adventurous because you have to blend a cupcake, which kinda blows my mind. She uses her own recipe for an Everything-Free Vanilla Cupcake, but you can opt out of baking and use any vanilla cupcake. To make this milkshake you need 2 frozen bananas, 2.25 cups frozen strawberries, 1 can of coconut milk, 1 tbsp strawberry sauce, 2 tbsp coconut sugar, 1/4 tsp vanilla bean, 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut, 1 vanilla cupcake, and 2 cups milk. The instructions are a little intense if you want to split the flavors into layers – more about it on her website!
9. Avocado Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie
What’s a food article without avocados? Avocados are high in vitamins and healthy fats and will add an element of thick creaminess to your smoothie. To make this smoothie, all you need is half of an avocado, 1 medium ripe banana, 1.5 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 3 tbsp creamy peanut butter, 2 tbsp cocoa powder, and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. Blend it all together and you’ve got yourself a great way to start your morning or end your workout.
10. Key Lime Pie Milkshake
Can milkshakes even be refined sugar free, low carb, low fat, and high protein? How’s that even possible? With strictly natural flavors, this milkshake is thick, creamy, sweet, and secretly healthy. To make, you need 1 cup low fat organic cottage cheese, 1 cup plain nonfat greek yogurt, 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 1 tsp key lime zest, 1 tsp stevia extract, 1/2 tsp vanilla paste, 30 drops liquid chlorophyll for color, and ice.
Say goodbye to drag diet meal plans and sweeten up your healthy lifestyle with these fun milkshake recipes. Eating healthy doesn’t always have to be painfully boring, as eating healthy requires balance. These milkshakes are the perfect compromise, fulfilling your sweet tooth with calories that are nutrient-filled, rather than calories that are empty. Enjoy!