Spinach Snickerdoodle Smoothie

St. Patrick's Day is approaching quickly and I just so happen to have a perfect green drink to share with you all to celebrate this holiday. That is, if you can pass up homemade Shamrock Shakes.

No joke. This smoothie tastes like a snickerdoodle cookie. I think it's a great way to sneak in some spinach, especially for kids without them really knowing it. Except that it's green. I suppose that could give it away...Just tell them the leprechauns did it. Unless that would freak them out. In that case, just go with spinach.

To be fair, my husband does not care for this because he says it's too rich and milky tasting which is something he definitely does not prefer. That and it's green. And sweet. And he can't marry the two very well in his mind. So if you don't like milky, sweet, cinnamon flavored drinks, consider this fair warning.

For everyone else, this is a super cool idea that I have enjoyed several times. It could even be desert.

Spinach Snickerdoodle Smoothie

adapted from The Persuit of Hippieness

makes 1

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

2 1/2 - 3 cups baby spinach leaves

1/4 package of lite firm tofu (I used silken.) or sub a banana

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1/2-1 packet of stevia (about 1/4 to 1/2 a teaspoon) or 1 tablespoon maple syrup

6 ice cubes

Blend until incorporated and smooth. Taste. Drink!

I like closer to three cups of spinach in my smoothie to achieve that bright green color. Make sure to use the almond extract if you want a true snickerdoodle taste. It makes the difference. If tofu is not your thing, you can sub a fresh or frozen banana. Also, I use stevia because I can make my drink sweet without adding more grams of sugar like you would get if you went with the maple syrup, but that's just my personal preference. There's no bitter taste in this drink which can be troublesome when using stevia elsewhere. Happy blending!