I love a good healthy milkshake on a nice day. It makes a great breakfast or midday snack. This shake recipe was one I developed last year when I first started to ween myself off dairy. Dairy is a really disruptive food. It causes the body to produce excess mucous and counter to what many believe, it is actually not a particularly absorbable source of calcium. I greatly reduced my dairy consumption last year when I met my husband. I had a pre-cancerous condition he was convinced was only prolonged by the massive amount of dairy I consumed. He suggested I become more alkaline, reducing my grain consumption and sugar consumption and eliminating dairy from my diet as much as possible. At the time we met I had had the condition for over a year and it was not worsening or getting better. The next step according to my doctor would be surgery. I didn't want to have surgery. So I tried out my husband's theory and sure enough, in four months time my condition "vanished". So did my asthma! My hair also improved (it had been quite dry) and my eyes became brighter. I also felt revitalized and stronger. Despite all of these positive effects I felt down. I love food and the new lifestyle meant abandoning many of my favorite things -- ice cream was top of the list. Ice cream and I have a life-long history. I would eat two bowls after school as a kid, and blend homemade milkshakes all the time.

Dairy Free Chocolate Energy Shake

1 large frozen banana
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup rice milk or dairy free milk of your choice (I like Natura Vanilla)
3 tsp 100% cocoa powder (blended with a tsp of water in a glass)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt

Add Ins for Different Shake Variations

After Eight:
Fresh mint 

Mint Chocolate Chip:
Handful frozen spinach
Peppermint Extract
Small handful chocolate chips

Chunky Monkey:
extra banana
1 tbsp nut butter or sun butter or pumpkin seed butter

Red Velvet:
Extra Vanilla
Extra banana
Small handful chocolate chips
2 ice cubes of frozen beet juice

Elvis:
Eztra banana
2 tbsp peanut butter or sun butter or pumpkin seed butter

 

Directions

Blend all ingredients and add-ins of choice in a high speed blender or Vitamix until thick and creamy. Adjust ingredients to taste.