Elevate your Plate

Background:

In the hot weather there’s nothing better than cooling down with a long drink. One of my favourites is actually a milkshake, but what’s put me off making them over the years is how unhealthy they can be. After doing some research, I came up with two healthier milkshakes recipes, this is how they turned out….

Recipes:

One recipe makes approximately 3 glasses. To make the chocolate and peanut butter milkshake, use the base ingredients and choose option 1 to make the drink. For the crystallized stem ginger milkshake, use the base and then add option 2 into the blender to make the drink.

Base: (always add into a blender)

• 1 frozen banana (peeled and broken into chunks)
• A few ice cubes
• 1 cup of almond milk

Option 1: For the chocolate and peanut butter: (add into a blender)

• 1 Tbsp of cocoa powder
• 2 Tbsp of Peanut butter

Option 2: For the crystallized stem ginger, honey and vanilla: (add into a blender)

• 1 Tbsp of crystallized stem ginger (4-5 pieces)
• 1 Tbsp of honey
• 1 Tsp of vanilla extract

After adding in your base and option to a blender, blend and pour the contents into a glass, then top with whipped cream or lite whipped cream and serve.

Tips and Tricks:

• If the banana is too hard after being frozen, put it in the microwave for 30s to soften slightly
• Blend the milkshakes well to avoid lots of lumps
• Swap the honey for pure maple syrup to make the recipe vegan

Recommendation and rating:

Overall, the milkshakes were well liked. Out of the two, the stem ginger one took the top spot, as it had sweetness and was smooth to drink. The chocolate and peanut butter one was pleasant and refreshing but the nuts were the dominant flavour. This wasn’t a bother for your average peanut butter lover like myself, but others who aren’t as keen on it, might find it a little strong, so use less accordingly. What I love about both of recipes, is that they don’t use ice cream and instead use frozen banana, which is a far healthier option and gives the same texture as ice cream. In conclusion, both drinks were thoroughly enjoyed on a hot afternoon, and so they get 4 stars!