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A favorite treat from before we started changing over to real, more nutrient dense foods was Magic Milk Shakes from the Hillbilly Housewife website. They tasted remarkably like a Frosty from Wendy’s and we would have them a few times a week as a snack or dessert. But with the ingredient list (powdered milk, vegetable oil, vegetable spray) they needed to be reworked in order to fit into our ‘new’ style of eating. My little Lulu was broken hearted over the idea of not having her favorite shakes so she became our Official Milk Shake Maker and took on the task of tweaking the recipe (I helped a little but it was mostly Lulu).
The milkshakes that we now enjoy have eliminated those questionable ingredients and embraced healthier choices. The flavor is wonderful and makes for a very nice treat.
Milk Shake Magic
1 1/2 cups dairy kefir
1 1/2 cups raw milk
1/3- 2/3 cup Sucanat (or other sweetener)
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 Tablespoons coconut oil (melted if solid at room temperature)
1-2 trays of ice cubes
Put everything but the coconut oil and ice in the blender. Turn on blender to mix it all together. With blender running, add the coconut oil. When mixed, add the ice cubes a few at a time until shake has reached the consistency you desire.
We tend to use two full trays of ice to make a very thick shake that needs to be eaten with a spoon. This makes a full blender which provides us with four generous servings and usually seconds for the shake maker 🙂
If you have not yet started making dairy kefir (here is a great article on dairy kefir) you can use milk instead and go with the lesser amount of sugar.
The coconut oil is an essential ingredient. It helps the shake emulsify properly and makes it creamier. Plus as a healthy fat, coconut oil is very good for you and can even help with weight loss (read about a few of the benefits here).
If you are looking for a simple and wonderful snack or dessert this just may be it.
This post is a contribution to Real Food Wednesdays hosted this week by Kelly the Kitchen Kop.
>my children love milkshakes, and I only rarely let them have one. But with the addition of the kefir and coconut oil, plus using sucanat and cocoa instead of chocolate syrup or powder — I think this would be a *healthy* snack for them!!! And I have all the ingredients too! Putting this right on the top of my list of new recipes to try 🙂
>Mommy5SC,
They really are a good sub for milkshakes and so quick and easy to make.
>We're having these RIGHT now. My daughter only likes milkshakes, not smoothies, but these are a complete hit!
Maybe I'll try to sneak an egg into the next one. 🙂
>Erin,
I'm glad to hear it! They are surprisingly creamy. Great idea to add the egg. Just the yolk might make it even creamier. I might try that myself.
>Well, Millie, it only took me three tries and new blender to get it right! Lol! These are yummy… We're having (grassfed beef)burgers, potato salad and chocolate kefir smoothies for dinner tonight!
Thanks!
BTW, the lessons learned are have a big enough blender canister and use PLENTY of ice (but you said that part about the ice in the instructions, didn't you!!!!)
>Stephanie,
Sounds like a wonderful dinner! What did you use for your sweetener? I'd really like to go with less 'sweeteners' and more ideas for using fruit.
Lot's of ice does fill up the blender. I think sometimes Lulu has to sneak a little out to get it to blend right. But she doesn't admit to that. 😉
>Lol on 'sneaking a little out'! I am amazed (don't ask me why!) at all the volunteers coming out of the woodwork around here wanting to learn to make these shakes!
So far, we are just using evaporated cane juice. This week I hope to get a bunch of medjool dates (we're nearly out and have saved what we have for Katie to use), so we will try those this weekend. (Have you tried dates?) I'll report back on those.
Meanwhile, I'm betting we'll be having kefir smoothies every night this week!
Should get my water kefir grains this week too. Can't wait!
>Stephanie,
I haven't tried dates. I have tried raisins (in a fruit smoothie) but they didn't blend very good and were noticable. That was a problem since the girls and Joe tell me they do not like raisins. oops.
>I like milk shakes a lot. But I haven't tried adding coconut oil in it before. But I've been using coconut oil, really. I use it for cooking and even on my skin and hair. Got mine from http://products.mercola.com/coconut-oil/ So I guess the next time I'll make some, I'll have another healthy ingredient. 🙂