I am thankful for the most wonderful family & friends a gal could ask for. And I am thankful that we got to celebrate the holidays for a week of non-stop partying with everyone!

But, I am also thankful to return home to a day of green juices & smoothies after all the fun we endured this past week! Let’s just say when we arrived back home after all the fun, I literally collapsed. My AS symptoms set back in and just being, moving, & breathing was becoming painful again. Uggh.

Now, just 24 hours back on a 100% Raw Diet and I am already feeling like I could endure some more holiday celebrations….. well, almost!

Meet the soothing & holiday healing, Raw Grain Free Paleo “Oatmeal” Cookie Milkshake.

Cookie Shake Recipe:

• 1 cup “milk” (almond, hazelnut, coconut, hemp, etc)
• 1 TBS chia seeds, ground*
• 1 TBS flax seeds, ground*
• 2 medjool dates (pits removed)
• 1 TBS maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp vanilla or 1 whole vanilla bean
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice)
• pinch sea salt
• optional: 1 TBS coconut oil
• optional: 1/2 apple, peeled

• A few large ice cubes

• 2 TBS dried unsweetened coconut
• 3 TBS raisins (or dried blueberries, cherries, etc)

Feel free to mix and switch up ingredients, and just use this recipe as a guide! If you don’t have 1 or 2 ingredients listed above, don’t worry, this shake can still taste amazing with simple adjustments!

Mix first group of ingredients together in a high speed blender. If using a Vitamix or Belndtec, just toss flax & chia seeds in whole, but if using a regular blender, you will want to grind these seeds first to powder in a coffee grinder. Once the “milk”, seeds, dates, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, and sea salt are well blended, add in a 4 to 5 large ice cubes, blend into a thick milkshake. Then toss in dried coconut & raisins and gently blend/incorporate, without pureeing. This will give the milkshake some cookie like texture.

This oatmeal cookie was inspired by the Almond Joy Milkshake, created by my friend Kristi!