Pack nutrients, antioxidants and flavor into your breakfast with this chocolate cherry smoothie. You will crave the thick and creamy consistency. It's done in minutes and easy to meal prep!
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My husband and I drink a smoothie every single morning! We've been experimenting with flavors for months and this chocolate cherry smoothie is one of our favorites (along with avocado smoothies) for so many reasons.
Benefits of cherries
- Full of fiber: this keeps your digestive system running smoothly, which is great for ridding the body of toxins and excess hormones (great for PCOS!)
- Packed with nutrients: cherries are especially high in vitamin C, which is great for skin health and immune support.
- Essential vitamins: cherries deliver B vitamins, magnesium and more.
- Reduce inflammation: I'm obsessed with eating anti inflammatory (I even wrote an anti-inflammatory cookbook!). And cherries are great for naturally reducing inflammation.
Ingredient Notes
- Spinach: you can't taste it at all but it adds even more fiber and healthy nutrients.
- Unsweetened almond milk: We love this for the creamy consistency and flavor, but any plant-based milk will work.
- Avocado: this is going to make the smoothie so thick and creamy! It also adds healthy fats and more fiber (!!) so you'll stay full until lunch.
- Frozen cherries: I love that you can get them year round and they add consistency to the smoothie. They also make it cold without having to use ice.
- Cocoa powder: for chocolate flavor!
Smoothie Add-Ins
Want to make this frozen cherry smoothie recipe in more healthy?! Here are some of my favorite additions to pack smoothies with extra benefits:
- Frozen veggies: we love cauliflower because you can't taste it! Frozen zucchini would be great.
- Seeds: our favorites are flax seed or chia seeds
- Protein powder: I like collagen protein or Be Well by Kelly protein made with monkfruit sweetener.
- Adaptogenic herbs: we like Ashwaghanda to help naturally calm anxiety and balance blood sugar or Maca to boost fertility, mood and energy.
How to Make a Cherry Smoothie (Without Yogurt)
- Start by blending the almond milk and spinach together. This is my secret smoothie tip to remove any spinach texture.
- Add the rest of the ingredients (including any optional add-ins) and blend on high until smooth and creamy.
Cherry Smoothie: Frequently Asked Questions
You can blend whole frozen cherries because the pits are already removed. If you opt to use fresh cherries, make sure you remove the pit first.
An unsweetened, plant-based milk is a great liquid for smoothies. It's also low in sugars. You can also use coconut water, filtered water or regular milk.
The key to thick and creamy smoothies is frozen fruit and the right ratio of liquids. Start with less liquids and add more as needed. You can also add avocado. You can't taste it but it makes it so creamy.
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How to Prep Smoothies in Advance
You can put all of the ingredients (except the milk) in storage bags in the freezer so all you have to do is add it to the blender or you can blend them and freeze the smoothie in ice cube trays. Blend them with more milk to serve.
Recipe
Chocolate Cherry Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup packed spinach
- 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (or other dairy free milk)
- 1/2 large avocado
- 1/3 cup frozen cherries (more if you want it sweeter)
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder (or use 1 serving of chocolate protein powder)
Optional add ins:
- 1/2 cup Frozen zucchini or cauliflower (like cauliflower rice)
- 1 tablespoon seeds: flax seed or chia seed (for fiber)
- serving of protein powder
- 1 serving of adaptogenic herbs
Instructions
- Add the spinach and almond milk to a high speed blender and blend until combined.
- Add the rest of the ingredients (including in add-ins) and blend until smooth and creamy. Add more almond milk as needed to reach your desired consistency.
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