Cranberry Cherry Frozen Smoothie

We’ve come to the end of the fresh cranberry season which makes me sad. The little red berries are powerhouses of nutrients.  The nutrients in cranberries have been linked to a lower risk of urinary tract infections, prevention of certain types of cancer, improved immune function, and decreased blood pressure. And the best part, a half a cup of cranberries contains only 25 calories.   Thank goodness for frozen cranberries!

Now many of you are probably thinking, I don’t need any more cranberry sauce. Let me tell you there is so much more you can do with the lovely red cranberry. Blend cranberries and add to salad dressings; the cranberries’ tartness could even replace the vinegar. Add sliced cranberries to fruit salads, green salads, cakes, pies, and my favorite, smoothies.

Today we’re making a smoothie treat with frozen cranberries, an orange, frozen bing cherries or strawberries, and a sliced frozen banana. I am not adding any sweeteners as research has shown that adding sugar decreases the potency of the cranberries. If you choose to use frozen bing cherries, it makes a wonderful blend with bits of tartness and sweetness swirled in the icy treat.  If you use frozen strawberries, the smoothie is delicious and just a little tart. It’s a wonderful way to start the day or even end a meal.

It’s flu season and I need all the help I can get. My friend next door has been sick for over 3 weeks with the flu, so I’m making my cranberry smoothies often.  If you want a smoothie that isn’t too thick to drink, add a little almond or coconut milk to the mix. If you want a thick fruit smoothie bowl, just blend the fruit alone.  The orange will provide juice for the liquid. Other options include adding protein powder, a handful of baby spinach, a cup of yogurt, or an avocado for protein and nutrition. The great thing about baby spinach is you won’t taste much of it in the smoothie, but it will still provide you with enough vitamin K for the day.  You will note from the recipe that the majority of calories are from the banana.  Even though no sugar was added, it is not low-calorie due to the natural fruit sugars in all fruit.

Cranberry Cherry Frozen Smoothie

Use organic when available. Serves 1 – 2

I made it once with a little milk, an orange, frozen strawberries and cranberries. I was out of bananas. It was a great slushy drink for breakfast.

My favorite way is with the frozen bing cherries and frozen banana.  Use a large banana and the product is more like an ice cream than smoothie. Boy, this was fabulous! Much of the consistency depends on the size of the orange and banana.  The juice comes only from the orange.

The day my banana was large was like having a dessert for lunch. I’m doing that again.

Enjoy!

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