Chocolate Cherry Smoothie

By contributing writer Tessa

Smoothies are a busy mom’s best friend. They are also a life saver when it comes to getting loads of nutrients into our picky kiddos.

My 3rd child has pushed me further than I ever thought I could be pushed when it comes to the finickiness of most children’s palates. It has been enough to almost drive me loco in tired moments. And I know I am not the only one!

 Raise your hand if you have a picky kid in your midst!

Smoothies are a great way to feed our bodies in a pinch. They are quick, easy, and full of possibilities. When our local Costco started carrying organic frozen cherries, this Chocolate Cherry Smoothie was born, and it is now a regular in our rotation. It is naturally paleo and includes all the essentials in my book:

• Healthy fat: Avocado is great for skin, hair, and loaded with potassium. This is important for satiety as well.
• Vegetable: While fruits are great, loading a smoothie up with pints and pints of fruit is not necessary and can overload systems with fructose. So I like to make sure there is always some veggies in every smoothie, especially since picky kiddos get some valuable nutrients this way. (I know my kids are not going to eat several cups of plain greens!)
• Protein: Key to keeping you full and providing a balanced meal. We use gelatin as it is flavorless and so nourishing to our guts. But greek yogurt, cottage cheese, nuts, and protein powders are all options here.
• Low/No Sweetener: There’s no sense in taking a perfectly healthy meal and mussing it up with tablespoons of sugar! Sweetness is sometimes achieved by the fruit alone, but perfect fruit is not always within our grasp, as much as we want it to be! When the smoothie needs a sweetness boost, we like to use stevia. Nu Naturals Clear Stevia is our favorite brand with no fillers and no bitter aftertaste. Raw honey is another good option.
• No Banana: Ok, just kidding….but in my family, I am the only one who really doesn’t like bananas in my smoothies. I’m weird, I admit it!

Enjoy this delectable smoothie. No one has to know it isn’t a chocolate milkshake!

Print Recipe

Chocolate Cherry Cream Smoothie - Paleo

Servings: 1

Author: tessa

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups any milk I use water along with a few tablespoons of full-fat coconut milk
• 3/4 cup sweet cherries frozen (berries would be good too)
• 3 cups baby spinach
• 4-6 ounces yogurt I used coconut milk yogurt
• 1/4 Haas avocado
• 2 tablespoons gelatin see note
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder I use Dagoba, Hershey's was top rated in Cooks Illustrated
• 1 date pitted
• Dash of sea salt optional
• Stevia to taste or raw honey as preferred
• A handful of ice cubes for an extra frosty beverage optional

Instructions

• Place all ingredients in the order listed in a high-powered blender and process until smooth and creamy.

Notes

For protein, we use either Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides or Great Lakes Gelatin Collagen Hydrolysate, these do not thicken the shake. You could also use a favorite protein powder, 3 tablespoons raw cashews or almonds, or cottage cheese.

You might also like…

• Raspberry Pineapple Smoothie
• Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
• Strawberry Banana Smoothie
• More recipes from Tessa