Hello, everyone! Are you ready for some fruity deliciousness? This cherry smoothie is packed full of goodness and flavor. Ever since I started taking my health seriously few years ago, banana smoothies have been the staple of my diet. I usually begin my mornings with it as it is easy for digestion and gives me plenty of energy for the rest of the day.
The other thing I don't go without is red fruit, berries and cherries of all sorts. Even during winter I make sure to have plenty of supplies in the freezer. Health benefits of these fruits are countless, including the best source of antioxidants, vitamin C and anti-inflammatory properties.
Here's what you'll need for the smoothie and below I'll share some alternative ways to make it.
- One cup of defrosted or fresh tart cherries
- One cup of defrosted or fresh strawberries
- 3-4 bananas depending on your appetite
- A juice of 3-4 oranges
- Tablespoon of honey
- Tablespoon of peanut butter
If you want to add a bit more fat to the smoothie you can replace orange juice with a cup of milk of your choice. If you are using dairy milk, for health benefits it's best when it is fresh, non-pasteurized and local. Goat milk is even better.
You can also use only one type of red fruits - berries or cherries, just know that sour cherries typically need more sweetener as a counterbalance. If you are only using strawberries, honey is not even necessary.
This simple manual citrus juicer is enough for just a few oranges. For additional vitamins and fiber, don't throw away the pulp but add it in the blender. You won't notice it once it's all blended.
Get the fruits out of the freezer few hours before you are making the smoothie so it has time to defrost slowly. I usually do it as soon as I wake up as I won't eat for at least 2-3 hours after that. If in a hurry, place the bowl with fruit over a boiling water for a few minutes.
Here's a tip if you want the texture to be super-smooth - blend the cherries with orange juice first. Otherwise, cherries might not blend completely.
After that add the rest of the ingredients. Make sure the bananas are ripe - they should have black spots on them, the stem is yellow, not green and there's no loud sound when you peel them. Unripe bananas are rich in starch content which turns to simple sugar as they age. Starchy bananas may leave you bloated after and they don't have as much antioxidants.
These ingredients will yield you between 24 and 32oz (0.7 to 1l) of fresh fruit smoothie. No better way to start the day and the taste is heavenly. You can leave out peanut butter if it makes you feel bloated which can be a case for certain people when combining sugar and fat.
Adding vanilla extract or cacao powder is another way to spice things even more. They both work amazing with this combination. Just make sure not to go overboard with too many ingredients - it's best and healthiest when it's simple. :)
Hope you enjoy!