Cherry Berry Smoothie from Green Smoothie Joy

As January comes to a close, I know that a good half of the bloggers I follow were doing green smoothie diets this month. I, however, wasn’t. Like with anything, it takes me awhile to warm up to new foods/ideas. I am sure I can get to where I not only tolerate, but like them. But..it is going to be a hard bridge to cross. While I like spinach in smoothies, things like spirulina and I are just not friends (this tale of woe goes to my Mom’s back-to-nature friend Tami, who was obsessed in the early 80’s with it. I hated being at her house. The green drinks never ceased. Hers never tasted like these, I can tell you!)

Having received two new smoothie books this month for review, I sat down and told myself to get cracking. After all, I have a high-speed blender, so quit making excuses.

As I read Green Smoothie Joy: Recipes for Living, Loving, and Juicing Green, I realized I could cheat…hehe. And build myself up to full-on green smoothies. Cressida’s recipes are friendly to new and experienced, with a vast assortment of flavors. The book is split into easy-to-read sections, starting with a how-to, then dipping into green smoothie recipes. Following it is a section on juicer/blender combo recipes. fruit-based smoothies, ones with yogurt, green smoothies that will fill you up and finally, the yummy ‘dessert’ smoothies (that my Teen will love).

One feature I liked was the size of the book, it is easy to hold while grabbing ingredients. The many full-color photos inspire one to love greens. Well, eventually they will 😉

I decided on a smoothie I wouldn’t make normally if Kirk was going to enjoy it with me. He isn’t a fan of seeds, so I leave items such as blackberries and raspberries out. I happen to love them. Even though my stomach doesn’t. If we want to talk about no self-control, it is me and fresh berries. A half-flat of raspberries? I’ll eat (gobble) them and then end up with a really bad gut ache an hour later. Huckleberries when hiking? Again, once I start eating them it is nearly impossible to stop. The gut ache is somehow worth it. Well, if I blend the same berries until smooth I don’t get the tummy ache. Same with apples and so on. It was something I noticed recently. I can eat what I love and not have the pain after. Hmmm, maybe this smoothie thing is a good thing. No stomach bloat? Easy digestion? I am listening! Maybe, next thing you know, I’ll be sipping on liquid spinach…..

Cherry Berry Smoothie (From page 135)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cherries, pitted (used unsweetened frozen)
• 1 ripe banana
• 1 cup raspberries, fresh or unsweetened frozen
• 1 organic apple, cored
• 1 Tbsp dark chocolate chips or cacao nibs
• 6 ice cubes
• Water (see below)

Directions:

Add everything to a high-speed blender, pour in ½ cup filtered water. Process on high, tamping, until smooth. Add more water as desired – with frozen cherries mine was thick and frosty, wide-straw ready.

Makes about 32 ounces, so 2 full size servings or 1 massive jug.

Note:

I used an organic apple, scrubbed, leaving the peel on for more fiber. If your apple isn’t organic, I would recommend that you peel it first.

~Sarah

FTC Disclaimer: We received a copy of the book for potential review.