Chocolate Cherry Smoothie
Frozen dark cherries bring anthocyanins and a naturally tart backbone, while Greek yogurt and milk turn this into a legitimate light lunch rather than a quick sugar hit. A spoonful of almond butter…
Ingredients
- 1 cup Frozen pitted dark cherries
- 3/4 cup Plain Greek yogurt, 2% or nonfat
- 1 cup Unsweetened milk
- 1/2 small Ripe banana, sliced and frozen
- 1 packed cup Baby spinach
- 1 tablespoon Unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon Almond butter
- 1 tablespoon Chia seeds
Instructions
- Set a large high-speed blender, a 16- to 20-ounce serving glass, a tablespoon measure, and a small spatula on the counter. Because there is no cooking stage, accurate measuring and ingredient temperature do the work: frozen fruit gives body, while the liquid keeps the blade moving.
- Inspect the frozen cherries for any remaining pits and discard any stems or hard fragments. Slice the frozen banana into smaller pieces if needed; smaller pieces reduce blending time and help prevent a thick pocket from forming beneath the blades.
- Pour the 1 cup milk into the blender jar first, followed by the 3/4 cup Greek yogurt. Adding the liquid and soft ingredients at the bottom creates a smooth vortex and prevents the frozen fruit from locking the blades.
- Add the packed baby spinach, 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon almond butter, and 1 tablespoon chia seeds. Press the spinach down lightly with the spatula, but do not pack it so firmly that air cannot circulate around the blades.
- Add the 1 cup frozen cherries and 1/2 small frozen banana last. Keeping the coldest, hardest ingredients on top lets the blender draw them gradually into the liquid instead of forcing a stalled start.
- Secure the lid and begin on low speed for 15 seconds, then increase to medium for 20 seconds. Stop once and scrape down the sides with the blender unplugged or fully stopped; this short pause catches spinach and cocoa clinging above the liquid line.
- Blend on high for 35 to 50 seconds, using the blender tamper only if the manufacturer permits it. The smoothie is ready when no green flecks remain, the cherries are fully dispersed, and the surface forms a glossy, thick vortex with no audible hard chunks striking the blade.
- Check the texture with a spoon. It should pour slowly and coat the spoon without feeling gritty from whole chia seeds. If it is too thick to move, add 1 tablespoon cold milk at a time and blend for 10 seconds after each addition; if it is too loose, add two or three extra frozen cherries and blend for 15 seconds.
- Taste before serving and adjust only if necessary. Extra cocoa will deepen the chocolate note but can add bitterness, so use no more than 1 teaspoon at a time; if the cherries are especially tart, blend in another small banana slice rather than adding sugar.
- Pour immediately into the chilled serving glass and let it stand for 2 minutes so the chia can begin to thicken the drink. Serve cold as an everyday lunch, ideally alongside water and a crunchy vegetable or a few whole-grain crackers for a more complete meal.
Watch the Chocolate Cherry Smoothie cooking video
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