How beautiful is this healing cranberry smoothie? A gorgeous pink color that’s delicious as a beverage, breakfast or snack. Packed with nutrition!
Let’s balance things out a little bit, shall we? Since craving (and eating) chocolate, gingerbread & peppermint everything over the past few weeks, I’m ready for a little holiday break.
This is typically the time of year when I start craving unprocessed, vegetable-filled meals. Don’t get me wrong, you know I’m not going to deny myself my favorite dishes; however, I find that I really do prefer produce-heavy meals most of the time.
I notice a dramatic shift in energy and clarity when my diet is full of plants. As much as I want to enjoy the same feeling from extra-cheese pizza and cinnamon rolls, unfortunately, that’s just not the case.
This cranberry smoothie is the perfect thing to make with extra frozen or fresh cranberries. I first created this cranberry smoothie a few years ago when my freezer was overflowing with cranberries, and I was craving something sweet, yet nourishing.
I wanted something refreshing, cold and seasonal. The combination of orange and cranberry is amazing to me. I love the tart berry and sweet, refreshing orange together. Smoothies are one of my favorite ways to get ‘back on track‘, but this time I wasn’t in the mood for the usual green suspects.
All you need for this recipe is whole cranberries, oranges, banana and a little maple syrup for sweetener. Blend together and that’s it!
How have I not put cranberries in a smoothie before? Orange and cranberry are the yin and yang to sweet and tart. Add a little frozen banana for extra creaminess, and this is one smoothie you’ll be firing up the blender for day after day. Besides being ready in no-time flat, it’s become my favorite thing to sip after a hot yoga class.
I’ve included maple syrup in the ingredients, but that’s completely optional. My thoughts- the first time you make this, only add in a little or no sweetener. Then, if you want it sweeter, add a little more. You can also use honey or agave nectar, if preferred.
Sometimes I like this smoothie tart and sometimes I like this a little more sweet. Therefore, the maple add is completely optional! I shared with Vander a few weeks ago and he went gaga for it. So funny to see him love smoothies!
You can use leftover cranberry sauce for this, but I’d recommend to omit the added sweetener as it likely doesn’t need it.
If you don’t have any fresh or frozen cranberries, then I’d recommend frozen blueberries or frozen mixed berries instead.
You can also add in yogurt, greek yogurt, dairy-free yogurt or protein powder if you want to make this more of a meal smoothie.
Orange juice can also be used instead of fresh oranges. Frozen bananas gives this smoothie a creamy, milkshake like texture but you can use fresh if that’s all you have available.
Whole cranberries also pack quite a nutritious punch! Besides being one of the best sources of antioxidants, they’re also loaded with:
vitamin C
copper
manganese
vitamin E
and fiber!
Plus, research shows that consuming the whole cranberry is more beneficial to your heart than taking concentrated cranberry supplements. Since fresh cranberries are so abundant this time of year, buy a few bags to store in the freezer! Keeping them frozen also negates the need for ice in this smoothie.
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge . I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking!
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Healing Cranberry Smoothie! The perfect breakfast or snack after all the holiday sweets! Packed with nutrition!
Tag @delishknowledge on Instagram and hashtag it #delishknowledge
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(34 comments) leave a comment
I haven’t used it yet. but am heading for the supermarket to get ingredients. Being a cranberry lover I know this is a wonderful use of a very healthy, nutritional, beautiful little berry. Thank you very much for a new recipe. M Sue
Scrumptious! Thank you! I made it without using the maple syrup and it was exactly what I needed. Thanks again, I appreciate it!
★★★★★
I make this every morning! I love that it’s dairy free and so simple to make!
★★★★★
I do add greens. Color may be not quite as pretty but the addition gives it even more health benefits. I buy the already washed ones from Aldi and just pop it into the freezer when I bring it home. It is easy to grab a handful of each when I make the smoothie. It keeps beautifully that way. They never go bad before I use them.
I added greek yogurt (with less sugar) instead of the maple syrup. It was a bit tangy and refreshing! Pinned this recipe.
★★★★★
i used a grapefruit and a clementine because i didn’t have oranges, and i added a scoop of vanilla protein powder, and it was so good!
★★★★★
Glad you liked it. Thanks, Sam!
This sounds yummy. So you don’t have to cook the cranberries? They aren’t too hard? I have a NutriBullet. Thanks
No, they are raw! It’s a tangy smoothy, but delicious if you like cranberries.
going to try this smoothie, I don’t have frozen cranberries, I have the juice in the bottle, will that work at all?
It won’t have the same texture; I’d recommend reducing overall liquid so it’s still a smoothie instead of a cranberry/orange juice.
I use frozen cranberries and it works great as a smoothie! I also use clementines instead of oranges.
★★★★★
Really like this smoothie. It’s tart, but very refreshing. When I make it for my kids, I add in a little more orange and less cranberries.
★★★★★
I made this smoothie today and it is so good!!! It was perfect for me, just the way the recipe is. Thank you for sharing. It will be in my smoothie favorites.
Awesome! Thanks so much for the comment Wilma, glad you liked it!