Tag: Montmorency tart cherries

Bursting with flavor and color, this smoothie will pick you up and infuse you with vitality.  Tart cherries and cranberries are sweetened with a splash of cranberry juice, and a banana makes the texture thick and smooth.  With only four ingredients, this smoothie is a breeze to make, yet it tastes like a special treat.

Tart cherries freeze beautifully, and I like to keep a bag or two of Montmorency tart cherries, grown right here in Michigan, in my freezer. Then I can pull them out throughout the year to make a cherry pie, or in today’s case, a smoothie.  With the cherries and the cranberries, this smoothie is loaded with antioxidants.  There has been a lot of press about the health benefits of tart cherries–that they help with arthritis, sleep, fighting cancer, and many other things.  Whether or not all the hype is a little over the top, I still believe cherries are good for us. Just a sip of this smoothie, and I know I am drinking in lots of good nutrients.  There is some sugar from the cranberry juice, but otherwise the cherries and cranberries are too tart for most people, and there is not a lot of juice in this smoothie–just enough.

With all the things going on surrounding the holidays, it is good to keep fortified with nutrients. The vibrant flavor and color will lift your spirits.  It is not always easy to keep up with all that is going on, and small treats help.  Stopping to drink a smoothie. Several deep breaths. A walk with a trusted friend. I hope you all have a great weekend!  I will be taking this over to Angie’s Fiesta Friday, co-hosted this week by Sadhna @ Herbs, Spices, and Traditions and Natalie @ Kitchen, uncorked.