Chocolate-Covered Cherry Smoothie {Dairy-Free, Paleo, Vegan}

You guys…THIS IS AMAZING!

Seriously, it’s so good! It tastes like a decadent dessert, but you can have it for breakfast.

I couldn’t decide whether to call it a smoothie or a milkshake, so I opted for “smoothie shake.” 🙂

I was inspired to make this recipe after making a cherry chocolate pudding and thought I would try to make a drinkable version. It’s one of the tastiest things I’ve made and is now Bill’s “go to” smoothie in the morning.

What I like the most about smoothies (or, in this case, milkshakes!) is how easily you can pack lots of energy, immune and beauty-boosting nutrients into ONE glass.

This one is loaded with anti-inflammatory and beautifying foods like hemp seeds, cacao powder, avocado and spinach.

But cherries are the star. They’re a fruit that we’re all familiar with but don’t hear too much about healthwise. Check out all of the health-boosting benefits of cherries below.

Why I love cherries:

• They contain powerful antioxidants like anthocyanins, which help protect our heart
• Sweet cherries contain fiber, vitamin C, carotenoids, and anthocyanins, each of which may help play a role in cancer prevention
• They’re full of compounds that help the body “cool down” inflammation, so they’re especially helpful for people suffering from arthritis, gout, and heart disease. Remember, inflammation is one of the KEY reasons we are sick and overweight.
• Natural source of melatonin, a hormone and powerful antioxidant that plays a vital role in regulating sleep

Check out this link from Dr. Mercola or this one from Dr. Joel Fuhrman to learn about even more of the health benefits of these power-packed fruits 🙂

Not only is this smoothie shake fueling and nourishing, it’s also rich, creamy, chocolatey and silky smooth. You have to try it!

Ingredients

• 2 cups baby spinach, loosely packed (this has the LEAST flavor of any greens)
• 1 Medjool date, pit removed
• 1/4 avocado
• 2 tablespoons hemp seeds (my go to protein source for smoothies!)
• 1 tablespoon raw cacao powder
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional but amazing)
• 3/4 cup frozen cherries (BJs Wholesale club now sells bags of organic frozen cherries)
• 1 – 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk (check out my video for how to make your own)
• Pinch fine grain sea salt
• Optional: sprinkle some cacao nibs on top for a chocolatey crunch!

Directions

Put all ingredients in a blender in the order listed above and blend for about a minute or until smooth and creamy.

**If you don’t have a high-speed blender like a Vitamix, Blendtec or Ninja, blend the liquid and spinach FIRST and then add the other ingredients 🙂