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I’m all about thick smoothies. Smoothies with a spoon are the way to go. Sometimes I even add xanthan gum (or a bit of coconut flour) just for added thickness. But the best way to thicken a smoothie? Avocado! I love adding avocado not just because of it’s consistency but also its added nutritional benefit. Avocados are a fantastic source of monounsaturated “good” fat (helps lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol), potassium, folate and fibre.
Want to know about another awesome fruit (yes, avocados are a fruit)? Cherries. The red colour in cherries comes from anthocyanins, the same antioxidant found in red wine that can help soothe joint soreness and inflammation. They also contain quercetin, which protects the colon from tumours and pectin which works like monounsaturated fats to help lower “bad” cholesterol. Interestingly cherries can actually make you sleepy! They are part of the stone fruit family many of which contain melatonin! So I wouldn’t gauge on cherries first thing in the morning…unless of course you want to go back to sleep zzzzzzz!
My one qualm about cherries? Unless you’re popping them into your mouth, to add them to any recipe you have to pit them first. Obviously you can just cut them but I end up losing half the cherry in the process. There are also cherry pitters on the market but I unfortunately am not a proud owner of one. So I took action into my own hands and decided to tackle my cherry problem sans pitter. Since I wasn’t using a straw to actually drink my smoothie I figured it might actually have a dual function as a cherry pitter! And guess what? It worked! All you have to do is stick a straw (try to find a stronger one) through the top of the cherry and with some force push it through. Pull the cherry off and remove the pit that likely has gotten stuck in the straw. Genius!
Now that I can easily pit cherries they are becoming a staple in my smoothies, along with avocado of course 🙂 Don’t be thrown off by the green colour of this smoothie, the chocolate and cherries are far more pungent than the avocado and spinach which add no taste whatsoever….just a boatload of nutrition!
I just made something almost exactly the same last week! It’s on my instagram and facebook. Anyway, I just stumbled across your blog. Love it and awesome recipes! I’m a foodie and avid “makeover” cook/baker as well. It’s so nice to meet other like-minded inspirations! 🙂
Go get a cherry pitter, Davida! So worth the money. And your fingernails won’t have that purple ridge for 3 days. Ha! Love this recipe and am featuring it at Raw Foods Thursdays tomorrow. Hope to see you there!
Hahaha thanks Heather 😉 It’s on my VERY long list of kitchen appliances to buy, but in the meantime a straw seems to be doing the trick! Thanks for featuring. Working on some raw recipes this weekend so you’ll be sure to see me there next week 🙂
This chocolate cherry green smoothie makes me wonder so much how it taste. So I guess I should give it a try. Thanks for the recipe.
Hey there, good web site you have going here.
I just made something almost exactly the same last week! It’s on my instagram and facebook. Anyway, I just stumbled across your blog. Love it and awesome recipes! I’m a foodie and avid “makeover” cook/baker as well. It’s so nice to meet other like-minded inspirations! 🙂
Great minds think alike 😉 Just checked out your blog. Such awesome recipes and fitness motivation. So excited to have found you and explore more!
Haha indeed 😉 Thanks for dropping by and your kind words! xo
Go get a cherry pitter, Davida! So worth the money. And your fingernails won’t have that purple ridge for 3 days. Ha! Love this recipe and am featuring it at Raw Foods Thursdays tomorrow. Hope to see you there!
Heather
Hahaha thanks Heather 😉 It’s on my VERY long list of kitchen appliances to buy, but in the meantime a straw seems to be doing the trick! Thanks for featuring. Working on some raw recipes this weekend so you’ll be sure to see me there next week 🙂
I love mine icy and thick too! Sounds like a yummy recipe
Hope you enjoy Kathy! Adding ice would be an awesome idea, especially on a hot summer day!
I love this straw idea. I wish I thought of it a long time ago! I most definitely always enjoy my smoothies with a spoon
The spoon is the way to go! Apparently this straw trick also works for removing the tops of strawberries!
Thanks Em! Who knew a straw could be so useful? Always love discovering a new foodie trick 🙂
What a good tip on pitting cherries – I never knew how without just eating around the pit haha! That smoothie looks fantastic!