This cherry blueberry spinach smoothie is an easy and healthy smoothie recipe! Filled with good for you ingredients, this green smoothie recipe is packed with fiber, protein, and nutrients. The perfect way to start the day!
I’ll be the first to admit I’m not a morning person. But I’m also a person who needs to have a good breakfast to get my day off on the right foot. To balance this out, I like finding quick and easy breakfast ideas that my family will enjoy and that I don’t have to think about too much when I’m still not quite awake. Smoothies are a great solution!
One of the great things about smoothies is that you can pack your breakfast full of fruits and vegetables while still enjoying something that tastes great. This cherry berry smoothie recipe also has added protein from both plain yogurt and vanilla protein powder to help make this healthy smoothie filling!
TELL ME ABOUT THIS CHERRY BLUEBERRY SPINACH SMOOTHIE
Level of difficulty: Easy. Place ingredients in a blender, blend, and go!
Flavor: The cherry and blueberry are accented by a hint of banana and coconut.
Texture: Moderately thick and smooth.
Time: It will take you less than 5 minutes to put together your cherry berry smoothie.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
Frozen Blueberries and Cherries: Using frozen berries keeps your berry smoothie nice and cold! No need to add ice! Plus, you don’t have to worry about having fresh produce on hand when you want to make this healthy cherry smoothie recipe.
A Medium Banana: You can use a fresh banana or one you’ve thrown into the freezer because it was starting to brown on your counter…both are great options!
Fresh Spinach: A key component in this healthy smoothie recipe! I always try to get veggies in at breakfast in some form. Spinach basically disappears into this cherry berry smoothie!
Ground Flax: A great source of omega-3s, fiber, and a variety of other nutrients, ground flaxseed is a great addition to any smoothie.
High Quality Vanilla Protein Powder: Using a few scoops of protein helps this cherry smoothie with coconut water tide you over until lunchtime. I recommend using a high quality protein powder that has few ingredients (you’d be surprised how many protein powders have a lot of junk in them!). I personally love this one.
Plain Greek Yogurt: Adding plain yogurt to your smoothie helps give your breakfast smoothie a nice texture, adds live and active cultures which are good for digestion, and additional protein.
Coconut Water: Coconut water is a great base for a healthy smoothie. It does not have added sugar, it’s full of antioxidants, and it’s super hydrating. Not to mention, tastes great when blended with all the other great ingredients in this frozen berry smoothie recipe.
OVERVIEW: HOW TO MAKE A CHERRY BERRY SMOOTHIE WITH COCONUT WATER
- Place your ingredients in your blender: In the basin of a standard blender, pour half of the coconut water, then add the banana, spinach, flax, protein powder, yogurt, blueberries, cherries, and shredded coconut. Top with remaining coconut water.
- Note: you want to add your spinach early on in this process so the other ingredients can squish it down (there is A LOT of spinach in here, which is good!)
- Note: add your protein powder somewhere in the middle of the ingredients. If it’s put in at the beginning or end it tends to get clumped on either the blender blades or the lid, meaning you do not get as much added benefit
- Blend: Tightly secure the lid of the blender and blend until smooth.
- Serve and enjoy! Divide among glasses and drink up!
MODIFICATIONS FOR DIETARY RESTRICTIONS: VEGAN, DF
This cherry blueberry spinach smoothie recipe can easily be modified to fit a lot of dietary needs! As written, this recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free. A few notes to make sure this easy green smoothie recipe fits your diet:
- Make this into a vegan or dairy free smoothie recipe by selecting a non-dairy yogurt.
- For those adding the optional protein powder to this smoothie, make sure to pick a protein powder that fits your dietary needs.
- Those who follow a vegetarian diet can use whey protein powder or a plant-based protein powder. Those on a gluten free diet can use either of these proteins as well, but should confirm the protein selected notes it’s gf on the label
Those following a dairy free or vegan diet should select a plant-based protein powder that meets this dietary requirement (it should verify this on the label).
FAQS about making cherry blueberry spinach smoothies
Should I use frozen berries or fresh berries? Either is fine! I like to use frozen berries in this cherry and blueberry protein shake because they keep the smoothie cold without the use of ice. Using frozen berries is also super convenient! You can store frozen fruit for a long period of time vs. having to have fresh produce on hand.
Can I use a different liquid than coconut water in this smoothie recipe? If you do not have or like coconut water, orange juice is another great option for this cherry blueberry spinach smoothie recipe.
Can I make this smoothie ahead of time (ie- the night before)? Yes you can. If you choose to make this smoothie the night before, I would recommend giving it another quick blend in the morning or placing it in a shaker cup. Note: your smoothie will be a little thicker and the color will be more green if you let it sit overnight. Not a big deal, I just don’t want you to be surprised! Making this the night ahead is a great option if you have a busy morning or need to take your smoothie to go.
What if I don’t have a standard sized blender? If you have a smaller-sized blender, like a Ninja single-serve or Nutribullet, quarter or halve the recipe to fit your needs.
EQUIPMENT NEEDED TO MAKE SMOOTHIES
A good quality blender. This is the blender we are currently using, and it has been working great! This is a simple, no-frills blender at a modest price point.
LOVE THIS RECIPE? YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY:
Cherry Berry Smoothie with Coconut Water
Ingredients
- 2 + 1/2 C pineapple coconut water, divided*
- 1 medium banana*
- 1 C spinach
- 2 Tbsp ground flaxseed
- 2 scoops vanilla protein powder
- 1/2 C plain Greek yogurt*
- 1 C frozen blueberries
- 1 C frozen cherries
- Optional: 1 Tbsp sweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
- In the basin of a standard blender, pour half of the coconut water, then add the banana, spinach, flax, protein powder, yogurt, blueberries, cherries, and shredded coconut. Top with remaining coconut water. Tightly secure the lid of the blender and blend until smooth. Divide among glasses and enjoy!*
I tried this recipe on my sister and her husband today, a hot afternoon. We found it to be refreshing and it was easy to put together. We loved the coconut, and the cherry zing! My coconut water did not have the pineapple, which we will try next time. Thinking about freezing the extra to try for dessert later or for after my pickleball game!
I’m so glad to hear you all enjoyed it!! I’d love to hear how freezing it goes! Thank you for making my recipe!!