This mood-boosting chocolate cherry smoothie is full of nutrients, extra smooth and creamy and tastes like a chocolate-covered cherry! Made with cacao and chia seeds it’s rich in magnesium, an essential mineral that plays roll in mood.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY SMOOTHIE INGREDIENTS

This smoothie is all about feeling good. It’s packed with mood-boosting ingredients like cherries, chia seeds, spirulina, cacao and almond milk.

Spirulina. Spirulina is my favourite superfood. If there was one extra you wanted to include in your kitchen, spirulina would be a great choice. Spirulina is an algae and one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. It contains protein, B vitamins, copper, iron, magnesium and trace amounts of just about every other nutrient we need. Spirulina has powerful anti-aging, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Spirulina also contains tyrosine and phenylalanine which play a role in the functioning of adrenaline and dopamine (the brain chemical), both of which assist in making us feel positive.
Spinach. What can I say about spinach? Popeye was right, eat spinach, grow big and strong.
Cherries. In addition to tasting amazing, cherries are also a nutritional powerhouse. As for boosting mood, cherries contain tryptophan, the precursor to melatonin, essential for promoting quality sleep. Cherries are ranked as one of the most protective foods in term of disease. Cherries are a potent source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, which help ward of chronic disease such as heart disease, cancer, Alzheimers and diabetes.
Chia Seeds. Another one of my favourite superfoods, chia seeds are a good source of omega-3 essential fatty acids, fibre, antioxidants, iron and calcium. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential to keeping our brain happy and healthy.
Cacao Powder. Cacao is another food I have bit of an obsession with. Cacao is chocolate in it’s purest form and is available as cacao butter, cacao powder, cacao nibs and cacao beans. Cacao is rich in magnesium, zinc, iron, polyphenols, oleic acid and more. It also contains the mood improver, anandamide, which creates a feeling of euphoria and it boosts the brain levels of serotonin, the feel good chemical. In addition to making us feel all warm and fuzzy, this study found the flavanoids found in cacao preserve cognitive abilities during ageing in rats, lower the risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease and decrease the risk of stroke in humans.

OTHER INGREDIENTS

Almond Milk. I used almond milk for the liquid. You can use coconut water or any other plant-based milk as an alternative.
Frozen Banana. Frozen banana adds a touch of sweetness and creaminess that can’t be beat.
Dates or/and Vanilla Protein Powder. I found with the strong flavours of cacao and spirulina, this smoothie needed just a bit of extra sweetness. I used 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder to add flavour, sweetness and boost of protein. If you don’t want to use protein powder, I’d recommend 2-3 medjool dates or around 5 small deglect noor, honey or sayer dates. Pure maple syrup would also work here.

THE FEEL GOOD SMOOTHIE

Drink this feel good chocolate cherry smoothie to look after your brain and drift off to a happy, blissful place. Whether it’s the delicious chocolate cherry flavour or all the feel good vitamins, fats and minerals, enjoy the goodness because life can be hectic you know, we gotta enjoy the little moments while we can.

NUTRITIONAL DETAILS

This smoothie contains 386 calories with 62 g carbs, 28 g protein and 5 g fats. It’s also rich in fibre with 14 grams and high in iron, calcium, vitamin C, vitamin A, magnesium and zinc.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups frozen pitted cherries (210 g)
1/2 a small frozen banana (50 g)
1 tbsp chia seeds (11 g)
2 tbsp cacao powder (16 g)
1 scoop vegan vanilla protein powder (30 g)
1 tsp spirulina
handful of spinach or kale (40 g)
1 1/2 cups almond milk (375 mL)
optional: pinch of sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Add all ingredients to a blender and mix until smooth and creamy. If you’re using a Vitamix, about 30 seconds should do it, if not, let it blend a little longer until it’s completely blended and nice and smooth.
Pour into a glass and enjoy.

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