Chocolate covered cherries are a treasured favorite during the holiday season, so we decided to whip up a Chocolate Cherry Kefir Smoothie to deliver a similar style recipe that’s great for your gut and packed with protein from Lifeway Kefir. This sweet, sippable treat is thick and rich with a frosty texture that gives off milkshake vibes where you’ll taste layers of indulgent cacao, sweet cherries and banana, and creamy probiotic Lifeway Kefir, all wrapped up with with back notes of nutty, slightly sweet almond butter.
Hidden inside this recipe is a handful of nutrient-dense spinach that offers a generous serving of fiber, vitamins A, C, E, and K, plus a wealth of minerals like magnesium, iron, and potassium, and B vitamins including folate and vitamin B6. You’ll never taste the green goodness of mild spinach, so toss in a handful (or two!) to get a daily dose of greens you can hide in this delicious, healthy smoothie. Topped off with a cherry and crushed cacao nibs (or you can use dark chocolate chips), this recipe is a treat for the eyes, but more importantly, a dream for your gut thanks to Lifeway Kefir whipped up inside.
Lifeway Kefir powers this smoothie with complete protein, plus it’s easy to digest since it’s lactose intolerance friendly. Our kefir is packed with billions of live and active cultures that support digestion, skin health, immune system health, and overall gut health, so you can enjoy this smoothie and treat your body at the same time. Our kefir’s signature tart taste comes from the probiotics it contains, and we offer a range of flavors that would all work beautifully in this recipe. Here, we used our most popular product, our lowfat plain kefir, but you could also use whole milk plain, any of our cherry flavors, or our chocolate or berry flavors. No matter what flavor you choose, we hope you enjoy this Chocolate Cherry Kefir Smoothie as much as we do. Cheers!
The Benefits of Cultured Dairy for Better Health:
Research continues to show the importance of eating healthy foods, including cultured dairy such as kefir, for optimal digestion and gut health, a strong immune system, and to support the microbiome. Fermented foods like kefir hold important value in this line of research due to the link between the gut-brain axis and overall health. Specifically, kefir has been shown to help diversify the microbiome, improve digestion, reduce inflammation, support healthier blood sugar levels, and improve satiety since the bioavailable protein it contains triggers the release of GLP-1.
Lifeway Kefir is packed with a variety of vital nutrients important for overall health, including bone and muscle health; these include vitamin D3, K, calcium, and vitamin B12. Along with our probiotic-rich kefir, Lifeway also offers artisan-made Farmer Cheese,a creamy, high-protein cheese made with live and active cultures to support healthy muscles and a healthy microbiome. Lifeway Farmer Cheese is easy to spread, free of gums and thickeners, and contains no added salt or sugar for optimal health benefits.
Prep Time: 2-3 mins Servings: 1-2Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Lowfat Plain Kefir
- *or sub with Organic Whole Milk Plain Lifeway Kefir or Lowfat Cherry Lifeway Kefir, if desired
- 1 1/2 cups frozen cherries
- 1 fresh banana, sliced (or use frozen)
- 1 cup fresh spinach
- 1 tsp. raw cacao powder*
- 1 tbsp. raw almond butter
- optional: 1 tsp. raw honey if you prefer it sweeter
- Toppings: fresh cherries and raw cacao nibs or crushed dark chocolate chips
Directions
- Add all the ingredients except the toppings to a high-speed blender in the order listed. Blend until thick and creamy, and pour into 1-2 glasses. Top with fresh cherries and raw cacao nibs or crushed dark chocolate chips. Serve and enjoy!
- *If you can't find raw cacao powder, you can use cocoa powder instead.
