Chocolate Cranberry Smoothie {Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan}

Packed with vitamins and antioxidants, this delicious, tangy smoothie is vegan, dairy-free and sugar-free!

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With all of the delicious treats I shared last week, I knew I had to take a break and share something that's still sweet, but crazy healthy.  This is the time of year where people can put on some serious pounds, so I wanted to share something nutritious as a reminder to try to stay balanced.  

I know, it's not easy, especially this time of year.  Trust me, I baked 6 dozen cookies yesterday.  Yes, they were healthier, but come on, that's 6 dozen!

I am almost scared to say this out loud, but here goes nothing….

I think I finished my Christmas shopping!

That's HUGE for me.  I rarely finish this early.  

I even ordered the personalized calendars for the grandparents and I didn't need to pay for expedited shipping.  This is HUGE for me.

It is crazy how much I love this time of year and all of the anticipation and excitement, but it always amazes me how incredibly difficult it is to stay focused on my healthy lifestyle.

Too many treats and temptations out there, right?

So I need to make a conscious effort to eat more healthy foods to balance it all out.

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So the shopping part is done.  But I still have my Christmas Eve and Christmas menu to prepare and organize.  

I still have a ton more baking to do.  And somehow in the midst of all of this I have to find a way to get myself organized.  

Sigh.  

That's the hardest part.

Until then, I am going to try my hardest to resist all of the treats (ok, maybe not ALL of them but you get the point) and try to remain on my healthy eating regimen.  I need to do all of my prep day recipes too, but who has the time??

Moderation.

Moderation.

Moderation.

What a great introduction for this recipe...

And a wonderful reminder that healthy really can still taste delicious.

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Chocolate Cranberry Smoothie

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Course: Breakfast, Snack

Servings: 1 serving

Author: Lauren Kelly

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup almond milk
• ▢ 2 tablespoons raw cacao powder
• ▢ 2 cups raw spinach
• ▢ ¼ fresh cranberries
• ▢ 2-3 drops stevia for sugar-free option or use 1 tablespoon honey (also makes it non-vegan)
• ▢ handful of ice cubes
• ▢ chia seeds for topping

Instructions

• Place all of the ingredients in a high powered blender in the order shown.
• Blend until smooth. Top with chia seeds if desired.
• ENJOY!

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Easy.  Healthy.  Delicious.  

And a perfect way to start your morning.

Cacao powder and spinach are naturally packed with antioxidants and vitamins.  If you want to add some protein (and not have it be vegan) you can easily add 4-6 ounces of Greek yogurt!  

I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.  I am loving fresh cranberries!

Side note, because I am a mom, if you have picky kids who might scoff at the color, you might want to lighten up on the spinach. The combination of green, red and brown isn't always the prettiest color.

And although I don't care because it tastes so damn good, I know some kids might be completely turned off. So by adding less spinach it will make it look more chocolatey, if that makes any sense?

Trust me, I get it. Picky kids can be very frustrating but the idea is to keep introducing them to healthy options even if they constantly say no.

I promise one day they might just surprise you and say yes. They might not ever like it but even just trying new things is a big deal for picky kids.

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I thought I would share some more delicious smoothie recipes with you guys:

Strawberry Watermelon Smoothie from Lauren Kelly Nutrition

Blood Orange Smoothie from Back to Her Roots

Coconut Quinoa Smoothie from Lauren Kelly Nutrition

Matcha Mint Coconut Smoothie Bowl from The Healthy Maven

Cherry Lime Smoothie Bowl from Lauren Kelly Nutrition

Pineapple Upside Down Strawberry Smoothie from Fit Foodie Finds

Banana Split Smoothie from Lauren Kelly Nutrition

Paleo Purple Sweet Potatoes Smoothie with hidden cauliflower from Fit Mitten Kitchen

If you make this yummy smoothie or any of my other recipes, please come back and let me know. You guys know that I love to hear from you!

Thank you for stopping by and please come back again soon!