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    Home » Recipes » Christmas » High Protein Cranberry Smoothie Recipe

    High Protein Cranberry Smoothie Recipe

    Published: Jan 13, 2021 · Modified: Nov 29, 2022 by Andrea Howe · This post may contain affiliate links.

    38 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This light and refreshing cranberry smoothie recipe is high in protein, antioxidants and dietary fiber. Well balanced with healthy fats, lean protein and flavorful fibrous fruits, it will fuel your day and help you feel great!

    2 glasses filled with a bright pink smoothie on a pink table

    You all know by now that I’m a huge fan of nourishing, healthy smoothies. Heck, I wrote a whole guide to creating healthy smoothies at home! While I have some long time favorites and steady go-to’s, I also really love finding new combos, especially when they utilize seasonal ingredients.

    Enter this cranberry smoothie recipe. Fresh cranberries last quite a while if stored properly in the fridge. So a few weeks after opening a bag to make homemade Christmas garland, I decided to use up the leftover fruit to make a breakfast smoothie. Here’s the recipe for this tart smoothie that is chock-full of protein, healthy fats and filling fiber.

    cranberry smoothie recipe ingredients in little white bowls against a pink backdrop

    Cranberry Smoothie Ingredients

    • Fresh or frozen cranberries
    • Apple
    • Berries, either fresh or frozen
    • Whole lemon, peeled
    • Unsweetened yogurt
    • Coconut oil
    • Honey
    • Nutmeg
    • Liquid of choice; either coconut water or almond milk both taste great

    Directions

    Add all ingredients to a high speed blender, along with a handful of ice, and blend till smooth. Couldn’t be easier! The quantities given will yield a nice 16 ounce single serving.  This size should be enough to act as a breakfast meal replacement, or excellent post-workout snack. Consider topping with a drizzle of honey and some fresh berries.cranberries, frozen berries, yogurt and coconut oil in a blender

    Health benefits of cranberries

    Whole cranberries are a wonderful source of:

    • Fiber – whole cranberries contain insoluble and soluble fiber, which aid in digestion. Eating excessive amounts may cause an upset stomach, but the quantities used in this smoothie are great for your digestion.
    • Vitamin C – essential for the maintenance of your skin, muscle and bones. And of course it’s an immunity booster, which is especially important this time of year. Eating 1 whole cup of cranberries gives you 25% of your daily requirement of Vitamin C. So drinking this smoothie will give you 13% of your daily requirement!
    • Manganese – found in most foods, manganese is essential for growth, metabolism, and your body’s antioxidant system. This smoothie offers 8% of your daily dose of manganese.
    • Antioxidants – Quercetin, myricetin, peonidin and ursolic acid are all found in abundance in whole cranberries. What’s more, of 20 of the most common whole fruits, cranberries are found to have the highest levels of phenols, a type of antioxidant. Red grapes were a distant second.

    They also help with urinary tract health. Studies have shown that cranberries can help lessen the risk of urinary tract infection (UTI) in certain people. This includes children or women who get them often.cranberry and berry smoothie in a glass with garnishes

    Cranberry smoothie FAQ’s

    I have a dairy allergy and/or am lactose intolerant. What can I use in place of the yogurt?

    You can use a dairy-free yogurt such as oat milk or coconut milk yogurt. Or you can use coconut cream for the added texture and creaminess, as used in my Healthy Strawberry Smoothie Recipe (Without Yogurt). As I advise in that smoothie though, add in a scoop of protein powder too, since coconut cream isn’t as high in protein as yogurt.

    Can I use dried cranberries or cranberry juice in place of whole cranberries?

    I don’t recommend it. Dried cranberries have twice as many calories, mainly via carbs and sugar. There are twice as many carbohydrates in dried cranberries as there are in fresh, and more than 4x as much sugar. Drying cranberries cause them to lose most of their vitamins, although they do still hold onto their nutrients. Cranberry juice also has a much higher calorie and sugar content than whole cranberries, and has little nutritional value aside from high levels of Vitamin C.bright pink smoothie in a glass surrounded by honey, berries against a pink background

    I have lots of unused cranberries from the holidays. Can I freeze them?

    Yes, absolutely. Discard any cranberries that have started to wrinkle and/or get too soft. Then store fresh cranberries in the freezer in an air-tight container, such as a Ziploc or reusable storage bag for up to 1 year.

    This cranberry smoothie recipe sounds good, but is it too tart?

    It definitely provides a bit of tartness, especially since it also has a lemon. But the apple and honey definitely help balance it out. Feel free to add a bit more honey if you find it’s still too tart though. Also make sure to use a sweeter apple variety, such as a Gala or Honeycrisp, as opposed to a tart apple like Granny Smith.close up of a cranberry smoothie garnished with berries and cranberries

    Cranberry Smoothie Recipe

    cranberry and berry smoothie in a glass with garnishes

    Cranberry Smoothie Recipe (high in protein)

    This light and refreshing cranberry smoothie recipe is high in protein, antioxidants and dietary fiber. Well balanced with healthy fats, lean protein and flavorful fibrous fruits, it will fuel your day and help you feel great!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 3 minutes
    Cook Time: 2 minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes
    Servings: 1 person
    Author:Andrea

    Equipment

    • High Speed Blender

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup Cranberries Fresh or frozen
    • ½ Apple cored and sweeter variety
    • ½ cup Berries any variety, fresh or frozen
    • ½ Lemon Peeled
    • ½ cup Greek Yogurt preferably nonfat & unsweetened
    • 1 tbsp Honey
    • 1 tbsp Coconut oil
    • ½ tsp Nutmeg
    • ½ cup water coconut water or almond milk can also be used
    • Ice handful
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Combine all ingredients together in a high speed blender and blend till smooth

    Notes

    Make sure to use whole cranberries, and not dried cranberries.
    You can substitute Greek yogurt for a dairy-free alternative, or use coconut cream and add 1 scoop of protein powder. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 374kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 47mg | Potassium: 397mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 124mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @Howe.We.Live or tag #HoweWeLiveRecipes!

    More Healthy Smoothie & Drink Recipes

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    About Andrea Howe

    Andrea Howe is the recipe developer and photographer of Howe We Live. She is also a seasoned home cook of over 20 years, for her family of 5. Andrea has spent over 10 years in the food industry, writing for various publications including Babble and Disney. Her work has appeared in Real Simple, Taste of Home, Yahoo, Buzzfeed and ABC News.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Charlotte Heathcote says

      January 16, 2021 at 2:24 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely delicious! I don’t enjoy tart foods and I loved this shake-definitely does not hit you as tart. I wasn’t sure about the coconut oil, because although I use it for baking and cooking, I don’t like it raw- but it adds a layer of flavor that is so good in this. I was out of yogurt so I used Kefir and it worked great. Honesty enjoyed it so much, I’ll add it to my regular rotation.

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    Welcome to Howe We Live. I’m Andrea, a passionate home cook and mother of 3. I’ve been cooking and writing about healthy eating for almost a decade, and my number one goal here is to help you develop the tools needed to throw together a great meal at home that is both delicious, and healthy-ish. All eaters are welcome here! Read More

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