Cherry Acai Smoothie {dairy-free}

I have found a deep passion for drinking and creating smoothies that are low in sugar as an easy breakfast solution.  Since they are packed with superfoods, and an abundance of nutrients they keep me full for a long time, and it's so satisfying!  Smoothies are great for your body because they provide nutrients quickly, and from natural sources.  A green smoothie that tastes good and is nutrient-dense will light you up the way caffeine does, only naturally!

This smoothie uses dark cherries, acai powder, and Mulberry berries.  Mulberry berries are considered a superfood because of all the nutrients these berries contain.  I love to use them for their benefits, and their sweetness.  Dried Mulberry berries are another fruit like a banana that can sweeten up and thicken up your smoothie, but with less sugar.

Why Mulberry Berries?

• Makes your smoothie sweeter, with less sugar
• Makes your smoothie thicker
• High in iron, vitamin C, K, riboflavin, B6, and folate
• Folate is great for your skin and a necessary vitamin for the ladies
• Mulberry berries are known to support your skin and your immune system
• Loaded with antioxidants
• I love the Mulberry Berries from Navitas Naturals
• Mulberry berries go great together in smoothies with Acai creating a berry spectacular drink

Why not Acai?

• Acai is another powerful fruit and it's used in this smoothie providing ample antioxidants, and B vitamins.
• The many health benefits of Acai is that the fruit is low glycemic
• A fruit that is better for low sugar diets, or sugar-free diets ow glycemic fruit to use for those on sugar-free diets.
• Acai fruit has become a trend in making smoothie bowls in the U.S. and all over Manhattan juice bars and smoothie shops.  You may have heard of Acai smoothie bowls?
• Did you know that Acai has more antioxidants than any of the common berries which makes these berries incredibly anti-inflammatory?
• Acai powder is the actual fruit ground down into a powder which is used as a super powder in smoothies, and baking
• Acai is not all created equal.  You'll want high quality, from certified gluten-free sources, and organic, raw or freeze-dried.
• Some Acai powders are wonderful with chocolate in smoothies like this Acai Cocoa smoothie!
• I love the Acai powder from Healthy Truth Foods or Navitas Naturals Acai
• Always use unsweetened
• Acai comes frozen too!
• Always use the unsweetened acai frozen pack if you choosing frozen

What to add to smoothies

• You'll want to use a plant-based milk of choice, always unsweetened
• You'll want to add organic leafy greens or a vegetable
• Some avocado if you want it extra creamy
• Add fruit, but more greens than fruit
• 1-2 tablespoons of your favorite nut or seed butter for thickening, taste and your boost of protein
• 1-2 scoops collagen powder for your skin
• Use superfood powder - Start small, go ¼ tsp. by ¼ tsp.
• Add superfoods to your smoothies such as coconut, hemp seeds, chia seeds, or flax seeds.  Choose one.

What your smoothie will look like 

• Full of antioxidants
• Loaded with minerals, and vitamins
• Full of healthy fats
• An abundance of protein
• Full-bodied flavor
• Full of life feelings

Food sensitivities & smoothies

• Always rotate what you use every 2-3 days
• If you don't rotate your foods while you are healing food sensitivities or leaky gut than you have the chance to develop even more food sensitivities
• If you don't rotate your foods while you are healing food sensitivities or leaky gut than you stunt your current healing
• Food rotation is essential from the nut butter you use to the plant milk you choose, to the leafy green, and the fruit, and the superfoods.  Everything.
• Creativity is essential when you have food sensitivities you'll need to think outside the box for a smoothie idea
• My favorite book on smoothies is by Julie Morris, I call it the smoothie bible.  She taught me to think outside the box

Print Recipe

Cherry Acai Smoothie {dairy-free}

This thick, creamy, full-bodied berrylicious acai smoothie is also loaded with cherries and dried mulberries!  While also disguising a vitamin A boosting vegetable that you'd never taste.  Tasty and gets the vitamins in!  Gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and paleo too. 

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Total Time10 minutes mins

Course: Smoothies

Cuisine: American, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free

Keyword: acai, cherry, creamy, dairy-free, green smoothie

Servings: 1 person

Author: Julie Rosenthal

Equipment

• high-speed blender

Ingredients

• ¼ cup dried Mulberry berries
• 1 tablespoon flax seeds
• 2 tablespoon acai powder
• ½ cup frozen butternut squash cooked and then frozen
• ¾ cup frozen dark cherries
• ⅓ cup spring water
• 1 cup hemp seed milk or Tiger nut milk
• 1 cup ice

Instructions

• First, blast together the plant milk and the butternut squash until well blended and smooth.
• Add the Mulberry berries, and remaining ingredients (minus the ice) to the mixture and blend again till smooth.
• Feed the ice to the blender, and blast on medium/high until icy and creamy.

Notes

• Always make sure your superfood powder is from a certified gluten-free source.  This is an easily hidden gluten catastrophe.
• Optional boost - Add ¼ cup of chopped Jicama in the first stage of this smoothie for a tasteless extra nutrient-dense boost
• Add ¼ water or more to a soup pot on high.  One brought to a boil add the frozen butternut squash and cover with the lid.  Turn the heat down to low and cook for 6-8 minutes.  Strain and let cool.  Then freeze in ½ cup baggies so you can freely add to your smoothies.

Love and Acai smoothies!