Pomegranate Cranberry Antioxidant Smoothie

by Angela Gallardo in Breakfast & Brunch, Drinks & Smoothies, Recipes

2 comments

All the work required to de-seed a pomegranate may seem wasted on this recipe, I know. But you must know by now that my practical side is only defeated if something is truly worth it.  This smoothie is WORTH IT.

My rec is to peel multiples at one time and store them in the fridge.  Cold arils are way better than room temp anyway.  It’s a serious business about pomegranates around here.  The moment they hit the store, we’re buying them up without even checking the price.  And it’s the go-to dessert for about 3 months straight (or until every store in the vicinity no longer carries them).

Anyways, somehow pairing them with cranberries takes them up a notch, who even knew that was possible really.  Even I was surprised when I tried it.  So many extra cranberries laying around from festive meals last year and who really knows what to do with those things?  Since I love to juice them (they’d be so good in this recipe), I threw them in the blender one day and WOW.  Of course I couldn’t stop there.  Blueberries, banana, coconut, some nutrient-dense seeds, and some collagen peptides and it was maybe the best smoothie ever.

It’s completely high-glycemic but the fiber (chia, etc?) helps a little.  So keep that in mind with serving size.  Or totally indulge and carry it around with you all day like a sweet little friend.

Pomegranate Cranberry Antioxidant Smoothie

Yields:  2-4 servings

1 ½ c. coconut water

1/2 c. BPA-free coconut milk

1 c. fresh pomegranate arils (about 1 pom worth)

½ c. fresh cranberries

1 c. frozen blueberries

1 medium banana

2 T. chia seeds

3 T. hemp seeds

Optional:  grass-fed whey protein or collagen peptides

Directions:

Combine everything in a blender and blend on high 1-2 minutes or until super smooth.
Note: if not using a high-powered blender (like a Blendtec or Vitamix), the pomegranate arils may not fully blend in.