Cranberry is an underutilized fruit. Tart little suckers that they are, they are so delicious when sweetened in one manner or another. I always have a bag or two in my freezer after the holidays, and I wanted to find other uses for them, besides muffins and scones and pies—something healthier.

This Cranberry Spiced Green Smoothie is chock full of vitamins and antioxidants, and will help stabilize blood sugar, detoxify, reduce inflammation, and increase metabolism. There is a powerhouse of ingredients in this smoothie, such as fresh ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, spinach, and flax. The best part is, this smoothie will lift you away to holiday bliss. There is something magically warming about turmeric and cinnamon, so much so that even though I am drinking a smoothie in cold weather, it is wonderfully cozy going down.

Wanna know a really good secret? Fresh leafy greens (such a spinach, kale or swiss chard), freeze perfectly. I buy a bag of baby spinach and toss it in my freezer right away. No worrying about wilting, or slime. It stays green and separated, making it easy to grab a handful whenever you want to add an extra nutrient boost to your smoothie. I also freeze a great big knob of fresh ginger and cut off pieces as needed. If you have an efficient blender, then there is no reason to worry about it not being distributed properly when frozen.

Green smoothies have been my go-to recently when I’m feeling…crappy. There’s just no other way to put it. It’s that mid-day slump; the yucky, under-caffeinated fog of inoperability. For me, green smoothies are the cure. They instantly boost my mood, satisfy cravings, and clear the mental fog. Try it instead of another cup of coffee. What have you got to lose? You certainly have plenty to gain.

Until I photographed this smoothie, I hadn’t noticed how similar spinach and cranberries look to holly berries. I thought that was a cute parallel. Enjoy this fun new recipe and put cranberries in the much deserved spotlight. If you’re feeling festive, sprinkle a little turmeric on top.

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Cranberry Spiced Green Smoothie

Servings 1

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup water*
• 2 Tablespoons orange juice not from concentrate
• 2 heaping Tablespoons frozen cranberries (about 14)
• 1/2 cup spinach, kale or swiss chard (packed)
• 3/4 cup frozen mango cubes
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon flax meal optional

Instructions

1. Blend all the ingredients together, sprinkle with additional turmeric if you would like. 

Recipe Notes

*If you are not using frozen spinach, you may not need quite as much water. You can try 1/2 a cup, and then add more water if it is not blending well.