A healthy, plant-based cranberry apple smoothie that can be made with fresh or frozen cranberries! This Whole30 Holiday smoothie is a delicious shade of pink and a hit with kids. Likewise, it's made in under five minutes and can be topped with your favorite crunchy granola or eaten as is. The tart cranberries mixed with sweet apple and dates make this cranberry smoothie indulgent, fueling, and uplifting!
So many of us only think to use cranberries as a side dish at larger dinners (like this jalapeno cranberry sauce!). However, cranberries are potent enough that they should definitely be used in more ways!
This cranberry apple smoothie is easy to whip up and loaded with healthy fats. Likewise, its pink color means it's also kid-approved. As a Certified Nutrition Coach, I use this smoothie as a healthy snack, a mid-afternoon pick me up, or a quick breakfast in the morning.
Personally, we love this cranberry smoothie recipe more and more around the Holidays. While it's refreshing in the summer, there is something "Christmas-y" about the cranberries and pink in December!
We've even used this pink smoothie served in pink Dixie cups for the kids at one of our Christmas parties on year!
Why You'll Love This Cranberry Apple Smoothie
Aside from the fact that this Holiday smoothie is PINK there are a lot of reasons it's a great option:
- cranberries have a lot of health benefits and are rarely consumed unless you have a kidney infection- change this!
- this cranberry apple smoothie uses only natural sugars (dates and apples) to keep it sweet. Thus, it's a great option for toddlers
- allergy-friendly (dairy-free, gluten-free, paleo, vegan, whole30)
- protein powder-free
Is This Holiday Smoothie Whole30 Approved?
It is! It's my understanding that all fruit, including dates, are allowed on the whole30 diet. The cranberry apple smoothie uses no other processed sugars or processed additives, thus whole30 approved.
This healthy smoothie uses coconut milk to make it creamy. However, it's also another great way to add just a hint of sweetness to the smoothie. Furthermore, you can learn more about how to build your own healthy smoothies, sans recipes!
How To Use It As Post-Workout Fuel
This cranberry apple smoothie is plant-based. Meaning, the only protein it contains comes from the hemp hearts, flaxmeal, and almond butter. Likewise, this also makes it great for kids. Given that I know many parents don't feel comfortable giving their kids protein powder.
If you're looking for post-workout fuel, it means that you probably want a bit more protein added to the mix. Thus, you have two options:
Protein Powder
This Holiday smoothie of course tastes delicious with an added scoop of vegan protein powder. Indeed, I personally love Orgain Protein Powder but I do have a few others I use regularly as well.
Orgain protein powder is allergy-friendly (no soy, gluten-free, kosher, etc), has no added sugar, and no artificial sweeteners. Likewise, it actually won Preventions Cleanest Packaged Food Award! You can grab a tub and use code mamabear30 for 10% off your first-ever order.
Collagen Powder
Moreover, another option, if you're not looking to keep this Holiday smoothie vegan (however this option is better for kids), is to use collagen powder. Collagen is a beneficial part of bone broth and wonderful for your hair, skin, and nails. However, unlike bone broth, it doesn’t taste like well, bone broth.
Similarly, collagen powder is odorless and flavorless. Plus, if ethically sourced one of the purest forms of protein you can give to your kids! I grab my collagen from Perfect Supplements and while I love their big tub of powder, I love the individual packets even more!
Additionally, I find collagen the easiest way to boost protein in smoothies, vegan yogurts, oatmeal, or any other dish. It blends and mixes well and there are zero flavors to it. Plus, Perfect Supplements sources their collagen from pasture-raised (grass-fed) cows. So, I trust it.
Grab some collagen powder and use code mamabear10 to save some money.
Keeping in mind though, that adding either protein powder or collagen powder to the cranberry smoothie will omit some of the allergy or diet-friendly benefits (it wouldn't be vegan with collagen. Likewise, it wouldn't be whole30 with protein powder).
Ingredients
- Dates
- Frozen cranberries
- Ice cubes
- Fresh apple
- Flaxmeal
- Hemp Hearts
- Almond Butter
- Plant-based milk
- Coconut milk
You can grab all these ingredients from my Pantry Staples.
Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful
Don't forget to pin this apple cranberry smoothie!
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Strawberry & fig smoothie
- Turmeric peach smoothie
- Easy pomegranate smoothie
- Mango orange smoothie
- Chunky monkey shake
- Chocolate coconut energy balls
- Protien granola
- No-bake cookie dough bites
- High protein snack recipes
- No-bake snack recipes
Grab your printable!
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Cranberry Apple Smoothie (paleo, vegan, whole30)
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ apple
- ⅔ cup cranberries frozen
- 3 Dates
- ⅛ cup coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon Almond butter
- 1 tablespoon Flax meal
- 1 tablespoon Hemp Hearts
- ¾ cups almond milk
- 3 ice cubes
Instructions
- Chop the apple and place it into a powerful blender.
- Add the remaining ingredients except milk.
- Pour the milk over top of the ingredients.
- Blend on high until smooth.
- Pour into a glass and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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A kid-approved, healthy Holiday smoothie. This cranberry smoothie recipe is the perfect addition to your day in the form of breakfast or an easy snack. Likewise, the smoothie is a fun shade of pink to bring a bit of cheer.
Shelby aka Mama Bear
linda spiker
Yum! Great combination of flavors! And pretty color;)
fitasamamabear
Thank you! I love the color too
Megan Stevens
Wow, the dates and cranberry combination sounds amazing!
fitasamamabear
The dates take away the cranberry bitterness!
Daniela
I've not used frozen cranberries before but this inspires me to do so! Yum!
fitasamamabear
Ohh do it! They're great for you and we never eat them!
Carol Little R.H. @studiobotanica
I LOVE cranberries! I tend to use them all year long and will make this smoothie.. bet it IS delicious!!
fitasamamabear
I love it! Most people shy away from cranberries but they're so awesome!
Teresa
Love the color of this smoothie! You're right, pink smoothie's seem to be more of a hit than green ones. I know that's the case with my husband:). I look forward to giving this a try.
fitasamamabear
Haha yup! I'm a green fanatic but most people like pink better. Makes them think it's not loaded with insane veggies lol
Lindsey Dietz
Never thought of adding cranberries to a smoothie!
Lucy At Home
Your opening comment about the colour helping to get kids on board really made me chuckle - when my daughter was little, we could get her to do anything if it was pink-related - she would choose the fibre bran cereal over chocolate cereal because it came in a pink box! Hehe.
And congratulations because someone loved this post so much, they added it to the BlogCrush linky! Feel free to collect your "I've been featured" blog badge 🙂 #blogcrush
fitasamamabear
Haha ah that's amazing. Yup, kids are pretty particular about a color once they get it in their heads!