Cranberry Clementine Smoothie
The nights are starting to get chilly out by me. Some leaves are starting to fall from the trees. The days feel like summer, and the evenings feel like fall. I love summer AND fall, so it’s bittersweet. This Cranberry Clementine Smoothie is like a mashup of my two favorite seasons. It’s got the bright citrus flavor from the clementine, with that tart cranberry flavor. It’s creamy, it’s smooth, and the banana comes through in such a gentle, sweet way. This was so easy to make and it’s pretty nutrient dense! It’s the perfect breakfast and snack for the kids and parents!
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So, what’s the backstory on “the smoothie?” Where does it come from?
In Latin America, smoothies were being created before the word “smoothie” even existed! People would blend all sorts of fresh fruits with things like milk, water, and sugar. This mixture is what heavily influenced the modern smoothie that we know and love today!
By the 1940’s, the word “smoothie” started appearing in places like juice bars, gym culture, and health foods stores. At this point things like ice, honey, and even vitamins were added into the drinks. By the 60’s and 70’s, it seemed like everybody had a blender on their counter, which means smoothies became even more popular!
Today, these tasty, fruity drinks are still made all over the world – in kitchens, in drive-throughs, in office breakrooms. They’re tasty, portable, and nutritious – what’s not to love!
Did you know?
Clementines are naturally seedless. As long as they aren’t cross pollinated, they’ll never have seeds! This means, they need to be grown separate from their citrus cousins. Their peels are full of essential oils, which is why after peeling one you always seem to smell kinda orange-y for a little while. Their bright, citrusy aroma is loved so much, it’s been bottled up and used in cleaners, fragrances, and soaps!
And cranberries? Oh, they’re one of my favorites. They also freeze incredibly. After being frozen, their flavor actually intensifies and their color deepens. They go perfectly with citrus fruits, often showcased as a dynamic duo in holiday recipes. Pretty interesting stuff!
What ingredients do I need to make this?
For the cranberry clementine smoothie:
Clementines
Plain Greek Yogurt
Milk
Banana
Frozen Cranberries
Honey
Vanilla
Lemon Juice
For serving:
Whipped Cream
Lemon Wedges
What equipment do I need?
How do I make it?
To prep the clementines:
The first thing we’ll need to do for this recipe is freeze the fresh clementines. If we don’t, the smoothie will turn out all watery since these fruits are jam packed with water!
Get out a large baking sheet and line it with parchment paper. Peel and break the clementines into segments, then spread them out on the baking sheet in a single layer.
Pop them in the freezer for an hour or two.
Pro Tip: This is also a great way to save most fruits before going bad! After flash freezing them like this, you can simply add them to a Tupperware, date and label them, then use them later! This way they don’t stick together and can easily be taken out in whatever increments you want.
Frozen fruit is perfect for sorbet, frozen cocktails, and homemade popsicles too!
To make the cranberry clementine smoothie:
Once the clementines have frozen, grab those out of freezer and measure out the amount needed, (you’ll have some extra).
In a large blender, add the yogurt and milk first, then add the frozen clementines, plain Greek yogurt, banana, frozen cranberries, honey, vanilla, and fresh lemon juice.
Blend until smooth.
To serve:
Pour the cranberry clementine smoothie into either one large glass or two small glasses. Garnish with a lemon wedge and whipped cream, if desired.
Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Tips:
- If you don’t have fresh lemon juice on hand, you could always use the bottled stuff. It works great in a pinch!
- You can swap the clementines for oranges if that’s what you have on hand. Just remove the seeds, flash freeze the segments and adjust the measurements to fit.
- If your cranberries are fresh, just flash freeze those too. If you don’t, the mixture will be too watery.
- If you don’t have honey, consider substituting with agave or maple syrup.
- Making this for a group? Just double or triple the recipe!
Love this flavor combo? Check these recipes out!
Love a good blended drink? I’ve got lots more!
Cranberry Clementine Smoothie
Equipment
Ingredients
For the cranberry clementine smoothie:
- 1 cup Frozen Clementines
- ½ cup Plain Greek Yogurt
- ½ cup Milk
- 1 Ripe Banana
- 3 tbsp Frozen Cranberries
- 2 tsp Honey
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 1 tsp Lemon Juice freshly squeezed
For serving:
- Whipped Cream
- Lemon Wedges
Instructions
To prep the clementines:
- Get out a large baking sheet and line it with parchment paper.
- Peel and break 2 clementines into segments, then spread them out on the baking sheet in a single layer.
- Pop them in the freezer for 1-2 hours.
To make the cranberry clementine smoothie:
- Once the clementines have frozen, grab those out of freezer and measure out the amount needed, (you'll have some extra).
- In a large blender, add the yogurt and milk first, then add the frozen clementines, plain Greek yogurt, banana, frozen cranberries, honey, vanilla, and fresh lemon juice.
- Blend until smooth.
To serve:
- Pour the cranberry clementine smoothie into either one large glass or two small glasses.
- Garnish with a lemon wedge and whipped cream, if desired. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Please be aware that nutritional values are approximate and intended as a helpful guide
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