Creamy Cherry Smoothie

[Piccolina]

This is a really neat summery drink, a bit of a change of pace from the usual. I based it off of a somewhat Russian cherry drink that I recall enjoying as a little girl, made with cherries that we picked (for free) by the bucketful from the cherry trees who's fruit would have otherwise gone to waste in the orchards around my town.


Creamy Cherry Smoothie

1 cup of cherry juice
1 cup of milk (whole-skim, any type works)
1 cup of Greek style yogurt (or similar)
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/4 sugar or too taste, it really depends on how sweet your cherries are (you could also use honey)
a handful of ripe, pitted cherries (if you have them on hand, if not don't worry this recipe is still great without them

Mix the cherry juice, milk, yogurt and sugar in a blender for about 30 seconds. Drop in the fruit and almond extract and blend until everything is a lovely crimson hue. Serve as cold as possible.

Serves 2-3

 

[Ekim]

What's Greek style yogurt?

This smoothie sounds really good.

 

[kyles]

We're lucky here as we get the genuine Greek yoghurt, as well as greek-style. It is thicker (unflavoured) than normal yoghurt, with a higher fat content (although here you can get 0% fat Greek Yoghurt) Everything I can think of to compare the consistency with is English, like clotted cream! It's really delicious.

I am definitely going to try this one, if I can locate cherry juice!!!

 

[Piccolina]

Hi,

You can easily make it with plain (unflavoured) normal yogurt too, and I like kyles suggestion of clotted cream which would likely work too!

kyles, a good place to source cherry juice is at organic/natural food stores

 

[kyles]

England and interesting juices can be a challenge, I'll have a look next time I go past our health food store (which isn't brilliant to be honest) I could invest in a juicer and make my own, but I don't want to even think about how many cherries I would need to pit!!!!

 

[licia]

I saw someone on tv just mash the cherries (like they do garlic) and remove the stones. It was quick and no fancy one use apparatus to buy.

 

[kyles]

I am the world's messiest cook. You should have seen when I tried to make blackcurrant syrup, I thought the CSI team where going to come and start taking samples!!!! If all else fails, I'll try it!!! Wearing my oldest clothes!!! When my husband is out!!!!

 

[Piccolina]

England and interesting juices can be a challenge

I feel for you here kyles, I'm a transplant to Ireland, and I'll never get used to not having so many of the prodcuts I was accustomed to back in Canada, readily availble (or available at all).

As long as they are pitted, you could make the juice in a juicer