Cranberries give this juice-based smoothie a tart note, with peach and pineapple supplying sweeter flavors. Chia gradually thickens the mixture. Orange juice ties everything together, making the result brighter and sharper than a milk-based berry drink with similar fruit.
Healthy Smoothie Recipes
Cranberry Peach Pineapple Chia Smoothie
Cranberries give this juice-based smoothie a tart note, with peach and pineapple supplying sweeter flavors.
Prep: 5 minutesServings: 1
Base recipe: 1 serving; the full base batch
Vegan
Category image
Measured ingredient amounts adjust with servings. “To taste” amounts and directions stay as written.
Ingredients
- 1 cup orange juice high pulp, no added sugar
- 1 cup frozen unsweetened cranberries
- 0.5 cup frozen pineapple chunks
- 0.5 cup frozen peach slices
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
Directions
- Pour the measured liquid into the blender. Add the softer prepared ingredients first, keeping the frozen pieces separated so they can move toward the blades instead of forming a solid block above them.
- Add the remaining edible ingredients, including the measured fruit, nuts, seeds, or spices listed for this recipe. Blend until evenly combined. Use the machine instructions to choose a suitable speed, and stop before checking texture or scraping the jug.
- Taste a small spoonful after blending. If the mixture is too thick to pour, add cold water one tablespoon at a time and blend briefly again. Divide the base batch into 1 serving and enjoy promptly.
Notes
Prepared ingredients are required; additional cooking, cooling, freezing, brewing, or soaking time is excluded from the active prep estimate. Serving volume and nutrition totals are not measured.
Adapted from Jen Hansard at Simple Green Smoothies.
Tips and ingredient notes
Use plain juice and unsweetened cranberries. Serve soon for a thinner consistency. If you let chia thicken the mixture, stir before serving and add a little water only when needed.
Remove tough pineapple peel and the firmest core before measuring fresh flesh. For frozen fruit, separate the chunks so they reach the blades evenly. A fibrous pineapple can leave texture even after the softer ingredients have become smooth.
Check fresh peaches for stones before measuring the flesh. Frozen slices offer convenience, but should be separated before blending. Skin may remain visible in the finished drink; that is different from finding hard pieces of fruit that still need processing.
Ingredient health benefits
- Chia seeds provide fiber and plant-based omega-3 fat.
- Orange provides vitamin C, used in normal collagen formation.
Nutrition references: Harvard Nutrition Source: Chia seeds; NHS: Vitamin C. These are ingredient contributions; nutrition per serving has not been calculated.
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Recipe adapted from Jen Hansard at Simple Green Smoothies. Article text and directions written for Healthy Smoothie Recipes. Supplement omissions and preparation changes mean source nutrition totals do not apply.
