Chocolate Cherry Protein Smoothie

This is my new favorite smoothie.  As in I have it twice a week (at least).  Sometimes  I make a double batch and freeze one.  Then I grab it out of the freezer on the way to the gym and, after a workout and shower, it’s just thawed enough to stir and drink.  Which is pretty much having your cake smoothie and eating drinking it too.  Or something like that.

It’s going to be a bummer when our Costco stops carrying frozen organic cherries, as they make this smoothie possible.  Cherries make the smoothie seems indulgent and give a nice, rich flavor.

Chocolate Cherry Protein Smoothie

• 1 cup frozen cherries
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I like Sun Warrior Vanilla Rice Protein)
• 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup non-dairy milk
• few ice cubes

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.  Add more non-dairy milk (or water) as needed to get the desired consistency.

Options:

• freeze leftover coffee into ice cubes and use in place of water ice cubes to give a slight coffee flavor
• freeze chocolate coconut water (I used the Zico brand) and use in place of water ice cubes
• use chocolate almond milk for even more chocolate flavor