It’s almost too pretty to drink—key word being “almost.” Made with smooth vanilla nice cream and swirled with ruby red Montmorency Tart Cherry juice, this delightful beverage is here to turn your day into sweet cherry bliss. The vanilla nice cream is a simple blend of frozen bananas, maple syrup, vanilla, milk of your choice, and a handful of walnuts. It tastes just like real vanilla ice cream, with the walnuts bringing a pleasant hint of nuttiness. We also add a teaspoon of refined coconut oil which adds to the velvety texture of this red-and-white beauty. It tastes just like a dessert, but this nutritious smoothie is relatively low in calories and is a wholesome way to start the morning.

This 8-ingredient breakfast is quick and easy to make. You simply combine everything except the tart cherry juice in a blender, pour it into your favorite glass, mix in the juice, and in less than a minute, you’ll be able to feed an entire family. Montmorency tart cherries have a distinctive sweet-sour taste and raw tart cherries are a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A, and fiber. They are bright red when harvested in the summer and retain that bold color in many forms: dried, frozen, canned, 100% juice, and juice concentrate. Top your smoothie with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of dried tart cherries, and watch your Manic Monday start to feel more like Fancy Friday. Plus, you’ll have a little extra time to finish the dishes binge-watch an episode of your favorite show.

Tart Cherry Vanilla Swirl Smoothie
Makes about 16 ounces, serves 1-2
Prep Time: 5 minutes

2 frozen bananas (about 8 oz / 227 g total, see note)
1/4 cup (30 g) raw unsalted walnuts
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon refined coconut oil (see note)
Pinch of salt
1/2 to 3/4 cup (118 to 177 ml) milk of your choice (see note)
3 to 4 tablespoons Montmorency Tart Cherry juice
Whipped cream, for garnish (optional, see note)
Dried Montmorency Tart Cherries, for garnish

In a blender, combine the frozen bananas, walnuts, maple syrup, vanilla, refined coconut oil, salt, and milk. Blend until smooth.

To serve, pour the smoothie into a tall glass a few tablespoons at a time, alternating with a few splashes of Montmorency Tart Cherry juice until the glass is full, creating layers of smoothie and juice. Use a straw or a long spoon to swirl the mixture together, then top with whipped cream and dried tart cherries if desired. Serve and enjoy!

notes:
— To freeze bananas, first peel the fruit, then cut into 1-inch pieces. Line a baking sheet with parchment, wax paper, or aluminum foil. Lay the pieces in a single layer without touching on the baking sheet, and freeze until solid, 1 to 2 hours. Transfer the frozen pieces to a Ziplock bag for storage in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
— Refined coconut oil has a neutral flavor, while virgin coconut oil has a noticeable coconut flavor. We used refined oil in this recipe, but if you would like a hint of coconut flavor, feel free to use virgin oil instead.
— Any type of milk will work in this recipe: dairy milk, or plant-based milks such as almond, cashew, soy, oat, or hemp. When adding the milk, start with 1/2 cup and blend. If it seems too thick, add more until the consistency becomes like soft serve ice cream.
— If desired, the smoothie can be topped with whipped cream. You may simply use canned whipped cream or make it yourself. To make whipped cream, first place a mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to chill. Remove from the freezer and pour about 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream (or solidified coconut cream from a can of coconut milk, for a non-dairy option) into the bowl and whip on high speed until frothy. Add a spoonful of powdered sugar if desired and continue to beat until soft peaks form when you lift the beaters.