This weekend, I flew down to Southern California to visit my grandparents, and after brunch on Saturday, we drove over to a special store. It only sold Christmas decorations—almost exclusively ornaments—and unlike the other seasonal shops, it was open year round. So anytime you felt like Christmas shopping in July, you could walk in and start browsing for your ornaments without the holiday crowds!
We wandered around the entire interior, searching for an ornament that my grandparents could hang on their tree that reminded them of me. Of course, we all agreed that it needed to be something baking-related! We found donuts, ice cream cones, and slices of cake, but we eventually settled on an oversized cupcake decorated like a storefront with the word “Bakery” painted over the tiny door. Way too cute!
But when we emerged back outside, the weather felt like the polar opposite of your typical holiday season: warm, sunny, and nearly 65°F! Still thinking about the 27 million Christmas ornaments inside, I was craving holiday flavors but wanted a refreshing twist. This Cran-Raspberry Lemonade Protein Smoothie sounded perfect!
Isn’t that bright pink color gorgeous? It comes from both fresh cranberries and frozen raspberries. You get 2 full servings of fruit in each smoothie! I opted for fresh cranberries because they’re currently in season, but if you decide to make this drink during the warmer months of the year, you could easily use frozen instead. Simply cut back on the amount of ice by a smidgen.
Greek yogurt supplies the 13 grams of protein. Although some people prefer protein powder in their smoothies, I find that it adds a grainy quality. I like my smoothies smooth and creamy, which Greek yogurt ensures.
For the liquid and the lemonade flavor, I turned to Bai5 Limu Lemon. It’s made with all-natural ingredients, nothing processed or overly refined, so this smoothie is completely clean-eating friendly. Bai5 has lots more flavors, all of which are only 5 calories per serving, and since they’re made from coffeefruit, they contain antioxidants and a little caffeine boost too!
After pouring this Cran-Raspberry Lemonade Protein Smoothie into my glass, I nearly gave myself a brain freeze—I drank it that fast! The cranberries add a hint of tanginess, the raspberries contribute sweetness, and the bright citrus of the lemonade tie all of the flavors together. It’s my new favorite flavor pairing!
If you want to make your own, I’ve teamed up with Bai, and we’re hosting a giveaway to ship a case of Bai5 to one lucky winner! To enter, just follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter box below. It sometimes takes a few minutes to load, so be patient! (If you’re reading this in an email, click on the link to enter.) After logging in with your email address or Facebook account, enter using as many options as you’d like.
*Bai5 Giveaway will be open until 11:59 PM Pacific Time on December 21, 2014. Open to the US only. Winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to respond, or else a new winner will be selected.
| Cran-Raspberry Lemonade Protein Smoothie | | Print |
- ½ c (53g) fresh whole cranberries
- 1 c (140g) frozen raspberries
- 1 c (240mL) Bai5 Limu Lemon
- ½ c (125g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp (11g) Truvia (or other sweetener, to taste)
- 2 c ice cubes
- Add everything but the ice to a blender, and pulse a few times. Add the ice, and blend until smooth and creamy. Pour into a glass, and drink immediately.
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, low calorie}
This post was sponsored by Bai. As always, all opinions, text, images, and recipe are my own.
i’d love to try the pomegranate flavor
Can you use whole lemons to replace the lemonade?
If you can’t find Bai5 in your area, then I recommend this quick and healthy homemade lemonade recipe of mine instead. It uses whole lemons, just like you inquired. 🙂 I hope you enjoy the smoothie Bre!