Cherry Cauliflower Shake | THM-E

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This creamy cherry cauliflower shake is sure to please everyone in your family. Packed with protein, carbohydrates, and veggies, it makes for a perfect breakfast or snack. I promise, no one will taste the secret ingredient. 😉

This October marks my family’s 1-year-anniversary of moving to the desert! We’ve grown to tolerate appreciate the dry heat — especially on the days when it stays below 105. 😉 It didn’t take too long for us to adapt, either. We learned quickly to carry insulated bottles full of ice water everywhere we go, wear sandals that don’t melt on the scorching hot asphalt, and seek out shade like we’re on a life-or-death mission.

We’ve also been drinking a lot more shakes and smoothies. There’s nothing like blended frozen fruit to bring the body temperature down. Plus, they seem to be just about the only way to get my 3-year-old to eat fruits and veggies. {sigh}

The giant bags of frozen fruit from Costco have become freezer staples for us. We love the strawberries, blueberries, and mango, but lately, the frozen cherries have been doing overtime in our household. We put those burgundy gems in everything from oatmeal to pancakes… or even by themselves in a bowl for my 5-year-old to eat. But one of our favorite ways to enjoy them is in this creamy, dreamy, cherry cauliflower shake.

{Excuse me, did you say “cauliflower shake”?}

You guys, I am in love. You can’t taste the cauliflower. I promise. In fact, I think it adds to the creaminess, somehow. This shake is so. flippin’. good. My 3-year-old says it tastes like a milkshake. Both kids suck it down and then ask for more.

Why I Used Cherries in This Cauliflower Shake

We all know cauliflower is healthy, but did you know cherries also pack a nutritional punch?

Research shows that cherries are “a nutrient-dense food with relatively low caloric content and significant amounts of important nutrients and bioactive food components including fiber, polyphenols, carotenoids, vitamin C, and potassium” (Kelley, D.S., Adkins, Y., Laugero, K.D., 2018).

What are polyphenols, you ask? Polyphenols are micronutrients that are packed with antioxidants. Studies suggest that “long-term consumption of diets rich in plant polyphenols offer protection against development of cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, osteoporosis and neurodegenerative diseases” (Pandey, K.B., Ibrahim Rizvi, S., 2009).

To summarize, cherries contain:

• Fiber
• Polyphenols
• Carotenoids
• Vitamin C
• Potassium

Long-term consumption of plants high in polyphenols (like cherries) can protect against:

• Cancer
• Cardiovascular disease
• Diabetes
• Osteoporosis
• Neurodegenerative diseases

Plus, they taste like childhood! When I eat cherries, I’m instantly transported to carefree summers on a quiet lake in Michigan with a childhood friend, playing a cutthroat game of UNO, and eating cherry pie topped with vanilla ice cream.

Oh, those were the days.

But, I digress. Back to the shake.

3 Tips to Make a Good Cauliflower Shake

I’ve made this shake many times and have picked up on a few tips for the best results.

• Blend, blend, blend to get the cauliflower completely broken down and mixed in. The Vitamix and Ninja have no problem achieving a smooth and creamy consistency. If you have a cheaper blender, you might have to spend an extra 20 seconds or so.
• Choose your own sweetener. I try to avoid erythritol when I can — I don’t like the tingly feeling it leaves on my tongue. I love how stevia works in this shake, but you could also sweeten it with monk fruit sweetener (which contains erythritol), raw honey, pure maple syrup, or coconut sugar. These are all gentler on the blood sugar than your typical table sugar or even agave nectar. You could also just throw half a banana in there for added sweetness, but you may need to add a couple more tablespoons of liquid.
• Consider your fuels. Are you doing Trim Healthy Mama? With a handful of cherries and 1/2 cup of low-fat cottage cheese, this shake has approximately 30 carbohydrates, which puts the shake into the “E” category (healthy carbs). If you want to keep this as an E meal or snack, you’ll want to stick with low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese. If you’re making it for your kids, add a splash of half-and-half, coconut oil, or even half an avocado to make it a luscious crossover (XO).

Optional Add-Ins for a Health Boost

In the era of COVID-19 and social distancing, I think a lot of us are looking for ways to boost our health. Here are some of my favorite ways to amp up the health properties of this cauliflower shake.

• Baobab Powder. One of my favorite ways to do this is by mixing baobab powder into my food. This powder comes from the baobab fruit, which is one of the highest sources of vitamin C. I love mixing it into my smoothies, yogurt, oatmeal, or even sprinkling it over Mexican food.
• Mushroom Powder. Mushrooms are unique and are often considered “the forgotten source of nutrients”. They can promote healthy blood sugar, reduce risk for cancer, boost vitamin D and immunity, and also support weight management (Feeney, Millar, Roupas, 2014).
• Blackstrap Molasses. “Blackstrap molasses is rich in a variety of essential minerals including iron, zinc, selenium, magnesium and potassium as well as the majority of the vitamin B complex, deficiencies of which confer a major cancer risk. Molasses also contains high concentrations of amino acids and linoleic acid, an essential lipid that has a documented anti-tumor effect” (Grandics, 2003).
• Manuka Honey. Manuka honey has antibacterial properties and “can be safely used as an alternative natural antibiotic, which exerts a stimulating effect on macrophages [a type of immune cell] to release mediators needed for tissue healing and reducing microbial infections” (Johnston, et. al, 2018).
  • Note: Children under the age of 12 months should not consume honey.

I hope I’ve convinced you to give this shake a try. You won’t regret it, and you just might discover your next favorite treat.