I was recently asked by Ocean Spray to try their Diet Cranberry Juice Drink in a smoothie recipe.  I had been wanting to try a smoothie that involved spinach for the past few months and I thought cranberries and spinach sounded like the perfect combination.  I came up with a diet cran-strawberry spinach smoothie recipe as a result.  By swapping out a full calorie juice for a diet juice, such as Diet Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice, you can cut calories and still enjoy a delicious, nutrient-packed smoothie.  This smoothie would definitely be a great way to kick-start your day, especially if you are calorie conscious.

Since Diet Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice only has 5 calories per serving, you can focus your calories in this smoothie on really nutritious ingredients.  I love to use Greek yogurt in smoothie recipes as it packs in so much protein.  I also used strawberries and half of a banana to add more nutrients and flavor.  I used about 1/4 of a cup of spinach leaves in this particular smoothie, but I’ve heard that you can add up to 1 cup for a smoothie.  Since it was my first time trying it, I started off with a small amount of spinach and I hope to build up to more as I get used to the taste.  You could also try adding a little bit of flax seed or chia seeds to add in some omega-3 fatty acids.

While I thought the Diet Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice was great in a smoothie, I also enjoyed it mixed with a glass of sparkling water.  Ocean Spray also sent me a recipe card for an awesome sounding 50-calorie Cosmo which I definitely look forward to trying this summer post-pregnancy.  For other Diet Cranberry Juice recipes, check out the Ocean spray website.

Please note: I have partnered with Ocean Spray through DailyBuzz to help promote their new Ocean Spray Diet product. I have been compensated for my time commitment to work with this product, however my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.