I’ve always wanted to be the type of person who starts every day with an elaborate morning routine that ends in a smoothie packed with adaptogens, greens, fruit, and all the good stuff we think will make us healthy. The truth is, I’m much more of the type of person that immediately grabs a computer, works for a while, then stumbles to the kitchen in an eye-strained dazed to eat leftover cold noodles out of the refrigerator.

My husband Alex and I always talk about how there’s always a disconnect in what we think we want to do versus what we actually want to do. I go through phases of implementing routines then end up feeling confined and subsequently throwing caution to the wind and rebelling.

Like the time Alex and I had been working very structured 15-hour days launching Cast Iron Keto back in 2017. One day, dead exhausted and feeling chained to the kitchen and computer, we had taken our daily walk from our house in East Tennessee to the local park and I posed the question to Alex what he wanted to do that day if we could do anything else. His response was “drive to Vermont”. I’m sure, looking back, that he was just joking, but I relished the idea of bucking all of our self-imposed responsibilities and setting ourselves free for a few days. We left later that day and while we didn’t make it to Vermont, we did spend a few days in NYC and drove up to the coast to Portland, Maine. It was glorious and is one of my favorite memories.

Even now, when I find myself working too many days and having too much structure, I have to offset it with trips to the coast, random days taken off completely, and sometimes ignoring work for far longer than I’d like to admit. This winter, it’s been a bit easier to keep a structured work schedule as I’ve built in a day each week to go skiing which has been a lifesaver for my mental health and allows me to feel that freedom that I crave and that working for myself allows.

None of this has anything to do with this Black Forest Smoothie, and in all transparency, the smoothie was half-eaten as a smoothie then frozen into a base for ice cream (which was divine might I add). Maybe I should just give up being a smoothie person? I knew this smoothie was decadent though and that anyone who does make a smoothie without turning it to ice cream would adore it, hence me feeling like it needed to be shared.

The sweetness from the cherries, extra protein and creaminess from the tofu, and the chocolate are just the best combo. There are even some greens in there too.

Black Forest Smoothie

A cherry-filled smoothie that's equally perfect for breakfast as it is dessert 🍒