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Fun at the Fair: Chocolate Covered Cherry Protein Smoothie

If you've read the blog for awhile you know I enter cooking contests on occasion. Today I took part in the Ghirardelli Chocolate Championship. You had to create a recipe using at least one Ghirardelli baking product and no more than 10 other ingredients. There were three divisions (chocolate chips, bars, and cocoa) so I entered the Cocoa Division and used Ghirardelli Unsweetened Cocoa. Judging Criteria was: Taste (overall and chocolate taste) 40%; Appearance 20%; Originality/Creativity 30% and Ease of Preparation 10%.

And guess what?! I won First Place in the Cocoa division and Third Place out of all the entries. I was especially proud because it's a weight loss surgery friendly recipe. Woot!

Shelly's Chocolate Covered Cherry Protein Smoothie

2 cups Milk (any: cow, soy, almond...)
1/8 cup Ghirardelli Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1/8 cup Sugar Free Black Cherry Torani Syrup
1/4 cup Chocolate Protein Powder
1/4 cup Frozen Cherries

Blend in blender on high until smooth. Serves 2.

The competition was steep...

Can you spot my green blender bottles full of smoothie way in the back? I served them out of those. I also found matching green paper cups. Click on the picture to enlarge.

What I won...

Most of which obviously will be donated to the local food bank. Though my Mum said she has dibs on the milk chocolate stuff. The part I love are the ribbons and getting in the cookbook again (if you are local be sure to pick up this year's book and look on page 16 & 17 for last year's wins) but most important to me is the fact that it was weight loss surgery friendly, healthy and just as yummy as all those other choices pictured and still won!