Protein-Packed Cherry Smoothie Bowl
This flavorful protein-packed Cherry Smoothie Bowl makes the perfect easy breakfast, snack, or post-workout meal! It’s easy to throw together and combines quality protein with nutrient-dense sources of carbohydrates to replenish your energy stores. Not to mention, it’s crazy delicious!! This creamy frozen treat only takes 5 minutes to make!
I don’t know about you, but I love cherry season! Fresh cherries are such a delicious antioxidant-packed treat. Fresh bing cherries are a favorite topper for this bowl, when available, but you can enjoy red cherries all year long with this delicious cherry smoothie bowl recipe!
I love the texture of smoothie bowls. I’d much rather eat my food than drink it, so I prefer a creamy smoothie bowl over a protein shake for a mixer-made meal. Another favorite is this Blueberry Chocolate smoothie bowl recipe made with frozen wild blueberries and blueberry juice. It tastes decadent, more like a sinful treat than an antioxidant-rich healthy meal.
These smoothie bowls are perfect for the summertime when you want to keep the oven off and the kitchen cool. I don’t know about you, but I don’t feel like making big meals in the summer months. I love big salads with lean protein and healthy fat sources, like this super delicious Salmon Salad with Fresh Blueberry Vinaigrette, Low Carb Burger Salad (like a Big Mac in a bowl but much healthier!), or a hearty grain bowl like this Mediterranean Chicken Spinach Quinoa Salad. So nutritious and tasty!
I made this recipe with post-workout recovery in mind. I included quality protein from Greek yogurt, whey protein for the muscle-building benefits, and tart cherry juice and frozen cherries for muscle recovery. Studies have shown a reduction in oxidative stress and inflammation in subjects that consumed tart cherry juice after exercise, as explained by my friend and fellow Beef Expert Bureau member, Toby Amidor MS, RD, CDN in this article from Today’s Dietitian.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s really tasty- making it great for kids or adults.
- Quick and easy – the ingredients are simple, and the recipe takes 5 minutes from start to finish.
- Healthy – It’s fiber, Vitamin C, potassium, and protein-packed.
- Cherries are high in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Greek Yogurt: I love using Greek yogurt as a base for fruit smoothies. It has a significant amount of protein and helps build a rich, creamy texture with a sweet and tangy taste.
- Frozen Banana: You can grab a bag of frozen bananas from the freezer aisle, or freeze them yourself. Check the “recipe tips” for the best way to freeze fresh bananas.
- Frozen Dark Sweet Cherries: The benefit to using frozen cherries over fresh is the guarantee they were picked at their prime, are already pitted, and you can enjoy them any time of year.
- Whey protein: gives smoothies a nourishing boost of extra protein, making them a nutrient-dense breakfast and a satisfying snack. I used unflavored whey protein, but vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry are also great choices. If you use a sweetened whey powder, just leave out the additional stevia.
- Tart Cherry Juice: adds just the right amount of liquid along with an added nutrient boost. You can also use regular unsweetened cherry juice if you can’t find tart cherry.
- Vanilla extract: for delicious flavor
- Stevia: a small amount of liquid or granular stevia is added when using unflavored whey protein. You can also use your favorite sugar alternative here.
How To Make A Cherry Smoothie Bowl
This easy recipe comes together in a cinch. Here’s how it’s done:
Step 1: Blend ingredients. Start with wet ingredients first and add all ingredients into a high powdered blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.
Step 2. Garnish with smoothie bowl toppings of choice & serve.
Smoothie Bowl Topping Ideas
These are a few of my favorite toppings:
- Cacao nibs, chocolate chips, or chopped 70-80% dark chocolate
- Melted nut butter (almond and peanut butter are personal favorites)
- Hemp seeds
- Chia seeds
- Chopped nuts- adds healthy fats (almonds, raw pumpkin seeds, walnuts, etc.)
- Coconut flakes or shredded coconut
- Frozen or fresh fruit (fresh dark cherries, sliced banana, berries, etc.)
Recipe Tips
- Freezing bananas for smoothies – I love having frozen bananas on hand for smoothies. To freeze fresh bananas, place whole, peeled bananas on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Set in the freezer until frozen solid. Then, transfer the frozen bananas to a freezer-safe resealable bag and freeze for up to 6 months.
- Using frozen fruit – Using frozen fruit makes a thicker and creamier smoothie bowl.
- If you prefer a thinner drinking consistency, replace the Greek yogurt with unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk, oat milk, or regular milk (you can also use some of each).
- For an extra thick smoothie bowl– freeze the Greek yogurt into ice cube trays or add a bit of ice to reach your favorite creamy consistency.
Variations
Here are some optional ingredients and swaps to customize your perfect smoothie bowl.
Add-ins: Throw in some cacao powder for a chocolate cherry smoothie bowl. Add frozen berries to a cherry berry smoothie bowl. Swap the vanilla for almond extract for a cherry almond smoothie bowl.
Add greens – Add a handful of baby spinach leaves, chopped kale, or swiss chard and blend with the other ingredients until smooth.
Optional sweetener – Stevia, honey, maple syrup, molasses, and date syrup are great refined sugar-free options.
Dairy-free/vegan – Replace the Greek yogurt with any non-dairy yogurt, and be sure to use a plant-based protein powder.
Storing & Freezing
Storing: Smoothie bowls are best enjoyed immediately.
Freezing: You can store your smoothie in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Just know the texture won’t be quite the same once thawed.
More Delicious Smoothie & Smoothie Bowl Recipes
Tropical Spirulina Smoothie Bowl
Tropical Island Green Smoothie
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Protein-Packed Cherry Smoothie Bowl
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup frozen cherries
- 6 oz plain Greek yogurt
- 28 g unflavored whey protein powder
- 1/2 frozen banana you can go with a whole banana for added sweetness
- 2 tbsp tart cherry juice
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3-4 drops stevia or 1 single serving packet of stevia
Optional toppings
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tbsp hemp seeds
- 1 tsp cacao nibs
- 1 tbsp sliced almonds or melted almond butter
Instructions
- Add first 7 ingredients into a powerful mixer or Vitamix. Blend until smooth and creamy. Pour into a bowl and add toppings, if desired.
Notes
- Freezing bananas for smoothies – I love having frozen bananas on hand for smoothies. To freeze fresh bananas, place whole, peeled bananas on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Set in the freezer until frozen solid. Then, transfer the frozen bananas to a freezer-safe resealable bag and freeze for up to 6 months.
- Using frozen fruit – Using frozen fruit makes a thicker and creamier smoothie bowl.
- If you prefer a thinner drinking consistency, replace the Greek yogurt with unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk, oat milk, or regular milk (you can also use some of each).
- For an extra thick smoothie bowl– freeze the Greek yogurt into ice cube trays or add a bit of ice to reach your favorite creamy consistency.
Nutrition
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Amee Livingston, thanks! And thanks for sharing your great posts every week!
You’re welcome Colette! Thank you for supporting my blog! I love the feedback! 🙂