We are BIG fans of cherries here at Mama Love, and this delicious smoothie bowl makes us love the superfood even more (if that’s actually possible). Studies show tart cherries can reduce post-workout muscle soreness (1), improve sleep (2), and help prevent bone loss (3). Sweet cherries also offer healthy phytonutrients, along with energizing fiber and immune-boosting vitamin C (4). You’ll find 1½ cups of the delicious stone fruit in this recipe!

Coconut milk beverage adds flavor and liquid to the blend, but you can swap in coconut water to keep fat and calories down, or you could use lite coconut milk instead for an even creamier texture.

This bowl is perfect for those days when you want something chill, but need something more filling than a smoothie.

Ingredients

• ½ cup Old-fashioned Oats, uncooked
• 1/3 cup Mama Love Chocolate Protein
• 1 ½ cups Sweet Cherries, frozen, unsweetened; divided
• ½ cup Coconut Milk Beverage, unsweetened
• 2 Tbsp. Coconut Flakes, unsweetened; divided

Instructions

To make the smoothie, put oats, Mama Love Chocolate Protein, 1 cup frozen cherries, coconut beverage, and 1 Tbsp. coconut flakes into a blender. Blend on high until smooth. Slice the remaining cherries in half. Pour smoothie into a bowl, and top with remaining coconut flakes and sliced cherries. Makes 1 serving.

Nutrition Facts

Servings: 1

Calories: 495

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. 

Sources:

1. Levers, K., Dalton, R., Galvan, E. et al. Powdered tart cherry supplementation demonstrates benefit on markers of catabolism and muscle soreness following an acute bout of intense lower body resistance exercise. JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF SPORTS NUTRITION, issue 11, article P31, 2014.
2. Losso, Jack N et al. “Pilot Study of the Tart Cherry Juice for the Treatment of Insomnia and Investigation of Mechanisms.” American journal of therapeutics 25,2 (2018): e194-e201. doi:10.1097/MJT.0000000000000584
3. Smith, Brenda J et al. “Montmorency tart cherry protects against age-related bone loss in female C57BL/6 mice and demonstrates some anabolic effects.” European journal of nutrition 58,8 (2019): 3035-3046. doi:10.1007/s00394-018-1848-1
4. Kubala, Jillian. (June 19, 2019) “7 Impressive Health Benefits of Cherries.” Healthline.com.