Cherry Protein Bowl

What to eat after training? This post-workout protein bowl combines protein and carbs with tart cherries for maximum post-workout recovery!

This position was created in collaboration with Cherry Marketing Institute. All opinions are ours.

Do you plan what foods to eat after a workout? We haven’t done this yet, but we recently learned that to help your muscles and energy recover, you need to eat foods that contain both carbohydrates and protein within two hours of your workout. ‘A practice. Here’s what to eat post-workout and how to do it: this Tart Cherry Protein Bowl.

What to eat after training

With this information, we set about creating a recipe around the question “What to eat after training?”. We chose a protein bowl with tart cherries because they are known to support post-workout recovery. While it may look like a simple yogurt bowl with random tops, we chose each component of this bowl for a specific reason:

• Montmorency sour cherries: Studies suggest that Montmorency tart cherries can help you recover from exercise faster, reduce muscle soreness and damage. Tart cherries contain compounds called anthocyanins, which block inflammation while preventing muscle damage.
• greek yogurt: Plain yogurt is recommended post-workout because it’s primarily made up of protein and carbohydrates. (It also contains healthy bacterial cultures, which are good for your digestive system and general well-being.)
• dried apricots are rich in protein.
• Pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, almonds and cashew nuts are high in protein and along with cherries are also recommended for post-workout recovery.

More with sour cherries: Farro Salad with Feta & Cherries

You’ll find that we used our favorite simple trick in this recipe. Instead of buying sweetened, flavored yogurt, we buy plain yogurt and sweeten it with a little honey or maple syrup to taste. This allows you to adjust the sweetness to your liking with a natural sweetener and eliminates the additives found in flavored store-bought yogurts.

Also note that the Montmorency tart cherry variety used here is not sold fresh as the fruit is very delicate when picked. Instead, they are sold year-round in dried, frozen, and juice forms. We also love that the fruit in this recipe is dried, making it an easy pantry meal if you have the yogurt on hand.

Do you want more movement in your life? Try our 28-day training plan.

did you make this recipe

And now you know: what to eat after training! If you make this Tart Cherry Protein Bowl, we’d love to know how it went. Leave a comment below or share a photo on Instagram and mention @acouplecooks.

This recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten free.