Whip up this Dairy Free Cherry Vanilla Recovery Shake after a hard workout and recover better for your next workout! It’s gluten free and easy to make
Spring is here and Summer isn’t far behind! If you’re into Spring and Summer sports then this is the time you increase your training intensity and duration. I know for me this is the time of year I add more into my workouts to get ready for road races and events depending on what I have planned for the upcoming season. I won’t be able to make our local triathlon this year (a little bummed), but we have some other fun events planned out!
With all that extra training and hard work, your body can easily get sore as the demands increase. If you have been training smart and increasing gradually, then your body will adapt better, but you may still encounter soreness and fatigue. It’s important to make the most of your rest times and diet by getting enough sleep and choosing foods wisely. Choosing foods that are anti-inflammatory will definitely help your recovery.
I made up this shake to include all kinds of good things for repair and recovery: complex carbohydrates, protein, antioxidants, joint support, and yumminess 😉
Here are the great things in this Cherry Vanilla Recovery Shake:
- Tart cherry juice – contains naturally occurring electrolytes sodium and potassium; antioxidant support and anti-inflammatory
- Tart cherry extract – antioxidant support and anti-inflammatory
- Gelatin or collagen – joint support and protein boost
- Unsweetened Almond/coconut milk blend – unsweetened milk helps cut sugar from the diet and reduces calories. MCT (medium chain triglycerides) in moderation from coconut milk is anti-inflammatory among other benefits
- Lucuma or sweet potato powder – complex carbohydrates to replenish glycogen stores in the muscles and liver. Watch the amount of sweet potato powder you add if you are on a low FODMAP diet (I have not yet found whether lucuma is low FODMAP or not)
- Protein powder – amino acids for tissue repair
- L-Glutamine – an amino acid that speeds recovery, boosts the immune system, improves carbohydrate re-uptake, and helps to maintain good intestinal health
I added a capsule of tart cherry extract to get some of the benefits of the cherry juice without adding too much sugar to the shake. It is a little bit bitter (at least the ones I have) so you can skip that if you want and use more tart cherry juice.
I also used my Vanilla Cake Batter Beef Protein Isolate in this recipe, but you can use your favorite vanilla protein powder that your stomach agrees with. If you’re using some other non-whey or non-beef protein, this recipe will be vegetarian since it has the gelatin or collagen powder in it.
Dairy Free Cherry Vanilla Recovery Shake
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Unsweetened Almondmilk Coconutmilk blend
- ¼ cup tart cherry juice no sugar added
- 1 teaspoon L-glutamine powder
- 1 capsule tart cherry extract powder about 400 mg*
- 2 teaspoons plain unflavored gelatin powder OR 1 scoop collagen powder
- 5 drops Vanilla stevia liquid to taste
- 1 cup ice
Instructions
- Pour the Almondmilk Coconutmilk blend and the cherry juice in a small blender or NutriBullet
- Add in the glutamine, powdered cherry extract, gelatin or collagen, and stevia and blend well
- Add the ice and blend again until mixed together well
- Drink immediately
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
Sarah Jane Parker is the founder, recipe creator, and photographer behind The Fit Cookie. She’s a food allergy mom and allergy friendly food blogger of 12 years based in Wyoming. Sarah is also an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer, ACE Certified Health Coach, Revolution Running certified running coach, and an ACE Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist
Cherry vanilla sounds wonderful! Yum.
Cherries are one of my favorite fruits, along with raspberries. So good!
I need to find cherry juice so I can try this out! <3
Definitely! Tart cherry juice is such a good post-workout addition to any diet (as long as you don’t over-do it since there is plenty of sugar in it!)