cherry + turmeric acai bowl

cherry trees on my dad's property in North Idaho

Talk about antioxidants! Woah! Cherries, turmeric, and acai berries are all packed with healthy antioxidants, good for immunity and fighting inflammation. I was feeling like I was coming down with something this morning and I knew I needed to do something about it! Hopefully my morning run, followed by this vitamin-rich smoothie bowl (that is also covered in superfoods) will do the trick!

What are antioxidants and how do they work? Good question! We are always hearing about them and how good they are for us, so here's the scoop:

Highly reactive chemical substances called free radicals roam around our bodies looking for electrons to steal from other molecules. When this electron transfer takes place, the molecule is said to be oxidized. Once oxidized, these substances can cause serious damage to cells and their DNA. Not good.

Antioxidants are electron donors who stabilize free radicals and oxidized molecules by giving them an electron, thus preventing and repairing damage done by free radicals. Free radicals are in the body naturally but higher levels are caused by toxins or environmental pollutants. Antioxidants are found in fruits and vegetables. Many vitamins act as antioxidants such as vitamin E, C, and beta-carotene.

So eat your plants to heal your body!

cherry + turmeric acai bowl

• 1/2 frozen banana
• 1 cup frozen cherries
• 1 Sambazon acai smoothie packet 
• 2 Tbsp chia seeds
• 1" piece fresh turmeric
• 1" piece fresh ginger (optional, ginger gives it a real kick!)
• about 1 cup of milk of your choice (I chose almond milk)

Throw it all in the blender and process until smooth. Start out with a little less than a cup of milk and add more as needed to blend. As for the toppings...

• homemade granola
• hemp seeds
• cacao nibs
• and anything else that tickles your fancy!

Don't forget to be creative! And let me know how your smoothie bowls turn out!