Apple Pie Protein Yogurt Bowl

Apple pie protein yogurt bowls are such an easy and nutritious start to your day, afternoon snack, post workout snack/meal and even as a dessert! 

Apples are my favorite fall produce and pairs well with most anything, really! So far, I have apple pie granola, cinnamon apple streusel muffins, adrenal cream cider, apple butter, apple cider churro donuts and gut nourishing stewed apples on the site. Needless to say, I’m mildly obsessed with all things apples! 

You can enjoy this apple pie protein yogurt bowl for breakfast, an afternoon snack, post workout snack/meal and even for dessert! The beauty about this recipe is that it’s macro balanced which means it will not spike your blood sugar. 

Lately, I have been enjoying these apple pie protein yogurt bowls post workout. Mainly, because it is so important to have a macronutrient balanced post snack or meal to replenish glycogen stores, support muscle recovery, support muscle growth and optimize performance for the next gym session! 

After a workout, it is best to consume carbohydrates, protein and fluids! 

Carbohydrates - Are able to replenish stored glycogen and initiate the recovery process. 

• Apples, oats, and granola 

Protein - Vital component in recovery as it helps to repair and rebuild muscles.

• Plain greek yogurt (particularly the highest in protein) and protein powder

Fluids - Help to replenish the body with fluids lost through perspiration during exercise. 

• Water, electrolytes, and fresh fruits (apples!)

Apple pie protein yogurt bowls are a winning combo! 

Other great post-workout snacks include eggs and sourdough or ezekiel bread toast, yogurt and granola, cottage cheese and fruit, protein shake, hummus and veggie sticks, tuna and crackers, and a meat stick and fresh fruit. 

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo to #fromtherootsblog on Instagram. We love seeing what you come up with!

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Apple pie protein yogurt bowls are such an easy and nutritious start to your day, afternoon snack, post workout snack/meal and even as a dessert! 

Servings: 1 | Prep Time: 5 MIN | Cook Time: 0

Ingredients 

• ¾ cup plain greek yogurt (lactose-free version)

• 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder

• ½ honeycrisp apple, diced

• 1 Apple Pie Stuffed Oat Bite Bobo’s, or ¼-½ cup apple pie granola

• Dashes of cinnamon

Optional add-ins

• 1 scoop creatine

• 1 scoop inositol 

Directions

1. Either in a single serving yogurt cup or small bowl, add protein powder and optional add-in powders to yogurt and mix well. 

2. Top yogurt bowls with a dash or 3 of ground cinnamon, crumble or slice up a Bobo’s (or granola) on yogurt along with diced apples and serve! 

Notes

• My favorite protein powder is Equip Foods! Use code ROOTS for 15% off your first order at this link. 

Apple Butter

Get all the fall feels with this homemade Instant Pot Apple Butter Recipe! 

If you can’t already tell by the amount of apple recipes on the blog or through my social media, I am mildly obsessed with apples! There is nothing like biting into a honeycrisp after a workout or eating homemade chicken salad and getting a sweet apple crunch in every bite! 

So before the fall season comes to an end, it’s time to take all the apples from orchard picking or local farmer’s market visits to make a big batch of homemade apple butter! 

For this recipe, I visited Mercier Orchards in Blue Ridge, Georgia and chose a combination of Crimson Crisp and Pink Lady for this recipe. If you don’t have an orchard to visit or not sure what type of apple works well for apple butter, you want to look for something sweet, not tart like: gala, jonagold, Mcintosh, honeycrisp, fuji or evercrisp. 

If you are wanting naturally sweet apple butter, then your best option is to choose these apple options within season as they are pretty sweet on their own and pack a major flavor! But in this recipe, I have added a natural sweetener like pure maple syrup in case you would like a tad bit more sweetness. 

I love spreading my apple butter on homemade sourdough bread, cornbread muffins, waffles, pancakes, or even meats like pork chops. You can add it to your yogurt, kefir, smoothie, oatmeal - just about anything and everything! 

I’m all about efficiency so I made this recipe using an Instant Pot. But if you don’t have an Instant Pot, crockpot or stove top will do just fine! You just want to make sure that the apples cook down enough until most of the liquid has evaporated. The process of cooking past the apple sauce stage, creates the smooth jam or butter like consistency, rather than applesauce. 

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo to #fromtherootsblog on Instagram. We love seeing what you come up with!

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Get all the fall feels with this homemade Instant Pot Apple Butter Recipe! 

Cook Time: 1.5-2 hrs | Prep Time: 10 min | Serving: 4 pints apple butter

Ingredients

• 4.5 - 5 lb apples, cored and diced (not peeled!)

• 1 Tbsp apple pie seasoning

• 1-2 tsp ground cinnamon

• ¼ cup pure maple syrup (depending on sweetness level)

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• ½ cup filtered water

Directions

1. In a large bowl, place sliced and cored apples, seasonings, sweetener, lemon juice, vanilla extract and water and stir until well combined. 

2. Transfer to your Instant Pot and secure the lid, seal the valve. Cook for 20 minutes on high pressure, then allow a full natural release. Remove the lid. 

3. Using an immersion blender (or transfer batches in a regular blender), blend the contents until smooth. Taste test for desired sweetness/tart level. (i.e. want more tartness, add 1 tsp increments lemon juice, sweetness - 1 Tbsp increments of sweetener, spice - 1 tsp increments seasonings). Add the contents back into Instant Pot and press Saute. Allow to cook for 30-60 minutes while stirring frequently until the apple butter has thickened and darkened to desired consistency. 

4. Press Cancel on the Instant Pot, then allow the apple butter to cool completely before transferring to large mason jars. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Freeze for up to 6 months. (Make sure you sharpie today’s date on the jar!)

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Apple Pie Granola

Apple pie granola is naturally sweetened, gluten-free and full of fall flavor! Enjoy with milk, yogurt, kefir, smoothie or just by the handful as a snack! 

Summer is over and fall is here so what better way to kick off the fall season than with an apple spice inspired recipe!? 

I truly love this recipe as I have made it a few times last year and never came around to posting it - mainly because I couldn’t stop eating it! Haha I was also distracted by how it made my kitchen smell like a freshly baked apple pie! 

This apple pie granola is made with items you probably have in your pantry - oats, nuts and seeds, spices from last fall, an applesauce jar that you forgot was there! haha.

Making homemade granola is super easy to do - and once you get down the mix, spread, bake method - you can create a myriad of flavorful granola combinations! 

Here are a few tips that makes the perfect granola each and every time: 

• Spread your mixture super thin! The thinner you can get your granola to spread, the more crispy and crunchy you can get it.

• Set it and forget it! This is the most crucial part of granola making. After the granola comes out of the oven, allow it to cool completely before touching it. This will also end in crispy granola. 

Another big thing is storing your homemade granola. Store your granola in an airtight container on the counter at room temperature. Homemade granola will last for about 1-2 weeks!

If you are looking for more apple inspired recipes, check out my cinnamon apple streusel muffins, apple cider churro donuts, adrenal cream cider, beet and cabbage sauerkraut, fall harvest grain bowl and classic healthy chicken salad. 

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo to #fromtherootsblog on Instagram. We love seeing what you come up with!

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Apple pie granola is naturally sweetened, gluten-free and full of fall flavor! Enjoy with milk, yogurt, kefir, smoothie or just by the handful as a snack! 

Serving: 12 | Prep: 5 min | Cook: 30 min

Ingredients

• 3 cups old fashioned oats

• 1 cup pecans

• ½ cup flaxseeds

• ½ cup unsweetened applesauce

• ½ cup sunflower or pumpkin seeds

• ⅓ cup coconut oil or ghee (melted)

• ¼ cup pure maple syrup

• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp ground cardamom

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• ½ tsp apple pie seasoning blend (optional)

• ½ tsp sea salt

• 1 cup dried apple slices

• 1 cup currants or raisins (optional) 

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. 

2. In a small bowl, prepare the wet ingredients (applesauce, oil, vanilla extract, maple syrup) and whisk until combined. 

3. In a larger bowl, prepare the dry ingredients (oats, pecans, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, seasonings, and salt) and until combined. 

4. Pour the wet into the dry mixture and mix thoroughly. Ensure all the oats are coated. 

5. Next, spread the granola mixture as thin as possible on a baking sheet. The thinner you spread, the crunchier your granola will be. Optional, but sprinkle coconut sugar on top!

6. Bake for 23-28 minutes, removing halfway to flip. You want to make sure the oats are fully brown without over browning the pecans. On your last flip, remove from the oven and let cool completely before touching it! Once cooled, break up the granola into clusters and add the cup of dried apple slices and optional toppings. Enjoy on its own, with milk, kefir, yogurt, or on a smoothie!

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Apple Cider Churro Donuts

Apple Cider Churro Donuts - Apple cider meets churros - this healthier, baked not fried, donut is a delicious treat to bake during the fall season! Gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar free, nut-free, and paleo friendly.

Last week, we had a local event in the area where business fronts downtown Hartwell would open their doors for women to shop, receive discounts in store all while enjoying delicious fall treats! In my office building, the chiropractor made warm apple cider, chocolate hummus, and goat cheese stuffed dates with chopped pistachios. So good! 

Running on the apple cider train, I decided in my dreams that I should make some sort of apple cider donut! Haha, I swear, pressure to recipe development is where it’s at for me! As you can tell in the pictures, I have cute mini donuts sprinkled in and that is because my initial thought was to use them as a garnish for the apple cider!

Now, if you decide to use the apple cider churro donuts as a garnish for your apple cider or apple cider mimosas, then please take pictures and share - It would just be the cutest thing! 

Okay, I digress again. The reason why I added churro to the recipe name is not because these are made in the traditional sense as they are baked, not fried, but the cinnamon sugar topping! And bonus, if you decide to use a piping bag to fill in the donut pans then they create a natural churro design which is super fun and holds more cinnamon sugar topping. And who doesn’t want more of that!?

If you would like to see the kitchen equipment and ingredients I used to make this recipe, then scroll down below for the links! 

So while it is still fall season and you have apple cider and all of your fall spices, then make a batch of these apple cider churro donuts! 

I think I will make these for my niece and nephews for Thanksgiving breakfast this year :)

And hey, if you want to get super creative, here are some fun ways you can pair your donut with, if eating them on their own is not enough! Seasonal drinks like adrenal cream cider, coffee, hot cocoa, apple cider, turmeric latte, and chai tea, milk, ice cream (stop it!), dipped in nut butters, jams or the traditional churro style with chocolate sauce. 

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, pin it, and don’t forget to tag a photo to #fromtherootsblog on Instagram. We love seeing what you come up with!

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Apple Cider Churro Donuts - Apple cider meets churros - this healthier, baked not fried, donut is a delicious treat to bake during the fall season! Gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar free, nut-free, and paleo friendly.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Servings: 12 large donuts

Ingredients

Donut Batter

• 2 cups gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour

• ¾ cup arrowroot flour

• ½ cup organic applesauce

• ⅓ cup coconut sugar

• ⅓ cup avocado or coconut oil

• ⅓ cup organic apple cider or apple juice

• 2 large eggs (room temperature)

• 1 Tbsp apple pie spice seasoning

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

• ½ tsp baking soda

• ¼ tsp sea salt

• Avocado/coconut oil spray for donut pans

Churro Topping

• 3 Tbsp melted grass-fed butter, ghee, or coconut oil

• 3 Tbsp coconut sugar, maple sugar or date sugar

• 1 ½ tsp apple pie spice seasoning 

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray silicone donut pans for easy removal. 

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients (ie both flours, sugar, apple pie spice, baking powder and soda, and salt). Set aside. 

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, vanilla, applesauce, and apple cider/juice. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir well until fully combined. The batter should be scoopable, not pourable. 

4. You can either spoon the batter or transfer batter into a piping bag and fill into the wells of the lightly greased donut pan to make 11-12 donuts - you might need to do this in 2 batches depending on the size of your donut pan. 

5. Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until set and a toothpick, when inserted, comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cook for about 5 minutes. Once cooled, remove donuts from the pan and place on a wire rack to cool completely. 

6. While the donuts are cooling, make the churro topping. Melt fat of choice in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, stir the sugar and apple pie spice seasoning. Brush the cooled donuts with the fat and either sprinkle with or dip donuts in the sugar mixture. Serve right away or store at room temperature for up to 3 days. Refrigerate or freeze to keep them longer. 

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Cinnamon Apple Streusel Muffins

Cinnamon Apple Streusel Muffins - Bursting with fall flavors, these moist gluten-free muffins are filled with apples and cinnamon and topped with a delicious crunchy streusel. You won’t believe they are naturally lower in sugar, dairy-free, and healthy for you! 

Like most of the recipes I develop, they are inspired by my morning dreams. Well, the dreams I have upon waking up and hitting the snooze button! Mainly because I am starving by the time I wake up but that’s another story! 

The story behind these bad boys was that I wanted to create a lazy version of apple pie. Afterall, apple pie should only be eaten if it’s homemade and preferably made from a grandmother. But if you are strapped for time and there’s not a grandma in sight, well, sometimes you just have to think outside the box. 

And that’s just what I did. These apple cinnamon streusel muffins are basically apple pies but a muffin version. Some of my taste testers actually preferred mini apple pie muffins as the name because they taste just like that! 

What I also didn’t tell them is that these muffins are naturally lower in sugar and oil, gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo friendly, keto friendly, and use clean, real ingredients. After telling them what the ingredients were, they truly couldn’t believe it wasn’t an old fashioned muffin that you would get at a bakery! 

So if you are wanting to trick your family and friends into eating healthy things, then try this! Haha. Not only is it fun to make a traditional baked good healthy, but these muffins are actually fun to make in general. 

As illustrated in the picture, pour batter about halfway in the muffin liner followed by the “apple pie filling”, another layer of batter and top with the streusel mixture! If you are wanting to really elevate the dish and don’t mind the added sugar, then I created a maple cinnamon glaze to drizzle just before serving. These muffins are practically my new favorite! 

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo to #fromtherootsblog on Instagram. We love seeing what you come up with! 

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Cinnamon Apple Streusel Muffins - Bursting with fall flavors, these moist gluten-free muffins are filled with apples and cinnamon and topped with a delicious crunchy streusel. You won’t believe they are naturally lower in sugar, dairy-free, and healthy for you!

Ingredients

• ¼ cup + 3 Tbsp cassava flour

• ¼ cup GF oat flour

• ¼ tsp baking powder

• Pinch salt

• ⅓ cup dairy free yogurt

• 3 large eggs

• 3 Tbsp avocado oil

• 2 Tbsp honey

• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Filling

• 1 honeycrisp apple (chopped)

• 1 Tbsp organic light brown sugar (optional)

• 2 tsp grass fed butter

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• Pinch of salt

Streusel

• ¼ cup GF all purpose flour or paleo/cassava flour

• 2 Tbsp gluten free oats

• 1 Tbsp coconut sugar or light brown sugar

• 1 Tbsp softened ghee or coconut oil/grass fed butter

• 1 Tbsp sliced almonds 

• ¼ tsp cinnamon

Drizzle

• ¼ cup organic powdered sugar

• 2 tsp pure maple syrup

• ¼ tsp pure vanilla extract

• 1-2 tsp unsweetened almond milk (optional)

• Dash of cinnamon

Yields 6 muffins

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 6-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease with avocado oil spray. Set aside. 

2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

3. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and honey until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Then add the oil, yogurt, vanilla and mix until combined. 

4. Add the liquid mixture into the flour mixture until combined. The batter should be pourable but not too runny. If it’s a little runny, add more cassava flour. Set aside.

5. In a small skillet, melt butter on medium heat. When the butter is starting to bubble, add chopped apples and sauté until apple pieces are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, and dash of salt and mix until fully combined and the sugar has fully melted over the apple pieces. Turn off heat immediately and set aside. 

6. For the cinnamon streusel topping: mash together the softened ghee and sugar until combined. stir in the flour, oats, almonds, and cinnamon, then use your fingers to form thick crumbs. Set aside.

7. Use a cookie scooper or ¼ measuring cup to divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups. Pour batter about halfway, top with about 1 Tbsp of the apple cinnamon mixture, another scoop of the batter until ¾ to the top full and then finish with the streusel mix. 

8. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes until the muffin tops are golden and the toothpick inserted into the muffin comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow the muffins to cool for a few minutes in the muffin tin before transferring to a cooling rack. 

9. While the muffins are cooling, whisk together the powdered sugar, syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon. If drizzle is too thick, slowly add 1 tsp of milk to the mixture.

10.  Drizzle glaze over the warm muffins and enjoy! 

Notes 

• If you are wanting to make this recipe lower in sugar, I put (optional) in the filling section. For example, if you are using a sweeter apple like a honeycrisp, then the brown sugar isn’t imperative. Also, you can completely omit the drizzle part and the muffins will still be deliciously sweet!