Harvest Stuffed Acorn Squash

Harvest stuffed acorn squash is an ideal autumn comfort dish that is rich in protein, features seasonal ingredients, and requires minimal kitchen tools!

Servings: 4 Prep: 15 MIN Cook time: 55 MIN

Ingredients

For the squash:

• 2 acorn squash

• 4 tsp olive oil or olive/avocado spray

• S+P

For the filling:

• 1 lb Italian sausage or chicken sausage

• 4 oz mushrooms (finely chopped)

• 1/2 small yellow onion (finely diced)

• 1 medium honeycrisp apple (finely diced) or 1/4 cup dried cranberries

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp black pepper

• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

• 1/8 tsp allspice (optional)

• 2 cloves minced garlic (or 1 tsp garlic powder)

• 1 Tbsp fresh sage (chopped)

• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese, divided

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. To a medium skillet, heat oil over medium heat and sauté onion and peppers for about 5 minutes. Move sauté veggies to the side and add turkey sausage to the center, crumbling the meat. Let cook, stirring and crumbling meat until meat is completely browned, for about 10 minutes. Turn heat off and let mixture to cool.

3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and yogurt. Add in turkey mixture and incorporate. Add in the rest of the dry ingredients: almond and coconut flour, nutritional yeast, baking powder, and seasonings using a spatula until combined.

4. Using ¼ - ½ cup or large cookie scoop, make 12 evenly sized balls and place them on the sheet pan. Place in the oven for 12-16 minutes until slightly browned all over.

5. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before storing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Halloween Munch Dark Chocolate Bark

Halloween munch dark chocolate bark is a fun and creative way of using healthier Halloween candy products! 

For October’s virtual cooking class, I wanted to create a fun, festive and kid friendly dessert using healthier candy products. It’s so easy to switch out sugar and overly processed-filled Halloween candy products with healthier brands like Yum Earth, That’s It, Hu Kitchen and so much more (product recommendations for this recipe at the bottom!)

Halloween bark recipe is as simple as they come! Using only 3-ingredients to make the bark, and topped with your favorite go-to halloween candy products or venturing out into the healthier but still spookier side!

FAQs and tips on making dark chocolate bark: 

• After the chocolate has cooled, it is hard to spread or for toppings to stick so work quickly while your chocolate is still warm! 

• Storage? If the chocolate bark is set out at room temperature for too long, it will start to melt so best to store in the fridge for about a week or the freezer for 2 months. Don’t expect it to last that long in your house, though! 

• A spatula or back of a spoon are the best tools to spread the chocolate across a parchment paper lined baking sheet. 

• You can obviously use a double broiler to melt your chocolate but the fastest and easiest method is simply using a microwave! Microwave in 30 second increments while stirring until melted. 

Other great Halloween recipes: spookylicious green smoothie

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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Halloween munch dark chocolate bark is a fun and creative way of using healthier Halloween candy products! 

SERVINGS: 6-8 | PREP TIME: 5 MIN | COOK TIME: N/A

Ingredients

• 2 cups dark chocolate chips (about 12 oz)

• 1/3 cup white chocolate chips

• 1 Tbsp+ 1 tsp coconut oil

• 1/4 cup candy corn

• 1/4 cup gummy worms

• 1/4 cup popcorn

• Halloween sprinkles

Directions

• Line a medium/large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil leaving overhang on at least two sides.

• Add the chocolate chips and 1 Tbsp coconut oil to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30 sec. Stir with a spoon and continue to warm in 30 sec increments until melted.

• Spread the melted chocolate across the prepared baking sheet and use a rubber or offset spatula to smooth into an even layer.

• Melt the white chocolate and 1 tsp oil in a separate bowl for 30 sec increments until smooth.

• Drizzle the white chocolate in a “spiderweb or mummy style” across the baking sheet of melted dark chocolate.

• Place candies, popcorn, and sprinkles on top of the bark while melted then place the baking sheet in the fridge or freezer for 1 hr to harden. Once hard, use a knife to cut into pieces of bark and enjoy!

Notes

• Keep bark in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer until ready to eat!

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SHOP OUR FAVORITE INGREDIENTS FOR THIS RECIPE!

Chicken Harvest Bowl

Chicken Harvest Bowl with juicy marinated chicken thighs, roasted Brussels sprouts and sweet potato, massaged kale, goat cheese, pecans, apple and a creamy balsamic dressing. 

This harvest bowl is packed with delicious fall flavor influences that is perfect for a healthy lunch meal prep option or dinner. Gluten-free, grain-free, macro balanced and dairy-free friendly. 

If you know anything about me, you know that nourish bowls are my favorite! From the Nourished Cookbook to the Nourishment Program - I absolutely love the art of batch cooking. 

If you can allocate one or two days out of your week to prepare batch cook items, you will have the freedom to create different meals so that you won’t have to eat the same meal twice if you don’t want to! How fun and easy is that?!

With that said, here is a fall inspired nourish bowl that you can create for lunch meal prep or for dinner! 

Chicken harvest bowl components based on the Six Senses Nourish Meal Template from The Nourishment Program: 

1. Starchy + sugary carbs: sweet potatoes, honey, apple

2. Non starchy carbs: massaged kale, brussels sprouts

3. Protein: Chicken thighs + pecans + goat cheese

4. Fat: oil, chicken thighs, goat cheese, nut butter

5. Flavor: seasonings galore! Coconut aminos (or teriyaki sauce)

6. Probiotics: balsamic vinegar

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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Chicken Harvest Bowl with juicy marinated chicken thighs, roasted Brussels sprouts and sweet potato, massaged kale, goat cheese, pecans, apple and a creamy balsamic dressing. 

SERVINGS: 4 | PREP TIME: 15 MIN | COOK TIME: 45 MIN

Ingredients

Chicken marinade

• 1 lb chicken thighs

• 1/3 cup coconut aminos or teriyaki sauce

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• S&P

Sweet potatoes

• 2-4 sweet potatoes, cubed

• 1 tsp each smoked paprika & garlic powder

• dash of cinnamon

• 1 Tbsp oil

Brussels sprouts

• 1 lb brussels sprouts

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 Tbsp oil

Balsamic dressing

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

• 2 Tbsp nut butter

• 1-2 Tbsp water

• 1 Tbsp honey

• S&P

Bowl components

• 1/2 cup pecans

• 1/2 cup goat cheese

• 1 large apple

• massaged kale or regular leafy greens

Directions

1. Marinate your chicken first by seasoning chicken thighs generously with S&P. Mix marinade ingredients in a Ziploc bag and transfer chicken to the bag. Seal bag, massage chicken in juices while sealed and place in the fridge to marinate for 30 min or up to 8 hrs.

2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

3. Add diced sweet potatoes in seasoning mixture and halved Brussels sprouts in seasoning mixture on baking sheet. Toss in oil and roast in the oven for 35-45 min until tender.

4. You can either roast chicken thighs in the oven at the same time and on a different baking sheet or grill / cook in a skillet.

5. To make dressing: add the balsamic vinegar, nut butter, salt, honey and 1 Tbsp water to a small mason jar. Shake vigorously and add more water if you want a thinner consistency.

6. Prep the remaining ingredients: dice the apple, crumble goat cheese, roughly chop pecans and follow massaged kale recipe if not using leafy greens.

7. Assembly! Evenly divide the greens, chicken, roasted veggies, apples, goat cheese and nuts. Serve with creamy balsamic dressing and enjoy! 

Fig, Vanilla & Orange Energy Balls

This fall inspired fig, vanilla and orange energy balls are a fresh flavor twist on the classic fig newton bar! 

Classic fig newton inspired energy balls were developed for some friends that are hiking the Grand Canyon rim to rim. 

Key points that had to be achieved for this recipe: 

1| to provide energy

2| clean carbohydrate source

3| fig newton-like flavor that tastes good! 

And that is how these fig, vanilla and orange energy balls came about! So if you are hiking the Grand Canyon rim to rim or just simply about to start a workout, need an afternoon snack pick me up or a healthy dessert alternative, then you are at the right place! 

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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This fall inspired fig, vanilla and orange energy balls are a fresh flavor twist on the classic fig newton bar! 

18-24 balls | Prep Time: 10 Min | Cook time: N/A

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried figs

• ½ cup medjool dates

• ½ cup pecans

• ½ cup almonds

• ½ cup walnuts

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• ¼ cup ground cinnamon

• Zest of orange

• Splash or two of orange juice

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse on high to combine. You may need to stop in between to scrape down the sides of the processor with a rubber spatula. 

2. Blend and pulse for about 2-3 minutes, until the mixture starts to clump. Depending on how fresh your dates or figs are, you may need to add 1 Tbsp increments of water to help break down the mixture. 

3. Using a cookie scooper or 1 Tbsp measuring spoon, scoop mixture out and roll into balls. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks. Can store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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.