Java Chip Almond Butter Dates

Java Chip Almond Butter Dates - The perfect pre-workout shake replacement! 

If you have been here long enough, you know I love medjool dates! Whether they’re in sweet dishes like chai latte donut holes, matcha and mint chip energy balls, and dark chocolate chip protein bites or in savory dishes like bacon wrapped stuffed dates found on my Instagram, I love them all the same. The main reason I use them in these types of dishes is because dates are a natural sweetener like pure maple syrup ( my second favorite ingredient), coconut sugar, and honey.

As you may have guessed,  dates are a healthier alternative to sugar. Stuffed dates are my ultimate go-to for a pre-workout snack because they’re also great for athletic performance. I would rather have a plant-based food source to naturally energize me than a pre-workout drink that gives me the shakes and keeps me up all night! 

So, if dates taste sweet and are used in desserts, then how can they ever be good before a workout!? Well, I’m so glad you asked! :) Here are the wonderful benefits of using dates as fuel before a workout: 

• Dates are packed with slow-burning carbs which are a main fuel source for our muscles during moderate-intensity and high-intensity exercise. The sustained release of carbs refills your body’s glycogen, the main source of energy that is expended during strenuous activity. 

• Dates contain a significant amount of potassium which is great for muscle cramps! During a sweaty sesh, you need to replenish your potassium and rebalance electrolytes so dates are helpful to prevent post-workout cramping and aid with muscle recovery. 

• They’re a super easy “on the go” snack. Whether you make the recipe or eat dates on their own, dates are super portable.

If dates don’t provide you enough energy and alertness before a workout, then this almond butter mixture will! With the addition of a superfood like maca powder (which is great for enhancing energy/mood), I have also added espresso powder. This combo will get you alert and going to the gym! I love using maca powder for this recipe because the flavor provides a honeycomb taste to the butter. By mixing, almond butter, espresso, maca, and ground cinnamon, this combination tastes just like a latte from Starbucks! 

Now, you can imagine that this almond butter mixture would be bitter considering no sweeteners, but if you dollop this on top of a date, it’s the winning combo! Cacao nibs are also bitter but, I’m telling you, if you have never tried a date before - it literally taste like sugar.

I hope you enjoy these amazingly delicious java chip almond butter dates before your workout! If you need some workout inspo, I’ve got a plank tabata and a booty workout already planned out for you.

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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Java Chip Almond Butter Dates - The perfect pre-workout shake replacement! 

Ingredients

• 12 medjool dates (pitted)

• 12-24 raw almonds 

• ½ cup almond butter

• 1 tsp espresso powder (or more!)

• ½ tsp maca powder

• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon

Toppings

Cacao nibs

Directions

1. Insert an almond (or two) into each medjool date.

2. In a small bowl, mix almond butter, espresso powder, ground cinnamon, and maca powder. Spoon about a teaspoon of mixture onto each medjool date. Top each date with cacao nibs. 

3. In an airtight container, store in the fridge for up to two weeks. 

Notes

1. If you have leftover almond butter mixture, you can add about a teaspoon of pure maple syrup and spread over a piece of toast, pancakes, waffles, anything!

Healthy Strawberry Brown Rice Krispie Treats

Healthy Strawberry Brown Rice Krispie Treats - Healthy play on the traditional rice krispie treat! Gluten-free, dairy-free, and naturally lower in sugar!

After finding out that I was sensitive to gluten, my love for rice krispie treats grew. I know that sounds bad and unhealthy, but hey, at the time, there weren’t too many gluten-free options when it came to desserts!

But within a year of only eating rice krispie treats, I felt like I was done for life. 5 years later, that’s all I crave! So, without further ado, I have made for you a healthier rice krispie treat -- but with a spin.

Instead of using marshmallows, I used a mixture of peanut butter, coconut oil, pure maple syrup and strawberry preserves. I just love the addition of strawberry preserves, making these rice krispie treats taste more like a PB&J or a no bake cookie!

You can also play with the toppings if you would like. My favorite way to add color and to play off the strawberry preserves is to add freeze dried strawberries, goji berries, and melted peanut butter into the dark chocolate. You could keep it classy with melted dark chocolate and sea salt flakes, or create a superfood rice krispie treat with goji berries, bee pollen, nuts and seeds, cacao nibs, and coconut flakes. The possibilities are endless!

These are great as a healthy snack and dessert as each serving size is less than 200 calories with about 10 grams of sugar per serving. The ingredients I used in predicting these numbers are listed in the notes section below.

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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Healthy Strawberry Brown Rice Krispie Treats - Healthy play on the traditional rice krispie treat! Gluten-free, dairy-free, and naturally lower in sugar!

Makes 16 servings

Ingredients

• 3 cups brown rice cereal

• 1 cup dark chocolate

• ½ cup natural peanut butter

• ⅓ cup pure maple syrup

• 2 Tbsp coconut oil

• Pinch of salt

• 1 Tbsp strawberry preserves

Toppings

• Freeze dried strawberries

• Goji berries

Directions

1. Line 8x8 pan with parchment paper. Set aside

2. Place a small saucepan on the stove-top over low heat. Combine peanut butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, strawberry preserves, and a pinch of salt. Mix until smooth and well combined, about 1-2 minutes. Add brown rice cereal to a medium bowl and pour peanut butter mixture over the brown rice. Mix until combined and cereal is completely coated.

3. Transfer rice krispie mixture to the parchment paper lined pan and press mixture down flat using a spatula to create an even surface.

4. In a small microwave safe bowl, add dark chocolate and 1 tbsp coconut oil (optional) and heat in 30-second increments (stirring in between) until chocolate is fully melted and smooth.

5. Pour chocolate mixture over krispie mixture and add toppings. You can follow the strawberry trend and add freeze dried strawberries, goji berries, and melted peanut butter or you can keep it classic with sea salt or naked. Up to you!

6. Place pan in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes until bars are completely cooled and chocolate is set.

7. Place bars onto a cutting board and cut into 16 bars. Bars should be kept in the fridge covered for up to a week.

Notes

• Ingredients I used: Erewhon organic brown rice gluten free cereal, pure maple syrup, dark chocolate, strawberry preserves.

• If you would like to add more protein to these bars, add a scoop of collagen peptides to the peanut butter mixture when everything is in the saucepan heating.