Medjool Date Snacks

Medjool Date Snacks - 10+ easy and healthy ways to create the perfect mates for dates! 

Snacks don’t have to be complex and include every ingredient in your pantry. If anything, snacks need to be simple. They need to be a quick grab-and-go and something to whip up fast as you need something ready before or after your workout, to help stabilize blood sugar, or to tie you over before a late dinner reservation. 

So that is why I’m showing you my favorite carb source - medjool dates and the many medjool date snack ideas you can do to make sure your date is macro balanced, less than 5 ingredients, and is a quick grab and go snack! 

The OG lately, medjool date + goat cheddar cheese + prosciutto. The perfect blend of sweet, smokey and salty! I also like it because it’s very reminiscent of having a charcuterie board in one bite! (*bonus if you elevate it with honey or balsamic glaze drizzle and crushed nuts like pistachio.)

Other great medjool date snack combinations are: 

salted chocolate peanut butter date

Ex: stuff the date with peanut butter and top with an almond and some crunchy sea salt and dip the bottom in dark chocolate

Cheese + nut combo date

Ex: Stuff the date with cheese like a slice of brie and a nut like pecan.

Italian inspired date

Ex: Stuff the date with goat cheese and some sun-dried tomato pieces, and top with basil chiffonade.

Wrapped in bacon date

Ex: Stuff the date with cheese of choice like goat cheese, wrapped in bacon and cook in the oven for 350 degrees - 10 min on both sides or until bacon is crispy! Sprinkle with pistachio and honey if desired.

5-Ingredient Banana Bread Muffins

Banana Bread Muffins - All you need is a blender or food processor and 5 wholesome ingredients. Naturally gluten free, no refined sugar, and super easy to whip up! 

It’s no secret that I absolutely love banana bread! *Cough Paleo Banana Nut Bread and Brownie Batter Banana Bread Muffins. 

WIth that said, I am completely unapologetic as I whipped up yet another banana bread recipe - banana bread muffins!

This was a fun recipe to create as I had my niece and nephews in mind. Like most parents, mornings feel rushed so I wanted to create a recipe that my sister could make ahead of time so that first thing in the morning, she can warm up or serve cold these muffins with a small pad of butter and eggs on the side and serve it to the kiddos! 

Simple as that! And even if you aren’t a busy mom, this recipe is great for people that are busy in general. Think about it. If you are able to throw 5 measly ingredients into a blender, pour the batter in a muffin tin and walk away for about 15 minutes to come back to freshly baked banana bread muffins, wouldn’t you do it too?!

No refined sugars here! We are only using naturally sweetened sources like bananas and medjool dates. Now, if you add chocolate chips, that is a different story! 

With that said, these muffins are great when paired to a great fat and protein source so here are some great examples of what that could look like as a breakfast or snack option:  

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A post shared by Candace Dorsey| From the Roots (@fromtherootsblog)

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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Banana Bread Muffins - All you need is a blender and 5 wholesome ingredients. Naturally gluten free, no refined sugar, and super easy to whip up! 

Ingredients

• 2 cups gluten-free oats

• 1 large ripe banana

• 2 eggs

• ¾ cup pitted whole dates

• 1 tsp baking soda

• *pinch of salt / generous pinch of cinnamon 

Optional: ¼ cup dark chocolate chips if you are feeling crazy

Makes 6 muffins

Directions 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease 6 count muffin tin. 

2. Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. 

3. Pour batter into greased muffin tin and top with oats, banana slices, or chocolate chips if you would like. 

4. Bake for 15-20 minutes and enjoy! 

Notes 

1. Store in the fridge for up to a week. 

2. Great to add to your meal prep rotation

3. Dates should be soft but if your dates feel hard when removing the seeds, soften the dates by soaking them in warm water before putting in the blender. This is super helpful if you don’t have the best high powered blender or processor. 

4. *salt and cinnamon don’t make the 5-ingredient cut but they truly elevate the banana bread flavors!

No-Bake Paleo Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

No-Bake Paleo Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars - Perfect as a seasonal treat or to make for the holidays. 

I created this recipe using Further Food vanilla collagen peptides. The recipe is on their website or you can get straight from here! 

If you do not have collagen peptide powder or wish to not use it, you can simply sub the powder out with ½ tsp vanilla extract. 

If you would like to try Further Food, use code FROMTHEROOTSBLOG10 for 10% off your first purchase!

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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No-Bake Paleo Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars - Perfect as a seasonal treat or to make for the holidays. 

Ingredients:

Filling

• 1 cup raw cashews (soaked for at least 30 minutes)

• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (canned)

• 3-4 Tbsp pure maple syrup

• 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk

• 1/2 scoop vanilla collagen powder (further food) or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 tsp pumpkin spice

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Crust

• 1 cup medjool dates (soaked for at least 30 min)

• 1/2 cup pecans

• 1/2 cup walnuts

• 1/4 cup coconut flakes

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• dash of pink himalayan salt

Almond Butter Salted Caramel

• 1/4 cup almond butter

• 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup 

• 1 Tbsp coconut oil

• pinch of sea salt

Directions

1. To make the crust: Add the pecans, walnuts, and coconut flakes to a food processor and process until broken down and crumbly. Add in the dates, cinnamon, and salt and process until well mixed and the mixture begins to form a ball. 

2. Transfer to a parchment paper-lined 8x8 pan and press out evenly. Place in the freezer.

3. To a food processor or high powered blender, combine all filling ingredients and blend until texture is smooth. At this point, taste to see if you need to add more maple syrup for sweetness or spices for that pumpkin spice flavor. 

4. Take the crust out of the freezer and pour the filling mixture over the crust. Spread evenly. 

5. Place cheesecake in the freezer for up to two hours to set. 

6. 15 minutes before serving, prepare the caramel sauce by combining all ingredients into a small bowl and heating in the microwave for 30-sec increments until fully combined or in a small saucepan on medium heat. 

7. Drizzle caramel sauce over the bars and sprinkle with coarse salt for a salted caramel flavor. (highly recommended!)

8. Serve immediately, makes 16 small bars. 

9. For storage, place in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer and thaw naturally for 30 minutes or 15 seconds in the microwave. 

Notes

• If you are following the further food recipe, nutrition information is for 10 bars, not 16. 

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!

Dark Chocolate Chip Protein Bites

If you are looking for a classic protein ball, then look no further! These dark chocolate chip protein bites are perfect for treating a sweet tooth, perfect as a pre-workout snack, or to cure that 3pm crash!

In light of the team series and various competitions my CrossFit gym has been doing this past month, I thought it would be fitting to make protein bites. Although I am not competing, I do want to make sure that I have the energy and stamina to complete my workouts successfully. That is why I incorporate this recipe into my weekly meal prep so that I always have a quick go-to snack right before my workout every time.

It can be so easy to purchase protein bars instead because of the convenience but most protein bars are loaded with artificial sweeteners, preservatives and can be high in calories. If it’s convenience you are looking for, these protein bites are super easy to make! Added bonus: if you do swap these out for your regular protein bars but miss the flavor, these taste just like Larabars!

These dark chocolate chip protein bites are made with plant-based ingredients that are nutrient dense and worth every little calorie. They are naturally sweetened with Medjool dates which contain potassium, magnesium, vitamin B6, and calcium to name a few.

Medjool dates are great workout fuel since they are packed with slow-burning carbs (about 66 calories and 15 grams of sugar). These carbs are in a low glycemic form which means that glucose is released into the bloodstream slower which allows for steady energy during a workout.

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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If you are looking for a classic protein ball, then look no further! These dark chocolate chip protein bites are perfect for treating a sweet tooth, perfect as a pre-workout snack, or to cure that 3pm crash! 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups GF oats

• 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips (vegan)

• 1 cup (packed) or 12 medjool dates

• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder

• 1/4 cup almond butter

• 2 Tbsp chia seeds

• 1/4 cup cold water

• Couple dashes of ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

1. Soak medjool dates in warm water for 10 minutes.

2. To a food processor or high powered blender, add soaked dates, oats, protein powder, almond butter, chia seeds, cinnamon. While pulsing on low, slowly add the water until the mixture is evenly combined but not overly processed. (may need to use more water for desired consistency)

3. Transfer mixture to a bowl and add the chocolate chips. Fold in the chocolate chips until combined.

4. Using a cookie scoop or 1 Tbsp measuring spoon, roll into 1-inch balls.

5. To set, place balls onto parchment paper lined baking tray and place into the fridge or freezer for 10 minutes or eat right away! Will keep for about a week in an airtight container or you can freeze them for longer term storage.

NOTES

1. Makes 22-24 protein bites

*Protein is derived from plant based vanilla protein powder