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.

Banana Nut Muffins

Banana Nut Muffins - Light, fluffy, gluten-free and dare I say moist and delicious! 

Muffins are a staple at my house! Not only are they great as a carb source for breakfast, but they are great as a grab and go snack! What I just now realized is that I have more muffin recipes on the blog than anything else! 

Another realization is that I have not one but two banana style recipes. The infamous paleo banana nut bread naturally sweetened with just bananas and 5-ingredient banana bread muffins that is also in the Nourished Cookbook! 

I may be mildly obsessed…

But this recipe variation in particular is my pantry/fridge clean out - banana nut recipe. Why? Because the ingredients are so practical! 

I typically have all of these ingredients in my fridge or pantry and do not realize it until some bananas are looking a little brown and I need to think fast on my feet! 

Don’t have overripe bananas but need them fast to make this recipe!?

The fastest way to ripen bananas for baking is to just bake them! Simply preheat your oven to 400 degrees F, place your bananas on a baking sheet, and bake them for five minutes, until they’re browned. That’s it! 

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 Nut Muffins - Light, fluffy, gluten-free and dare I say moist and delicious! 

Servings: 12 muffins | Prep Time: 5 min | Cook Time: 20 min

Ingredients 

• 1 ½ cups 1:1 gluten-free flour

• 3 medium overripe bananas, mashed

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp pumpkin spice seasoning

• 1 egg, room temperature

• ½ cup coconut oil or grass-fed butter, melted

• ¼ cup maple syrup

• 2 Tbsp coconut milk or milk of choice

• ¼ - ½ cup coconut sugar (depending on your sweet level) 

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• ½ cup walnuts, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a muffin tin with muffin cups or spray tin with oil spray. 

2. Mash the bananas with a fork or meat masher in a mixing bowl. Add all the wet ingredients (egg, oil, syrup, milk, vanilla) and coconut sugar to the mixing bowl and whisk together until combined. 

3. In a separate bowl, add the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda and powder, salt, spices) and whisk together until combined. Add your dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and whisk together until batter is thick yet pourable. Add the chopped walnuts and fold in until combined. 

4. Evenly divide the batter between 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle a little extra chopped nuts on top. 

5. Bake the muffins for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and they’re lightly golden on top. Enjoy! 

Notes

• Don’t have overripe bananas? That’s okay! Simply, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F, place your bananas on a baking sheet, and bake them for 5 minutes, until they’re browned. That’s it!

Balanced Rice Cake Snack Combos

As someone who follows more foodie accounts than a normal person should, I usually try to spot major food trends so that I can “beautify” or rather “healthify” for my clients. Hence, healthy crispy chicken salad, crunchwrap supreme, catfish nuggets, and Reese's peanut butter cup to name a few.  

But a recipe trend I want to highlight today is an actual health trend that started in the low fat craze of the 1990’s - the rice cake! 

If you have ever tasted a plain rice cake on its own - there is literally no flavor. Made with puffed rice pressed together into a cake with maybe a hint of salt. That’s it. And since this started in the 90’s, everyone wanted to swap out bread and crackers for this low calorie substitute. 

So are these flavorless, crunchy snacks good for your health? Since plain rice cakes are essentially rice and air, they don’t really have an impressive nutrient profile. They are low in essential vitamins and minerals, basically fat-free and contain very little protein or fiber. Some benefit is that most rice cakes are typically gluten-free and made with whole grains. 

But eaten on its own, eating multiple servings in one sitting or choosing a sweet-flavored variety that contains added sugar may raise your blood sugar. As said before, rice cakes are mostly carbs, so combining them with protein, healthy fat and fiber can balance their potential effect on your blood sugar. 

Try pairing rice cakes with: 

• A nut butter, cottage cheese or yogurt with fruit slices

• Caprese style (tomato slices, basil, and mozzarella)

• White bean spread with veggie slices

• Tuna or chicken salad 

• Avocado toast style (mashed avocado, fried egg, EBTB)

• Bagel and lox style (cream cheese or goat cheese, smoked salmon, sliced veggies, fresh dill and lemon)

• Turkey sandwich style (pickles, sliced turkey meat, avocado, sprouts)

More rice cake combo inspo on our TikTok! 

If you want more balanced meals and snack inspo, check out the Nourished Roots Meal Prep Program!

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.

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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