Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola and Berry Parfait

Chocolate peanut butter granola and berry parfaits are great for a healthy breakfast, snack, or dessert!

Breakfast is definitely my favorite meal of the day. The thought of breakfast literally gets me out of the bed in the morning! I leave the house early in the morning so that I can sit down at my desk at work to really enjoy it with a nice cup of coffee. I certainly do my best to find the joy in the little things!

Usually, I am more of a savory breakfast person. I prefer eggs, avocado toast or a breakfast skillet like my sweet potato hash breakfast skillet. Sometimes, though, you need to mix things up! What better way to “mix things up” than with layers of granola, berries, and yogurt?!

Still not convinced? Here are five reasons for you to prepare these parfaits!

1. With so few ingredients, you can easily incorporate them into your meal prep.

2. Parfaits are versatile -- switch out the ingredients depending on your mood, or season! I originally debut these on Instagram for 4th of July, hence the whole red, white, and blue theme, but you can easily make these for the fall if you do a simple switch! For example, for fall parfaits you could switch out the berries for apples and cinnamon. For the spring, use apricots with honey! The possibilities are endless.

3. Make these for breakfast, dessert, or as a snack. I won’t judge you if you make them for dinner, too.

4. They are easy to grab and take with you! Just prepare them in mason jars!

5. Impress your friends! Parfaits look adorable and most people don’t realize how little effort it takes to make them!

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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Chocolate peanut butter granola and berry parfaits are great for a healthy breakfast, snack, or dessert! - GF/DF/Low sugar

INGREDIENTS

Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola

• 2 cups GF oats

• 1/4 cup sliced almonds

• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

• 1/4 cup flax seeds

• 1/4 cup oily peanut butter

• 2 Tbsp cacao powder

• 1-2 Tbsp pure maple syrup

Yogurt

• 2 cups plain greek yogurt or dairy free yogurt

• 1-2 Tbsp pure maple syrup or honey

Toppings

• Assorted berries

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix granola ingredients together and spread onto a sheet pan covered in parchment paper.

3. Bake for 15-20 minutes until crispy and the granola mix is dried out.

4. While the granola is cooling down, mix the sweetener into the yogurt until you reach the desired sweet taste.

5. In a mason jar or cup, do two layers of yogurt, granola, and berries. Enjoy!

Lavender Scones and Lavender Latte

Lavender scones and lavender latte, need I say more! Lavender scones are flaky and buttery without the guilt. Lavender latte made with lavender-infused coconut milk that is sure to wake you in the best way!

I’m not quite sure why I don’t make scones enough. They’re super easy to make, with simple ingredients, and they taste amazing! Let me show you how!

I have tried many lavender baked goods in my time and what I have found is that it is too easy to use too much lavender! It seems as though the flavor is overpowering, “soapy” tasting, or just nonexistent. The best way to use lavender is to use it sparingly so it adds the perfect hint of flavor and aroma. In this recipe, I simply infuse the milk with the dried buds, resulting in just the right amount of the lavender flavor.

On the subject, it is best to cook with dried culinary lavender rather than fresh. I love using lavender for many uses so I purchase this bulk dried lavender brand from Amazon.

The next thing you need to know is that scones are not like most pastries. The dough doesn’t require a lot of kneading and doesn’t need to rise. Actually, the less you mess with the dough the better!

These lavender scones are healthier than the typical scone as some of the classic main ingredients are swapped for healthier options. For example, a scone cannot be a flaky, buttery scone without cold cubed butter. I have tried this recipe with cold vegan butter but what I have found to be healthier and actually better tasting is using cold coconut oil. I also use 100% stone ground whole wheat pastry organic flour which I have found is the best base for this scone. Bob’s Red Mill brand is what I use for this recipe.

Before putting the scones in the oven, you’ll need to use your leftover infused lavender milk mixture and brush the mixture over the top of each scone.  Sprinkle coarse sugar on top and dried lavender to pretty them up! The lavender milk and sugar will help create a crunchy outer layer which pairs great with the flakey, butteriness of the scones.

If you have leftover lavender milk mixture, why not make a lavender latte to pair with your scone!? It's super easy -- just add some to your choice of coffee!

You really don’t need a glaze for these scones as they stand on their own but if you must, I love drizzling honey over them. If you have been following me on Instagram, you’ll see that I love putting lavender honey over my scones to take it to the next level. Savannah Bee Company is what I use!

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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Lavender scones and latte, need I say more! Lavender scones are flaky and buttery without the guilt. Lavender latte made with lavender-infused coconut milk that is sure to wake you in the best way! |Dairy Free|

INGREDIENTS

Lavender Scones

• 1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry organic flour

• 1 Tbsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 2 Tbsp organic cane sugar

• 6 Tbsp cold coconut oil ((small cubed))

• 1 can unsweetened coconut milk

• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract

• 2 Tbsp dried lavender flowers

Lavender Latte

• 8 oz hot coffee

• 1-2 Tbsp lavender coconut milk*

• 1-2 Tbsp sweetener (honey, maple syrup, cane sugar)

DIRECTIONS

Lavender Scones

1. *In a small saucepan, combine coconut milk, vanilla, and lavender flowers and heat until boiling. Just when the mixture boils and the lavender is fragrant, turn the burner off and let steep for about 10 minutes. Strain the mixture using a fine strainer and let cool to room temperature.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, powder, salt, and sugar.

4. Add the small cubed coconut oil and cut into the pastry using your hands or two knives moving in opposite directions resulting in a crumbly dough mixture.

5. Make a well in the center of the mixture and add 1 cup of the room temperature lavender milk mixture. Gently mix using your hands until the dough is fully incorporated (do not over knead!)

6. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and form into a circle just under 1-inch thick. Cut into 8 wedges and transfer them to the parchment lined baking sheet. Brush the tops of each scone with the lavender milk mixture and sprinkle with pink organic cane sugar.

7. Bake for about 20-25 minutes until the scones rise and turn golden brown. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool.

8. Once scones have cooled, eat right away or drizzle honey over them and enjoy!

Lavender Latte

1. To a Vitamix blender or milk frother, add 8 oz hot coffee, 1-2 Tbsp lavender milk mixture, and 1-2 Tbsp honey or maple syrup.

2. Blend until fully incorporated, showing signs of milk froth.

3. Enjoy right away with a scone or two!

NOTES

1. I prefer making the lavender coconut milk mixture a day before and keeping it in the fridge until I am ready to make the scones. It’s best to have the milk on the cooler side as coconut oil melts very quickly.

2. Must use cold coconut oil because if the oil melts when kneading the dough then your scones will be very hard and dry.

Sweet Potato Toast 5-Ways

How to make sweet potato toast plus five different topping combinations.

I might be a little late on the sweet potato toast (SPT) train but I am so glad I got on! Here is a From the Roots spin on this trendy recipe that is circulating the web.

Sweet potato toast is a great bread substitute to get in the added nutrition of vitamin A and fiber. It’s also nice for people who are gluten intolerant, tired of eating regular toast or wanting a little more fiber in their diet. The sweet potato slices cook evenly in the toaster and can hold up toppings really well. The subtle sweetness in the sweet potato compliments most flavor combinations - like the ones that are featured here!

Most people cook the sweet potato by simply cutting both ends off and slicing lengthwise about ¼ inch thick. You can cook them in the toaster by setting the toaster on high and then flip them twice. You can also set your oven to 350 degrees and bake 15-20 minutes per side until the sweet potato is tender and cooked through.

Now that your sweet potato is cooked to perfection - let’s get to the fun part - the toppings!

The Parfait Sweet Potato Toast

• Almond milk yogurt (or yogurt of choice)

• Raspberries

• Granola

• Honey

The Classic Sweet Potato Toast

• Avocado

• Fried egg

• Red pepper flakes + Pink Himalayan salt

• Everything but the bagel seasoning (Trader Joe's)

The Ultimate PB&J Sweet Potato Toast

• Almond butter

• Bananas

• Strawberries

• Cacao Nibs

• Honey

The Lox Sweet Potato Toast

• Dairy-free cream cheese (or cream cheese of choice)

• Smoked salmon

• Capers

• Fresh Dill

• Red onion

• Lemon

The Honey Goat Sweet Potato Toast

• Goat cheese

• Pear

• Walnuts

• Honey

I love them all but if I had to choose a favorite, it would definitely be the Lox. I’m a sucker for anything salty and smoked so this one gets my heart every time!

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!  

Carrot Cake Pancakes with Cinnamon Cashew Cream Cheese

A healthy take on the classic carrot cake, made into pancakes that are sure to please everyone! I pair it with an irresistible cinnamon cashew cream cheese that you can’t help but lick right out of the bowl! Best of all, these pancakes are oil-free, gluten-free, and entirely vegan.

Carrot cake has got to be in my top 5 favorite cakes.

From the spices of cinnamon and nutmeg to the textures of walnuts and carrots, there is nothing that will stand in the way of me and carrot cake.

Nothing.

That is why I have decided to try and incorporate carrot cake into my life in an innovative and healthy way. Now that I’m getting older, I am more aware of how many sticks of butter it takes to achieve the perfect taste of carrot cake. After experimenting, I have found a way to not only indulge my desires completely guilt-free but to also do it for breakfast.

You’ll need a few key ingredients for that classic carrot cake taste, such as carrots, of course! I prefer starting with fresh carrots so I can medium grate them to get more of a crunchy texture, but if you prefer to have a well-blended batter then you can finely grate your carrots or put them in a processor. Be sure to pat your grated carrots with paper towels or a kitchen towel to absorb excess liquid so it doesn’t make your batter too liquidy.

Another key ingredient is the spices. Now, you can go about this either two ways: You can mix a ratio of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, or you can simply use a pumpkin pie spice mix. Both seem equal in flavor, I just had leftover pumpkin pie spice from the fall days and I basically use it in all my pancake batters!

Prepping for the pancake batter is a breeze. Just add your dry ingredients to your wet ingredients and then use a spatula to fold in the walnuts and grated carrots. It is important that you let your batter rest for at least 10 minutes so that the starch molecules in the flour can absorb the liquid in the batter. This causes them to swell and gives the batter a thicker, more viscous consistency. This allows time for the air bubbles to slowly work their way out.

Now, onto my favorite part… The cinnamon cashew cream cheese! It really takes the cake in this recipe (no pun intended)! The cashew cream cheese tastes almost like confectioners sugar to me. It has the perfect amount of sweetness thanks to the pure maple syrup. It’s so addicting that I will literally make an extra batch of this and sneak it in the fridge to take a spoonful (or three) out of the jar when I need to satisfy my sweet tooth!

*Updated - You can make this recipe into waffles! (notes below)

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

Vegan, gluten free and oil free take on a classic carrot cake pancake that is sure to please everyone! Paired with an irresistible cinnamon cashew cream cheese that you can’t help but lick right out of the bowl!  

INGREDIENTS

Carrot Cake Pancakes

• 1/2 cup chopped raw walnuts

• 1 cup (loosely packed) shredded carrots ((2 medium carrots))

• 1 cup non dairy milk ((I used unsweetened almond milk))

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice mix or (2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger and 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg)

• 1/4 cup applesauce unsweetened

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup almond flour (not almond meal)

• 1 cup GF baking flour

• 1 Tbsp sweetener of choice (I used pure maple syrup)

• Dash of salt

Cinnamon Cashew Cream Cheese

• 3/4 cup raw cashews drained (soaked overnight with warm water)

• 1 1/2 Tbsp pure maple syrup

• 1/4 cup non dairy milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)

• squeeze of small lemon wedge

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

1. To prepare the batter, in a medium bowl, add both flours, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and a dash of salt. In a separate bowl, add applesauce, milk, vanilla, and sweetener and mix until combined. Add your dry ingredients to your liquid ingredients and mix until combined.

2. Gently fold in the walnuts and carrots and let the batter sit for at least 10 minutes.

3. Lightly coat your skillet with vegan butter or coconut oil over medium heat. When the skillet is hot, add about ¼ cup of the pancake mixture to the pan. Cook for 2-3 min or until the bottom of the pancake is brown and bubbles have formed on the outside. Flip and cook for 2-3 min or until brown and fully cooked through.

4. While pancakes are cooking, add cashews, maple syrup, milk, lemon and cinnamon to a processor and pulse on high for about 4 minutes or until mixture is smooth and creamy in texture. Add additional maple syrup for a sweeter taste.

5. Layer pancakes with cream cheese and top with walnuts and maple syrup!

• Make sure to grease your skillet in between batches as well as to keep a consistent strain of heat. If you let your skillet get too hot, then the pancakes will be crispy and brown on the outside but mushy and raw on the inside.

• Since the pancakes are vegan, an egg is not present, so let your batter rest is key to get that perfect fluffy texture.

• If you are short on time, you can actually boil the cashews! Just cover cashews with water in a small saucepan and boil over medium-high heat. As soon as the water boils, turn the oven off and let the cashews sit in the saucepan covered for 1 hour.

NOTES

1. Ingredients trusted brands: GF Baking Flour, Almond Flour, and Pumpkin Pie Spice

2. Can be easily made into waffles! If eggs are not an issue, I would recommend substituting applesauce for 1 egg and omitting almond flour.

Sweet Potato Hash Breakfast Skillet

This breakfast skillet with andouille sausage and eggs is a filling, savory, healthy meal for any time of day!

Breakfast skillets are my go-to when I’m looking for an easy, early morning meal (or for any time of the day -- I’m a fan of breakfast for dinner!). In this recipe, I use a sweet potato hash that creates a flexible foundation for a breakfast skillet that you can customize to your liking. Whether you need to plan an unexpected breakfast brunch, or just want an easy no-fuss meal, this recipe caters to you! Ingredients in this recipe can easily be changed out with your favorite veggies. Sometimes, I’ll resort to this recipe when I want to clear out my fridge and use leftover ingredients. So, let’s get to cooking!

My sweet potato hash breakfast skillet recipe only takes 30 minutes to make and requires just one skillet with any produce, protein, and eggs you have left in the fridge. At the end of the week, I typically have about a small bunch of fresh spinach left in the bag, ½ of an onion in a sandwich bag lodged in the back of the fridge, as well as stocked grated sweet potato in the freezer.

I start out by cooking the onions and garlic in the skillet to provide a base flavor for the skillet to build upon before adding peppers and protein. In this case, I used green and red peppers and andouille sausage. Once the peppers and sausage have been cooked, I remove them from the skillet so that I can cook the sweet potatoes next. I season the sweet potatoes to perfection then add the cooked ingredients back on top. This is when I add a handful of spinach and mix everything together. Create cute little nest pockets for how many eggs you would like and then pop the skillet in the oven for the final bake.

Serve up one egg per person along with a healthy helping of the sweet potato mixture. Since this recipe is flexible, you can garnish it however you want. For example, sometimes I want a more “Southwestern” flavor with a kick. In that case, I would top the skillet with cilantro, avocado slices, cotija cheese, salsa, and hot sauce! Remember, this skillet recipe caters to your needs! ;)

You can also serve this up with a side of toast or on a bed of mixed greens to make sure you get all of the delicious egg yolk!

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

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This breakfast skillet with andouille sausage and eggs is a filling, savory, healthy meal for any time of day!

INGREDIENTS

• 4-6 fresh eggs

• 1 large sweet potato (peeled and chopped into small cubes or grated)

• 1 green pepper chopped

• 1 red pepper chopped

• 1/2 cup onion diced

• 2 cloves garlic minced

• 1 cup packed fresh baby spinach

• 8 oz andouille chicken sausage (Applegate)

• 1 Tbsp coconut oil, plus more for cooking

• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

• 1/2 tsp cumin

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp black pepper

• 1 small handful parsley (garnish)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Add 1 Tbsp coconut oil to a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add onions and let cook for 2-3 min until softened.

3. Add peppers and garlic and cook for 3-5 min until softened.

4. Set veggies to the side and cook sausage or protein until 5-7 min or until brown and crispy. (If using raw meat, cook until brown and cooked through).

5. Set protein aside and drizzle more oil in the skillet if necessary. Add sweet potatoes and spices and toss until combined. Cook until the potatoes are soft and crispy on the outside, about 5-10 min.

6. Add cooked veggies and protein back in the skillet along with spinach and cook until spinach has wilted.

7. Create a well in the hash mixture for 4-6 eggs.

8. Crack an egg into each well and bake in the oven, just until eggs are set. Check for doneness after 5 min.

9. Garnish with parsley and top with your favorite toppings like avocado, hot sauce, salsa, or goat cheese.