Paleo Dalgona Whipped Coffee

Paleo Dalgona Whipped Coffee - A South Korean coffee drink that is taking the internet by storm. With its sweet caramel-flavored whipped coffee topping, it’s definitely worth the hype! 

One of the worst parts about staying at home is not being able to visit my local coffee shop. Every Saturday, I would spend my mornings at the coffee shop as I sip away on a delicious hot beverage consisting of either a lavender London fog tea or an Americano with oat milk. So instead of dreaming about our old routines, how about we break out our barista skills and make ourselves a specialty caffeinated beverage! 

So what is whipped coffee you ask? Well, to be honest, I never heard about whipped coffee until my Facebook feed exploded with this Dalgona coffee, aka “whipped coffee”  that started from a TikTok video. I typically steer away from fads but the word “coffee” got my attention so I had to try it out for myself! 

Basically, whipped coffee is the opposite of a latte. Instead of spooning frothy milk over coffee, the whipped coffee goes on top of the milk. The recipe is super simple, just remember 2 Tbsp for every ingredient: instant coffee, sweetener, and hot water. I highly recommend using a KitchenAid mixer or handheld mixer for this recipe. You can use a normal hand whisk but it will take you quite some time to form stiff peaks in the coffee mixture. The goal when making the coffee mixture is to make the texture light and airy; like you would when making whipped cream. 

You can use your favorite milk as the base. If you prefer iced coffee, add ice to your glass first or if you prefer a hot beverage, warm the milk instead. As far as sweetener goes, I try to use a lower-glycemic sweetener like coconut sugar, stevia, or monk fruit. While I don’t recommend making this every morning, it’s nice to have a treat once in a while! 

A few things I have learned through experimenting with this recipe: 

• Using matcha powder instead of instant coffee does not work, unfortunately! 

• You must use a sweetener agent in order to get that whipped fluffy texture. 

• Protein boost? Sure! Personally, I haven’t tried it out but I have seen it work! Just add one scoop of protein powder to the mix. 

• Espresso powder does work with this recipe but be mindful of the caffeine amount!

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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Paleo Dalgona Whipped Coffee - A South Korean coffee drink that is taking the internet by storm. With its sweet caramel-flavored whipped coffee topping, it’s definitely worth the hype!

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp instant coffee

• 2 Tbsp sweetener (coconut sugar, monk fruit, stevia)

• 2 Tbsp hot water

• Your favorite plant-based milk

• Ice cubes (optional)

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl or KitchenAid Mixer, add coffee, sweetener, and hot water in 1:1:1 ratio. 

2. Whisking by hand or handheld mixer: Mix all the ingredients together until melted. Then start whisking! This should take about 2-3 minutes until you form stiff peaks in the mixture. 

3. Whisking using a KitchenAid Mixer: First mix at the lowest speed until ingredients are melted. Then turn the speed to the highest setting and mix for about 1 minute or until you form stiff peaks. 

4. Add ice cubes to a glass and fill with ice-cold milk (about 2/3rds). 

5. Spoon the foam and add it to the top of the glass. Mix it with a spoon or straw and enjoy it as a latte. Optional: sprinkle cinnamon or cocoa powder. Enjoy!

5 Self-Care Tips To Improve Your Diet

Did you know that having positive self-care can improve your diet? As a society, we often run ourselves ragged trying to keep up, thus compromising our self-care. We can often overwork ourselves, carry more stress than the healthy amount, and often don’t stop to think about how all these things can impact our diet and well being in a negative light. 

So in honor of our 5-Day Whole Wellness Challenge, I will be sharing my top 5 self-care tips.

No. 1 Sleep

We all have those nights where we are tossing and turning and it seems nearly impossible to fall asleep. The majority of us are so busy that we can’t turn off our brains. We replay everything that occurred throughout the day - the to-do lists, stress, and worry. All these things can lead to sleep problems. The thing is, we can’t function properly throughout the day if we do not have adequate enough sleep. We can’t live our life to the fullest and tackle everything on our to-do list if we are feeling lethargic, run-down, and cranky all the time. 

Not only does sleep problems influence our mood and behavior, but it also influences the way that we eat. Without sufficient sleep, our bodies tend to: 

• Consume excess calories, leading to weight gain. The hormone, ghrelin (feeling of hunger) gets produced more which stimulates your appetite. 

• Crave unhealthy foods.

• Desire more late-night snacking.

• Become more prone to fat storage and resist weight loss. Production of cortisol and epinephrine increases to maintain blood glucose levels which can lead to insulin resistance - a major player in the development of the metabolic disease. 

Both sleep quantity and stages vary throughout life, based on age and development. Though it’s nearly impossible to say what the “perfect” amount of sleep is for any person, 7-8 hours seems to be a good place to start. For me, setting a regular sleep schedule - going to bed at the same time and getting up at the same time - with 7 hours of sleep - is perfect for me! Notice how you feel when you wake and ask yourself, “Do I feel rested and refreshed?”

If not, maybe try a few of these self-care tips that I have found to improve my quality of sleep: 

• Make your bedroom a relaxing sleep sanctuary. Decorate your room in a way that creates a calm and welcoming environment. 

• Make sure your room is dark. (i.e. purchase blackout curtains, turn off the TV, phone, and lights).

• Room temperature that is not too hot but not too cold. Most studies show people sleep best at a room temperature of approx. 65F/18C. 

• White noise - Great for drowning out high pitch frequencies. Personally, I use a box fan!

• Diffuse some essential oils that give off a calming scent, like lavender. 

• Unwind a few hours before bed. 

• Listen to guided sleep meditation or sound soothers. 

• Drink herbal tea before going to bed. Particularly teas that include chamomile, valerian, passionflower, lavender, skullcap, lemon balm, and hops. 

Takeaway: If you find yourself having a bad night's rest every once in a while, then that is okay. Simply try to commit to at least 7-8 hours every night while doing your best to get to bed early and without any distractions before hitting the pillow. But if you chronically can’t sleep and you have tried all these things we have discussed thus far, it may be time to have a talk with your doctor about it. Just like having one random sleepless night, it’s okay to snack on a sugary-filled donut. Always make sure you’re conscious of your decisions and food choices that will help you to feel your best. 

No. 2 Hydration

Did you know the body is made up of about 55-60% water? In an average adult, that equates to 10-13 gallons of water! Water is also involved in every process in the human body, which is pretty amazing! So if you are not drinking enough water, you may not be giving your body enough support to help our body regulate body temperature, fight fatigue, keep digestion moving optimally, cushion bones and joints, properly remove waste and toxins, and support supple skin. 

So how much water should I intake? That depends on many factors, but to get started, here is a daily water consumption calculation that you can do. 

Daily Water Consumption = Body weight (lbs) / 2

This represents the minimum number of ounces you should drink each day. Ex: A person weighing 150lbs should drink at least 75 ounces of water each day. 

It is best to avoid diuretics such as coffee, soda, alcoholic beverages, caffeinated teas, and packaged fruit juices. But if you normally drink coffee every morning or go out on #tacotuesday and have a margarita, then add 12-16 ounces of water to your daily intake. So for example, here is a diuretics calculator that you can do. 

Daily minimum water intake = (oz of diuretics x 1.5) + BODY WEIGHT (lbs) / 2

Now that math class is over, here are a few fun self-care tips that I have found to keep my lovely cells hydrated: 

• Infused waters (I love adding fresh fruit like strawberries, limes, berries, and herbs like mint and basil).

• Purchase a cute water bottle.

• DIY water tracker (you can purchase a cute water bottle that measures how much you’ve had or use rubber bands on your old bottle).

• Fruit! Fruit is a great way to stay hydrated. Just be mindful of how much you are eating if you are watching your caloric intake or blood sugar levels. 

• Set a timer throughout the day for water breaks.

• Electrolytes! I like popping a Nuun tablet in my water bottle if I am doing a sweaty gym sesh or adding a few shakes of unrefined sea salt or pink Himalayan sea salt to my water.

Takeaway: Try to aim for at least 8-12 cups of water per day but remember to increase the amount if you are more active throughout the day, drinking diuretics, or you are not eating enough water-containing foods. Also, urine knows best! So if you notice that the color of your urine is more of a dark yellow instead of a pale yellow/clear, then this may be a good indicator to up your water intake. 

No. 3 Eat Well

This may seem like a given but eating a properly prepared, nutrient-dense, whole food diet provides the fuel and essential building blocks the body needs to maintain health and balance. If we are too busy to think about (or plan) our food, then it’s hard to care for ourselves by making good choices. When we make nutrition our #1 priority, then making better food decisions will be our default rather than out of convenience. 

Here are a few self-care tips that I have found to promote eating well: 

• Each individual’s MACRO intake will vary based on activity levels, goals, digestive health, age, etc. So as a good starting point, try to aim to the following ranges and adjust as needed to fuel function, support metabolic flexibility, and ensure satiety: 

  • Carb Range: around 40% | Fat Range: around 30% | Protein Range: around 30%

• Eat a wide variety of vegetables. Focus on low-glycemic vegetables like leafy greens and as many colors as possible. 

• We talked about this earlier, but drink enough water each day.

• Avoid hydrogenated oils and trans fat (ex. Margarine, canola oil, corn oil)

• Spending time cooking or learning how to cook! 

• Eat slowly and chew your food thoroughly. 

• Use safe cookware and storage containers. (i.e. cast iron or stainless-steel pots and pans, glass or stainless-steel storage containers and bottles, parchment paper or beeswax wraps).

• Eat locally. Eat foods that are sourced as close as possible to where you live. This supports local farmers, reduces emissions, and reduces the risk of contamination. 

• Eat foods in the season where you live. 

• Choose high-quality foods when possible. Ex. buy organic when purchasing a “Dirty Dozen” produce item, 100% grass-fed, grass-finished animals or pasture-raised poultry, and wild-caught. 

Takeaway: Remember that one size never fits all when it comes to nutrition and eating well. Everyone has unique needs to feel and perform our best. Whatever journey you are on, allow yourself grace as you transition into eating well. That means how you transition into real food, adjusting your macro ratios to meet bio-individual needs, preparing foods properly, and eating mindfully. 

No. 4 Movement

Being active and incorporating movement into your daily life often cascades down to healthy habits. So for example, if you go for a morning run, your body will produce endorphins which will put you in a better mood and give you the energy to cook a healthy meal. 

Here are a few self-care tips that I have found to get my body moving: 

• Choose a form of movement that makes you feel good and that you enjoy doing. This could mean taking your fur babies out for a walk, morning stretches, or taking a pole dancing class with the girls. 

• Plan for sustainability over intensity. Being consistent is far more important than how intense you are when moving or working out. 

• Schedule movements/exercise throughout the day, utilizing reminders and triggers. (I love my Apple watch for this).

• Use non-traditional seating options when working at a desk like lean chairs, exercise ball chairs or just stand. 

• Utilize an external cue as a trigger for movement. For example, every time a commercial comes on TV, stand up and do air squats. 

Takeaway: Notice how you feel after your movement. Do you feel an increase in energy or a boost in your mood? Noticing the positive benefits experienced after movement can help to perpetuate these healthy habits. 

No. 5 Unplug 

Did you know that we spend on average about 3 hours daily on our phones? Eek! Think of all the other things we could do with that time. Granted, not everyone can completely unplug because part of my career, like many of you, is working on some type of electronic device. But there are times when we need to step away and set boundaries. For example, if you deal with body weight issues, scrolling through fit influencer pages on Instagram for hours may not be the best for your overall well-being.

So here are a few self-care tips on how unplugging can improve diet and well-being: 

• Gives you extra time to be with family/friends, learning something new, exercise, or more family meals/cooking from home. 

• Instead of comparing yourself to others and their pages, you can use it as a tool for inspiration on your next meal or a new workout routine. 

• Putting your phone away a few hours before bed helps you to unwind which sets you up for sleep success!

• Instead of looking at social media first thing in the morning - journal, meditate, pray, or take time to enjoy a good cup of coffee!

Takeaway: Choose to live your life! What is happening in front of you is more important than what is happening on your phone. Savor and enjoy the moment you are in. Remember to set up your boundaries with what you are putting in your mind and spirit from social media and unplug. 

Contribute

Really ask yourself this question. Based off of what we have discussed this far, what does that look like for you? Also, what was your favorite tip today? Share and comment below, I’d love to hear what you all think of these tips and more “how to” blog posts you’d like me to cover. 

Half Baked Chickpea Blondies + Edible Cookie Dough Dip

Edible cookie dough dip transformed into a blondie if you decide to cook the batter! Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and flour-less.

When you are stuck at home due to COVID-19, you think of creative ways to pass the time. So for this month, I’m creating recipes based on what is in my pantry. 

I assume that most people will have the same ingredients so let’s look inside our pantry to see if we have these ingredients on hand: 

can of chickpeas, almond flour, jar of peanut butter, random ⅓ bag of dark chocolate chips, maple syrup from last week's pancakes, and baking essentials like baking soda, baking powder, salt, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract. 

Have all these ingredients? Alright, let’s start baking! 

Personally, I think that most baking recipes that call for chickpeas as a healthy ingredient swap are great and all, except that I get the “chickpea” taste in the dessert. So to create a neutral and creamy texture to this recipe, I followed the same technique that I used for my hummus recipes. 

Simply place chickpeas in a medium saucepan with ½ tsp baking soda. Cover the chickpeas with several inches of water, then bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for about 20 minutes or until the chickpeas look bloated, soft, and their skins are falling off. In a fine mesh strainer, drain the chickpeas and run cool water over them. 

Now, you have the option of creating one batch of this recipe for either a small batch of blondies or to create edible cookie dough dip! 

If you are wanting to create half baked blondies, you will double the recipe and split the batter in half. In one batter, you are adding about ⅓ cup chocolate chips. The other batter, you are adding ⅓ cup chocolate chips and 3 Tbsp cocoa powder. 

To create the “marbled” effect, spoon half of the regular batter into the prepared pan, and then top it with half of the chocolate batter. Repeat this with the remaining regular batter and chocolate batter. Swirl the batters together with a knife just a few times - do not overmix! A slight swirl will create that beautiful marbled look once it’s all baked.

Both options taste amazing and would be great for a party, healthy snack, or dessert. 

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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Half Baked Chickpea Blondies + Edible Cookie Dough Dip - Edible cookie dough dip transformed into a blondie if you decide to cook the batter! Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and flour-less.

Ingredients

(Double this recipe if you are making half baked blondies)

• 1 can chickpeas (drained and rinsed) + ½ tsp baking soda

• ⅓ cup peanut butter

• ⅓ cup pure maple syrup

• ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips

• ¼ cup almond flour

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• ¼ tsp baking soda

• ¼ tsp baking powder

• ¼ tsp salt

• 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder - for the brownie batter

Directions

Edible cookie dough dip

1. Place chickpeas in a medium saucepan with ½ tsp baking soda. Cover the chickpeas with several inches of water, then bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for about 20 minutes or until the chickpeas look bloated, soft, and their skins are falling off. In a fine mesh strainer, drain the chickpeas and run cool water over them. 

2. Add the chickpeas to a food processor along with the rest of the ingredients sans chocolate chips and cocoa powder.

3. Blend until the mixture is thick and creamy, scrape down the sides as necessary.

4. If you are wanting edible chocolate chip cookie dough dip, fold in ⅓ cup chocolate chips. 

5. If you are wanting edible brownie batter dip, fold in ⅓ cup chocolate chips + 3 Tbsp cocoa powder.

6. Pour into a bowl and serve with various fruits, pretzels, and cinnamon sugar pita chips.

half baked blondies:

1. Double the recipe by adding two cans of chickpeas in a medium saucepan with 1 tsp baking soda. Cover the chickpeas with several inches of water, then bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for about 20 minutes or until the chickpeas look bloated, soft, and their skins are falling off. In a fine mesh strainer, drain the chickpeas and run cool water over them.

2. While the chickpeas are boiling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line and grease an 8x8 baking pan. 

3. Add the chickpeas to a food processor along with the rest of the ingredients sans chocolate chips and cocoa powder. 

4. Blend until the mixture is thick and creamy, scrape down the sides as necessary. 

5. Split batter in half. In one batter, you are adding about ⅓ cup chocolate chips. The other batter, you are adding ⅓ cup chocolate chips and 3 Tbsp cocoa powder. 

6. To create the “marbled” effect, spoon half of the regular batter into the prepared pan, and then top it with half of the chocolate batter. Repeat this with the remaining regular batter and chocolate batter. Swirl the batters together with a knife just a few times - do not overmix! A slight swirl will create that beautiful marbled look once it’s all baked.

7. Top with additional chocolate chips and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes.

8. Let the pan cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting into squares. Enjoy! Optional: Sprinkle sea salt flakes before serving.

The Perfect Paloma

The Perfect Paloma - This refreshing grapefruit and tequila-based drink is perfect for any occasion! 

I’m completely over winter! Okay, I’m usually over winter the first day it starts, haha but now I can say that it’s time for a change. So instead of waiting for mother nature to catch up, I will just start without her!

So, in rebel fashion, I am traveling to LA for a few days (travel post soon), eating ceviche till my heart’s content, and drinking these refreshing Paloma cocktails! 

What’s in a Paloma?

1. Tequila: I prefer silver tequila-like Espolon Blanco, Casamigos or if you want more of a smoky profile, mezcal is great, too! 

2. Grapefruit soda: Instead of using a fruit cocktail mix, here are some healthy swaps: freshly squeezed grapefruit juice + mineral water, Izze Sparkling Grapefruit, San Pellegrino Grapefruit, or Jarritos Grapefruit works too. 

3. Lime: I use half of the lime per serving

4. Salt: This is usually added as a pinch on top of the drink but I like to use it to rim my glass using: pink Himalayan salt + lime zest + chili lime seasoning 

That’s it, basically! So don’t wait until summer to enjoy this super refreshing cocktail. As long as there’s grapefruit soda or juice in your fridge, this cocktail is yours for the drinking.

All you have to do is fill a glass with ice. Add a shot (or two) of tequila, juice from half of lime, and fill the glass up with grapefruit soda. Give it a stir, then sprinkle a pinch of salt over the top of the drink. Salud! 

Also, I would like to mention that Paloma’s pair nicely with spicy food or with a big plate of shrimp ceviche nachos!

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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The Perfect Paloma - This refreshing grapefruit and tequila-based drink is perfect for any occasion! 

Ingredients

• 2 oz Tequila Blanco or Mezcal 

• 4-6 oz grapefruit soda 

• Juice of half a lime

• Pinch of pink Himalayan salt 

Chili Lime Salt Rim

• 2 tsp pink Himalayan salt

• 1 tsp lime zest

• ½ tsp chili lime seasoning

• lime wedge

Directions

1. Run the cut side of a lime wedge around the rim of your glass.

2. Place the salt, zest, and chili lime seasoning in a shallow dish and mix until fully combined.

3. Dip the rims of glasses into coat. 

4. Fill glass with ice, then add tequila, lime juice, and grapefruit soda. Give it a stir. Garnish with grapefruit and lime slices! 

Notes 

• Tequila: I prefer silver tequila-like Espolon Blanco, Casamigos or if you want more of a smoky profile, mezcal is great, too! 

• Grapefruit soda: Instead of using a fruit cocktail mix, here are some healthy swaps: freshly squeezed grapefruit juice + mineral water, Izze Sparkling Grapefruit, San Pellegrino Grapefruit, or Jarritos Grapefruit works too.

Magic Bar Cookie Skillet

Magic Bar Cookie Skillet - Great for camping trips, DIY holiday gifts, or when you are hankering for a cookie skillet! - Paleo, naturally low in sugar, dairy-free, and gluten-free. 

As I was packing food supplies for my winter retreat, I noticed that I didn’t have anything for dessert. Who doesn’t think about packing dessert!? But I didn’t want to bring a lot of ingredients to make something homemade so that’s when I came up with an idea to make “a cookie skillet in a jar”! All the dry ingredients are in a jar. Just bring one egg and coconut oil and you are all set!

Dry ingredient layers (bottom to the top)

• Almond flour

• Paleo flour

• Baking soda

• Salt

• Coconut sugar

• Chocolate chips

• Toasted coconut flakes

• Chopped raw walnuts

You can also use the batter to make cookies! For these cookies, I swapped out the “magic bar” toppings for chocolate chips and salted caramel almond butter. Reserve ¼ serving of salted caramel to drizzle over the cookies, add a pinch of coarse sea salt, and bam! Perfection!

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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Magic Bar Cookie Skillet - Great for camping trips, DIY holiday gifts, or when you are hankering for a cookie skillet! - Paleo, naturally low in sugar, dairy-free, and gluten-free. 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup blanched almond flour

• 1/2 cup paleo flour 

• 1/4 cup coconut oil (solid)

• 1 egg

• 1/3 cup coconut sugar, dark chocolate chips, chopped raw walnuts, toasted coconut flakes 

• 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla powder

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp baking soda

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine sugar and solid coconut oil together.

3. Add the egg, salt, baking soda, and fours and blend using a mixer until well combined.

4. Fold chocolate chips, walnuts, and coconut flakes into the dough until well combined.

5. Grease a 6 inch cast iron skillet and press cookie dough firmly into skillet

6. Cook for 16-20 minutes

7. After the cookie skillet has cooled down, top with dairy-free whipped cream or ice cream and enjoy!

Notes

1. If you do not have paleo flour, double up on almond flour. Vice versa for paleo flour. 

2. Here is the paleo flour brand I use.