Cherry Almond Protein Yogurt Cup

Yogurt and cottage cheese cups have become a popular high protein snack trend, and with good reason!

You can:  

1. Mix in new ingredients without having to dirty another bowl. 

2. Increase the amount of protein by adding a scoop of collagen or favorite protein powder. 

3. Crack into a hardened dark chocolate shell with a spoon. Who doesn’t love that!? 

Yogurt and cottage cheese is often marketed as a healthy food; however, added sugar and flavorings can alter their health-promoting properties so choosing the best yogurt or cottage cheese cup is very important. 

A great first step in choosing the best yogurt or cottage cheese is simply reading the label. You want to look for a plain style that has few ingredients. They should include milk, the bacterial cultures used to turn milk into yogurt or cottage cheese, and not much else. If you consume plant-based yogurt, the same holds true.

Protein amount is also very important as it relates to this post. Greek yogurt has more protein and fewer carbs, while plant based yogurt tends to have less fat and no lactose. Organic may be richer in certain nutrients, but it’s lower in others. 

Cherry almond protein yogurt cup video will show you how you can make your own protein packed yogurt cup using a plant based yogurt but will show protein amounts for both greek style and cottage cheese cups for reference.

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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Ingredients

• 1 plain flavored yogurt cup (non-dairy, greek, or cottage cheese)

• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder*

• 1 tsp almond extract

• 1-2 Tbsp dark chocolate chips, melted

• 1 Tbsp cherry preserve or fresh cherries, mashed

• 7 raw almonds, chopped

• Pinch of sea salt flakes

Directions

1. Mix protein powder, almond extract and cherries into your preferred yogurt cup. 

2. Top with melted dark chocolate, almonds and a pinch or two of sea salt flakes. 

3. Freeze for 10 minutes to harden the chocolate, crack into it with a spoon and enjoy!

Notes: *Equip Foods is my go-to for protein powder! Use code: ROOTS for 15% off your first order today!

Hormone Balancing Raw Carrot Salad

Raw carrot salad is one TikTok phenomenon that I can get behind! But it didn’t start there. The original raw carrot salad was developed by Dr. Ray Peat to help support hormonal balance. According to Dr. Peats research, raw carrots contain a unique fiber that binds to endotoxins and excess estrogen to safely eliminate them from the body. 

He found that when his female patients consumed a raw carrot salad once or twice per day, they experienced: less painful menstrual symptoms (heavy periods, cramping, acne, headaches, diarrhea, etc)

Estrogen dominance is a common hormonal imbalance in women that experience menstrual symptoms above so by effectively binding to excess estrogen in our intestines, our body can safely eliminate via our bowels which helps to reduce uncomfortable menstrual cycle symptoms. 

• Digestive symptoms improved Just like estrogen, the fiber in raw carrots is also highly effective at binding and safely eliminating lipopolysaccharides (LPS) which is an inflammatory bacterial toxin that most often is accompanied by an infection or intestinal permeability (leaky gut). Raw carrots, being fibrous, naturally promotes bowel regularity which positively affects digestion and elimination as well! 

• Optimal liver and thyroid function Since the raw carrot salad assists in eliminating excess estrogens and endotoxins, this also reduces the heavy load the liver carries. About 70% of hormonal conversion takes place in the liver so detoxification is imperative. This means that when you are supporting the liver, you are also supporting the thyroid!

Raw Carrot Salad component breakdown: 

Raw carrot - As we noted above, this fibrous vegetable helps to bind to endotoxins and excess estrogen and safely eliminates them from the body. 

• Sources: 1-2 large raw carrots, shredded lengthwise

Acetic acid - helps to increase the germicidal effect of carrot fibers. 

• Sources: Raw apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, white or red vinegar 

Oil - rich in saturated fat helps to further reduce bacterial overgrowth in the digestive tract. 

• Sources: coconut, olive or avocado oil

Salt - contains trace minerals that are important for thyroid function. Also, it flavors the dish!

• Sources: sea salt

The best way to consume this salad is consistently and ideally on its own as it works best on an empty stomach to help with gastrointestinal absorption. Great as a snack option or to turn into a bigger salad with hormone-health promoting ingredients such as high quality protein, fats and fiber. 

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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Raw Carrot Salad - To support hormone and gut health.

Ingredients 

• 1-2 medium organic raw carrots, outer layer peeled

• Splash of apple cider vinegar

• 1 Tbsp oil source (MCT, avocado, coconut, EVOO)

• Generous pinch of sea salt

Directions 

1. Use a peeler to shred the carrot lengthwise into long ribbons or strips. 

2. Add carrot ribbons into a bowl and toss in all remaining ingredients

3. Feel free to add in your favorite hormone-health promoting ingredients if you would want to elevate the salad! 

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SHOP OUR FAVORITE INGREDIENTS FOR THIS RECIPE!

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!

Gut Nourishing Stewed Apples

Need a gastrointestinal support that is affordable, tastes heavenly, and will make your house smell like a freshly baked apple pie? 

Then look no further, because this stewed apple recipe checks all the boxes! 

I can’t take all the credit - this simple recipe that I’m sure you have made before but not realizing it’s magical GI powers, came from Dr. Tom O’Bryan - leading expert on gluten and Autoimmune disease. Essently, this recipe is applesauce, but cooked in such a way as to really bring out the pectin from the apple skins, which is a wonderful prebiotic, and very nourishing for the microbiome. 

Apples contain pectin which has many health benefits. When cooked, the pectin inside the skin is easily accessible to the microbiome in the colon and helps to repopulate beneficial flora and helps heal leaky gut. When taken daily (at least 2 large spoonfuls daily) many clients of mine have noticed regular bowel movements and less bloating. 

Pair stewed apples with plain greek or coconut yogurt, oatmeal, smoothie, or with a meal. My go-to dinner lately has been adding a dollop of stewed apples over grilled pork chops with a side of baked sweet potato and kerry gold butter. Delicious! 

Last thing, apples are considered a high FODMAP food, so if you are sensitive, this may not be the best food first prebiotic approach 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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Prep Time: 10 Min | Cook Time: 10 min

Ingredients

• 4 organic apples, washed, seeded, chopped, but not peeled!

• Filtered water

• 2 Tbsp ground cinnamon

• 2 Tbsp raisins (optional, sweet preference)

Directions

1. Add apples, cinnamon, and optional raisins to a saucepan and barely cover with filtered water. Bring to a boil ~ about 8-10 minutes. 

2. As the mixture is boiling, watch the apple skins. When the skins begin to take on a sheen, the apples are done. Turn off the heat. 

3. If there is water leftover, you can drain it or I personally use it to make adrenal cream cider!

4. Eat 2-4 spoonfuls daily to support your gut lining and microbiome - enjoy!

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!