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!

Adrenal Cream Cider

Adrenal Cream Cider - If hot apple cider and a creamy chai latte had a balanced, blood sugar baby - you would have adrenal cream cider! Adapted from the original adrenal cocktail - fall version

We are nearing the end of our blood sugar series this week and I just had to save the best for last! 

1| Because we are entering fall

2| I’m sure everyone is tired of the pumpkin spice latte

And even though I do have a great pumpkin spice latte recipe to share with you guys - this is not the time. Haha. 

The time is for the adrenal cocktail - fall version! You heard it right, the traditional adrenal cocktail version that is made with simple ingredients (fresh fruit juice, coconut milk/cream, hydrolyzed collagen powder, and sea salt) has now been transformed into a warm and comforting fall drink. How? Let’s break it down! 

Organic Apple Juice - Has a notable amount of vitamin C, a key component of the body’s immune system and is needed when your adrenal glands are producing cortisol during stressful situations. Bonus* Apples contain an adequate amount of fiber and malic acid which may improve the digestive rate and can support liver function. 

Coconut Cream/Milk - Coconut milk has stable saturated fatty acids that help stabilize blood sugar levels and provides your body with energy. Depending on your preference in texture you can use either unsweetened coconut milk or cream. Personally, I think the cream is better and provides that “latte” texture to the drink! 

Hydrolyzed Collagen Powder - Collagen acts as a blood sugar regulator and provides essential amino acids to support and build a resilient gut and boost cortisol production. 
Cinnamon - Is that special spice that helps to naturally balance blood sugar, don’t skimp on it! 

Sea Salt or pink Himalayan sea salt - contain essential electrolytes and minerals like potassium, sodium, and magnesium that are key for energy production, blood pressure, and adrenal function. 

All of these power forces create a hot apple cider meets chai latte taste. It’s just so hard to put into words how amazing this drink tastes! 

Before you make your new favorite fall drink, head over to the OG adrenal cocktail post for more nutrition facts on how this is supporting your adrenals and when you should be drinking the adrenal cocktail. 

Are you a visual person? Me too! That’s why I created a video on how to make the Adrenal Cream Cider on IG reels below.

View this post on Instagram

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

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

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Adrenal Cream Cider - If hot apple cider and a creamy chai latte had a balanced, blood sugar baby - you would have adrenal cream cider! Adapted from the original adrenal cocktail - fall version

Ingredients

• 4-8 oz 100% apple juice

• 2-4 Tbsp coconut milk or cream

• 1 scoop of collagen

• ½ - 1 tsp cinnamon

• Generous pinch of sea salt

• Cinnamon sticks

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, add a cinnamon stick and apple juice and cook on medium-high heat until slightly boiling and fragrant, about 5-10 min. Take off heat.

2. In a milk frother, blender or a glass using a handheld frother - add coconut milk or cream, collagen, cinnamon, and sea salt and blend until smooth and creamy. 

3. Transfer hot apple cider to a glass and pour cream over. Stir to combine and enjoy!

Strawberry Banana Egg White Oatmeal

Strawberry Banana Egg White Oatmeal - Doing a makeover on the classic carb heavy breakfast by increasing healthy fats and protein - all while balancing our blood sugar!

If you have been following our blood sugar week on Instagram, you might have noticed that my #1 advice when it comes to fighting sugar cravings is creating a well balanced meal! Protein and fat are the most satiating macronutrients, and oftentimes people turn to sugar simply because they’re hungry or it’s readily available. 

Protein and fat are the best ways to curb hunger in general, and if you’re full, you are less likely to crave sugar as often. Oftentimes, my clients find that when I tell them to eat more protein and fat during the day (especially at breakfast), they don’t struggle with sugar cravings at night. 

Starting your day off with a high-carb meal or a meal that is too low in calories can lead to wanting a big meal at night, late-night sugar cravings, or creating irregular meal patterns. 

That is why we are giving the typical breakfast dish, oatmeal, a makeover! 

Unlike most oatmeals that are loaded with sugar, these are high in protein using collagen and egg whites and use healthy fats from the toppings (coconut flakes, almond butter) You can also get different sources using milk or plain yogurt - however you would like to make this! 

I absolutely love using egg whites to increase my protein intake. Why? Because egg whites are 100% protein, nothing else which makes it easier to incorporate into most dishes like adding it to your normal egg breakfast or in your pancake, muffin, or cookie batter. 

Cinnamon - The key ingredient that makes this oatmeal great if you have blood sugar handling issues. Cinnamon is that special spice that helps to naturally balance blood sugar. So if you love it, go crazy with it! 

Of course, if you prefer to use the whole egg for this recipe, you totally can. Simply sub 1-2 whole eggs for the ¼ cup of egg whites. Just whisk eggs in a small bowl before following the normal recipe. 

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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Strawberry Banana Egg White Oatmeal - Doing a makeover on the classic carb heavy breakfast by increasing healthy fats and protein - all while balancing our blood sugar!

Ingredients 

• ½ cup gluten free, sprouted oats

• 1⁄4-1⁄2 cup egg whites

• ½ banana, sliced or mashed

• ½-1 tsp cinnamon

• 1 cup water, milk or both

• 1 scoop collagen (optional)

• Pinch of sea salt

Garnish: coconut flakes, nut butter, banana/strawberry slices, milk, chia seeds (up to you!)

Directions

1. To a medium pot, add oats, banana, cinnamon, sea salt and water/milk and stir to combine. Heat over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes and stir constantly until liquid has absorbed. *I like to use a potato masher to mash the bananas in the mixture  for a more consistent texture. Slices or pre-mashed works fine too. 

2. Add egg whites and collagen into the oats and stir/whisk constantly. This will keep the egg whites from scrambling and will create a thick, fluffy consistency instead. Cook for about 1-2 minutes. 

3. Once the liquid is absorbed into the oatmeal, transfer to a bowl and add your favorite toppings. 

Notes

• Bananas were used as a natural sweetener but you can sub for another natural sweetener like pure maple syrup or honey or completely omit if need to.

• As said in the post, you can use 1-2 whole eggs instead of using only egg whites (completely up to you!)

Adrenal Cocktail

Adrenal Cocktail aka “Orange Creamsicle” - Is a magical elixir that supports hormone balance, HPA axis health, and blood sugar regulation. 

The #1 drink recipe I recommend to all my clients: The Adrenal Cocktail, or what I like to call, The Orange Creamsicle.

But why are you recommending a cocktail and what the heck is an adrenal!? 

Two very good questions! First and foremost, I’m not sure why this popular drink is called a cocktail seeing as how it’s alcohol free :/ but I recommend this recipe to my clients because most of my clients are stressed, burned out, lethargic, have sleep issues, and the list goes on!

So, what’s an adrenal?

An adrenal are actually hormone glands that are located on top of both kidneys. These glands produce hormones that help to regulate your metabolism, glucose usage, blood pressure, immune system, and response to stress. 

The central theme here is balance. We want to make sure that we are supporting our body’s natural ability to regulate blood sugar, increase insulin sensitivity, and improve metabolic flexibility. 

One small way we can do that is to make a nourishing drink that can bring balance back and give our adrenals some love in return! Adjusting macronutrient ratios as needed is imperative to reduce spikes in blood sugar and insulin. So for this recipe, our macro ratios are equal in order to support the adrenals while providing essential vitamins and minerals for healing any insulin resistance or adrenal fatigue. 

You will need: 

Fresh fruit juice (carbohydrate source) - Fruit juice like orange juice has high amounts of vitamin C which is needed when your adrenal glands are producing cortisol during stressful situations. The antioxidant properties are also needed in order to fuel the adrenal glands, protect against oxidative stress, boost the immune system and regulate cortisol production.

I like using this organic orange juice brand because there are no preservatives, no artificial ingredients, no added sugar, nada! As you can see in the picture, I like changing up other fruit juices just to level up the nutritional value of the cocktail. For example, I mix it up with an organic beet carrot-orange juice blend or tart cherry juice. 

Coconut Cream/Milk (Fat source) - Coconut milk has stable, saturated fatty acids that help stabilize blood sugar levels and provides your body with energy. Depending on your preference in texture, you can use either unsweetened coconut milk or cream. Personally, I think the cream is better and provides that “creamsicle” taste to the drink! 

Hydrolyzed Collagen Powder (Protein Source) - Collagen acts as a blood sugar regulator and provides essential amino acids to support and build a resilient gut and boost cortisol production. My shop page has my favorite collagen of choice, vital proteins. 

Sea Salt (Bonus* Mineral Source) - Sea salt and pink Himalayan sea salt contain essential electrolytes and minerals like potassium, sodium, and magnesium that are key for energy production, blood pressure, and adrenal function. Salt also elevates the flavor of the drink so don’t skimp! 

When to make an adrenal cocktail

• When your energy levels are low between 10-11AM and 2-3PM.

• Right before bedtime - if you experience waking up at 3AM

• Pre / Post workout snack

• Breakfast - If you find yourself not hungry upon waking up and usually skip breakfast, this drink is a great way to kickstart that metabolism! 

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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Adrenal Cocktail aka “Orange Creamsicle” - Is a magical elixir that supports hormone balance, HPA axis health, and blood sugar regulation.

Ingredients

• 4-6 oz freshly squeezed orange juice or juice of choice

• 2 Tbsp coconut milk or cream

• 1 scoop of collagen

• Generous pinch of sea salt

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients in a glass or blender and enjoy! 

Notes

• You can make this into a latte by simply steaming the coconut milk/cream in a milk frother and pouring it into the glass with the other ingredients. Stir to combine and enjoy!