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!

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.

50 Healthy Travel Snacks and Recipes

Whether you are driving through, U.S. Route 50 “the Loneliest Road in America” or stuck at the airport due to flight delay, having a snack arsenal is a must! 

Key snack items I look for when stocking my travel snack bag include foods that will keep me hydrated, keep my lovely gut happy, are portable, minimal ingredients and that don’t require refrigeration, antioxidants (help fight any free radical damage aka when you are packed in an airplane like sardines) and contains a fat and protein source for optimal blood sugar regulation. 

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Here are snack suggestions that you can find by stocking up at the next gas station, grocery store or make ahead of time:

1. Jerky! It’s safe to say that jerky has moved past its gas station junk food reputation of having highly processed, hidden sugars, high in sodium and preservatives. Instead, look out for high quality ingredients, minimally processed, low in sugar and sodium, high in protein and no preservatives. 

   • Brands I love: Chomps, Paleovalley, Wyoming, Epic, ayoba biltong Chef’s Cut

2. Fruit: It’s convenient, can be found in many places (hello, fresh fruit in gas stations now!), travels well, and can be hydrating! And if you are worried about carrying fresh fruit on a plane, I love making my own dehydrated fruits or packing dried or baked fruit snacks: Bare, Rind (look for brands that contain no added sugars, flavorings, colorings or preservatives)

   • Pair with a fat and protein source like with Jerky to stabilize blood sugar!

3. Vegetables: Think of veggies that are portable like carrots, broccoli, snap peas, sliced peppers. I also like pickled veggies like this brand for a probiotic punch!

4. Protein bars. Yes, protein bars are convenient and are found at any food store, but make sure you are checking labels to identify foods like nuts, whole grains, high quality protein sources (grass-fed whey protein), natural sweeteners like from fruit or cane sugar, healthy fats, low to no synthetic or isolated fibers, no sugar alcohols.

   • Brands I love: RX bar, GoMacro Bar, Thunderbird Bar, Bulk Snack Bars

5. Chips: Road trip snack of the Gods! But it can be deadly if you are prone to eating an entire bag by yourself. *Guilty! To make sure we aren’t killing our guts with gut-irritating corn and inflammatory “veggie” oils, look for tortilla or potato chips that are made with minimal ingredients and use coconut and avocado oil. Plantain chips made in this fashion and pork rinds cooked in their pork fat and sea salt are also fun healthy alternatives!

   • Brands: LesserEvil, Bare Baked Crunchy Fruit Snacks, Jackson’s Sweet Potato Chips, Siete Foods, Barnana Plaintain Chips. Epic

6. Chocolate/sweets: I’m sorry but you can’t have a travel adventure without sweets; it’s just inhumane. So when I look for chocolate or sweets to pack ahead of time, I look for 70-80% or higher cacao and use minimal ingredients (i.e. cane or coconut sugar, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter, sea salt). 

   • Brands: Hu Chocolate Bars, Enjoy Life, Bear Real Fruit Snack Rolls

7. Electrolytes - Okay, I know this isn’t a snack but I find that it’s so hard to stay hydrated when traveling. And it is summer time, so it’s better to be safe than sorry! 

   • Brands: LMNT, Nuun, Good ole pink Himalayan sea salt

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Snack Combos

Not only do I hope this will provide a visual for how to pair your carb source WITH a healthy fat and protein source, but most of these ingredients can be easy to assemble before you head out for your next travel adventure! *Bonus - a great way to clear out the fridge and pantry without having to throw out excess food!

Cantaloupe + prosciutto

Sourdough toast + avocado + nutritional yeast + fried egg + sea salt + sriracha and/or everything but the bagel seasoning

Bone broth + sea salt + seasonings

Ground turkey + veggie + egg muffins

Rice cakes + protein powder + plain yogurt + bluebs + banana slices

Plantain chips + tuna + primal kitchen mayo

Fruit + goat cheese + raw honey + bee pollen

Apple slices + coconut cream + cacao nibs

Piece of fruit + jerky

Medjool date + goat cheese + crushed pistachio

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Make ahead travel snacks

If you want to step up your snack level game, here are some quick and delicious snack recipes that will keep you fueled, satisfied and ready to go! 

Adrenal cocktail

Tropical papaya chia pudding 

Sweet potato toast 5-Ways

Prosciutto Wrapped Figs

Morning green smoothie

Beet Hummus

Dark chocolate chip protein bites

Curry chicken nachos

Chocolate peanut butter granola and berry parfait

Lemon and coconut energy balls

Peanut butter and jelly protein smoothie bowl

Turkey meatballs

Chai latte donut holes

Chocolate hummus

Java chip almond butter dates

Edible pumpkin chocolate chip cookie dough

Paleo banana nut bread

Chicken Lettuce wraps

Classic healthy chicken salad

Avocado deviled eggs

Carrot cake smoothie

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Lunch and dinner recipes while traveling

Making prepped meals is a must if you are trying to avoid fast food restaurants on the road or in the airport, trying to cut down on food costs, or deal with food sensitivities/allergies. 

*Flight tip: If you freeze your prepped meals ahead of time and are flying domestic, your food will most likely thaw when you arrive at your destination. This helps to eliminate frequent ice melting and replenishing! 

Chicken sausage and harvest veggies sheet pan

Ahi poke bowl and stack

Healthy salmon patties with lemon dill potato salad

Chicken shawarma bowl

Turkey taco spaghetti squash boats

Summer burger salad

Beef bulgogi bowls

Creamy coconut lime chicken thighs

Classic healthy chicken salad

Mediterranean grain bowl and goat cheese and olive dressing

Chicken red curry

Veggie beef stew

Spicy thai tofu with crispy coconut spaghetti squash noodles

Baked hot chicken

Turkey taco spaghetti squash boats

Grilled chicken burrito bowls

Slow cooker verde carne asada tostadas

Turkey meatballs

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Food travel equipment essentials

From meal prep containers to cute cooler bags, here are a few of my favorite food travel gear that I use when traveling! 

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Phew, that was a lot of information!

If you found this helpful, please let us know! Leave a comment and tell us what are your favorite go-to healthy snacks and recipes!

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And if you would like to know more on how to create nourishing snacks and meals, head over to the Nourishment Program to get started today!

Tropical Papaya Chia Pudding

Tropical Papaya Chia Pudding - A simple and nutritious breakfast escape! Meal prep, blood sugar stabilizer, and healthy fat friendly!

During the summertime, I want to eat all the tropical fruits - mango, dragon fruit, coconut, guava, pineapple, you name it!

But one of my favorite tropical fruits that I can’t seem to get enough of these days are papayas! Now, I have noticed that people don’t typically put papaya in their grocery cart. They either have no clue what to do with them or they don’t want to buy a large semi-expensive fruit and worry if they will like the taste or not. Well, I am here to give you the low down on this sweet tropical “nectar of the gods” fruit while providing my favorite go-to breakfast recipe!

Before I unpack the nutritional value, papaya - when eating ripe, is sweet and has a flavor comparable to a melon. If you pick unripe papaya, you may have little to no flavor at all. 

Tip: Papaya is fully ripe when it is bright yellow so look for papayas that are mostly yellow and a little green to fully ripen at home from the grocery store! Also look for firm, smooth skin, and heavy for their size. 

Now that you know how to pick ripe papayas, here are the nutrition facts:

• Immune system booster as it contains an absorbent amount of vitamin C.

• When eating a balanced amount, papaya has a hypoglycemic effect on the body which decreases blood glucose levels. 

• Plays a major role in fighting inflammation as it contains the enzyme, papain, which is a group of proteins that help regulate inflammation. 

• Bloating or constipation issues? The high fiber and water content help to improve digestion by reducing bloating and easing constipation while encouraging regular bowel activity. 

So now that we have established that papayas are pretty amazing, let’s dive into my go-to breakfast recipe - chia pudding! Even though we know that papaya is a fruit, it still contains an adequate amount of natural sugar. So to make sure we are balancing our blood sugar for the morning, we are pairing this fruit with protein and healthy fats that come from the chia pudding mixture. You can use any chia pudding recipe as the base for this recipe, but I like to #levelup with canned coconut milk, vanilla extract, and fresh ginger! The ginger is my favorite part if you like a more Thai inspired dish but if you don’t, that’s okay! Keep it simple with just vanilla extract. 

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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Tropical Papaya Chia Pudding - A simple and nutritious breakfast escape! Meal prep, blood sugar stabilizer, and healthy fat friendly!

Ingredients

• 4 Tbsp chia seeds

• ½ cup of canned coconut milk

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 tsp freshly grated ginger (optional)

• ½ cup papayas (diced)

Garnish

Shredded coconut flakes, fresh lime, bee pollen, raspberries, honey

Directions 

1. Soak the chia seeds with minced ginger (optional), vanilla, and milk for at least an hour or overnight - stirring occasionally until a gel forms. You can make your chia seed pudding thicker or thinner by reducing/adding liquid. You can also use your favorite plant-based milk for this recipe as well! 

2. Pour the chia seed pudding into 2 serving glasses, top with diced papayas and top with the garnishes. 

3. Store in the fridge as a leftover, enjoy chilled or at room temperature. Great for breakfast, dessert, or a snack! 

Notes

• Don’t have papaya? That’s okay! Use whatever tropical fruit that pairs well with ginger like mangoes, pineapple, kiwi. This recipe is very versatile and any fruit/topping combination will work as long as you have the chia pudding ratio right! 

• Need more protein? Add a scoop of collagen peptides to the mixture and add ¼ cup more milk to the mixture. You can also drizzle nut butter over chia pudding when ready to eat.

Java Chip Almond Butter Dates

Java Chip Almond Butter Dates - The perfect pre-workout shake replacement! 

If you have been here long enough, you know I love medjool dates! Whether they’re in sweet dishes like chai latte donut holes, matcha and mint chip energy balls, and dark chocolate chip protein bites or in savory dishes like bacon wrapped stuffed dates found on my Instagram, I love them all the same. The main reason I use them in these types of dishes is because dates are a natural sweetener like pure maple syrup ( my second favorite ingredient), coconut sugar, and honey.

As you may have guessed,  dates are a healthier alternative to sugar. Stuffed dates are my ultimate go-to for a pre-workout snack because they’re also great for athletic performance. I would rather have a plant-based food source to naturally energize me than a pre-workout drink that gives me the shakes and keeps me up all night! 

So, if dates taste sweet and are used in desserts, then how can they ever be good before a workout!? Well, I’m so glad you asked! :) Here are the wonderful benefits of using dates as fuel before a workout: 

• Dates are packed with slow-burning carbs which are a main fuel source for our muscles during moderate-intensity and high-intensity exercise. The sustained release of carbs refills your body’s glycogen, the main source of energy that is expended during strenuous activity. 

• Dates contain a significant amount of potassium which is great for muscle cramps! During a sweaty sesh, you need to replenish your potassium and rebalance electrolytes so dates are helpful to prevent post-workout cramping and aid with muscle recovery. 

• They’re a super easy “on the go” snack. Whether you make the recipe or eat dates on their own, dates are super portable.

If dates don’t provide you enough energy and alertness before a workout, then this almond butter mixture will! With the addition of a superfood like maca powder (which is great for enhancing energy/mood), I have also added espresso powder. This combo will get you alert and going to the gym! I love using maca powder for this recipe because the flavor provides a honeycomb taste to the butter. By mixing, almond butter, espresso, maca, and ground cinnamon, this combination tastes just like a latte from Starbucks! 

Now, you can imagine that this almond butter mixture would be bitter considering no sweeteners, but if you dollop this on top of a date, it’s the winning combo! Cacao nibs are also bitter but, I’m telling you, if you have never tried a date before - it literally taste like sugar.

I hope you enjoy these amazingly delicious java chip almond butter dates before your workout! If you need some workout inspo, I’ve got a plank tabata and a booty workout already planned out 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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Java Chip Almond Butter Dates - The perfect pre-workout shake replacement! 

Ingredients

• 12 medjool dates (pitted)

• 12-24 raw almonds 

• ½ cup almond butter

• 1 tsp espresso powder (or more!)

• ½ tsp maca powder

• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon

Toppings

Cacao nibs

Directions

1. Insert an almond (or two) into each medjool date.

2. In a small bowl, mix almond butter, espresso powder, ground cinnamon, and maca powder. Spoon about a teaspoon of mixture onto each medjool date. Top each date with cacao nibs. 

3. In an airtight container, store in the fridge for up to two weeks. 

Notes

1. If you have leftover almond butter mixture, you can add about a teaspoon of pure maple syrup and spread over a piece of toast, pancakes, waffles, anything!