Yogurt Berry Protein Topped Rice Cakes
Ah, the humble rice cake - often overlooked and underestimated. While not a standalone nutritional superstar, being essentially puffed rice pressed together, the right toppings can transform it in a far more satisfying (and exciting!) snack.When people think of rice cakes, they often think of being on a diet. They were hailed in the past as the snack time poster child of the low-fat-low-calorie era. The cardboard-esque snack touted by dieters as long for as you can remember. However, and despite dietary recommendations thankfully evolving, we are still somewhat hard-wired into this mindset. But there’s more to these light and crispy snacks. They were (and still are) thought of as being bland and leaving people hungry and unsatisfied. But they do not have to be! Instead of cupcakes, why not rice cakes? The combinations that you can do with rice cakes are endless. You can use it for breakfast, both sweet or savory, or as a dessert and can actually be a canvas for creativity and can complement a diverse range of flavors. The crunchy base lends itself perfectly to a variety of toppings that add flavor and nutrition and can serve as a convenient and versatile, hand-to-mouth vehicle for other nutrient-dense ingredients. Here, and with a little strategic pairing, they can become a satisfying and balanced snack - leaving their reputation as a bland diet food relic far behind.I love how amazing new food trends are being created on internet websites like TikTok and some of them go viral and get loads of attention. One of them that is making a huge buzz is around what is called “putting things on rice cakes”.I have tried a few of these recipes recently and they do not disappoint. Its not every day that a food trend exceeds my expectations, but this viral wild berry, yogurt topped, rice cake recipe drizzled with melted white chocolate caught my attention.As a long term fitness professional who is immersed in the health and wellness field, it’s fun to keep tabs on the latest trends. Traditionally, many trends over the last decade or more have (unfortunately) revolved around elimination diets in which certain foods or food groups are restricted or eliminated entirely. Think grains, dairy, carbs, fats, meat and so on.In their place came foods marketed as low-calorie, low-fat, sugar free (often meaning something way worse than sugar) low-this, low-that were usually interpreted by novice consumers to mean “healthy”, right?However, we are now finally starting to see a paradigm shift. People are beginning to change their mindset around food and paying closer attention to not only the nutrition label, but also the ingredients. Consumers are becoming more interested in ADDING more nutritious ingredients to their diet, as opposed to eliminating foods or entire food groups.What perhaps is even more exciting is that fat is no longer demonized. Items like coconut oil, avocado oil, and nut flours are being used more widely for their nutritional benefits with less emphasis on their caloric value.The world of desserts and sweets is constantly evolving, with new trends and flavors being introduced every day. When I saw this berry yogurt treat on my TikTok for you page I knew I had to try it. I mean, come on! At its core, this dessert is a fusion of four classic treats: yogurt, berries, chocolate and rice cakes. The result is a creamy and sweet dessert that is perfect for those who love the taste of these flavours.I’m in both my protein era and yogurt era … so it was almost like this concept was made for me! Well, I tried it and it is amazing! Literally amazing. This weird yoghurt rice cake topping concoction is actually not weird at all.I can tell you for certain that this protein treat is way better than any of those unhealthy/low calorie low-nutrient pretend foods you can find at the grocery store.I do recommend allowing all foods unconditionally, but also, if you love dessert I recommend eating it – often. This does a few things for your relationship with food and for your overall health.Firstly, it helps take desserts and sweet treats off a pedestal. Instead of sweet treats being something overly tempting that isn’t allowed, it becomes just another food that you like to eat.Allowing and eating dessert often lets you feel satisfied in a comfortable and controllable way. As an example, all the rage now are low carb, keto, no-bake treats called fat bombs typically made with ingredients such as nut/seed butters, coconut cream, coconut butter or oil, cream cheese, dark chocolate, avocado and little to no sugar.The idea is that incorporating healthy fats into your diet will keep you satiated between meals.They are easily portion controlled, and the richness of the healthy fats is very satiating to the taste buds.So, how do you turn a rice cake into a decadent and delicious snack? Easy! Create a decadent topping like this one and dress these bad boys up,
Servings 1
Ingredients
- 2 Rice cakes, plain
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 cup mixed berries -strawberries, raspberries, blueberries
- 1 scoop protein or collagen powder
- 2 tablespoons white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Place yogurt in a small bowl, add protein powder and stir until well combined. Add 1/2 of the berries and mash with a fork and combine. Pile on top of the rice cakes and place leftover berries on top. Melt the white chocolate chips in a small bowl in the microwave at 50% power in 20 second bursts stirring between each one until melted and smooth.Or use double boiler method - (pot of boiling water with a bowl resting on top) melt the chocolate chips. Once melted drizzle the chocolate over the yogurt topping on the rice cakes.Place in fridge for 10 minutes for the chocolate to set.
If you are looking for more delicious, healthy, no bake desserts and treats to help you reach your health, wellness and fitness goals, you will love my collection here: Blended Bites
