Author: Erin McGraw

February is National Snack Food Month, so we thought we’d take the opportunity to highlight the many virtues of snacking. Often maligned, snacks are an important part of a healthy eating plan. Research shows that most people consume 25% of their calories every day in the form of snacks. Of course, it’s important to choose snacks that are nutritious, such as nuts, fruit, vegetables, whole grain bread, cheese, and yogurt, to name a few. Not only do healthy snacks keep you satiated throughout the day and prevent going overboard at meals, snacks, such as tree nuts, are a great way to add vital nutrients to your diet.

Here are some ideas for nutty snacks!

1. Simply a handful of nuts – whether it’s your favorite nut or mixed nuts, taking a bag of tree nuts to work or play is probably one of the easiest and healthiest snacks.
2. Nut butter – on a cracker, in a celery stalk or under a slice of avocado, home-made nut butter will be sure to keep you going until dinner!
3. Nut muffins can be whipped up in minutes and stored in the freezer to heat up as needed.   You can add dried or fresh fruit, spices, and make them savory or sweet.  Try these Pecan Banana Muffins, and feel free to switch out with your favorite tree nut and fruit!
4. Nut-based cookies – the Italians have Amaretti, the Mexicans have their Wedding cookies, the Turkish use almonds, walnuts and hazelnuts for traditional cookies. You can easily make your own with nut meal or by grinding your own nuts. Here’s a Macadamia Shortbread, which can be made with any tree nut (i.e., walnuts and cardamom or pistachio and orange zest).
5. Nut bars and bites – just put nuts, dried fruit and enough honey to bind together in a blender, and press into a lined-square pan or roll into balls and dust with coconut or seeds. Refrigerate and enjoy over the next few weeks! Here’s a recipe for some delicious Almond Bites that will keep you going on a hike or bike ride!
6. Nut dips and crackers – just like hummus with chick peas, or guacamole, you can add nuts to any vegetable puree in a blender for dipping carrot, celery and zucchini sticks! Add fresh herbs, chili powder or Tabasco to spice it up!  This Pine Nut and Avocado Pesto combines the best of both worlds!
7. Smoothies – there’s nothing simpler than mixing fruit, greens, or vegetables with tree nuts in a blender with some water, milk or nut-milk alternative.  Here’s one for cocktail time with Pistachios to end the day in style!

Want more ideas? We have an entire section on nutty snacks here! 

Enjoy!

It’s time to raise your glass to celebrate and toast the year with friends, colleagues and family. If you’re wondering what to serve with your sparkling wine celebrations, nuts pair beautifully. The earthy richness of nuts enhances the yeasty, toasted notes of champagne and other worldly bubbles. And there are so many ways to prepare nuts that will bring a delicious addition to your holiday party.

Cheese and Nut Platter – Cheese is one of the most classic additions to a champagne toast, but have you thought of jazzing it up a notch by incorporating nuts with the cheese? Think goat cheese rolled into balls and coated in finely diced nuts; blue cheese sliced lengthwise and filled with honey and diced nuts; or for a bit fancier presentation, top a round of brie or camembert with a drizzle of honey, some chopped nuts and wrap in puff pastry before baking until golden brown. Serve warm while the cheese is still molten – just divine with pure Champagne. Or warm orange slices, with herbs such as oregano, thyme or rosemary and toasted nuts such as pecans, and spoon over slices of soft rind cheese on bread.

Naturally a classic Champagne is great with these, but not just champagne, a Blanquette de Limoux,  Crémant de Bourgogne or other non-vintage French sparkling wine would be delightful too.

Crackers – You can make your own crackers with nuts to make that perfect partnership, or make parmesan nut tuilles – place mounds of parmesan cheese scattered with chopped nuts on a non-stick pan over medium heat and cook until melted, then flip over and cook until set. Cool and serve as crackers. Lovely with a high-end Prosecco or Franciacorta.

Filo Fingers – Brush sheets of filo (phyllo) pastry with butter or oil, dust with nuts, shredded cheese and spices, then roll up into cigar shapes and bake until golden. The crisp toasty notes are lovely with a glass of bubbly—like a bright Cava!

Bruschetta with Nuts – The world is your oyster with ideas for bruschetta with nuts. Try toasted ciabatta bread spread with a nut butter or pesto and topped with mozzarella and tomato. Or spread with fig jam, ricotta, some toasted hazelnuts or almonds, fresh herbs and a slice of prosciutto or smoked salmon.

Puff Pastry Fingers – Roll puff pastry until just a bit thinner and cut into fingers. Scatter with goat cheese, rosemary, pine nuts or chopped nuts and bake until puffed and golden.

Chocolate Enhanced Nuts – There are so many ways to liven up chocolate with nuts. Melt your favorite chocolate in a parchment lined tray, scatter with nuts, dried fruit, even trendy toppings such as coarse salt, chili flakes and bacon bits. Allow to set then break into bark. Here’s an idea from our website.  Experiment with Brazil nuts, cashews, pine nuts and macadamias – just delicious!

Stuffed Dates – An old classic, dates sliced open and filled with goat cheese, walnuts or pistachios, honey and thyme pair beautifully with a local sparkling wine, of which there are many to choose!

Something more substantial? – Prawns dipped in egg wash, then in ground macadamias and shredded coconut before deep frying perhaps? Or scallops seared and served with an almond Gazpacho like at the famous Waterbar restaurant? Scroll through our brochure to find this recipe and more from well-known chefs.

Wishing you all a happy, safe and healthy holiday season!

Our fireplaces are lit, the leaves are falling, decorating the ground in a carpet of orange and yellow hues, and salads are being replaced by soups in our culinary thoughts. Soups offer so many options – a satisfying lunch, a quick starter, or a full meal of beans and vegetables.

Tree nuts have many roles in soups, from thickening to adding a lovely crunch topping. And they add a nutritious boost of protein, healthy fats and sustained energy. Here are some simple and exotic ways to jazz up your soups with nuts:

Nothing adds creamy, richness as well as a beautiful thick texture to pumpkin or winter squash soup like macadamia nuts. But hazelnuts work wonderfully too adding a new kind of nutty richness. Any pumpkin works well in this recipe, but Kabocha or Blue Ballet give you the best depth of color and flavor.

In this delicious Mediterranean Carrot Soup, nuts both thicken the soup and form a part of a crunchy, sweet sour agrodolce on top. You can use any tree nuts, and even use other vegetables such as celery root or sweet potato.

Our Potato Soup is given a splash of color and the delightful burst of flavor with a pistachio pesto topping. Nuts add a visual splash of contrast in texture and flavor. A white bean soup is gorgeous with an almond, pine nut or cashew pesto, or scatter soy glazed walnuts and pecans on creamy mushroom soup.

If you’re making an Italian style minestrone or vegetable and bean soup, top with some toasted pine nuts, or puree any vegetables, and top with crème fraiche and any toasted diced nuts – Brazil nuts give a wonderful contrasting boost.

Then there’s the toast – a side of grilled ciabatta with a nut spread made at home makes the perfect soup “side”. Here are some ideas for nut buttered bread to dunk in your soup.

There’s nothing better than your own creation, so wander around your grocery store, buy what’s in season and at a good price, and get playful in your kitchen with the tree nuts you have on hand…you won’t be disappointed.

Cheers!

The Nutty Chef

Are you a lover of the great outdoors, grilling, eating or cooking under the stars? If you want to add a touch of something new and special, think tree nuts! These “nutritional powerhouses in a shell” add a marvelous crunch and a boost of health benefits to any grilled dish.

Are you a simple grilled slab of meat lover?

Try adding nut pesto – and don’t just think basil and pine nuts. Basil is also wonderful with walnuts, or try pistachios and mint, cashews and macadamias with cilantro, hazelnuts and parsley, pecans and arugula…or your own designer pesto.

For more of a “fine dining meets grill” approach, slice a secret pocket into the center of the steak and fill it with a soft cheese mixed with lemon zest, herbs and chopped roasted nuts before cooking. Great with beef, lamb, pork and fish, such as tuna and swordfish. Avoid using chicken or turkey with a secret pocket, just to be safe.

Are you a burger buff?

Chopped nuts mixed into a burger add a nice crunch and toasty flavor. You can also spread buns with a ground nut butter. Place roasted or raw nuts in a food processor (or coffee grinder) and pulse on and off to grind, then slowly drizzle in nut or olive oil to bring to desired consistency. Great with a touch of lemon juice, honey or soy, and herbs too!

Smash up some ripe fig or stone fruit and mix finely chopped nuts into the paste with a drop of wine or vinegar as a lovely burger topping. You could also put this into a small pan to simmer on the grill to make a fresh chutney –  just add a touch more liquid.

Is fish your fancy?

Whole fish, wrapped in parchment or grape leaves and then in foil, is divine on the barbecue. First, brush the paper or leaves with oil and sprinkle with a layer of sliced or chopped nuts before placing the fish down and wrapping it. This makes a lovely crust. You can grill fish fillets and chicken breasts this way too!

Turkey Time?

If you’re grilling the whole turkey or breasts, you can make deep slashes in the meat and fill with one of the pestos or just nuts and herbs – even tucked under the skin works like a charm.