Author: Erin McGraw

The holidays are here – full of joy, friends and family, celebration and parties!  It’s time to search for creative ways to entertain and come up with new ideas for party nibbles and small bites to serve with drinks.

Incorporating nuts into the menu has a number of benefits –they pair wonderfully with wine, they offer a multitude of flavors, and they add a heathy dose of nutrients often lacking in party food. So put out some bowls of mixed nuts, or go a step further and try some of these great ideas:

Cheese Platter – Nuts and cheese are nothing new – we’ve even done a whole blog on the topic. Think of a ball of goat cheese crusted in roasted chopped nuts and fresh herbs, or honey and walnuts drizzled over Manchego. Or, some camembert cheese baked in oiled ramekins with a splash of whisky, and some chopped nuts, such as walnuts or pecans, and a drizzle of maple syrup. Bake for 10-15 minutes in a 350° oven. It’s delicious spooned onto flatbread crackers.

Bruschetta – Mushrooms are in season. Imagine a bruschetta with burrata or ricotta cheese and braised mushrooms, such as chanterelles, with a crumbling of roasted walnuts, pine nuts or Brazil nuts and fresh oregano or thyme.

Flavored Nuts – Whether sweet or hot, adding a delicious, flavored crust to nuts enables you to craft your own party nibble. We have a multitude of ideas for ways to season nuts in our recipe column, or use your own inspiration by adding your favorite herbs and spices. (They also make a great party gift bag for guests to take home).

Mini Pizzas – Turn our pistachio and zucchini pizza into pizza bites or use any nuts of choice. Simply cut small discs out of your pizza dough with a cookie cutter before putting on the topping and bake as usual.

Chicken and Shrimp Skewers – A real crowd pleaser, simply thread strips of chicken or a few raw shrimp onto soaked bamboo skewers, brush with some sesame oil and soy sauce, then serve with a nut sauce for dipping. Blend together nuts such as cashews, macadamias, almonds or hazelnuts with a squeeze of lime juice, soy, ginger and mirin (rice wine) or rice vinegar, adding enough liquid to make a dipping consistency.

Nut-stuffed Olives – You’ll often see almonds in olives in market olive bars, but you can really put any nut inside an olive. Make it even more special by finely dicing the nuts, adding goat cheese with some herbs or garlic and gently piping this mixture into the olives.

Chocolate Slabs – There’s always room for sweets on your party table and making your own chocolate slabs is a fun way to surprise guests with your creativity. Try chili flakes with dark chocolate and roasted almonds; salt, milk chocolate and pistachios; honey, white chocolate and walnuts, or fresh rosemary and hazelnuts on a mixed swirl of chocolates. Simply line a baking tray with parchment, pour over with melted chocolate and scatter with nuts and seasoning of choice. They go wonderfully with a glass of red wine or sparkling! Or if cocktails are the event, mix a little liqueur such as brandy or Cointreau into the chocolate.

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

Thankfully the world is gradually returning to a pre-pandemic state, and we can gather families and friends around the Thanksgiving table. As we look to create something special to celebrate, nuts can enhance so many of our traditional and not-so-traditional dishes. Here are some ideas to jazz up your Thanksgiving table with tree nuts.

Thanksgiving Toast – The party begins with a glass of bubbles or cider, and there’s no better accompaniment than a bowl of roasted nuts. They’ll keep your hunger craving at bay until the feast arrives.

Soup for starters – Switch from squash soup to our Mediterranean Carrot soup with a sweet and sour nut and dried fruit topping. Very fitting for a Fall table!

Stuffing – Add some crunch to your stuffing mix with nuts such as walnuts, pecans, Brazil nuts and hazelnuts, and perhaps the sweet touch of cranberries or currants.

Go Nuts with your Turkey – There are many ways to add some nuts to your turkey aside from the stuffing. Try bringing an Italian flair with either a pesto or a Spanish Romesco – you can substitute any tree nuts in these recipes. If you’re just going with roasted breasts, make a crumb of chopped nuts, cheese and mixed fresh herbs to crust the outsides.

Sweet Potato Casserole – Give your casserole a nutty sweet topping as the crowning glory. A scattering of pistachios, pecans and/or pine nuts, mixed with brown sugar and a few dollops of butter, turns a side into a treat! This is especially great if you have a non-meat eater in the group!

Green Beans –  Green beans and sliced toasted almonds are made in heaven, just with a kiss of honey, lemon zest and butter, and hazelnuts bring a beautiful earthiness to this green bean dish. Cashews and macadamias are also lovely with beans, but especially with pan roasted Brussel sprouts!

Nut Pastry for your Pie? – Pastry made with nuts makes a delicious and healthy alternative to traditional pastry. Try an Apple Gallette to use up the last of the season’s apples. Or if you want to go more traditional, here’s a part Pumpkin Pie, part cheesecake that’s sure to please anyone.

Happy Thanksgiving from the Nutty Chef!

It’s National Dessert Day and we decided to pay tribute to some of the many wonderful desserts enjoyed around the world, where nuts are a key ingredient!

Baklava – The first known record of Baklava dates back to 800BC in the Assyrian empire. Now credited to Greek, Turkish and Middle Eastern cuisines, that sweet and sumptuous layering of filo dough, honey and spiced nuts can be found all around the world. Here’s a classic Greek recipe for you to try!

Schnecken – This traditional German pastry is also commonly found in Austria, France and Northern European countries. A pastry formed into the shape of a snail (translation of Schnecken), is glazed and dusted with nuts. This version, which you’ll find on our website, is made with hazelnuts.

Macaroons (Macarons) – The dessert you have when you’re not having dessert, these small nut-based meringues are filled with a succulent cream and come in a range of flavors. Fabulous with coffee or tea, they are now very popular in cafes around America. Here is one featuring almonds and a sweet raspberry filling.

Gelato – Who would say no to a classic Italian gelato, which often includes a base of nuts such as pistachio, nocciola (hazelnut) or almonds? Gelato is traditionally made using a milk-based custard rather than cream, so it’s often lower in fat and sugar than ice cream. An Indian version called Kulfi, uses condensed sweetened milk, saffron, turmeric, pistachios and cashews, and is perfect after a curry dish!

Rosewater Rice Pudding with Nuts and Pomegranate – There are many versions of sweet rice puddings from Lebanon, which use the floral notes of rosewater and a dusting of nuts, to Asia and Britain where either ginger or nutmeg lift the sweet rice and are always more appealing with a sprinkling of nuts!

Bon Appétit!

Celebrated on October 22, International Nut Day was initially created in 2015 to support small nut farmers around the world, educate consumers about the many benefits of nuts, and encourage healthier snacking! It’s a day to celebrate the history and diversity of nuts, which have been a staple in the diet for over 780,000 years.

Here are just a few reasons to go nuts every day:

Flavor – Nut flavors run the gamut, from the slightly sweet cashews and pistachios, to the rich velvety macadamias and pine nuts, and earthy almonds and pecans. And then there’s roasted nuts, which bring a whole new dimension to the experience. Nuts add a certain flair to any meal and are fun to experiment with in the kitchen.

Texture – Think sliced toasted almonds scattered over green buttery beans, a walnut basil pesto tossed through pasta, roasted hazelnuts over your next arugula salad, or that unique burst of flavor from a Brazil nut in fruit cake. Nuts add a delicious crunch to any meal and make a great thickener to casseroles and soups when pureed.

Health – Nutrition in a nut shell, tree nuts contain a multitude of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and so much more. And each nut has its own special attributes so it’s great to get a mixture of them all! Go to our website to learn more about the nutritional benefits of each tree nut.

Satiety – Nuts have been used for centuries to provide sustenance and satiety to civilizations. Often being stored through the colder months when other crops are unavailable, nuts were one of the only sources of food that could be stored for longer periods and provide a long lasting energy. If you’re on a long hike, road trip or even just working long hours, there’s nothing better than a handful of nuts to keep you going.

So, this International Nut Day, embrace the joy of nuts with friends and families!