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Flourless Orange Cake with Caramelized Orange Nut topping

Ingredients

  • 2 oranges, washed
  • 1½ cups sugar
  • 6 eggs
  • 2 ½ cups almond or hazelnut meal
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

Topping

  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 ounces water
  • 2 cardamom seeds (optional)
  • Zest of 2 oranges
  • 2 oranges, peeled and finely sliced (reserve juices)
  • 2 ounces pistachios
  • 2 ounces pecans (or pine nuts or macadamias)
  • ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons Crème Fraiche, to serve

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil, add oranges and simmer for 2 hours.  Remove oranges, allow to cool. Cut oranges into chunks, removing seeds and place in a blender. Puree, including skin, until smooth.  This can be done a day ahead of time if desired.
  2. Preheat oven to 320°F.  Grease a springform 8–9-inch cake tin and line base with baking paper.
  3. Beat eggs and sugar until pale golden and creamy.  Fold ¼ of the egg and sugar mixture into the orange puree. With a spatula, fold in combined almond meal and baking powder gently (do not deflate) to combine. Next, add half of the remaining egg mixture until mostly combined and then fold in the remaining.
  4. Spoon into prepared tin and bake in center of oven for 1¼ hours or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
  5. Allow to cool in pan on a wire rack, then run a knife around the edge before turning out of pan. Cool completely and store in a sealed container for up to a week.
  6. To make topping, place sugar and water in a small saucepan and stir to dissolve sugar. Allow to come to a simmer then add cardamom seeds and cook until syrup is golden. Add oranges with any juice and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  7. Bake nuts in a 350°F oven for 6-7 minutes until golden.  Place oranges in a bowl with any syrup and gently stir in the nuts. 
  8. To serve, place a slice of cake on plates, top with caramelized orange nut mixture, orange zest and a spoon of Crème Fraiche.

Pine Nut and Avocado Pesto with Toasted Pita Chips

Recipe courtesy of Nuts for Life (www.nutsforlife.com.au)

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons pine nuts
  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves
  • 1 large avocado
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 pita bread and pine nuts, to serve

Instructions

  1. Combine pine nuts, basil leaves, avocado, garlic and lemon juice in a food processor and pulse for 30 seconds or until combined. Add water and process until smooth.
  2. Transfer pesto to a small bowl and stir in parmesan, season with salt and pepper.
  3. Lightly coat 2 pita breads in olive oil and roast on an oven tray at 350°F until crisp and crunchy. Break up pita bread into bite size pieces.
  4. Serve dip with pita pieces and additional pine nuts to top the dip.

Tip: Store in an airtight container or jar and keep in the refrigerator. Best used within five days.

Field Mushrooms with Brazil Nuts and Ricotta

Recipe courtesy of Nuts for Life (www.nutsforlife.com.au)

Ingredients

  • 7 ounces raw Brazil nuts, chopped
  • 1 clove crushed garlic
  • 12 ounces low fat ricotta
  • 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind
  • ¼ cup chopped flat leaf parsley
  • 2 tablespoons grated parmesan
  • cracked black pepper to taste
  • 4 large field mushrooms

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Place the Brazil nuts, garlic, ricotta, lemon rind, parsley, parmesan and pepper in a large bowl and mix together until fully combined.
  3. Clean the mushrooms and remove the stems.
  4. Divide the ricotta mixture between the mushrooms, piling in the center cavity of each.
  5. Transfer the mushrooms to an oven tray lined with foil. Bake for 15 minutes or until mushrooms have softened and ricotta mixture is golden on top.

Brazil Nut Fudge

Recipe courtesy of Nuts for Life (www.nutsforlife.com.au)

Ingredients

  • 14 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
  • 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 cup Brazil nuts, chopped

Instructions

  1. Place the chocolate into a microwave safe bowl and melt the chocolate in the microwave in 20-30 second increments until the chocolate is completely melted (around 90 seconds).
  2. Remove the bowl from the microwave and pour in the condensed milk and chopped Brazil nuts. Stir until combined, noting it will feel quite dense.
  3. Pour the mixture into a parchment lined brownie pan (8 x 8″) and smooth with the back of a spoon.
  4. Place it in the fridge for 2-3 hours to set or until the fudge is firm.
  5. Cut into 36 small pieces and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Tomato, Goat’s Cheese and Pine Nut Frittata

Recipe courtesy of Nuts for Life (www.nutsforlife.com.au)

Ingredients

  • 7 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons self-rising flour, sifted
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 2 tablespoons chopped basil
  • 2 1/2 ounces raw pine nuts
  • 2 1/2 ounces goat’s cheese, roughly crumbled
  • Cracked black pepper, to taste
  • 3 1/2 ounces cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 2 tablespoons chopped chives

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray six (¾ cup capacity) ramekins lightly with oil spray.
  2. Place the eggs in a bowl and whisk lightly. Add flour, herbs, pine nuts, goat’s cheese and pepper. Stir until just combined.
  3. Divide mixture between the ramekins. Place a few cherry tomato pieces in each ramekin.
  4. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and set.
  5. Remove from oven, stand for 5 minutes then serve warm or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Blueberry Cashew Smoothie

Recipe courtesy of Nuts for Life (www.nutsforlife.com.au)

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup raw, unsalted cashews
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
  • 1 small banana
  • 1 cup almond milk, or milk of your choice (dairy, soy and nut milks all work well)

Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients in a blender. Puree until smooth.
  2. Serve immediately.

Tips: Smoothie can be prepared in advance and stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Recipe can be multiplied, as desired. Substitute blueberries with an equal quantity of another berry.

Chicken and Cashew Curry

Recipe courtesy of Nuts for Life (www.nutsforlife.com.au)

Ingredients

  • 4 teaspoons curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 1 red onion, diced
  • 2 red chilis
  • 1 tomato, diced
  • 1 stalk lemongrass (tender base only)
  • 1/4 cup coconut milk
  • 1 cup water
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 3 ounces cashews, soaked
  • 12 ounces chicken thighs, diced

Instructions

  1. Rub 2 teaspoons curry powder and salt into the chicken and set aside.
  2. Blend garlic, onion, tomato, lemongrass and chili in a blender until a smooth paste is formed.
  3. Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan. Cook blended mixture, remaining curry powder and garam masala over low heat. Stir constantly, cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes.
  4. Add chicken and cook for about 2 minutes.
  5. Add cashews and water. Allow to simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.
  6. Add coconut milk, stir, and allow to come to a boil. Turn off the heat as soon as it boils.
  7. Serve hot with white rice and papadums (thin Indian crackers) on the side.

Tip: You can soak cashews in warm water for 20 minutes to soften the nuts and allow for better absorption of flavors.

Cashew Pumpkin Soup

Recipe courtesy of Nuts for Life (www.nutsforlife.com.au)

Ingredients

  • 4¼ ounces roasted cashews
  • 2 pounds butternut pumpkin, diced
  • 1 large carrot, diced
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 medium-sized onion, diced
  • 1 cup stock of your choice (vegetarian/chicken)
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
  • Salt to taste
  • Pepitas, for garnish (optional)
  • 1 stalk coriander leaves, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and onion to the pot and sauté until soft, about 1-2 minutes.
  2. Add all the ingredients, except cashews and garnishes, to the pot.
  3. Let simmer over low-medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Add salt to taste and stir occasionally.
  4. Check if pumpkin and carrots are cooked through, using a fork. Remove from heat once the fork can pierce through the pumpkin easily. Set aside to cool.
  5. Blend cashews in a blender until a smooth paste is formed.
  6. Add soup to the blender and puree until smooth.
  7. Depending on the size of your blender, you might need to puree the soup in batches. Do not fill the blender more than halfway and always remember to vent the blender so that heat and pressure can escape.
  8. Return the soup to the pot and stir over low heat for another 10 minutes. If the soup is too thick, add some water to achieve your desired consistency.
  9. Serve hot.

Chicken, Cashew and Almond Stir Fry

Recipe courtesy of Nuts for Life (www.nutsforlife.com.au)

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon macadamia oil
  • 3 small chicken breast fillets, thinly sliced
  • 1 medium onion, cut into wedges
  • 1 bunch broccolini, chopped into 5cm lengths
  • 1 teaspoon shredded ginger
  • 1 bunch baby bok choy, trimmed and roughly chopped
  • 2 1/2 ounces snow peas, trimmed
  • 2 1/2 ounces blanched raw almonds
  • 2 1/2 ounces raw cashews
  • 2 tablespoons salt reduced soy sauce
  • ¼ cup plum sauce
  • 4 cups cooked basmati rice

Instructions

  1. Heat half the oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook in batches until golden and cooked through. Set aside.
  2. Add remaining oil and cook onions and broccolini for 4 minutes until tender. Add the ginger, bok choy, snow peas, almonds and cashews and stir fry for 2 minutes or until bok choy is wilted.
  3. Return chicken to the wok, along with the soy and plum sauce and toss together gently. Cook for another minute then serve with rice.

Omelette with Spinach, Mushrooms and Macadamias

Recipe courtesy of Nuts for Life (www.nutsforlife.com.au)

Ingredients

  • Cooking oil spray such as canola or olive oil
  • 2 ½ ounces sliced Swiss brown mushrooms
  • 2 slices red capsicum
  • 2 ounces baby English spinach
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • Cracked black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley, to serve
  • ½ teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
  • 1 ounce chopped toasted macadamias

Instructions

  1. Spray a non-stick frying pan with cooking oil spray such as olive or canola oils. Sauté mushrooms, red capsicum and spinach until golden and tender and the spinach has wilted. Remove from pan and wipe out pan.
  2. Combine whisked eggs, water and pepper and add to the pan. Cook over medium low heat until omelette is just firm, then fold over in half.
  3. Combine the parsley, lemon rind and macadamias in a separate bowl. Transfer the omelette to a plate, spoon over sauteed mushroom mixture and then top with the macadamia mix.