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Pecan Cinnamon Roll Dough Bites

Description

Blogger Liz Moody makes nutritious snacking easy with this delicious recipe – Pecan Cinnamon Roll Dough Bites!

Ingredients

Filling Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup pecan pieces
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
  • Pinch of salt

Dough Ingredients

  • 2 cups pecan pieces
  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup oat flour
  • 1/8 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

Instructions

  1. Add filling ingredients – pecan pieces, cinnamon, coconut sugar and salt – to a food processor and pulse a few times until the mixture resembles sand. Transfer the mixture to a bowl
  2. Add the 2 cups of pecan pieces from the dough to processor and process for 3-5 minutes, or until the consistency resembles nut butter
  3. Add remaining dough ingredients to the processor and process for 1-2 minutes, until well combined
  4. Roll dough gently into ping pong-sized balls. Then, press and roll into 3 inch sized balls
  5. Press the 3 inch dough into the filling so that one side is coated, then gently coil with that side facing in.
  6. Place bites on parchment-lined pan, pressing any parts that broke back into a ball shape.
  7. Place in freezer to cool. Bites can remain in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Optional: gently toast your pecan pieces at 325 F for 10 min or so, or until fragrant (this takes a bit more time but makes the rolls taste fresh from the oven).Optional: Top these bites with frosting! Mix together one personal sized container of vanilla yogurt with powdered sugar until it’s your desired sweetness. Drizzle on top.

Jerk-Spiced Pecans

Description

Blogger Liz Moody shares a delicious and nutritious 5-minute snack recipe that kicks up the flavor: Jerk-Spiced Pecans! 

Ingredients

  • 2 cups raw, halved pecans
  • 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • Pinch nutmeg
  • Pinch cayenne
  • 3/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 3/4 teaspoon fine grain mineral salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

  1. Add the pecans, smoked paprika, allspice, cinnamon, cumin, nutmeg, and cayenne to a skillet.
  2. Turn heat to medium and toast for 1-2 minutes, until the spices are fragrant.
  3. Add the maple syrup, thyme, salt, onion powder, and garlic powder and stir well to coat, then cook for 2-3 more minutes, until the maple syrup has thickened.
  4. Pour onto parchment paper and space out so they’re not touching each other. They’ll harden as they cool.
  5. Store in a tightly sealed container at room temp for up to 5 days.

California Walnut Cream Alfredo Sauce

Description

This dairy-free white sauce gets it’s flavor from onion, garlic and nutritional yeast. Serve over fettucine, ravioli or any other desired pasta. Reserve water from cooking pasta as you’ll need it for this recipe.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup pasta water, plus additional if necessary for thinning sauce
  • 1 cup California walnuts
  • 1/3 cup chopped onion
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • Hot cooked pasta
  • Chopped California walnuts, toasted
  • Snipped or chopped fresh basil and finely grated lemon zest for garnish

Instructions

  1. Place walnuts, reserved pasta water, onion, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper and garlic in a blender and puree until smooth.
  2. Transfer to a sauté pan add desired pasta, tossing to coat and adding additional pasta water if needed to thin sauce.
  3. Plate pasta and garnish with walnuts, basil and lemon.

Recipe Tip: This pasta sauce is very versatile and may also be served stirred into rice or mashed potatoes.

Walnut Chia Overnight Oats

Description

Sweeten up your breakfast and take the stress out of your mornings by preparing these overnight oats the night before. The maple and vanilla are combined with oats and California Walnuts to give you a hearty and delicious breakfast on-the-go.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup chopped California walnuts
  • 1/3 cup chia seeds
  • 1/3 cup rolled oats
  • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Chopped California walnuts, assorted fresh berries (optional toppings)

Instructions

  1. Stir together all ingredients except toppings in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
  2. Spoon into small bowls and top with additional walnuts and berries.

Apple Walnut Hand Pies

Description

These mini apple pies are filled with fresh apples and dried cranberries, making them a perfect holiday dessert. Cooking them in an air fryer makes the pastry crisp and flakey.

Ingredients

Filling

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 large Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored and chopped
  • 2/3 cup chopped California walnuts
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons dried cranberries
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Crust

  • 1 box refrigerated pie dough
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped California walnuts
  • Nonstick cooking spray

Directions

  1. To prepare filling, melt butter in a large nonstick skillet. Add apples and cook for 10 minutes or until soft. Add walnuts, brown sugar, cranberries and cinnamon and cook for a few minutes more. Set aside to cool.
  2. Unroll each pie dough on a very lightly floured board and sprinkle with walnuts. Gather into a ball and knead several times to incorporate walnuts into dough.
  3. Roll into an 11-inch circle and cut into circles about 4 1/2-inches in diameter. Re-roll scraps and repeat to make 10 circles. Using your fingertips, coat the outside of each circle with water.
  4. Place about 1 1/2 tablespoons of apple mixture into the center of each pastry circle . Bring up 2 edges and pinch the edges to seal in the filling. Crimp firmly with a fork and coat with cooking spray.
  5. Preheat an air fryer set to 350°F for 3 minutes. Cook for 10 minutes or until pies are a light golden brown.
  6. Replace apples with 1 1/2 cups peeled and diced ripe pears and prepare as directed above, melting the butter before adding to the pears.

Strawberry Walnut Date Smoothie

Description

This smoothie gets its nutty flavor from California walnuts and is sweetened with fresh strawberries and dates.

ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups hulled, quartered strawberries
  • 1/2 cup California Walnuts
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (or 1 5.3-oz. cup)
  • 1/2 cup walnut milk (may substitute dairy milk)
  • 3 pitted dates, coarsely chopped
  • Chopped California Walnuts (optional garnish)

Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients in a small blender or food processor and process until smooth.
  2. Garnish with additional walnuts, if desired.

Spiced Walnut Trail Mix

Description

When you’re on the go and need a pick-me-up, this sweet and savory trail mix is a perfect balance of flavors. Just prepare the walnuts and mix everything together. Transfer to a portable container of your choosing and you’re good to go!

Ingredients

Toasted Spiced Walnuts

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup California walnuts
  • 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Trail Mix

  • 2 cups popcorn
  • 1 cup pretzels
  • 1/2 cup granola
  • 1/3 cup dried apricots
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add walnuts and stir well.
  2. Sprinkle curry, chili powder, cumin and chili flakes over walnuts and stir until walnuts are well coated. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until toasted. Season with salt and pepper and let cool.
  3. Place walnuts in a large bowl with all trail mix ingredients and toss well. Store in a tightly covered container. Take on the go in a mason jar or glass container.

Happy Seafood in a Lettuce Cup

Description

Recipe by celebrity Chef Martin Yan, who has traveled around the world, sharing the best of Chinese and American culture, food, and personal enrichment with multiple generations of audiences. His grand vision is shaped by more than 3,500 culinary and travel TV shows, 32 cookbooks, and several restaurants in North America and Asia.

Ingredients

Marinade:

1 tsp / 3.0 g cornstarch

¼ tsp / 1.5 g salt

1/8 tsp / 0.5 g white pepper

2 tsp / 9 g cooking oil

Seafood:

8 oz / 225 g medium raw shrimp, shelled, deveined and diced

4 oz / 115 g raw scallops, diced

Stir-fry Mixture:

2 tbsp / 27 g cooking oil

¼ cup / 20 g green onions, diced

¼ cup / 35 g water chestnuts, diced

¼ cup / 30 g carrot, diced

¼ cup / 60 ml broth, seafood, chicken or vegetarian

1 tbsp / 18 g oyster-flavored sauce

1 tsp / 5 g sesame seed oil

1 tsp / 3 g cornstarch mixed with 2 tsp / 10 g water

1/2 cup / 65 g pistachios, roasted

Assembly:

2 – 3 tbsp / 32 – 48 g Hoisin sauce

Lettuce (iceberg, butter or romaine), cut into 12 lettuce cups

DIRECTIONS

  1. Marinade: In a medium bowl, combine ingredients.
  2. Seafood: Add shrimp and scallops to marinade; stir to coat. Set aside for 30 minutes.
  3. Stir-fry Mixture: Heat a wok or stir-fry pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add oil, swirling to coat sides.  Add seafood; toss and stir-fry for 2 minutes.  Remove seafood from wok.  Add green onions, water chestnuts and carrot; stir-fry until carrot is crisp tender.  Return seafood.  Add broth, oyster sauce and sesame oil. Add cornstarch solution; cook, stirring, until slightly thickened.  Add pistachios; toss well. 
  4. Assembly: To serve, spread a small amount of hoisin sauce in center of a lettuce cup. Add about 2- 3 tablespoons of stir-fry mixture in each lettuce cup and serve.

Almond Milk Cold Brew

description

Recipe by Chef Todd Humphries for Almond Board of California.

ingredients

  • 3 ounces coarse-ground coffee
  • 2 cups filtered cold water
  • 2 cups skin-on almonds
  • Honey, agave, or simple syrup (optional)

instructions

  1. Combine the ground coffee and filtered water and cover. Steep in the refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
  2. Put the almonds in a large container and pour in enough water to cover them. Put a lid or plastic wrap on the container and leave to soak for at least 8 and up to 48 hours.
  3. Pour the cold-brewed coffee through a coffee filter or fine-mesh strainer. Drain and rinse the almonds.
  4. Line the large strainer with the nut bag or cheesecloth and set them over a large bowl.
  5. Put half of the almonds in a blender and add the cold-brewed coffee. Blend until the nuts are finely chopped. Pour them into the nut bag. Repeat with the remaining almonds and 1 ½ c. fresh water.
  6. Strain out the nut pulp and squeeze it to remove as much almond milk as possible. Sweeten the almond milk coffee if desired. Cover and refrigerate the almond milk coffee and almond pulp; reserve the pulp for other recipes.

Walnut Meat Nachos

Description

Serve up a plant-forward appetizer in no time with these walnut meat nachos. The spicy walnut meat is full of tantalizing flavors that complement the chips and fresh toppings.

Ingredients

Spicy Walnut Meat

  • 1 1/2 cups California Walnuts
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons water

Other Nacho Ingredients

  • 6 servings tortilla chips (about 8 cups)
  • 1 cup + 2 tablespoons refried beans
  • 1 1/2 cups traditional or vegan cheese (Mexican blend, Cheddar, Jack or pepper-Jack)
  • Diced tomato, diced avocado, fresh cilantro leaves, jalapeño slices, pickled onion, sour cream, hot sauce or salsa and lime wedges (optional garnishes)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Place all Spicy Walnut Meat ingredients in a food processor and pulse until well-mixed and crumb like. The mixture should look and smell like taco meat and will hold its shape when gently pinched between your fingers.
  3. Place half the chips on prepared baking sheet and top with half the beans, cheese and taco meat. Repeat layers.
  4. Bake for 12 minutes or until cheese is fully melted and chips are lightly browned. Serve with any desired garnishes.