Description
Expect a touch of smoky flavor in these vegetarian tacos, courtesy of the fire roasted corn and chipotle adobo sauce. That boldness in flavor is contrasted with creamy cotija cheese and sour cream, and brightness from fresh lime and cilantro. The “meat” is made with a hearty combination of walnuts and chopped mushrooms. For a twist on the recipe, serve the taco filling over a rice base instead of in tortillas.
Ingredients
Chipotle Sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chipotle adobo sauce
- 1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
California Walnut Taco “Meat”
- 1 1/2 cups raw shelled walnuts
- 2 cups roughly chopped white button mushrooms
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 1/2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, for cooking
Tacos
- 12 small flour or corn tortillas
- 1 cup drained fire roasted corn
- 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
- 1 lime, sliced into wedges
Instructions
- Stir together chipotle adobo sauce and sour cream in a small bowl. Refrigerate until serving.
- Combine walnuts, mushrooms, cumin, chili powder, garlic, soy sauce and lime juice in a food processor. Pulse to break up walnuts and mushrooms into small crumbles.
- Heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a skillet. Add walnut mixture and cook, stirring occasionally for 7-8 minutes, until mushrooms are tender.
- Spoon walnut taco meat over tortillas topped with roasted corn, cotija, chipotle sauce, cilantro, and lime wedges
Description
Walnuts really make the difference with this simple homemade chocolate brownie recipe. Rich and delicious!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips
- 2/3 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 eggs
- 3/4 cup California walnuts, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Butter a 9″x9″ square baking pan.
- In a double boiler over low heat, melt butter and chocolate chips together and remove from heat.
- In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients.
- When the chocolate/butter mixture has cooled a little whisk in the eggs and vanilla.
- Note: it is important to cool the chocolate/butter mixture or the eggs will cook.
- Add the dry ingredients and whisk to combine.
- Stir in the chopped walnuts.
- Pour batter into prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a knife inserted into center comes out clean.
Recipe courtesy of Nuts for Life (www.nutsforlife.com.au)
Ingredients
- 2 large zucchini, grated
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- ¼ cup reduced fat feta cheese
- 2 green onions, finely chopped
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 1 medium egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley
- 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce, to serve
- 1 lemon cut into 4 wedges, to serve
Instructions
- Place the zucchini in a bowl with the rest of the ingredients and stir to fully combine. Set aside for 10 minutes.
- Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat and spray with olive oil spray.
- Place tablespoonfuls of mixture in the pan and cook for 2 minutes each side until golden and cooked through. Remove from the pan and keep warm as you repeat with remaining mixture.
- Serve with 2 teaspoons of sweet chilli sauce and a wedge of lemon for each serve.
Bake out of the ordinary with this nut-infused take on the classic apple pie.
Ingredients
Pastry
- 1 cup raw macadamias, almonds, hazelnuts, pine nuts or a mixture, frozen or chilled
- ¾ cup plain flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 egg, beaten, plus one for glaze
- 2-3 tablespoons chilled water
Filling
- 4 large baking apples, cored and sliced into ¼ inch slices
- Juice and zest of ½ lemon
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Pinch of salt
Crumble
- ¼ cup rolled oats
- ¼ cup flour
- ½ cup chopped pecans, walnuts and/or pistachios
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons soft butter
Instructions
- To make pastry, place the nuts, flour, cornstarch and sugar in a blender and process until nuts are finely ground. Add egg and pulse to combine, then add water in a slow drizzle until mix forms a dough.
- Transfer to a floured board and knead gently until smooth. Cover in plastic wrap and allow to sit in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. (Pastry can be made a few hours ahead of time).
- Place apples and remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix with hands until apples are thoroughly coated in mixture.
- To make crumble, combine oats, flour, nuts, and sugar in a bowl. Cut butter into small pieces and add to mix. Rub in with fingertips until evenly distributed.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lay a sheet of parchment on a baking tray.
- Roll the dough out to a rough oval to fit tray, about ¼-inch thick. Carefully lift onto parchment.
- Lay apples over pastry, leaving 2-3 inches at edge. Fold pastry over apples, creating pleats to enclose the filling. Whisk remaining egg with a teaspoon of water and brush evenly over pastry.
- Scatter crumble mixture over apples then transfer to the oven.
- Bake 45-55 minutes or until golden brown and caramelized.
Description
Nuts add a silky texture so you don’t need to add anything else for a luscious creamy soup.
Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, finely diced
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ cup dense nuts, such as almonds, hazelnuts, macadamias, Brazil nuts or a mixture
- 1 pound carrots, peeled and chopped
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt, to serve
Raisin, Nut and Cumin Agrodolce
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoons honey
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 4 tablespoons golden raisins
- 4 tablespoons nuts – pistachios, pine nuts and walnuts work great with these flavors
Instructions
- Heat a large saucepan over medium heat, add fennel seeds and toast for 1 minute. Add olive oil, garlic and spices and cook 1 minute, until aromatic. Add nuts and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring until nuts are aromatic but not browned. Add carrots and stock and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10-12 minutes or until carrots are soft but haven’t lost their color. Cool slightly, then place carrots in blender with half the liquid. Puree, adding remainder of liquid as you puree until desired consistency. If still too thick, add some more stock, wine or, for a creamy version, milk.
- Season to taste and return to heat.
- To make agrodolce, toast cumin seeds in a dry pan on medium heat until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add honey, stir to just melt, then stir in lemon, golden raisins and nuts. Remove from heat.
- Spoon soup into bowls and top with a swirl of yogurt, followed by agrodolce.
Description
A nutty alternative to the typical burger!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 shallot, chopped
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 8 ounces mixed mushrooms such as shiitake, cremini, portobello (shiitake will add the depth of umami), diced
- 1 teaspoon chopped sage leaves
- ½ cup grated carrot or butternut squash
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- ½ cup finely chopped nuts of choice
- 2 cups cooked rice (brown, black forbidden or short grain)
- Juice and zest of ½ lemon
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- ½ cup mixed nuts, processed to a fine powder (or buy nut meal, such as almond or hazelnut)
- Ciabatta buns, Dijon mustard, arugula and plain Greek yogurt, to serve.
Tomato Salsa
- 2 ripe Roma tomatoes, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts, diced macadamias and/or walnuts
Instructions
- Combine salsa ingredients and set aside.
- Heat half the olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the shallot, mustard and cumin seeds and sauté until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and sage, and sauté until soft and browned, 4-5 minutes, adding more oil if needed. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly, squeezing off any excess moisture.
- Place the sautéed shallot, mushrooms, nuts, rice and ½ of the panko in a food processor. Pulse until just combined, but still coarse. Add carrot, parsley, lemon juice and zest, and pulse just to mix in. Season to taste.
- Transfer to a large bowl and fold in ¼ cup panko. Test to see if mixture holds together to form burgers. If too wet, add more panko.
- Combine remaining panko with nut meal. Shape mixture into 4 burgers and roll in crumbs. Place them on a large plate, cover and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
- Heat a nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Coat the bottom of the skillet with remaining oil and cook the burgers for 4-5 minutes each side or until golden brown and crisp.
- While burgers are cooking, grill or toast cut sides of brioche, spread with Dijon and place lettuce on base. Top with a burger and a dollop of yogurt. Spoon a mound of tomato salsa on top, add the top bun and serve right away.
Description
An easy and healthy side dish with lots of variations.
Ingredients
- 2 medium fennel bulbs, white parts only
- 1 cup quartered mushrooms
- 2 small zucchini, cut into ½ inch slices
- ½ cup sliced basil, separated
- 1 lemon, sliced
- 6 Roma tomatoes, quartered lengthways (or a small tub cherry tomatoes, halved)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Crumble
- 1 cup roughly chopped nuts of choice – almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios and/or walnuts
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil or line an ovenproof dish.
- Combine nuts. Halve the basil and parmesan cheese and set aside.
- Slice fennel in half lengthwise, remove the core, and slice into 6-8 wedges.
- Place in a large sieve with the mushrooms, zucchini and the remaining basil.
- Drizzle olive oil over vegetables and rub all over so they are fully coated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Add tomatoes and lemon.
- Place in ovenproof dish and bake for 25 minutes, then scatter crumble over top.
- Bake for 10 minutes further or until vegetables are tender and crumble is golden.
Alternative roasted vegetable and nut pairing suggestions:
- Eggplant – walnuts and macadamias
- Winter squash – pecans and pine nuts
- Brussels sprouts – cashews and hazelnuts
- Peppers and potato – almonds and pistachios
A pizza is a blank canvas, and an unexpected combination of toppings elevates this humble homemade pie to a work of art.
Ingredients
Pistachio Pesto
- ½ cup pistachios
- 1 tablespoon shredded parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- Juice and zest of ½ lemon
Pizza
- 1 ball pizza dough, store bought or homemade (Many pizza restaurants will also sell you a ball of pizza dough.)
- 1 zucchini, finely sliced (or finely sliced Brussels sprouts)
- 3-4 leaves basil, sliced
- ½ cup fresh ricotta
- 2 tablespoons dried currants
- 2 tablespoons roasted pine nuts, diced walnuts and pistachios
- 1 handful arugula
- Freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 475-500°F.
- To make the pesto, place the nuts, parmesan and olive oil in a blender and pulse on and off to a coarse paste. Add half the lemon juice and zest and pulse for a few seconds. Season to taste with salt.
- Stretch the dough to desired size for your pizza pan or stone. Spread with pistachio pesto and arrange zucchini slices over top. Bake for 5 minutes or until dough is starting to color.
- Remove from oven. Mix ricotta with remaining lemon zest and spoon small dollops over pizza, top with basil, and return to the oven. Bake 8-10 minutes or until crust is golden (check the bottom).
- While still piping hot, scatter with currants, pine nuts, walnuts and a handful of arugula. Drizzle remaining lemon juice and a little olive oil and fresh pepper on top and/or optional Pizza Sauce Topping.
Optional Pizza Sauce Topping:
- 1 Thai chili
- 1 teaspoon water
- 4 tablespoons honey
Directions: Mix ingredients and heat to just a simmer (do not boil). Drizzle on top of pizza and enjoy.
Description
This is your chance to create your own nut delight, whether sweet, salty, bitter, sour or umami. These nuts can be used just to nibble on their own, or as added flavor in a dish. For example, pepper dusted cashews over a salad in place of pepper, honey cinnamon macadamias over cereal rather than sugar, or soy almonds in stir fry. There are many methods for flavoring nuts – here are a few ideas.
Roasted Nuts
There are a few different ways to add seasoning to nuts in the oven:
- Toss 1 cup of nuts in a teaspoon of oil, then dust with spices of choice – chili, cumin, turmeric, cardamom, nutmeg, allspice, Chinese five spice, mustard powder or any other powdered herb. Lay on a lined baking tray and roast for 15-20 minutes at 350°F until golden brown.
- Place nuts in a casserole dish, drizzle with olive (or preferred nut oil) and scatter fresh sprigs of herbs over top, such as rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage or bay leaves. Even a few thin slices of lemon or orange zest work well. Toss to combine. Place in 350°F oven and bake for 10–15 minutes, tossing once or twice during cooking, until nuts are golden brown and aromatic. Cool and place in sealed jars with the seasonings and zest so flavors can develop.
Sautéed Nuts
Sautéing provides a rich coating for nuts and is best eaten straight away or within a week. These are great on cheese platters and in rice, pasta and stir fries.
- Melt a mixture of 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a large sauté pan.
- When melted, add a teaspoon of powdered seasoning, such as the combinations listed above, and stir until well blended.
- Add a cup of nuts of choice and stir to coat. Cook over medium-low heat, tossing pan constantly, until nuts are golden brown. Pour into a strainer and allow to cool.
Caramelized Nuts
Stove Top:
- Place 1 cup of nuts, ¼ cup sugar and 1 tablespoon butter in a nonstick pan over medium heat and cook, stirring for 5 minutes. Seasonings such as cinnamon and nutmeg can be added while stirring.
- Pour onto parchment paper and allow to cool, then break apart with hands. Store in a sealed container at room temperature.
Oven then Stovetop Version
- Toast the nuts in the oven first. Next, make a traditional caramel in a saucepan with 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon butter and toss in the nuts when ready. Try using a bit of Grand Marnier or other liqueur in the caramel and then pour onto parchment paper to cool.
Sweet-Dusted Nuts
Whether it’s cocoa, mint powder, cinnamon or vanilla, making sweetened nuts is simple and a great alternative to chocolate and candy. Sweet-dusted nuts are great chopped and sprinkled on oatmeal, yogurt or ice cream.
- Toss nuts in whisked egg white, just enough to coat, then add powdered spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice or ginger, and a sprinkle of sugar.
- Toss well then transfer to a lined baking sheet and bake on a low heat, 250°F, for 30-40 minutes or until golden and the mixture is caramelized on the nuts.
For Cocoa- or Mint-Dusted Nuts:
- Soften ¼ cup honey until runny. Add a few drops of vanilla if desired, then add 1 cup roasted nuts and toss to coat well. Strain off excess liquid.
- Place cocoa in bowl, add nuts and toss to coat all nuts. The best way to do this is to lift and shake the bowl. Spread on a lined tray to dry.
- For Mint-dusted Nuts, combine ¼ cup each: powdered sugar and cornstarch. Add a few drops of peppermint essence.
- Add nuts to coat and proceed as above.
Description
A colorful and tasty twist to an old favorite.
Ingredients
Cream Filling
- 4 egg yolks
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup mascarpone cheese
- 1 tablespoon Cointreau, plus more to taste (optional)
Assembly
- ½ cup Grand Marnier, Marsala, sweet wine or sherry
- ½ cup orange juice
- 1½ packets (10.5 ounces) Savoiardi Ladyfingers
- 2 cups mixed berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, strawberries or seasonal fruit
- 1 cup nuts of choice (Try a different nut on each layer, such as roasted hazelnuts, sliced almonds, chopped macadamias, and pistachios.)
Instructions
- Line an 8×8 high-sided dish (or 9-inch rectangle) with parchment paper to make it easier to lift out.
- With electric mixer, beat egg yolks with ¼ cup sugar until pale, creamy and doubled in volume. Remove from bowl and scrape down sides.
- Whip ricotta and mascarpone with remaining sugar until soft peaks form. Fold in the Cointreau and egg mixture and whisk until well combined. Don’t overmix or you’ll lose the volume.
- Place the juice and Grand Marnier in a shallow dish. Dip ladyfingers in mixture just enough to moisten. (Be careful not to keep them in too long or they will fall apart.) Lay close together on the bottom of the dish.
- Spoon half the mascarpone mixture over top, followed by a layer of fruit. Scatter half the nuts over top. Repeat layers, end with a scattering of nuts.
- If there is any liquid remaining, drizzle a little over the top. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
