Recipe courtesy of Nuts for Life (www.nutsforlife.com.au)
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked, mashed sweet potato
- 1 cup tahini paste
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 cup almond meal
- 1/4 cup walnuts (chopped)
- 1/4 cup cashews (chopped)
- 1/4 cup cacao powder
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Line a brownie tray with parchment paper.
- Place the mashed sweet potato into a large mixing bowl and combine it with the tahini, maple syrup, and vanilla bean extract. Stir well to combine.
- In a separate small bowl, combine all the dry ingredients, using only 1/4 cup of the chocolate chips (the remaining chocolate chips will be sprinkled on top).
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and fold together.
- Pour the brownie batter into the lined tray and top with remaining chocolate chips.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until cooked through.
- Allow to cool and slice into small pieces.
Tip: Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container. To make this dairy-free and vegan, use dairy-free chocolate chips.
Description
Sweet apples, crunchy toasted walnuts and broccoli slaw make up this simple salad. A honey lemon vinaigrette is the perfect finish. (Make it a main dish salad by adding your choice of lean protein)
Ingredients
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
Salad
- 3/4 cup coarsely chopped California walnuts, toasted
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup minced red onion
- 1 (12-oz.) bag broccoli slaw (4 cups)
- 1 large apple, cored and cut into small bite-size pieces (preferably honey crisp or Fuji)
Instructions
- Whisk together all dressing ingredients in a large bowl.
- Add walnuts, cranberries, onion, broccoli slaw and apple. Toss well to coat with dressing.
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
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
Enjoy this salad with crackers or in a tortilla wrap too.
Ingredients
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoons sour cream, light if preferred
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Salad
- 1 cup julienne or diced apple (tart apples are best such as Granny Smith, Fuji or Honeycrisp)
- 1 cup sliced celery
- ½ cup red grapes, halved
- ½ cup roasted walnuts and pecans (or nuts of choice)
- 2 endives, sliced lengthwise
- 1 small radicchio, shaved
Instructions
- Whisk together the yogurt, sour cream, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season to taste.
- Place apple, celery, grapes and nuts in a large bowl. Add dressing and mix well.
- Combine lettuces and arrange in a bowl, top with apple mixture, and serve straight away with some crusty bread.
Variations
Bring a seasonal touch to this recipe:
- Pears and pine nuts
- Papaya and cashews
- Strawberries and pistachios
- Figs and hazelnuts
- Cantaloupe and almonds
Description
You won’t go back to store bought nut butter after making your own. It’s easy to do, tastes so much fresher, you can use any nut or even a blend, and, most importantly, you know exactly what’s going in it. All you need is a food processor or high-speed blender. Each nut behaves differently because of texture and oil content, and different processors will take different times, so it’s really a matter of experimentation.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of tree nuts (choose your favorite)
Instructions
- Roast 1 cup of nuts. You can use raw nuts, but the flavors and ability to make butter are greatly enhanced after roasting in a 350°F oven for 8-12 minutes. The denser nuts – almonds, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts and macadamias – take a bit longer than walnuts, pecans and pistachios. Check after 8 minutes; they should be just browning and aromatic. Allow to cool to room temperature. Hazelnuts can be bitter if you keep on the skin, so place the nuts in a dish towel and rub off most of the skin before processing.
- Add nuts to food processor and pulse on and off, first to crumbs, then continue to process until a paste starts to form. Scrape down sides, then continue to process until desired consistency. This may take 10-12 minutes, sometimes up to 20 minutes in less powerful processors. If it’s not looking like a paste is forming, add a few drops of a nut or olive oil to help the process.
- Flavor (or not). You may just like to eat your nut butter pure and natural, or make your own designer butter adding ingredients such as honey, maple syrup, soy, chili, nutmeg, chocolate (think Nutella) truffle oil, or stir in jam or jelly to make a swirl.
Tips
Storage – It’s best to store the nut butter in a sealed jar in the refrigerator where it will keep for up to a month.
Variations
- Almond butter: Spread on warm bruschetta and top with sautéed mushrooms (wonderful with chanterelles if they’re in season) and sage. Finish with a squeeze of lemon and pepper.
- Walnut butter: Spread crackers with walnut butter, then top with brie cheese and a fruit paste such as quince or fig. Then all you need is wine!
- Hazelnut butter: Add to a toasted tomato and cheese sandwich with some fresh basil leaves or arugula and a drizzle of good olive oil to complete the experience.
- Pecan butter: The sweet, rich and toasty notes of pecan butter need little to make it great. Simply spread on grain toast with honey and a sliced banana for a delicious meal.
- Pistachio butter: Spread on pizza crust before topping with vegetables, mortadella and mozzarella.
- Cashew butter: Perfect for Asian-inspired dishes. Whisk cashew butter with soy sauce and lime juice and toss through noodles just before serving.
- Brazil nut butter: Avocado toast spread with Brazil nut butter adds a unique depth and is especially great with a garnish of cherry tomatoes, mint and ricotta.
- Macadamia Butter: Just like real butter, macadamia butter makes the base to a wonderful healthier shortbread, or spread it on hot scones with jam for a decadent treat.
Description
By Jenny Shea Rawn, MS, MPH, RD, recipe developer and healthy food blogger at My Cape Cod Kitchen
Ingredients
- 6 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed
- 1 cup California walnuts, chopped
- 1 cup dried sweetened cranberries
- 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) salted butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉ and line a baking sheet with foil.
- Pierce sweet potatoes a few times with a fork and place onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until sweet potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork or sharp knife. Let sweet potatoes cool slightly then slice open lengthwise and spread open slightly. Mash pulp of each sweet potato with a fork.
- Combine chopped walnuts, cranberries, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt into a medium bowl; mix well.
- Mound each sweet potato with 1/3 cup cranberry walnut mixture. Place sweet potatoes back in oven and bake an additional 15 minutes, until topping is warm and fragrant. Remove sweet potatoes from oven.
- Drizzle sweet potatoes with maple syrup and serve warm.
Description
This classic spinach salad is dressed up with Candied California walnuts, blue cheese, prosciutto and pomegranate arils.
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1/4 cup minced red onion
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Candied Walnuts
- 1 cup California walnuts
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Salad
- 10 cups baby spinach
- 8 strips prosciutto
- 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
- 1/3 cup pomegranate arils
- 2 firm but ripe pears, cored and thinly sliced
Instructions
- To prepare dressing, stir together onion, vinegar and Dijon in a small bowl. Slowly add olive oil and whisk well. Season with salt and pepper.
- To prepare Candied Walnuts, heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add walnuts and cook for 5 minutes to toast. Add sugar and cook for a few minutes more or until walnuts are nicely glazed.
- Place salad ingredients in a large bowl and sprinkle with Candied Walnuts. Toss well to coat and serve immediately.
