These tender pear halves are topped with a sweet and savory mix of Oregon hazelnuts and fresh rosemary. As they bake the crumble topping melts into the fruit for a delicious and impressive dessert. The pears are drizzled with warm honey just before serving for an added touch of sweetness.
Ingredients
2 firm pears, halved
½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ old-fashioned rolled oats
¼ cup light brown sugar
1 cup chopped raw hazelnuts
1 teaspoon finely minced fresh rosemary, plus a few leaves for garnish
Pinch fine sea salt
¼ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
2 tablespoons roasted hazelnuts, halved or cracked
2 tablespoons honey, warmed
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a casserole dish large enough to fit the four pear halves with non-stick cooking spray.
Use a melon baller or spoon to carve out the seeds and any hard parts of the core of the pear creating a small round indentation in each halve. Discard the core and seeds. Place the pear halves skin-side down in the baking dish.
Add the flour, oats, brown sugar, raw hazelnuts, rosemary and salt to a medium bowl. Add the butter and use a fork to mash it into the dry ingredients. Continue to work it as it softens and becomes evenly distributed in dime-size pieces.
Divide the topping among the 4 pear halves. Mound and press the topping over the pears.
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the pears are tender but not mushy. Baking time will vary by the size of your pears and their ripeness.
Transfer the warm pears to serving plates. Sprinkled with roasted hazelnuts, drizzle with warm honey, and garnish with rosemary leaves.
Prepare for this snack mix to disappear fast! Crunchy hazelnuts, cereal, and pretzels are coated in a sweet and spicy mix of honey and habanero salt for an addictive treat to share. It pairs perfectly with crisp and refreshing Rogue Honey Kolsch.
Ingredients
3 cups corn Chex cereal
2 cups whole raw hazelnuts
1 cup mini pretzel twists
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons Glory Bee raw honey
2 teaspoons Jacobsen Salt Habanero Salt, or to taste
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F and spray a large rimmed baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
Add the cereal, hazelnuts, and pretzels to a large bowl. Whisk together the melted butter, honey, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a small bowl. Pour over snack mix and stir gently to coat all ingredients.
Transfer the mix to the prepared baking sheet and spread into a single layer. Bake for 15 minutes, then carefully stir and spread back into a single layer. Continue to bake for a total of 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Watch it carefully the last 10 minutes to ensure it doesn’t brown too quickly.
Sprinkle the hot snack mix with ½ teaspoon more of the salt. Once cool enough to taste, season with more salt if desired. Let cool for 5 minutes, or until cool enough to handle. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
These pecan chicken meatballs pack a lot of flavor and can be served alongside a dipping sauce for an appetizer or over your favorite pasta as an easy weeknight main the whole family will love. Recipe submitted by Aubrey Cota, Real Housemoms.
Ingredients
1 pound ground chicken
1/4 cup spinach, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 egg
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
1 cup raw pecan pieces or pecan halves, finely chopped
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine ground chicken, spinach, lemon juice, egg, garlic, onion powder, paprika, salt, pepper, cayenne (if adding), and 1/2 cup pecans.
Mix all ingredients together until well combined.
Roll chicken mixture into meatballs, a little over 1 tablespoon of mixture each.
Place reserved 1/2 cup pecans in a bowl. Roll meatballs in pecans to coat, and then place on prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until meatballs are cooked through.
Serve warm with sauces for dipping or over pasta of your choice as a main dish. Makes about 25 meatball. Serves 5.
The name doesn’t lie: this recipe is pure bliss. The coc and coconut flavors with an added walnut crunch are the dessert you’ve been missing. And for an extra bonus: they don’t even require baking!
Ingredients
2 cup California walnuts
2 tablespoon unsweetened coconut flakes
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
10 pitted Medjool dates
Unsweetened coconut flakes and unsweetened cocoa powder (optional coating)
Instructions
Place walnuts in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
Add coconut, cocoa powder, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla and dates; pulse again until mixture forms a thick paste. (Don’t process too long or mixture will become too sticky.)
Roll into 16 equal balls, then roll in additional coconut or cocoa powder if desired. Store in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to serve.
This lighter take on a teriyaki noodle bowl is a quick and easy crowd-pleasing meal, perfect for a weeknight dinner. Featuring thinly sliced strips of pork tenderloin, bell peppers, matchstick carrots, spiral zucchini noodles and walnuts all tossed in a simple teriyaki sauce. Recipe by Beth Stark, RDN, LDN.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced and divided
1-pound lean pork tenderloin, trimmed of visible fat and cut into ½-1-inch thick strips
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1-1/4 cups shredded or matchstick-cut carrots (about 4 ounces)
1 cup chopped walnuts
1-pound prepared zucchini noodles
1/4 cup lower sodium teriyaki sauce with 1 tablespoon water mixed in
1/4 cup chopped green onion tops
Instructions
Heat 1-1/2 teaspoons sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add half of the minced garlic cloves and half of the pork; cook and stir 5 minutes, or until browned and 145°F. Set aside. Repeat with 1-1/2 teaspoons sesame oil, remaining half of minced garlic cloves and pork; set aside.
To the same skillet, over medium-high heat, add remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil, bell pepper, carrots and walnuts; cook and stir until vegetables are tender; about 3-5 minutes.
Reduce heat to low; add zucchini noodles, pork and combined teriyaki sauce and water to the skillet; use tongs to coat mixture evenly with sauce; cook 5 minutes until heated through. Garnish with green onions and serve.
Need a mid-day energy boost? These easy, no-bake Maple Walnut Energy Balls combine walnuts, oats, dates, maple syrup and are rolled in diced walnuts for added crunch. Recipe by Crowded Kitchen.
Ingredients
2 cups walnuts, plus 1/4 cup for coating
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup Medjool dates, pitted (about 7 dates)
3 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
Add 2 cups walnuts, oats, dates, maple syrup, vanilla and salt to a food processor. Blend until smooth and the dough forms together into cohesive balls, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Finely dice the remaining 1/4 cup walnuts and add to a plate.
Form the dough into 16 balls and roll each ball in the diced walnuts to coat. Store the energy balls in an airtight container in the fridge for a week, or in the freezer for up to three months.
Ditch traditional bread for sweet potato slices for this gluten-free take on classic avocado toast. Diced walnuts offer some added crunch while red pepper flakes kick things up with a little heat. Recipe by Crowded Kitchen.
Ingredients
2 sweet potatoes
2 avocados, thinly sliced
1/2 cup walnuts, diced
1-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, plus more if desired
4 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon flaky salt
Instructions
Slice a small plank off one side of each sweet potato lengthwise. This will act as a base, so you can cut the sweet potato into toast slices easily. Prop the sweet potato on the flat side you created and slice each potato into planks about 1/4 inch thick.
For toaster preparation, pop the sweet potato planks in the toaster and toast until tender. This may take a few times, depending on your toaster.
For oven preparation, preheat your oven to 350° F. Lay the sweet potato planks on a baking sheet and spray with cooking spray. Roast for 6-7 minutes per side, until they are easily pierced with a fork.
When they’re done toasting, lay the sweet potato toasts on plates and top with sliced avocado. Mash the avocado gently with a fork. Sprinkle with diced walnuts, red pepper flakes and drizzle with olive oil. Top with flaky salt.
Baked apples are a classic fall dessert and this version is made sweeter (and more nutritious) with pecans. Combine pecans, brown sugar and fresh apple slices for a comforting dessert that can be served on its own or alongside ice cream.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup raw pecan pieces
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room-temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
5 apples, cored and cut in half
3 1/3 cups vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch-by-13-inch casserole dish.
In a bowl, combine pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and kosher salt. Stir to combine. Using a fork, cut the butter into the brown sugar mixture until it resembles pea-sized crumbs.
Add the apple halves to the prepared casserole dish. Evenly sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over the top of the apples. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the apples are tender.
Serve warm. If you’d like, top each apple with around 2/3 cup ice cream and a generous drizzle of the caramelized brown sugar mixture at the bottom of the pan.
With just a few simple ingredients, whip up these cherry pecan energy bites in under 10 minutes for a nutritious, power-packed snack! Chock full of super foods including pecans, cherries and oats – they’re deliciously packed with nutrients.
Ingredients
1 cup toasted pecan halves or pieces
1 cup dried cherries
4 medjool dates, pitted
1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
1 tablespoon cacao powder, plus more for coating
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Add all of the ingredients to the bowl of a food processor.
Pulse until the ingredients begin to bind and form a loose dough-like ball.
Roll into 1-inch balls. Roll the balls in cacao powder (optional) and transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 10 to 12 energy bites.
Notes
To make this recipe gluten-free, substitute 1/4 cup of certified gluten-free old-fashioned oats.
The energy balls will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
A fresh Atlantic salmon is gently drizzled with olive oil, lightly coated with a sweet honey and topped with finely crushed pistachios. Recipe by Chef Jesse Brune.
INGREDIENTS
10 ounces of fresh Atlantic salmon (a little more than half a pound)*
½ tablespoon olive oil (optional)
1 tablespoon raw honey
1/4 cup pistachios, finely crushed and chopped
Salt and pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Cut salmon in half to make two 5-ounce pieces. If salmon has skin still attached, leave it on to lock in extra moisture.
Gently drizzle olive oil on salmon, leaving an extremely light coat.
Lightly season with salt and pepper.
Pour honey over salmon halves and gently rub honey into meat using the back of a spoon.
Spread chopped pistachios over flat surface of plate and place glazed portion of the fish onto the pistachios, generously covering surface.
Place pistachio-covered salmon into an oven-safe dish or on a cookie sheet lined with foil. Place in heated oven for 10 minutes or until done (shouldn’t take more than 12 minutes max).
To make sure the salmon is done, gently press surface of fish with a fork. There should be a firm bounce.
