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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Description
This citrusy, nutty hummus makes a great dip and spread. Try spreading it on panini made with grilled vegetables for a healthful, vegetarian sandwich.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup California walnuts
- 3 tablespoons walnut oil
- 1 garlic clove, quartered
- 1 14-ounce can chickpeas or garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Toast walnuts in 350°F oven for 8 minutes or until golden brown. Cool to room temperature.
- Combine toasted walnuts with oil and garlic and puree in food processor or blender until smooth.
- Add chickpeas, orange zest, orange juice, salt and pepper and continue to blend to an even, smooth consistency. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Serve hummus in small serving bowl alongside toasted pita bread or with a variety of colorful raw vegetables.
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
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
Tree nuts add a crunchy twist to this Avocado Toast.
Ingredients
Spicy Nuts
- ¼ cup mixed nuts, roughly chopped (almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, macadamias and/or walnuts)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons spicy seasoning of preference. such as cajun, Sriracha or tabasco
Avocado Toast
- 2 thick slices grain or sourdough bread
- 2 tablespoons Ricotta cheese
- 1 avocado
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- ½ cup arugula
- 2 poached eggs, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Toss nuts with butter then add chili seasoning to taste. Lay on a baking tray and roast for 6-8 minutes or until aromatic and starting to brown. Allow to cool.
- Toast bread and spread with ricotta cheese. Lay slices of avocado over cheese, then sprinkle with lemon and season. Place a small mound of arugula on top, then scatter spicy nuts over top.
- If desired add a poached egg.
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
This cake is filled with diced apples, honey, and California walnuts for that extra crunch. It’s topped with a sweet glaze that just takes this easy to make cake over the top.
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour, divided
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 cup honey
- ½ cup apple sauce
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 3 eggs
- 1 medium apple, peeled, cored and diced small
- 1 cup roughly chopped California walnuts
Glaze
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 1 tablespoon water (or milk)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¼ cup chopped California walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F and heavily coat a 10-cup Bundt pan with baking spray.
- Stir together 2 cups flour, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl; whisk lightly to combine.
- Place honey, applesauce, oil and orange juice in a mixer bowl and beat with the whisk attachment to combine. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Slowly add flour mixture and beat for 2 minutes to make a smooth batter.
- Toss the chopped apple and walnuts with the remaining tablespoon of flour and pour into batter. Spread batter in prepared pan and bake for 55 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake for 10 minutes, then invert onto a parchment coated wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare glaze just before serving. Whisk together sugar, water or milk and honey in a medium bowl. Stir in chopped nuts and drizzle over cake.
Description
Place a serving of the rice (hot, warm or cooled) in a bowl, then top with a bit of the Heavenly Sauce, followed by the other ingredients listed and ending with the salsa. Add another dollop of the Heavenly Sauce, and bon appétit!
Ingredients
- 1 recipe of Heavenly Jasmine Rice (below)
- 1 1/2 cups of Heavenly Sauce (below)
- 2 to 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 ripe avocados, peeled, seeded, diced
- 2 to 3 medium tomatoes, cored and chopped
- 1 cup sliced black olives
- About 3/4 cup chopped green onion
- 1 cup black beans, canned or fresh-cooked
- 1 1/2 cups salsa
Jasmine Rice Makes 6 to 8 servings
- 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
- 3 cups water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Heavenly Sauce Makes 2-1/2 cups
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1/2 cup roasted and skinned Oregon hazelnuts
- 1/3 cup canned and drained garbanzo beans
- 1/4 cup cooked and drained soybeans*
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/3 cup nutritional yeast*
- 1 tablespoon Ponzu sauce (or soy sauce)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/8 teaspoon ascorbic acid (optional, for “zing”—available in the health food section of most supermarkets)*
* Found in local natural foods store.
Instructions
Jasmine Rice
- In medium-sized heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, sauté the onion in the butter until the onion is soft and translucent (about 5 minutes).
- Add the rice and sauté to evenly coat the grains.
- Add the water and salt, increase the temperature to medium-high and bring the water to a boil, stirring occasionally with a flat-bottomed utensil so the rice won’t scorch.
- Once the water has boiled, reduce the temperature to low, cover, and cook the rice at a very slow simmer for 20 minutes without uncovering the pot.
- After 20 minutes, check the rice. If all the water has been absorbed, the rice is done. Gently fluff it with a fork. If not serving immediately, place a paper towel over the top of the pot and put the lid back on to keep the rice hot (the paper towel absorbs condensation that would otherwise drip back down on the rice and make it soggy).
Heavenly Sauce
- In a blender, combine the oil, hazelnuts, garbanzo beans, soybeans and garlic. Pulse several times, stopping to scrape down the sides to ensure everything is fully blended.
- Once the mixture is a rough purée, add the water, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, Ponzu sauce (or soy sauce), salt, basil, cumin, and ascorbic acid.
- Continue blending until the mixture is relatively smooth (it will remain grainy because of the nuts). Scrape it into a container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Description
Do you love that cup of coffee first thing in the morning? We do too, so we found a way to add hazelnuts to our favorite beverage. This cold brew smoothie bowl brings so many kinds of happiness together–hazelnuts, cold brew coffee, chocolate, honey and bananas. Great for breakfast, great for any time of day.
Ingredients
- 1⁄2 cup Oregon hazelnuts
- 1 banana, frozen and cut into chunks
- 1⁄4 cup unsweetened cold brew coffee or strong brewed coffee
- 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup
- 1 cup ice cubes, crushed
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 1 banana, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon cocoa nibs
- 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- On a medium baking sheet scatter hazelnuts. Place in the oven and bake until fragrant and the skins are blistered, 12-15 minutes. Let cool completely, then roughly chop.
- In a blender combine half the hazelnuts, banana, cold brew or coffee, honey or maple syrup, ice cubes, and espresso powder. Blend until smooth and pour into a bowl.
- Top with banana, cocoa nibs, hemp seeds, and remaining hazelnuts.
Ingredients
Pistachio Aillade
- 1 each garlic clove, grated with a Microplane®
- ½ cup pistachios, whole
- 1 each anchovy, made into paste
- ½ cup pistachio oil
- ¼ each lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon tarragon, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
- ¼ cup shallot, minced
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper, as needed
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Belgian Endive Salad
- 8 heads white Belgian endive
- Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette
- ½ lemon
Assembly
- 3 each Hass avocados, small
- Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
- Maldon sea salt, as needed
Instructions
Pistachio Aillade
In a mortar add pistachios. Pound and grind nuts until fine. Add anchovy, garlic, pistachio oil, lemon zest, tarragon and salt. Mix thoroughly until everything is combined.
Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette
In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, Champagne vinegar, shallots, mustard and salt and a few turns of pepper. Add the extra virgin olive oil, whisking constantly.
Belgian Endive Salad
Cut off ends of the Belgian endives and peel off the leaves. Save half of the leaves whole and cut the remaining half of leaves in half. Place all the endive in a bowl. In the bowl with the Belgian endive, dress with the Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette, a squeeze of lemon juice and kosher salt.
ASSEMBLY
Cut all the avocados in half and take out the pits. Cut the avocados in half to make quarters. Peel off the skin. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with Maldon sea salt.
- Pistachio Aillade
- Avocado quarters
- 1 chunk of Piave cheese
- Belgian Endive Salad
- ½ cup pistachios, whole
- 2 ½ tablespoons pistachios, roughly chopped
- On the center of each plate, smear 1 ounce of Pistachio Aillade into a circle. Place 1 quarter of avocado in the center.
- Grate Piave with a ribbon cheese grater to cover. Pile endive on top, garnish with whole pistachios, and top with 1 quarter of avocado.
- Repeat this for one more layer. Finish the salad with a heavy grating of Piave cheese and top with roughly chopped pistachios.
