Description
This breakfast has lots of variations. The grains you use are totally up to your taste preference, and the more you use, the greater the nutrient content, flavor and texture. You can cook a week’s worth ahead of time, and store sealed in the refrigerator, so all you have to do is add the accompaniments. If you want gluten free, go for quinoa, millet, whole oats or even grits for a Southern twist! Other great grains are farro, barley, and rye. All have different cooking times, so be sure to read the package before cooking.
Ingredients
Sweet Version
- 1 cup cooked grains of choice
- ¼ cup apple or orange juice
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- 1 cup fruit of choice, such as berries, peaches, apple or pear
- ½ cup chopped mixed tree nuts (almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios and/or walnuts)
Instructions
- Toss the grains with the juice in a bowl. Spoon over yogurt and berries and scatter with nuts. If making a savory version, omit juice and spoon toppings over cooked grains.
Savory Version
- 1 cup cooked grains of choice
- Topping suggestions: Sautéed spinach, mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, avocado, bacon, poached egg and/or fresh herbs
- Toasted nuts
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
Whether topped with sweet and salty ingredients or marbled with sweet dark and white chocolate, Chocolate Walnut Bark is a delightful treat any time of year.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups California walnuts
- 1/2 cup Pomegranate arils (seeds), fresh
- 1/2 teaspoon course or flaked sea salt
- 1 (12-ounce) bag dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips or 12-ounce chocolate bar, broken loosely into pieces
- 1 (12-ounce) bag white chocolate chips or 12-ounce white chocolate bar, broken loosely into pieces
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
Instructions
- Coarsely break or rough chop walnuts and place in a small bowl, leaving aside any skins that have broken off.
- Set pomegranate arils out beside the walnuts.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Melt chocolate. Microwave technique: Place about 2/3 of the dark or milk chocolate chips in a medium glass bowl with 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. Microwave on 50% power for 30 seconds and stir. Repeat until the chips are mostly melted. Add the remaining chips into the bowl and stir vigorously. You will have a thick, melted bowl of chocolate. Repeat the melting steps with the white chocolate and remaining vegetable oil. Stovetop technique: Using a double boiler on medium heat with 1-2 inches of water to the bottom pan, careful to make sure that the water does not touch the bottom of the upper pan (or other heat-safe mixing bowl). Add the chocolate and stir frequently as you see the chocolate begin to melt. Once melted, remove from heat and add the remaining chocolate chips into the bowl and stir vigorously. Repeat for the white chocolate and remaining vegetable oil.
- Using a spatula, spoon out the melted chocolate onto the parchment paper to make a 1/4-inch layer. You can create an optional marbled look by reserving and dropping spoonfuls of the dark chocolate onto the white layer and white chocolate onto the dark layer and using a knife to create an unstructured pattern.
- Sprinkle with walnuts and pomegranate arils and lightly press them into the surface of the chocolate. Sprinkle a few flakes of sea salt across the bark.
- Refrigerate on the baking sheet until firm, then remove from the refrigerator and carefully break it into pieces.
- Store in the refrigerator on layers of parchment paper in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Tips
- Make sure to melt the chocolate slowly at a lower power, stirring frequently. Melting too fast can cause the chocolate to become discolored.
- Melting about 2/3 of the chocolate and then adding the rest to the hot, melted chocolate will yield the best bark texture. Stirring the chocolate well as it starts to cool will also help give the bark the best texture.
- If you are marbling the chocolate, don’t overmix. Swirl back and forth in a zigzag or in circles until you get your desired look.
- Don’t spread too thin or the toppings won’t hold.
- Store in the refrigerator until close to serving, especially in warmer climates or in a warm house, or the bark may become soft.
Variations
1 cup coarsely chopped pretzels
3/4 cup coarsely crushed candy canes
3/4 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup coconut chips or large flakes unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup toffee bits
1/2 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
1/2 cup mini marshmallows and 1/2 cup coarsely crumbled graham cracker crust
A light sprinkle of flaked smoked sea salt
Description
As seen on the Hallmark Home & Family Channel. Featuring nutrient-rich cranberries, walnuts and orange juice, this tart-sweet combination is perfect for your holiday breakfast or brunch. Make ahead the night before and pop in the oven in the morning!
* Nutrition information is for French Toast only
Ingredients
Overnight Walnut French Toast
- 8 slices Texas Toast or 1-inch thick slices French bread
- 2 1/2 cups milk or walnut milk
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup butter, melted (plus extra for baking dish)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 6 eggs
Cranberry Walnut Ginger Compote
- 1/2 cup toasted California Walnuts, coarsely chopped
- 2 cups cranberries
- 1/2 cup orange juice (juice from 2 oranges)
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- Zest from 1 orange
Instructions
Overnight Walnut French Toast
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Place bread on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes or until it’s lightly toasted on the outside, but still very soft on the inside. Butter a 13 X 9– inch baking dish.
- Whisk together milk, sugar, butter, extract, cinnamon and eggs in a large bowl. Dip each bread slice into mixture and let soak for about 15 seconds on each side. Place in prepared baking dish, overlapping slices slightly if necessary.
- Cover and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until it’s golden brown and somewhat firm to the touch. Serve immediately.
Cranberry Walnut Ginger Compote
- To toast walnuts: Preheat oven or toaster oven to 350°F. Place walnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 8 minutes. Remove from heat and chop coarsely.
- On medium heat, bring to a boil and stir frequently for 12-15 minutes until the cranberries pop and the liquid starts to reduce.
- Serve warm or transfer to container and refrigerate once cooled.
Ingredients
Harissa-Spiced Lamb Chops
- 8 lamb chops
- 1 1⁄2 tablespoons Harissa spice mix 1 tablespoon chopped mint
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 1⁄2 cup Grapeseed oil, as needed
- 1 cup pistachios, crushed
Pistachio Romesco
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1⁄2 red onion, sliced
- 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- 4 Piquillo peppers (canned)
- 1⁄4 cup sourdough croutons
- 1⁄2 cup pistachios, crushed
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- Salt and pepper
Glazed Eggplant
- 2 Japanese eggplants
- 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar 2 tablespoons honey
- Olive oil, as needed
- Salt and pepper
Pistachio Raita
- 1 cup thick Greek yogurt
- 1⁄2 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded, and grated
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled, germ removed and finely grated 1⁄2 lemon, zested
- 2 tablespoons mint, chopped
- 2 tablespoons pistachios, crushed
- Salt and pepper, as needed
Instructions
Prep Ahead
- Combine the Harissa spice mix and herbs with the grapeseed oil and blend using a hand blender until it forms a paste. Pour over the lamb and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or overnight.
- Slice the eggplant into 1-inch slices.
- Crush the pistachios using a pot until they are finely chopped. Reserve.
- Over an open flame, blacken the skin of the red bell pepper. Transfer the pepper to a bowl and cover it with plastic, steam at room temperature for 10 minutes. Peel the black skin from the red pepper and trim away the seeds.
- Thinly slice the red onion, Piquillo peppers, 2 cloves of garlic and combine in a bowl. Roughly dice the tomatoes and combine in the same bowl. Reserve.
- Peel, seed and grate the cucumber. Toss it with 1 teaspoon of salt and rest at room temperature for 10 minutes to extract the liquid. Squeeze dry the grated cucumber and transfer to a small bowl.
- Mix the Pistachio Raita, then combine all ingredients in the bowl with the grated cucumber, season with salt, lemon zest and pepper to taste. Mix in the crushed pistachios and chopped mint.
Instructions
- For the Pistachio Romesco: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the onion, tomatoes, garlic, and Piquillo peppers. Sauté until the onions are tender and the liquid has evaporated; about 4 minutes. Transfer peppers and cooked vegetables to a blender with the croutons, pistachios, and vinegar. Blend until smooth and while running, pour in the remaining olive oil until emulsified. Season, to taste, with paprika, salt and pepper.
- For the Glazed Eggplant: Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add eggplant in a single layer (you may need to do this in batches) and sear until golden brown on both sides. Reduce heat to medium and deglaze using the sherry vinegar and honey. Bring to a simmer until reduced to a glaze.
- For the Lamb Chops: When ready to serve, preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Season the marinated lamb with salt and pepper and then grill the lamb until it is cooked to your desired temperature (about 5 minutes for medium rare). Remove from the grill and let rest for a few minutes. Brush some Romesco Sauce on each side of each chop and dip them in the reserved crushed pistachios to coat them.
Assembly
- Spoon some Romesco sauce onto each plate and drag a spoon across it to make a well.
- Place 4 slices of glazed eggplant over the sauce and sprinkle some toasted pistachios on top.
- Divide the lamb chops between the plates and serve the Raita on the side.
Description
Created by Chef Christine Farkas of IHeart Food Consulting on behalf of the Almond Board of California.
Ingredients
- 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
- 2 cups unsweetened rice milk
- 8 tablespoons almond protein powder
- 1 ½ tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ vanilla bean, scraped (optional)
- ½ – 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 4 cinnamon sticks, as garnish
- ice, as needed
Directions
- Place both milks, protein powder, honey, vanilla, ground cinnamon and sea salt in a blender and process until smooth.
- Pour over ice, garish with cinnamon stick, and enjoy immediately, or portion into bottles, refrigerate and enjoy for snacking on the go.
Description
Taste the flavor of Oregon’s state nut in chef Kei Ohdera’s Hazelnut Grits.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 1 pint whole raw Oregon hazelnuts
- 2 small onions, divided
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed in 1/4 cup water
- 5 tablespoons grapeseed oil, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and White pepper
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring water to just a boil then reduce heat to medium-low until water is simmering. Add baking soda first, then hazelnuts. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the skins have softened. Drain hazelnuts and remove skins*. Pulse the hazelnuts several times in a food processor until finely chopped (approximately the size of a grain of rice). Set aside.
- Finely mince one onion and set aside.
- Take the second onion and slice evenly. Heat 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the sliced onions to a saucepan and reduce heat to low. Cook until onions are soft and translucent, but not browned.
- Add water and bring to a simmer. Whisk in cornstarch slurry and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Using an immersion blender, slowly pour in 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil and blend until smooth. Pour mixture through sieve to remove any chunks and set aside.
- Add remaining 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil to a separate pan and cook over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add minced onion and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add finely chopped hazelnuts and onion-cornstarch mixture. Stirring continuously and cook until thickened and the mixture resembles the consistency of grits.
- This recipe is easily customized by adding toppings such as fried shallots and herbs such as cilantro and parsley.
*To remove skins, rub hazelnuts vigorously with a clean dish towel.
Description
Guaranteed to be your new favorite comfort food! Power up and conquer the day ahead with a steaming bowl of oats to keep you full and fueled for hours.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup rolled oats
- 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
- 2 teaspoons chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon almond butter
- Liquid stevia or preferred sugar substitute, to taste
- 10 unroasted whole almonds
- Optional: fresh fruit slices or berries
Instructions
- Using a food processor or blender, grind rolled oats into an almost flour-like consistency.
- Pour ground oats, almond milk, chia seeds, cinnamon, vanilla extract and salt into a medium size pot and stir.
- Place on stove and set heat to medium. Bring to a boil.
- Once the mixture is boiling, lower temperature to a simmer.
- Stir slowly and cook until the oats reach a medium-thick consistency (Tip: Add more water if the consistency of the mixture is too thick).
- Remove pot from heat and let cool.
- Stir in the almond butter and sugar substitute.
- Divide into two bowls and top with whole almonds for a crunchy finish! You can also add fresh fruit, if desired.
Description
Spread your love of almonds with this finger-licking, sweet and buttery treat! You’ll find excuses to put this spread on everything and anything.
Ingredients
- 3 cups roasted, unsalted almonds
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons toasted unsweetened coconut flakes
- Optional: 1 tablespoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Pour almonds into a food processor or blender and pulse until they are finely ground.
- Add honey and coconut flakes to almonds; pulse again until the almond mixture becomes thick and smooth. If needed, add coconut oil for a smoother consistency. Store covered in the refrigerator.
Description
So nutritious and super-delish! The plant-based 6g of protein and 5g of fiber in every bite will help you to fuel up fast with this ultimate no-bake snack.
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond butter
- 1/3 cup coconut flour
- 3 medjool dates, pitted
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- Optional: 2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut flakes
- Optional: 10 unroasted whole almonds
Instructions
- Combine almond butter, coconut flour, medjool dates, maple syrup, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and salt into a food processor or blender and combine until the mixture is super-smooth (Tip: pause the food processor/blender several times to pull all the ingredients to the middle using a spatula while mixing).
- Scoop mixture onto parchment paper and hand-roll into 10 evenly-sized balls.
- If desired, roll the balls in unsweetened coconut flakes and top each ball with a whole almond for added texture and crunch!
- Chill balls in fridge for at least an hour.
