Recipe courtesy of Nuts for Life (www.nutsforlife.com.au)
Ingredients
- 2 cups of mixed nuts – (e.g., walnuts, pecans, almonds, cashews, hazelnuts and macadamias)
- 7 ounces of chocolate
- 2 tablespoons of nut butter (e.g., almond butter)
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Roughly crush nuts – this can be done by placing them in a high-speed blender or food processor and quickly pulsing (be careful not to make them into a nut butter). Alternatively, place them into a snap lock bag and roll with a rolling pin, or roughly chop with a knife.
- Line a baking tray with oiled parchment paper.
- Spread the crushed nuts evenly over the parchment paper and then set aside.
- Melt your chocolate – this can either be done in a microwave, stirring a few times, or on a stove top using the double boiler method.
- Once melted, quickly pour hot chocolate evenly over nuts to completely cover. Drizzle with nut butter.
- Place in the freezer for a few hours or overnight.
- Remove from freezer, lift out brittle and break into pieces.
Tip: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month or freeze for up to 3 months.
Description
One look at the grocery store “snack aisle” will tell you that super-spicy snacks and chips are wildly popular. This recipe offers a nutritious, but just as tasty, alternative.
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons White Cheddar popcorn seasoning*
- 2 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons canola oil or vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons red chili pepper hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon water
- 4 cups California walnuts, in halves and large pieces
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Get out a large, shallow baking pan. For easier cleanup, line the pan with parchment paper if you wish, though this is not essential.
- In a small bowl combine the White Cheddar popcorn seasoning, cayenne pepper, paprika, onion powder and garlic powder. Whisk together until thoroughly and evenly blended. Set aside.
- In a large bowl combine the oil, red chili pepper hot sauce and water and whisk together until smooth. Add the walnuts and toss until they are glistening and covered with the oil mixture. Continue tossing and stirring as you sprinkle on the cheese mixture and the nuts become coated with the seasonings.
- Spread the seasoned walnuts on the baking pan. Bake for 6 minutes, and then stir the nuts with a spatula. Bake 6 to 8 minutes longer, until the nuts have browned lightly. Cool completely, then store in an airtight container.
Tip: *White Cheddar popcorn seasoning can be found in the “popcorn” section of most supermarkets. Some people can be sensitive to the heat of hot peppers and their various forms, including red chili pepper hot sauce and cayenne. Use tongs or a big spoon to toss the walnuts with the seasonings, not your bare hands, and work in a well-ventilated kitchen, particularly if you experience any discomfort in the region of your eyes or nose while blending the spicy mixture.
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.
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.
