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.
Mini bites of almond “truffles” are rolled in a globally inspired flavor-packed coating.
Ingredients
1.18 oz cacao nibs
0.2 oz ground cinnamon
0.02 oz ancho chile powder
0.29 oz pure coconut sugar
9.8 oz creamy almond butter
0.59 oz unblanched almond meal or flour
1.47 oz honey
0.29 oz pure vanilla extract
0.2 oz cocoa powder, unsweetened
0.49 oz natural California Almonds, chopped fine
0.49 oz puffed quinoa
Instructions
Prepare Coating
Place cacao nibs in a spice grinder and pulse to a small grind. Finished texture should be a mixture of fine ground with small flecks of cacao nibs intact.
Place ground cacao nibs in a mixing bowl, then add cinnamon, ancho chile powder and coconut sugar. Whisk to combine evenly. Reserve for coating truffles.
Prepare Truffles
Place almond butter, almond meal, honey, vanilla extract and cocoa powder in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Blend lightly until creamy smooth and all ingredients are evenly combined.
Add the fine chopped almonds and puffed quinoa and blend just until evenly combined.
Scoop the mixture into one tablespoon-sized portions, then roll in your hands to form truffle balls.
Roll each almond truffle in the reserved cacao-cinnamon-ancho chile powder, fully and evenly coating each truffle (pressing the powder on to the truffles). Enjoy at room temperature and store in a sealed container.
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.
1/4 ounce fast rise yeast or 1 tablespoon fresh yeast
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup milk, plus 2 tablespoons milk
2 large eggs
Syrup
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar (brand Sugar in the Raw)
4 tablespoons maple syrup
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 cup hazelnut pieces
Glaze
1 large egg
2 tablespoons milk
Filling
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup light brown raw sugar (demerara) or 1/2 cup turbinado sugar (brand Sugar in the Raw)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
INSTRUCTIONS
Butter a 12-cup muffin pan.
Line a roasting pan or baking pan with parchment paper (for turning the sticky buns onto later) large enough to cover muffin pan.
Combine flour, sugar, salt and yeast in a large mixing bowl.
Melt butter in the milk over very low heat and beat in eggs.
Stir milk/butter mixture into the dry ingredients to make the dough. Knead for 10 minutes or for 5 with dough hook. When it is springy and satiny, form a ball and put in a greased bowl. Turn to coat and cover with plastic wrap. Leave in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Syrup: Using an electric mixer cream butter until soft and smooth and add sugar. Beat in syrups and then divide mixture among the muffin cups and top with hazelnuts (about a tablespoonful in each sticky-based waiting cup.).
Preheat oven to 350.
Knock dough back, knead once or twice and then roll out to a large rectangle (apx 24X12) with the long side nearest you. Beat egg and add milk; glaze the dough using a pastry brush or your fingers.
Mix the filling ingredients in a little bowl and sprinkle onto the dough. Now, roll up from the long side and away from you, carefully and firmly (not too tight) keeping a firm sausage shape.
Cut into 12 even slices, and lie each slice spiral-swirly cut side up, on top of the nuts and syrup in the muffin cups.
Leave to rise for about 20 minutes then put into the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, by which time they should be golden.
Place roasting pan or baking sheet on top and turn the whole thing the other way up. Remove the muffin tray and dislodge any nuts that are still stuck in it, adding them, along with any residual syrup, to the upturned buns.
Pistachio-powered portabella mushroom. Recipe by Jeremy Jones, professional snowboarder and National Geographic Adventurer of the Year.
INGREDIENTS
3 Large portabella mushrooms, whole
Enough olive oil to generously coat and drizzle on mushrooms
1 ¼ cups Shelled pistachios, chopped
3 Garlic cloves
Sprinkle tops with Hemp seeds to taste (option)
Salt, pepper and dried herbs like fresh basil or parsley (option)
INSTRUCTIONS
Remove stems and wash mushroom caps. Coat all sides with olive oil. Finely chop one garlic clove per mushroom. Sprinkle inside the mushrooms. Coarsely chop pistachios and fill each cap to the top. Generously drizzle olive oil on top of chopped pistachios.
Bake at 400 degrees, Fahrenheit for 10-15 minutes.
Serve as a main dish or slice into bite-size chunks for an appetizer.
