walnuts

Walnut-Topped Ginger Drops

Leah Short — Tue, 22 Jan 2019 14:25:15 +0000

These Walnut-Topped Ginger Drops were the surprise favorite from Cookie Baking Day 2018. I chose this recipe because I like to have a good variety of cookies, or else I end up with all chocolate! I thought these were so unique with the candied ginger and cardamom. The cookies are almost cake-like and barely sweet, so the touch of vanilla chip drizzle on top is perfect. I wasn’t sure if these would appeal to everyone, but they were the #1 cookie that my coworkers talked about!

What I really love about these cookies is how they are decorated. The one walnut on top with the drizzle looks so cool to me. It was hard finding whole walnut halves, but it can be done! If all you have are walnut pieces, those would look just fine on top. You could also substitute pecans or almonds for the walnuts. Another fun decorating twist is to color the vanilla baking chips. With Valentine’s Day coming up, these would be a fantastic dessert with pink drizzle!

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Clean Slate: Chocolate Walnut Brownies

Leah Short — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 13:52:52 +0000

I’ve saved the best for last in my Clean Slate series. However, I’d never argue that dessert wasn’t always the best anyway. Have you seen that movie Simply Irresistible with Sarah Michelle Gellar and Sean Patrick Flanery? Super cute movie with a food theme, so I love it. There’s one line where SMG says something like “dessert is the whole point of the meal” and I couldn’t agree more! You will not believe these Chocolate Walnut Brownies are in a clean eating cookbook! I don’t usually like to mess with desserts, but these are a winner. I didn’t share one single brownie. That’s saying something!

So, how’s it taste?

Would you believe there’s no all-purpose flour in this recipe? It’s all almond flour, making these brownies gluten-free! Instead of sprinkling the walnuts on top, as the recipe suggests, I mixed them in. I didn’t want them to get too toasted on top and it worked perfectly.

The brownies were a bit more fragile than brownies made with all-purpose flour, but the flavor more than makes up for that. They’re just perfect.

I was nervous about being able to detect the olive oil in the finished brownie, but you can’t. You also can’t detect the maple syrup, which is what I wanted. I still want them to taste like good old-fashioned brownies, even if they are part of clean eating! Believe it or not, you don’t have to give up decadent desserts!

The dishes you see in the pictures above are part of the Martha Stewart Collection white dishware available exclusively at Macy’s. Fantastic dishware for everyday use, plus they’re dishwasher and microwave safe!

Yield: 16 servings

Chocolate Walnut Brownies

Ingredients:

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
8 oz. dark chocolate (at least 70% cacao), chopped
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 large eggs
2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. coarse salt
2/3 cup almond flour
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Brush an 8-inch square baking pan with oil. Line with parchment, leaving overhang. Brush parchment with oil.

2. Melt half of chocolate in a heatproof bowl; whisk in oil, sugar, and syrup. Remove from heat.

3. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, then cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Fold in flour and remaining chocolate. Pour batter into prepared pan; sprinkle with walnuts (or fold in).

4. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely on wire rack. To serve, cut into squares.

per serving (1 brownie): 206 calories, 16g fat, 17g carbs, 3g protein, 2g fiber

Source: Clean Slate by the editors of Martha Stewart Living

Disclosure: I received a copy of Clean Slate: A Cookbook and Guide: Reset Your Health, Detox Your Body, and Feel Your Best and the Martha Stewart Collection white dishware at no cost. All opinions expressed here are solely my own, as always. This post contains affiliate links.

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Glazed Hermit Cookies

Leah Short — Mon, 29 Dec 2014 14:54:43 +0000

When I’m selecting cookies for Cookie Baking Day, I always try to include some non-chocolate varieties. I’m a chocoholic, so I’d have no problem having chocolate in every single cookie, but I know most people aren’t as crazy for chocolate as I am. I actually know three people who tell me they don’t like it. I can’t even relate to that. I’m pretty sure my body would shut down without its daily dose of chocolate. However, I’m thankful for my anti-chocolate friends or else I’d never discover amazing desserts like these Glazed Hermit Cookies! They’re made with apple cider, oats, currants, walnuts, molasses, and spices, and topped with a citrusy sweet glaze. Flavors that mean warmth and coziness in one cookie. All cookie lovers will enjoy them!

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Spinach Walnut Power Salad

Leah Short — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 12:08:47 +0000

According to Pinterest, I pinned this salad 47 weeks ago. FORTY-SEVEN. Not only is Pinterest a time suck, it’s also where recipes go to die, lol. It’s supposed to be your virtual spot of reminders to interesting things on the web, but for me it ends up being a way for me to pin and forget. I should set a weekly date for me and Pinterest where I review pins and get to eating! I finally made a slightly adapted version of this salad and renamed it Spinach Walnut Power Salad. Now I’m kicking myself that I let all that time pass without this salad in my life. So let me save you some guilt and tell you to make this salad right now! Pin it, but don’t forget it!

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Dark Chocolate Walnut Oatmeal Cookies

Leah Short — Wed, 18 Dec 2013 14:47:28 +0000

Om nom nom! These Dark Chocolate Walnut Oatmeal Cookies were my absolute favorite from Cookie Baking Day this year. I seriously debated not sharing them so I could have more to myself. They’re big, chewy, and have the perfect ratio of chocolate to nuts to oatmeal to dough. Nothing beats a classic chocolate chip cookie, but this one sure comes close.

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Green Beans with Walnut Parsley Sauce

Leah Short — Wed, 04 Dec 2013 14:51:12 +0000

Every time I plan a meal, I always feel like I need “something green.” It’s usually an afterthought for big holiday meals because another side (like dressing) is the highlight. I love it when an unexpected side completely steals the show (like these peas from last year). These Green Beans with Walnut Parsley Sauce did just that. I craved them for days after Thanksgiving and looked forward to eating them the most. I usually don’t go gaga over green beans, especially fresh. Sometimes they turn out too crunchy and bland. Not these! The walnut parsley sauce is very similar to pesto without the cheese. It turns boring green beans into a shining dish!

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Chicken Carbonara

Leah Short — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:19:52 +0000

Oh how this pasta dish rocks my world. I first made Chicken Carbonara a few years ago, but it was for a special event (holiday or birthday…I can’t remember!). I didn’t have time to snap pictures, so it never made it on the blog. I’ve had it on my “to blog” list ever since. It’s absolutely sinful. Definitely something to serve for a special occasion, but not too difficult to make for a weeknight if you’re feeling like being spoiled. I made this for my mom on Mother’s Day and we gobbled it up. The best part is that it makes a ton. Giada says it makes six servings, but I beg to differ. I can throw down on some pasta, but there’s no way I can eat that much of this rich dish. So invite some friends over, open a few bottles of wine, and share the pasta love.

So, how’s it taste?

I’ve already mentioned it’s completely sinful. It’s rich, rich, rich. Eight egg yolks and 2 1/2 cups of whipping cream will do that! Not to mention the bacon and that delicious roasted chicken. I used a store-bought rotisserie chicken and that works fine, but you can certainly roast the chicken yourself. My friend Megan from Country Cleaver has a great how-to post on just that. Now that I’ve made this dish twice, I’d like to try it with half-and-half instead of the whipping cream. It would lighten the dish just a tad, but not take away from it’s creaminess. I also used thin spaghetti because I like smaller noodles (I’m a big angel hair fan, but my mom’s not, so we compromise with thin). I also don’t bother toasting the walnuts, but you certainly can. Toasting nuts doesn’t really enhance the flavor to me and I almost always prefer the raw taste anyway, so I don’t bother with the extra step. I love the fresh herbs and touch of lemon in this dish, too. Little specks of green and a hint of freshness from the lemon to cut through the cream. Oh it’s just fantastic! I hope you try it.

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Arugula Pesto

Leah Short — Mon, 13 May 2013 13:02:22 +0000

Pestos are great. Yes, there’s the traditional one with basil and pine nuts, but you really can get quite creative. I’ve made a mint pesto and even a broccoli pesto. The possibilities are endless really. In all of those varieties, I’ve used olive oil. It never occurred to me to make it with anything else, until I discovered this Arugula Pesto. It’s made with vegetable broth and that cuts the calories way, way down, but doesn’t sacrifice any flavor. I didn’t even miss the cheese! (Yep, you read that right.)

So, how’s it taste?

It’s just as delicious as its olive oil cousins. Using arugula gives it a peppery bite that I really liked, even though I’m not a huge fan of a mouthful of the leaves. I think it plays nicely with the garlic and that’s why I enjoyed it so much more as a pesto. The vegetable broth really didn’t add much flavor and acted as the binder to bring it all together. I didn’t miss the olive oil at all. The lemon juice brightened up the dish and the walnuts added just a bit of texture. I was skeptical, but happy this recipe was a winner.

It does need a touch of salt though, so after you blend all the ingredients, I’d add a bit of salt and pepper to your liking. This recipe comes from a pretty strict diet cookbook where salt is pretty much banned, so add it at the end if you think it needs it. You could top your pasta with freshly grated Parmesan and that would add a touch of saltiness, too.

Arugula Pesto

Jumpstart to Skinny by Bob Harper
makes about 2 servings
per serving: 68 calories, 2g protein, 3g carbs, 6g fat, 1g fiber

Ingredients:

2 cups arugula
1/4 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
1 garlic clove
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp. walnuts
salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Using a blender or food processor, blend all ingredients until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

2. Serve over pasta. If too thick, thin with a bit of pasta water to desired consistency.

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Blueberry & Raspberry Baked Oatmeal

Leah Short — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:00:57 +0000

Hi! Welcome to So, How’s It Taste! You may have found this post through Pinterest, so thanks for stopping by! If you’re interested in more breakfast dishes, please check out my Breakfast category or if you love blueberries as much as I do, check out my Blueberry Pecan Crisp or my Two-Berry Crisp with Pecan Streusel Topping. Hope to see you back soon!

I am not a fan of instant oatmeal. Those nasty little packets of instant grossness with bits of dried fruit…I’d rather eat wallpaper paste. Loved the stuff as a kid, but I’d have to force it down now. Unless oatmeal is in a cookie, I won’t eat it. That is until I saw Baked Oatmeal with Fruit. It looks like dessert! Almost like a crisp oozing with blueberries. No way was this oatmeal. No way was this good for you. Wrong! Happily I have changed my tune about oatmeal and it’s once again on my breakfast menu.

So, how’s it taste?

A million times better than instant. I couldn’t believe I was eating oatmeal after all these years. I couldn’t make up my mind which fruit to try first, so I split the recipe in half and did one with blueberries and one with raspberries. I can’t say which was my favorite because I enjoyed them both so much. This kind of oatmeal is more my style because of the texture. It’s not slop, but big chunks of yummy, healthy things. The old-fashioned oats are heartier than instant and they soak up all the milk, syrup (I used sugar free to cut some calories – Smuckers brand is awesome), and vanilla. Bursts of blueberries or raspberries add a bit of tartness to counteract the sweet, although the dish isn’t that sweet at all. It gets its sweetness from the teeny bit of syrup and those beautiful bananas underneath. Don’t be afraid of the cooked bananas. They don’t turn to mush, and for the most part keep their shape. Let’s not forget the nuts. I used walnuts for these, but pecans would work wonderfully, too. There’s so much going on and that’s a great start to any day.

What I like about this recipe is you can make this Sunday night and have breakfast all through the week. Just reheat each serving in the microwave in the morning. You can feel good about it, too. The ingredients are healthy, it’s a warm, comforting meal, and a serving is about 200 calories give or take a few depending on what fruit you use. It’s like a little morning treat and who doesn’t want to start their day with a treat?!

Yield: 6 servings

Blueberry & Raspberry Baked Oatmeal

Ingredients:

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, divided
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup maple syrup (I used sugar free)
1 cup milk (I used skim)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2-3 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced
1 cup blueberries or raspberries, fresh or frozen, divided

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375F.

2. Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish. In a medium bowl, mix the oats, half of the walnuts, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Stir to combine. In a liquid measuring cup, combine the syrup, milk, egg, butter, and vanilla.

3. Spread the sliced bananas in a single layer over the bottom of the baking dish. Top with half of the berries. Sprinkle the dry oat mixture over the fruit in an even layer. Pour the liquid ingredients evenly over the oats.

4. Sprinkle the remaining nuts and berries over the top. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top is browned and the oats have set. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

nutritional value will vary depending on the fruit and ingredients you use

adapted by The Curvy Carrot
from Super Natural Every Day by Heidi Swanson
via Annie's Eats

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