Category Archives: Seeds and Nuts

Cinnaliscous Apple & Cranberry Pull-Apart Loaf


My mom bought me some adorable tea towels for my birthday! I could not wait to display them. They are from the Loveless Cafe in Nashville, TN. The towels have sweet southern sayings on them which I love especially since we finally ventured to North Carolina.

This recipe was adapted from the Apple Pie  Pull-Apart Pillsbury recipe. I wanted to add some additional color, texture, and reduce the calories from the original recipe. 

Yields: 6 servings


Ingredients:

1 teaspoon of orange zest

1 medium oranges, juiced

1/2 cup brown sugar (not packed)

1/4 cup melted unsalted butter

1 teaspoon ground Vietnamese cinnamon 

1/4 cup pepita seeds 

1/4 cup dried cranberries 

1 medium apple, cored & cut into thin slices

1 can of large reduced fat canned biscuits (8 biscuits to a can)

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously  with cooking spray a non stick loaf pan, set aside. 

2. Place in a medium bowl & wisk together the melted butter, zest, orange juice, cinnamon, &  brown sugar. Add the apple slices, seeds, and cranberries to the batter, and fold into the batter to incorporate. Set aside. 

3. Open the biscuit can and place the 8 biscuits on a cutting board and slice each biscuit in half   longways. 

4. Take one of the biscuit segments and add a slice or two of apple slices and some cranberries and seeds. Make almost like a sandwich. Layer 4 biscuit segments to a stack with apple slices between each segment. You will end up having 4 stacks. There should be no apple slices remaining. 

5. Take each stack separately and line them into the prepared bread loaf pan. Once you have all four stacks in the pan. Pour the remaining liquid, cranberries, & seeds over the segments. 

6. Bake the loaf in the center of the oven for 40 to 50 minutes at 350 degrees. Check the loaf at 40 minutes. You want the crust golden brown. Mine did go for 50 minutes. Allow the loaf to cool on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes. Caution how long you leave the final product in the pan, the liquid goodness will caramelize and harden. 

Cinnaberry Quinoa Bars

Who is tired of expensive granola bars with ingredients you cannot even pronounce? I know I am. Especially when you can make them at home at a fraction of the cost and without all the extra sugar and unwanted preservatives. 

These bars are full of nuts, seeds, whole grains, and mother nature’s natural sweetness. 

Yields: 12 bars

Ingredients: 

1 cup old fashioned oats

1/2 cup quinoa, uncooked 

1 teaspoon ground Vietnamese Cinnamon 

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 Tablespoon hemp seeds

1 Tablespoon chia seeds

2 ripe bananas, mashed

1 Teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

2 Tablespoons Creamed Cinnamon Honey 

1 /4 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup slivered almonds

1/3 cup dried cranberries

Directions: 
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 by 13 glass pan with parchment paper. 

2. In a large bowl, mix  together first 6 ingredients. 

3. Add the mashed banana and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients and mix in with spatula. Set aside. 

4. In a small microwaveable glass bowl, place the peanut butter and honey and stir. Microwave the blend for 30 seconds and stir with rubber spatula. If the consistency is not smooth and easy to stir, microwave for 5 more seconds and try again. Once shiny and smooth, fold the honey blend into the banana oat batter. Continue to mix with spatula until honey blend is incorporated throughout. Lastly fold in the sunflower seeds, almonds & cranberries. 

5. Spread the batter evenly into 3/4’s of the prepared 9 by 13 pan. There is not quite enough batter to fill the entire pan. Bake the bars for 18 minutes. 

6. Remove pan from oven and allow the bars to cool completely on a wire rack. Once the bars have cooled use the parchment paper to pull the bars out of the pan. On a cutting board, cut bars into 12 servings. Wrap individually in sealable baggies for lunches or on the go snacks.  Or store in a sealable container. 

Creamed Cinnamon Honey Roasted Pecans

My team at work for Christmas gifted me a lovely bag of North Carolina Local Gems. 

I couldn’t wait to open the Creamed Cinnamon  Honey! I made some Carmellized Banana Pecan French Toast with it this morning to coincide. 

This is a tasty way to utilize local ingredients for a delicious snack or gift. The finished product reminded my husband ,and I of a fancier version of Cracker Jack’s since that is the texture they portrayed. 

Ingredients: 

1 pound of raw pecan halfs

1/4 cup creamed Honey with cinnamon 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place raw pecans on the baking pan. Place the pecans on the sheet in the preheated oven on the center rack. Bake for 6-8 minutes. 

2. In the meantime place a two quart sauce pan on low medium heat and melt the creamed honey. Once the timer has elsapsed on the pecans place the pecans in the sauce pan with the honey. Allow the pecans and honey to merry. Use mini spatula to incorporate the honey throughout. Allow the ingredients to heat for 6 minutes on low. 

3. Pour the pecans on wax paper and allow them to cool. The pecans will remain tacky. Allow for them to cool on the wax for about 1 hour then place in ziplock sealable container. That is if they make it past the cooling part! 😉

Homemade Trail Mix 

Trail mix is a staple at our house. We love it to snack on when we travel or when we are watching a show. I love to even keep some in my bookback or purse when we are shopping. Trail mix is always good for a mid day high energy snack. A little goes a long way. 

Trail mix at the grocery store,vending machine, or convenient mart can be costly.  I bought all these ingredients for this blend at Aldi and tossed them together for a fraction of the price of the prepackaged variety.

Tips! Mix it up; if you don’t like sunflower seeds try pumpkin seeds. Or if you don’t like dark chocolate maybe try peanut butter chips. If you don’t like raisins use dried blueberries or cherries (just make sure to get the unsweetened ones). This blend below just happens to be my husband’s favorite pairing. 

This recipe yields approximately {8  1/2 cups}: 34 servings (1/4 cup is a serving) 

Ingredients:
2 cups of lightly salted dry roasted peanuts

2 cups of  unsalted dry roasted sunflower seeds

1 1/4 cup extra dark chocolate chips (63 % cacao)

1 (8 ounce bag of Peanut M&Ms), about 1 1/3 cup

1 cup of raisins 

Directions: 

1. Throw all the ingredients in a resemble bag and shake it up! 

Enjoy! 

Sunflower Cocoa No Bake Bars


Recipe yields: 12 bars 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup sunflower butter

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa 

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 quick oats

1 cup brown rice crisps cereal 

1 oz Dark chocolate (melted) optional 

Pre work:

Take a class an 8 by 8 baking dish and foil line it and spray with cooking spray. Set aside

Directions:

Place the sunflower butter & honey in a large glass microwave bowl. Microwave for 1-1 1/2 minutes and stir. Add in the cocoa, & salt. Add in oats and stir. Lastly fold in rice cereal. Press the batter evenly into the prepared class dish. Cover and let the bars firm up in the refrigerator for 2 hours to even overnight. 

Take the foil on both sides and pull the bars out of the glass dish. Place on a cutting on cutting board. Cut the bars into 12 bars. If you wish drizzle some chocolate on the top of the bars. Place in a resealable container. 

Sea Salt Caramel Peanut Butter Brownies



I recently asked my husband, what dessert he would like for his sweet treat for his lunches? I enjoy packing his work lunches. I always like to include a few proteins, whole grains, veggies, fruit, salty snack, and sweet goodie. 

Also, I love packing lunches for my husband and I because brown bagging is a resourceful way to use leftovers. Packing a lunch daily can really help save money & reduce waste. So many people dine out or order in for meals for lunch breaks. This habit can be easily $10-20 a day downtown in a city; not to mention high in  unnecessary & unwanted calories. 

His response to my question for his sweet treat was brownies. I asked what kind and he mentioned a traditional style (last week I had made Blondies).  I couldn’t bare making Plain Jane Brownies; therefore, I spiced them up a tad. This led me to the mix up of a beautiful marriage salted caramel,peanuts, and chocolate. 

Prework:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Foil line a glass 9 by 13 baking pan and spray generously with canola oil cooking spray

Ingredients:

1/2 cup extra virgin coconut oil

4 oz of extra dark chocolate (63% cacao), plus more for drizzle 1-2 tablespoon melted 

4 Tablespoons of natural peanut butter

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 1/2 cup of sugar

1 teaspoon of pure vanilla

3 eggs

1 1/2 cup of whole wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1 scant cup of dry roasted unsalted peanuts

1 1/2 cups of pretzels (wheel or mini pretzel shape)

6 ounce jar of sea salt caramel sauce or homemade prepared caramel sauce, plus 1-2 tablespoon for final drizzle

A few pinches of Sea Salt for final sprinkle (optional)

This recipe yields 16 large brownies or 32 mini
Directions:

  1. Take over a double broiler and melt the chocolate, coconut oil, and peanut butter. Once the mixture is melted add in the applesauce, & sugar. Remove the double broiler and add in the eggs one at a time with a whisk and lastly add in the vanilla. Set aside.
  2. In the meantime, whisk together the flour, kosher salt, and baking powder. Add the liquid chocolate mixture to the flour. Mix until combined.
  3. Pour 1/3 of the batter on the bottom of the prepared 9 by 13 pan. Layer the pretzels evenly on top of the batter (it is roughly 47 pretzel wheels), than sprinkle with the peanuts. Drizzle with half of caramel sauce. Place the remaining 2/3 of batter on top of the nut, caramel, pretzel layer. I find using a plastic spatula sprayed with cooking spray makes for easier spreading.
  4. Bake at 350 degrees for 33 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the center of the brownies clean. Place the brownies on a wire rack to cool. Allow the brownies to completely cool before removing from the pan.
  5. Using the foil sides, lift the brownies from pan and place on parchment paper.
  6. On a diagonal drizzle with caramel and chocolate. Lastly sprinkle with sea salt. Store in a sealable container. Cut to your desired serving size.
  • Make sure to store in an airtight container 

Macadamia Nut Blondies


Today is Macadamia Nut Day. Instead of adding walnuts into your oatmeal or your favorite trail mix try giving the macadamia nut a try. Macadamia nuts contain monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and plant substances that might lower cholesterol.

My husband and I went to Hawaii this past May and Hawaii is famous for their native Macadamia Nuts. One thing we noticed while we stayed on the various islands of Hawaii, these nuts are added to just about every baked good from cookies to quick breads. Today I thought I’d add them to a blondie bar. 

Prep time: 15 minutes Bake time: 25- 30 mintues



This recipe yields: 24 Blondies 

Essential Tools for the job & pre work:

  • 9 inch baking pan
  • Parchment paper (optional but will make life easier)
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Line baking dish with parchment paper; enough to get sides to pull the Blondies out to make for easier cutting.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2-2/3 cups whole wheat pastry  flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2/3 cup chopped finely macadamia nuts

Directions:

1. In a stand mixer attacjed bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add applesauce and mix. Beat in eggs one at a time & add vanilla. Set aside.

2. In a medium sized bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, spices and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Lastly fold in the macadamia nuts. Spread into a prepared 9 inch square baking pan (I did use a dark pan). The type of pan will effect the cooking time). If your pan is lighter you might need to bake it longer. 

3. Bake in the center rack of oven for 25-30 minutes or until set and golden brown & toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Using parchment “handle” pull bars out and place on cutting board & cut into 24 bars. Store in a airtight container, whole wheat products don’t last as long as AP baked goods.



Cinn-licious Chia Overnight Oats

I am pretty routine when it comes to breakfast staples.  If it is not oats & eggs it is probably Greek yogurt and eggs. That said I like to spice up the different variations or combine the two. 

This recipe I usually heat up but since today there is a heat advisory for our county. I decided to keep this breakfast cool.

Serving size: one just for me

Ingredients:

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoon of old fashioned oats 

1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk 

1 1/2 cup water 

1 teaspoon of Ground Vietnesmeese Cinnamon 

1 tablespoon of chia seeds

2 packets of truvia 

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup of frozen blueberries

24 oz mason jar
Directions:

1. Place the first 7 ingredients in a mason jar. 

2. Add blueberries place the lif and seal on the jar. Give the jar a good shake. Place in the refrigerator overnight and allow the ingredients to marry. 

3. In the morning give the jar a good shake and enjoy. These oats are very liquidy. You can almost drink them so they would be a good for a long morning commute. 



Peanuts & Berry Overnight Greek Yogurt Pick Me Up


Mason jar madness, these containers are too cute not to use for everything. I recently found a steal on vintage Ball jars at an estate sale. Garage saleing and picking is another one of my favorite past times. Buying more jars, just means more fun things to make in the perfect portioned food vessels. 

I have to admit that Plain Greek yogurt is one of my all time favorite proteins and when I put it in a mason jar it makes it ten times more enjoyable. I’m not sure if it is the seethrough glass, the sealable lid, the reusable container, or the fact it reminds me of canning vegetables and jam with my grandma. 

Serving size: one just for me (I am not a good sharer)



Ingredients: 

1 pint size mason jar

1/2 cup Plain Greek Yogurt

2 tablespoon of unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1 1/2 teaspoons of chai seeds

1 teaspoon of ground Vietnamase cinnamon

2 tablespoon of peanut butter flavored protein powder 

1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

10 peanuts, spilt

Directions:

1. Place the first 5 ingredients in the mason jar and mix with a mini spatula. 

2. Top the yogurt mix with the blueberries. Finish with sprinkling the peanuts. Place the seal & lid on the jar. 

3. Place the jar in the refrigerator overnight. 

4. Before enjoying give the jar contents a good stir. 

Protein Packed Powerhouse Granola Bars

Today we have our monthly Nutrition Support Team meeting. The meeting is at noon, I always like to come prepared with a snack or treat of some sort. These are super packed with plant based protein! Bonus is these are no-bake for this fabulous hot July day! No need to turn on your oven and make it any hotter. 

This recipe yields 16 bars

Ingredients:

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1/4 cup milled flaxseed

1/4 cup sesame seeds

3 tablespoons of chia seeds

1 1/2 cup of quick oats

1 teaspoon apple pie spice

1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt

1 cup creamy cashew butter ( I am fairly excited I found this nut butter at ALDI)

1/2 cup honey

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Pre-directions take a 9 x 9 baking dish and line it with parchment paper make sure to allow for some of the paper to overlay on the sides. This step will help you pull out the bars for easy cutting. Set aside.

Directions:

1. Take the first eight ingredients and mix them in a large bowl. Set aside. 

2. Place peanut butter and honey in a large microwavable safe glass bowl. Place in microwave in 30 second intervals. Stir between each intervals until soft and creamy. Add in the vanilla and stir to incorporate. 

3. Take the dry ingredients and add them to the creamy cashew butter mixture. Fold to incorporate all the ingredients together. 

4. Take the granola bar batter and add it into the prepared 9 x 9 baking dish. Take an extra piece of parchment paper and press it into the top to evenly distribute the batter this will allow for a nice even distribution of your batter for your protein bars.

5. Cover the bars with saran wrap in the baking dish. Place in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. This step will allow them to firm.

6. Remove the bars utilizing the parchment paper access from the sides. Place on a cutting board and cut into 16 bars. Now you can either individually wrap and freeze to pack them lunches or take to your next meeting. Keep these granola bars chilled or frozen for best results and optimal taste.