Category Archives: Snacks

Salt & Pepper Cashews

 

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The holidays are here! That brings the cold weather. Friday was winter solstice the shortest day of the year. Warm up and bring in the holiday cheer with these spicy cashews.

I love making homemade gifts for the holidays. I made these for my mom and dad in mind. They love salt and pepper pistachios and I thought they would love salt and pepper cashews just as much since it is their favorite nut. These look super cute in mason jars with holiday trim or you can set out at your holiday party for the guests to snack on.

Ingredients :

1 tablespoon of canola oil

2 teaspoons of ground garlic & pepper blend ( or 1 teaspoon of ground garlic & 1 of ground pepper)

1 teaspoon of kosher salt

1 pound of raw cashew pieces ( Trader Joe’s is a good place to find nuts)

Directions

1. Heat a large sauté pan to medium heat. Add oil, spices, and salt. Let the spices heat and become aromatic. ( This takes about one minute). Continue to stir to prevent the spices from burning.

2. Turn the stove to low heat, add cashews and continue to stir for 4 minutes on low heat.

3. Remove from heat and let cool.

4. Once cooled completely place in air tight container. Fits perfectly in a pint mason jar.

Zippy Shrimp Salad

 

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Every year my family travels to Topsail Beach in North Carolina. We have been traveling to this special location for the last 20 years. We rent an Oceanfront beach house for the week. This year my dad turned 60 years old so we were able to celebrate his special day on the beach!!  I look forward to this vacation every year. It is the only place I never want to leave. My favorite part of vacation is making new memories and creating new dishes inspired by the local finds. I love going to the farmers market in Wilmington at the Popular Grove Plantation and getting inspired by the fresh local ingredients. There are plenty of fish markets as well on and off the island.

Preparing this shrimp salad was so much fun with the fresh seafood. We purchased large shrimp with the heads still attached since the cost was nearly double for the shrimp to already be prepared shelled, deveined and heads removed. We boiled up shrimp one night with old bay for dinner and with the leftovers created this salad to snack on for lunch the next day. This salad goes great with crackers, on a bun, over a salad of mixed greens or by the spoonful.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 lime juiced (about 1-2 tablespoons of juice)
  • 1/2 cup miracle whip
  • 1 cup plan greek yogurt or (mayonnaise)
  • 2 Tablespoons of dijon mustard
  • Fresh cilantro chopped (petite handful)
  • 2 stalks of celery (chopped finely)
  • 2 pounds of cooked large shrimp (heads and exterior shell removed, after cooked cut in half [optimal size about the size of a nickel]) *****
  • Salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

Directions: 

Place the first 7 ingredients in a resealable container and mix. Add the shrimp and stir. Let the ingredients marry overnight in refrigerator for best results.

****If you have fresh raw shrimp and need to prepare bring a large stock pot of water to boil and cook the shrimp for 4 minutes. Season the water with a generous amount of old bay seasoning; strain and place shrimp over ice and let cool completely before adding them to the cream mixture.

Oatmeal Craisins Cookies

I’m on a craisins kick! Why not? Really you could use any dried fruit you prefer. Craisin add a pretty hue. This recipe was inspired by a Bob’s Red Mill Recipe that originally called for nuts, I swapped out the almonds for chocolate chips. I think white chocolate chips would go good here as well

This recipe yields: 32 cookies using a number 40 scoop ( 2 Tablespoons)

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter (aka two full sticks)  (room temperature/softened but not too soft)

1 cup Granulated Sugar

1 cup Raw sugar or brown sugar

2 extra large eggs

2 tsp pure vanilla extract ( I prefer penzeys vanilla)

1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour  or Graham Flour

1 tsp baking Powder

1 tsp ground Vietnamese cinnamon

1 tsp Kosher salt

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

3 cups Old fashioned Rolled Oats

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate (pick your favorite)

1 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees convection (standard oven 350 degrees). Parchment paper line two 1/2 sheet baking pans.  Set aside.

2. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment cream butter, salt, and sugars together. Add in eggs, one at a time and follow up with vanilla. Mix until combined.

3. In a seperate medium to large bowl mix together flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Gradually add to the wet ingredients and stir until combined.

4.  Fold in oats, craisins, and chocolate chips and mix until incorporated.

5. Use ac cookie size 40 scoop to drop cookies onto parchment paper. I only placed 6 cookies to a 1/2 sheet pan.

6. Bake for 16-17 minutes and allow to cool on pan for 1-2 minutes. Remove the cookies to a wire rack to completely cool off.

****Bonus trick….Place the dough in the refrigerator overnight or for a good hour before scooping & baking. This helps them hold their shape.

Kitchen Sink Trail Mix

I know I’ve been on a kick with Trail Mix. There are 1000s of variations. I like it because you can easy put together leftovers of bits and pieces of goodies that you don’t have enough of for a full recipe. For example when that one recipe calls for only a half bag of chocolate chips….

This recipe yields 13 cups of Trail Mix

Ingredients:

1/2 cup peptia seeds

2 cups of chocolate chips ( semi sweet or 60% cacao)

1/2 cup of Dehydrated blueberries

1/2 a cup of Craisins

1 1/4 cup of M&Ms ( 10.7 ounces)

2 cups of peanut butter pretzels

2 cups of Cheerios

2 cups of banana chips

2 cups of roasted peanuts

1/4 cup of roasted & lightly salted sunflower seeds

Directions

1. Throw everything in the largest bowl that you possibly have. Mix thoroughly and place in a sealable container.

Topsail Trail Mix

Yep it’s that time of year we load up the car and head to to the beach. Just when you think you cannot fit one more thing in the car (and trust me, my dad is good at packing a car) you find a spot for homemade baked goods and nonperishable snacks! 

Trail mix is my go to for road trips! This one is special since we are taking it to the beach! Look out NC…here we come! 

Ingredient:

1 cup roasted whole cashews

1 cup roasted whole peanuts 

1 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup roast lightly salted sunflower 

3/4 cup Dark chocolate chips 

1 cup dehydrated apples slices 

1 cup lightly salted roasted whole almonds 

Direction:

1. Mix everything in a sealable container and give a good shake or two. Enjoy! 

Mashup Nut Butter Bars

Recipe yields 3 dozen bars

It’s been too hot for the oven in Pittsburgh these last few weeks in July. Yet I have not turned on the air conditioning in the house. In turn, I know I have been taking it easy with the baking. These bars are super easy. Plus soft but crunchy with a blend of two different nut/seed butters.  Plus an extra bonus of a wide variety of seeds and nuts to pack in the protein. 

Ingredients:

3 1/4 cup of Cheerios (I used the pumpkin flavored ones)

2 3/4 cup of Brown rice cereal

1/4 cup of sliced almonds

1 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup of peptia seeds

1/4 cup milled flaxseed

1/4 cup of quinoa, uncooked 

1/4 cup dried mixed fruit ( I used a variety of blueberry and cranberry)

1 1/2 cup of local honey

1 Cup Smooth Cashew Butter

1 Cup Smooth Sunflower Butter

 

  1. Line a 1/2 sheet pan with parchment paper, make sure to place the parchment over the sides to make for easy removal of the bars. Set aside.
  2. Mix the first 7 ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
  3. In the meantime mix together the nut/seed butters and honey in a medium microwavable safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second and stir. Continue to microwave and stir in 30 second intervals until smooth and creamy. The mixture should appear melted. 
  4. Add the melted nut butter mixture over top of the dry ingredients and incorporate thoroughly with a rubber spatula. 
  5. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared half sheet pan. A nice trick to this is to spray your spatula with nonstick cooking spray. Another pearl of wisdom, you can also use wax paper to push the bars down into the pan to make the even. 
  6. Place bars in the refrigerator covered and allow the bars to set overnight. 
  7. After the bars have hardened overnight in the refrigerator cut in to three dozen bars.  For optimal results and extended shelflife, store the bars in an airtight container  in refrigerator.  

 

 

Grandma Lee’s No-Bake Bars


Today I had my first meeting with my new clinical team. I wanted to make a sweet treat but didn’t want to turn on the oven. It was 88 degrees in my house! I haven’t turned on the air … yet. 

I have been wanting to make Grandma Lee’s recipe for a while now. She used to prepare it for the school where she was employed as head cook.  I can remember growing up and going to visit her at work. She’d always sneak me a cookie and some milk when I visited with grandpa. Grandma also always stored these in the freezer as well, so when we’d go visit her at home she never let us go with a cookie for the road. 

This recipe can be made into cookies or bars. I was pressed for time; therefore, went on the safe side and made bars. 

Yields: 24 bars

Ingredients:

1/2 cup, 1 stick unsalted butter (grandma uses salted, I just used a pinch of kosher with the unsalted butter)

1/2 cup (fat free half & half) grandma uses whole milk

1 cup natural creamy peanut butter

4 Tablespoons cocoa powder ( I prefer penzeys)

1 1/2 cups quick oats

1 1/2 cup old fashioned oats (grandma uses all quick oats)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

9 by 13 pan & lined with Parchment paper

Directions: 

1. Take a medium sauce pan on medium heat and add first 4 ingredients and bring to a boil.

2. Once the sauce boils, allow to boil for two minutes & then remove from heat and add oats and vanilla. 

3. Incorporate the oats into the melted mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Even out the batter with a rubber spatula. Cover with sealable container or foil. Store on the counter. Do not refrigerator. 

4. Allow to harden, I waited overnight. Use the parchment paper to pull the bars out of the pan and on a cutting board, cut the bars into even pieces. 

As pictured Recipe yields 24 bars. 

If you decide to go the cookie route, this recipe will yield 30 to 36 cookies using a size 40 scooper. I would recommend dropping them on wax paper and letting them sit before storing them in a sealable container.

Enjoy !

Cashew Lover’s Trail Mix

Any trail mix connoisseur will love.. love this blend of nuts, seeds, and everything in between. Especially all you cashew lovers in the crowd. 

Ingredients: 

71 oz sealable container 

1 cup pepita seeds

1 cup cocoa almonds

1 1/4 cup mixed dried fruit, no added sugar (blueberries, cherries & cranberries)
1 1/2 cup roasted salted sunflower seeds

2 1/2 cups unsalted whole cashews

1 3/4 cup of dark chocolate pretzels nibs ( I found at Marshall’s♥️)

1 cup of lightly salted peanuts 

Directions:

1. Layer the ingredients separately in the container. Make sure to leave some room at the top. 

2. Secure the lid on top of the container and give it a good shake. Gently shake until all nuts, seeds, and everything in between is well incorporated throughout. 

Yields: 71 oz of trail mix and saves you $. Just say NO to store bought and your wallet will be smiling 😁

Roasted Cashew Oat Bars with Dark Chocolate Drizzle

My hubby loves cashews, last night we made ginger cashew chicken and we had some leftover cashews. I have been wanting to try cashews in a bar for a while now. He will be heading back to the burgh in a few a days so I thought I make these for him to snack on during his commute. Hopefully they will hold him over so he doesn’t have to make too many stops at Sheetz. 🙈

This recipe yields 12 bars
Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups raw whole cashews, unsalted (divided); chop roughly 

2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

2 Tablespoons hemp seeds

3 Tablespoons canola oil

2 Tablespoons milled flaxseed

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup raw sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground Vietnamese Cinnamon 

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup dried cranberries, low sugar

1/3 cup Dark Chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli), optional 

Predirections: 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
  • Take a glass 8 by 8 baking dish and line with parchment paper. Set aside.

Directions:

1. Place 1/2 cup of the cashews and all the oats and hemp seeds on a parchment paper lined 1/2 sheet baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes and toss with wooden spoon and bake for 5-10 more minutes (until oats and cashews turn golden brown). 

2. In the meantime place remaining cashews, canola oil and flaxseed in food processor and purée until nut butter consistency. Set mixture aside. 

3. While the oats continue to bake, place a 2 quart sauce pan on medium heat, add honey, raw sugar, cinnamon and salt. Allow contents to heat for 4-5 minutes, remove from heat and add cashew butter mixture. Stir to combined. 

4. Once the oats have baked to desired golden hue, using parchment paper siphon the baked contents into large glass bowl, add the dried cranberries. Pour warm liquid cashew mixture over oat mixture. Fold all the ingredients together with spatula. Make sure to incorporate all ingredients together until there are no signs of dry residue. 

5. Take mixture and press into prepared baking dish. Press flat & even using another piece of parchment paper. 

6. Place the dish in the center rack of the oven and bake 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set on wire rack and allow to cool & harden (about an hour). Using the sides of the excess parchment pull out of the pan and set on cutting board and cut into 12 bars. Place the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds and stir and continue to heat in 30 second intervals, stirs after each interval until smooth.

7.  Place the chocolate in a snack size ziplock bag and clip the end of the bag with food sissors and drizzle away. 

Maple Cinnamon Toasted Granola


March is National Nutrition Month & tomorrow is Registered Dietitian Day! I like to celebrate with a bold nutritious dense cinnamon delicious treat. I made this blend to honor my Clinical Team. RD day is a way to celebrate the wonderful profession of nutrition and dietetics and to honor hard working dietetic professionals. 

Granola is very versatile!  You can put just about anything in it. You can make it sweet or savory. You can eat granola dry, or add a splash of milk, or top off your yogurt with it. I like to incorporate it into Ina Garten’s Banana Muffins. They are my most requested muffin recipe. 

Yields: 4 cups 

Servings: 8 (1/4 cups)

Ingredients:

2 cups 100% rolled oats (not quick or instant)

1 cup puffed brown rice 

1/2 teaspoon Vietnamese ground cinnamon 

3 Tablespoons brown sugar (not packed)

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup 100 % pure maple syrup 

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2/3 cup dried cranberries, low sugar

1/4 cup lightly salted roasted sunflower seeds

1/8 cup pepita seeds

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a 1/2 sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl mix together the first 4 ingredients. Set aside. 

3. In a small bowl mix together canola oil, maple syrup,& vanilla. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry oat mix. Give the mixture a good stir. Make sure all the dry ingredients are coated with liquid goodness.

4. Pour the oat mixture on the prepared baking sheet. Place the pan in the preheated oven. Bake for 15 minutes. 

5. After 15 minutes elapsed use spatula to toss the granola on the pan. Allow to bake for another 5 minutes and continue to repeat until you reach desired golden brown hue. It took about 20 additional minutes. Add the seeds and craisins. All to cool on pan entirely. Enjoy!