Recipes, Photography, Musings

Tag: pistachios

Apple Crunch Bars

Are you bored with your breakfast and snack choices? These apple crunch bars are the perfect way to change things up a bit while still delivering great nutrition and deliciousness.  A base and topping of oats, pistachios, brown sugar, and whole wheat flour surround a cozy apple-cinnamon filling for a healthy treat that tastes like a cross between an apple granola bar and a bite of apple crisp.

apple crunch barsI posted a recipe for cranberry almond bars about a year ago, and these apple crunch bars are similar to those, except for the obvious change in filling, and this time I used pistachios in the topping instead of almonds. The filling is a version of my basic homemade applesauce recipe, and the base and topping are loosely adapted from a recipe I found in Real Simple magazine in September of 2015.

apple crunch barsI love these apple crunch bars! The apple-cinnamon combination is always so cozy and comforting, especially when the apples are bubbling away in a pot on the stove.  And the crunch mixture is so tasty, so full of salty-sweet flavor from the pistachios and brown sugar, with such a crunchy, crumbly texture that mixes so well with a fruit filling.  They really are a great breakfast choice, snack, or even a guilt-free dessert, if that’s what you are looking for.

apple crunch barsIn a few days (I can’t believe it is coming up so quickly!) my family will be celebrating Thanksgiving.  It is the time of year when we consciously think about what we are thankful for, about gratitude.  I recently checked out a book from the library about the spirituality of gratitude, because it is something I want to cultivate more deeply in my life.  It is easy to be grateful when things are going well, and more challenging to feel gratitude when things don’t go our way, or when we are struggling.  I am enjoying (though it is sometimes really hard!) going further into this practice.

I was raking leaves yesterday afternoon, and our dog kept sitting right in the middle of the tarp I was using to drag the leaves to the back of our property.  Then when I finally got him off of the tarp, he would run alongside me as I was dragging it and either step on it or grab it with his mouth and start tugging.  He didn’t want me to get anything accomplished!  He wanted those leaves to fly and scatter with the wind.  I love that about our dog.  I hope you all have a great weekend! Antonia @ Zoale and Petra @ Food Eat Love are co-hosting Angie’s Fiesta Friday this week, and I look forward to sharing this recipe over there.apple crunch barsapples and peelsthree apples

Apple Crunch Bars

  • Servings: 12 bars
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Ingredients:

For the filling:

  • 3 medium sized apples, diced
  • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup of water

For the base and topping:

  • 1 cup of old fashioned rolled oats
  • 3/4 cup of whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup of pistachios, shelled (raw almonds or walnuts may be substituted, if desired)
  • 3/4 teaspoon of baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon of salt (optional)
  • 8 tablespoons (or 1/2 cup or 1 stick) of unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/3 cup of brown sugar, packed

Directions:

For the filling:

Wash, peel, and dice the apples.  Place them in a small or medium pot, along with the vanilla, cinnamon, and 1/4 cup of water.  Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer on low for about 20 minutes, or until the apples are tender.  Let the filling cool slightly, then mash it with a potato masher so it becomes somewhat smooth.  Let it cool while a bit more and the filling will thicken a bit as it cools.

For the base and topping:

While the apples are simmering, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line an 8 inch square baking dish with two crisscrossed pieces of parchment paper, leaving an overhang of paper on all sides, pressing the paper down inside the dish.

In a blender or food processor, pulse or puree the oats, whole wheat flour, pistachios, baking powder, and salt until finely ground. Transfer to a medium sized mixing bowl.  Stir in the brown sugar.  Using a pastry cutter or a fork, cut in the butter and continue to work it in until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs about the size of a pea, and everything is well combined.

Reserve 1/2 cup of the crunch mixture for the topping.  Press the remaining crunch mixture into the baking dish, using a straight-sided glass or measuring cup to pack it down evenly.

Spread the apple filling over the bottom crust, distributing it evenly.  Scatter the reserved 1/2 cup crunch mixture evenly over the top.  Bake until golden, and set in the middle about 35 to 45 minutes.

When it is done, let it cool completely (the cooler it is, the better the bars will hold their shape–I can’t always wait till it’s totally cooled!).  Then, holding the overhanging parchment paper, lift the crunch out and transfer it to a cutting board and cut with a sharp knife into twelve bars. Enjoy!

Pomegranate-Pistachio Quinoa

This nutrient-rich dish is full of flavor and color.  The mild taste of quinoa is dressed up with the beautiful, sweet-tartness of pomegranate seeds, the savory crunch of pistachios, the bright flavor of fresh parsley, and a homemade dressing of olive oil and lemon juice.

pomegranate quinoaAt a time when many of us might reach for comfort in the form of snacking on processed foods, this recipe comes to the rescue and helps balance that out.  Quinoa, pomegranate seeds, pistachios, and parsley are whole foods full of vitamins, minerals, protein, antioxidants, and naturally delicious flavors!  Our bodies need this kind of nutrition to function optimally, and functioning optimally, though not always possible, is definitely a worthy and meaningful goal.

pomegranate quinoaPomegranates are on sale at my regular grocery store these days, and we have been enjoying them very much.  There is something so festive about the beautiful seeds.  They are like little sparkling gemstones, or little glowing holiday lights.  Each little seed bursts with flavor.  Spooning them out can take a bit of time, but it can be fun.  We had a friend of my son’s over a couple of weeks ago, and my son, his friend, and my daughter were completely entertained for a good while, standing at the counter scooping the seeds out of the pomegranate halves….I’m telling you, in this age of electronics, bitter politics, and rushed schedules, it is satisfying to see kids get excited about a fruit, getting their hands and faces all juicy, and laughing together in the kitchen.

pistachios and pomegranateI get a bit emotional about that kind of stuff, and perhaps it is because I’m a bit raw as I write this post.  I purposely stay away from politics on this blog most of the time.  It is primarily a food blog, along with bits and pieces about my own life thrown in, and how the beauty of food, nature and the seasons can influence our lives.  But a couple of days ago, the people in my country elected someone to be our next president, someone who has no political experience, and who has said some very disrespectful things.  The people in my country are deeply, and sometimes bitterly, divided.  I am not a very political person, and I will not say much about this here, but I will say that I hope love, dignity, respect, and peace can prevail in ways we cannot always understand or yet fathom.

The harsh words of this election cycle have left me cherishing the simple moments of joy, like watching kids standing together around a pomegranate, laughing and popping the seeds into their mouths. My yoga instructor said something earlier in the week that has stuck with me.  She said that the earth meets us right where we are.  On one hand, that sounds so obvious that it is almost humorous.  On the other hand, it is exactly what I needed to hear.  Wherever we are in our imperfect journey, the earth is there to meet us and support us.  Eating food that comes from the earth is nourishing us right where we are as well, helping us to go out and live our truths and open our hearts.  We need to come together around a table and nourish and support each other.

This dish is really easy to put together, and makes a delicious, beautiful, and healthy side dish. If you are looking for a simple and festive salad to take to Thanksgiving dinner or any other dinner, give this a try! I am going to share this over at Angie’s Fiesta Friday and see what the others there have brought to the table. pomegranate quinoapomegranate seeds

Pomegranate-Pistachio Quinoa

  • Servings: 4-8
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Ingredients:

For the salad

  • 1 cup of quinoa
  • 1/3 cup of pomegranate seeds (also known as arils)
  • 1/3 cup of pistachios, shelled
  • 1/3 cup of fresh parsley, chopped

For the simple dressing:

  • 1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons of fresh-squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon of honey
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook the quinoa according to package instructions.  (Or, rinse the quinoa in a fine-meshed colander under running water.  Add 2 cups of water and the cup of rinsed quinoa to a medium saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, then lower heat and to a simmer, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the quinoa is tender and the water is absorbed.  Remove from the heat and let the quinoa cool.

While the quinoa is cooking, scoop the seeds from the pomegranate and shell the pistachios.  Wash and chop the parsley.  Mix up the dressing and whisk it together in a small bowl.  Taste and adjust the seasonings and ingredients to your liking.

Transfer the quinoa into a serving bowl and fluff it with a fork.  Add the pomegranate seeds, pistachios, and parsley.  Pour the dressing onto the ingredients.  Stir till everything is well combined.  Serve at room temperature or put it in the refrigerator until you’re ready for it and serve it cold. Enjoy!

 

 

Asparagus Quinoa Salad

In this asparagus quinoa salad, fresh asparagus is roasted with pistachios and then mixed with quinoa and a homemade honey-garlic vinaigrette.  The result is a salad rich in superfoods, with lots of flavor and tons of nutrients.  It’s the perfect salad to take to a picnic, to enjoy with lunch, or to use as a side dish at dinner.  It’s light, while at the same time satisfying and filling.

DSC_0679I love how fluid recipes can be.  They are never exactly the same twice, and they bring with them stories, memories, and reminders of friends or family members who have shared or contributed to the recipes.  The same goes for sharing meals with others too.  We get ideas from one another and build on our conversations and memories.

asparagus quinoa salad 1Quinoa salad has been on my mind lately for a number of reasons.  My soccer mom/walking buddies have been making versions of it and we’ve been exchanging ideas, plus my mother is on a quinoa kick as well.  The other day when we were over at her house, she made some asparagus and quinoa separately, but they ended up getting mixed up on my plate, and they tasted great together.  I knew I wanted asparagus in my next quinoa salad.

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In addition to vegetables, one of my friends likes to put nuts in her quinoa salads. The only nuts I have in the house right now are pistachios. I thought those would be good with the asparagus too.  Little did I know that when I googled asparagus and pistachios, lots of recipes came up! Apparently I was not the only one who thought this would be a good combination.  The following asparagus quinoa salad recipe is very basic, and based loosely on a few different recipes I found, my own experience with asparagus and quinoa, plus input from friends and my mother.  That’s what I mean about recipes being so fluid.  They are influenced by those we talk with or read about, plus by what is in season, and what we have on hand.  They are like living, breathing entities sometimes, changing with the weather and the circumstances.

This asparagus quinoa salad is really satisfying.  The nutty flavor of the quinoa blends deliciously with the pistachios and asparagus, and the vinaigrette gives it just the right amount of sweetness and zing.  Feel free to add other vegetables you have in your kitchen, and if you are in a hurry, just add your favorite salad dressing instead of making it from scratch.  The versatility of quinoa is one of its strongest attributes, along with its huge health benefits. I plan to make versions of this salad all summer long, depending on which vegetables are in season.

I hope you all have a great weekend! The weather here has been gorgeous.  I can’t believe it’s already June.  The kids will be out of school soon.  It’s been a full few days around here, with a soccer tournament and a state track meet, along with end-of-the-school-year events and other gatherings too.  I have not had a chance to visit other blogs like is enjoy doing.  I hope to catch up on that this weekend.  At this time of the year, with the beautiful weather and flowers blooming, I always hear my grandpa’s voice quoting part of a James Russell Lowell poem: “And what is so rare as a day in June?  Then, if ever, come perfect days….” I hope you enjoy some beautiful June days.asparagus and pistachioschopped asparagusquinoa and asparagusThis recipe will be shared over at Angie’s Fiesta Friday, co-hosted this week by Mollie @ The Frugal Hausfrau and Aruna @ Aharam.

Asparagus Quinoa Salad

  • Servings: 6-8
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Ingredients:

  • about 1 pound (or one bunch) of asparagus
  • 1/2 cup of roasted and salted pistachios, shelled
  • 1 cup of quinoa, cooked
  • a couple sprigs of fresh mint (optional)

For the vinaigrette:

  • 1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon of honey
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Remove the pistachios from their shells and measure them to 1/2 cup.  Wash the asparagus and snap off the tough ends.  Chop the asparagus into bite-sized pieces.  Lightly coat a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil.  Spread the asparagus pieces and pistachios into a single layer on the baking sheet and gently toss with the olive oil.  Bake in your 400-degree oven for about 15 minutes, checking to see that the asparagus is tender, and removing it when the asparagus is just-tender.

Meanwhile, cook the quinoa in according to the package directions.  When the quinoa is done (expanded, tender and all the water is absorbed), transfer it to a large bowl and let it cool some.  When the asparagus is done, let it cool some as well.

While things are cooling, mix up the vinaigrette in a glass container.  Combine the olive oil, white wine vinegar, honey, salt, pepper, and mined garlic, and stir well.  If you have a glass bottle with a screw top, combine the dressing in there and shake.

Then mix the asparagus/pistachio mixture with the quinoa in the bowl, and pour the vinaigrette in as well.  Stir gently but thoroughly to combine.  Add salt and pepper to taste, if desired.  Add some chopped fresh mint leaves if you wish.  Serve at room temperature.  Leftovers may be stored in the refrigerator. Enjoy!