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walnuts

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Beet apple walnut fall harvest salad

Farmers markets everywhere are still brimming with vibrant beets and crunchy apples. Put them together in this delicious Beet Apple Walnut Fall Harvest salad. See what else is still in season in November.  The crisp combo of tart apples and earthy sweet roasted beets is the perfect way to continue to enjoy the best flavors of fall as we head into the second half of the season. Serve as a side salad to your weeknight meal or earmark this one as a fresh new surprise for the Thanksgiving table. It’s easy enough and pretty enough for just about any occasion. But don’t think this salad is just about looks. Beets are a low calorie root veggie with an impressive record: they can help keep your blood pressure in check, improve athletic performance, fight inflammation, improve digestion, support brain health, and they may even have some cancer fighting potential thanks to…

Tuscan risotto with kale, mushrooms, and walnuts

This classic dish gets upgraded to main meal status with the addition of hearty mushrooms, Tuscan kale, and crunchy walnuts. It’s so easy to prepare, and better yet, you can have this elegant vegetarian dish ready in about 35 minutes. This traditional method of making risotto involves standing at the stove and stirring for around 18 minutes. It might seems a little labor intensive compared to low-fuss pastas, but to achieve the signature creamy texture risotto is known for, it’s well worth the effort. If you’re not vegetarian, and if you want to serve this as a side dish instead, consider pairing it with your favorite chicken Marsala for a tasty Italian combo. This Tuscan risotto with kale, mushrooms, and walnuts will easily be your new favorite go-to recipe this fall and all year long. Tuscan risotto with kale, mushrooms, and walnuts Serves 4 Ingredients 5 cups vegetable or chicken…

10 foods that can substitute as cleaning supplies

Cleaning your house isn’t exactly fun, but you might be able to make it easier — or at least, more amusing — with one of these 10 foods substituting as cleaning supplies. You can save some money by not spending on expensive specialty products. Not to mention, you can avoid coming in contact with a ton of potentially harmful chemicals that store-bought brands typically contain. These tricks will help you keep more money in your wallet, and they support a healthier lifestyle. Who doesn’t want that? 1. Coca-Cola Coke isn’t just for sipping. The highly carbonated beverage contains phosphoric acid, citric acid, and carbonic acid — all which help it serve as a cleaning product substitute. Use it to take rust off of pots, remove, remove hard stains for inside the toilet bowl, restore shine to coins and jewelry, and get grease out of clothes. 2. Ketchup It’s might be…

Apple cinnamon streusel bread

Christmas cookies take all the glory, but I say there is nothing better than fall baking. The smell of this apple cinnamon bread is mouth-watering. It will float out of your door and into the street, mixing with the cool, crisp fall air — De-lightful! As far as quick breads go, this recipe is a bit more involved. It’s still very easy to make, it just has a longer ingredients list thanks to the streusel topping — but trust me. The crunch you get from those toasted oats and brown sugar is worth the extra step. I like to use Granny Smiths in almost every apple recipe I make, but just about any apple should do the trick here. I’ve used Granny, Rome, Gala, and even Honeycrisp before — all amazing. Apple cinnamon streusel bread Makes 1 loaf Ingredients 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 cup granulated sugar 2 eggs 1/2…

Blueberry bars bring the first taste of summer

Blueberry season in North America runs from April through September, so now is the time to start enjoying those plump, juicy, blueberries in everything from salads and smoothies to muffins and more. These fresh blueberry bars are a quick and easy tasty treat. Every bite is bursting with blueberry flavor and crunchy walnut pieces. So give into those first cravings for fresh summer flavors and try this delicious blueberry bar recipe. Fresh blueberry bars Makes about 16 bars Ingredients 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 1 stick salted butter (1/2 cup), room temperature 2 eggs, room temperature 1/2 tsp quality vanilla extract 1 tsp baking powder 1 1/2 cups flour 2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries (about 12 ounces) 1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped 1/4 cup powdered sugar Lemon zest from 1 large lemon (optional) Directions Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9×13 inch pan or line pan with aluminum foil to make bars easy to remove. In…

Easy banana bread recipe in under an hour

Banana bread is one of those recipes that shows up in nearly every cookbook thrown together by professionals and church ladies alike. It’s such a great recipe because it’s easy to switch out just about any ingredient you want to meet your dietary requirements (or if you happen to be short on an ingredient). Replace half the flour with whole-grain flour, use brown sugar instead of white, margarine for butter, chocolate chips for the nuts, or substitute almond milk, buttermilk or even water for the milk. You can combine ingredients in a stand mixer, hand mixer or even with a fork by hand. Pretty much everything in a banana bread recipe is negotiable — except the baking soda. You don’t want to toy with that. But try whipping up a loaf with this easy recipe on a cold winter day. In no time, your house will smell like fresh, homemade banana bread.…

Cranberry, spinach pinwheels make a perfect holiday appetizer

These cranberry tortilla pinwheel wraps are a perfect holiday appetizer. They’re just bursting with festive color. Red cranberries pop against the creamy white cheese and dark green spinach. The flavor is a perfect blend of sweet and savory, and they’re filling, too. If you need to feed a lot of people, these will help you get there. For a little crunch, try them with the addition of walnuts, too! Cranberry, Spinach Pinwheels Serves 4 as an appetizer  Ingredients  2 large spinach tortillas 1 package cream cheese (8 oz.), room temperature 3/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled 1 cup baby spinach leaves, loosely packed 3/4 cup dried low-sugar cranberries 1/4 cup green onion, thinly chopped 1/4 cup walnut pieces (optional) Directions Wilt spinach by zapping in the microwave for 10-20 seconds. Spinach will shrink in size and should be easy to stir with other ingredients. If spinach is still too fresh, microwave another 10-20 seconds. In…

New study shows walnuts can curb hunger

If you’re thinking about dropping a few pounds, it turns out walnuts might be an effective food in helping you control your cravings. A recent study showed that eating walnuts curbed participant’s appetites when they were shown “highly desirable” foods. The study, published in Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism, separated participants, all adults with BMIs considered obese, into two groups. One group was given smoothies containing 14 walnut halves, while the other half was given  smoothies with a placebo — one that replicated the taste, texture and calorie content of real walnuts. After drinking their assigned smoothies for five days, the participants were then asked to look at photos of high-fat foods like onion rings, low-fat foods like fresh fruits, and non-food related images like flowers for MRI testing. The participants were then set back on their normal diets for a month, before returning to the study and repeating the five-day walnut smoothie…