Today we’re celebrating one of my favorite nuts – pecans! Not only are they delicious, but pecans are packed with nutrients that provide some pretty amazing health benefits, including neurological protection, heart health, and disease protection, to name a few.
As an added bonus, pecans also happen to be delicious and a great addition to many of my favorite dishes, like these pecan pumpkin tarts by Sunkissed Kitchen.
Below I have included some of my favorite ways to incorporate pecans into tasty recipes!
Apple Cranberry Pecan Salad
One of my favorite ways to incorporate pecans into my meals is by tossing them into a salad. I promise it makes a HUGE difference. They make for a great topping and add some much-needed crunch to an everyday salad.
The above recipe suggests adding pecans to a salad with spinach, granny smith apple slices, pomegranate seeds, dried cranberries, and crumbled goat cheese. I recommend toasting your pecans first before tossing them into the salad to make them sweet and crunchy. Quickly toast pecans by microwaving them in your 24 in. Sharp Stainless Steel IoT Easy Wave Open Microwave Drawer Oven!
Microwave the pecans in a microwave-safe dish for one-minute intervals for about eight minutes Once pecans are toasted, toss them into the prepared salad and drizzle with lemon vinaigrette.
Chocolate Pecan Glaze
Pecans are so easy to incorporate to desserts, and making a chocolate pecan glaze has to be one of my favorite ways. This glaze is originally meant to be topped on an Old Southern Sheet cake, but I also love it placed on top of chocolate-covered apples, homemade cinnamon buns, or some chocolate chip cookies!
Melt butter in your Sharp Microwave Drawer and combine with confectioners sugar, cocoa powder, milk, vanilla extract and chopped pecans stirring over a medium to low heat. Remove from heat and pour over any favorite dessert of yours that needs a little icing!
Pecan Pie in a Mug
When I think pecans, one of the first things that come to mind is pecan pie. You can’t blame me- pecan pie is one of the tastiest desserts out there and always manages to please a crowd. Sometimes though, I want just a little taste and not an entire pie. That’s why I love the above recipe that provides all the deliciousness of a pecan pie in a personalized portion that can be made easily in your Sharp Microwave Drawer!
Start by pressing either handmade or pre-made dough into a microwave-safe mug. Then in a mixing bowl, combine melted butter and brown sugar then whisk in eggs, corn syrup, vanilla, and salt. Place pecans into mugs and pour syrup over the top. Then microwave for one-to-two-minutes or until fully cooked. Make sure to serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (or two)!
This Fall, pecans are the star of the show. Do you have a favorite pecan recipe not included above? Let us know on Twitter!
