Brrrr.. it’s only November and the cold air is already here! Yes, winter is almost here! With holidays coming up, and plenty more cold weather ahead, this is the perfect time to share some of our favorite seasonal healthy nut recipes…
Nuts in the winter are a perfect treat; you can roast them, bake them into breads, use them to encrust poultry and fish, and so much more!
Nuts are not only a very versatile food, but they are also very heart healthy! They contain good-for-you fats like mono and polyunsaturated fats, fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, and plant sterols. With all of these nutrients, nuts are also known to lower LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol), reduce the formation of blood clots, and improve artery lining; all increasing your heart health!
One of our favorite nut recipes is an appetizer, almond and olive spread. We love to eat this on top of whole grain crackers, cucumber slices, and zucchini slices. Not only does it taste delicious, but it’s also very easy to make. Enjoy!
Almond and Olive Spread
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup of toasted almonds
- 1/2 cup of pitted green olives
- 1 tsp of lemon juice
- 1 tbs of extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp of dried tarragon (or 1 tsp fresh tarragon)
Mix together almonds, olives, lemon juice, and tarragon in a food processor; allow to blend until roughly chopped. Add in oil and continue to blend until all of the oil is absorbed. If you don’t have a food processor, finely chop olives, almonds, and tarragon by hand. Combine them with lemon juice and oil in a medium sized bowl. Either way, let spread sit for 30-45 minutes for the flavors to fully combine.
The best part about this recipe? It makes 6 servings, and each serving is only 70 calories! Wow!