Whatever be your preconceived ideas about cooking with pecans, baking with pecans and using pecans, get ready to forget them. The truth is pecans possess little superpowers that help them 1) enhance recipe flavors, 2) increase recipe nutrients and 3) add the most delightful texture to any entree, dessert or snack. You may have a favorite pecan pie recipe that is reserved for the holidays, but I want to challenge you to rethink the ways you’ve historically used pecans and help you get the most out of your pecan-eating experience.
Juicy Pecan-Crusted Meats
We aren’t nuts- meat crusted with pecans is unbelievably delicious! Pecan-crusted chicken, pecan-crusted pork, pecan-crusted salmon, pecan-crusted beef fillet- they’re all amazing. The secret as to why pecan-crusted meats are so delicious is that the natural essential oils found in pecans work diligently to ensure your meat stays juicy and doesn’t dry out. The natural essential oils found in pecans also work to enhance flavor pairings in recipes. So it’s a win, win when coating meats with pecans.
Try our recipe for Scrumptious Pecan-Crusted Pork Chops to enjoy pecan-crusted meat for yourself.
Gluten-Free, Low-Carb Flour Alternative
It can be challenging to find delicious alternatives to processed foods. With diet restrictions and specialized diet trends gaining popularity, it’s nice to find something that checks all the boxes- offers great flavor, is gluten-free, is grain-free, is low-carb and Ketogenic, Paleo and Whole30 diet friendly, and pecan meal does that. Similar to other nut flours, pecan meal is the perfect healthy flour alternative. Pecan meal is perfect for coating meats, making homemade crackers and breads, crafting low-carb pie crusts and preparing delicious grain-free pancakes. Pecan meal is both revolutionizing the gourmet food industry and providing families with grain-free, gluten-free and low-carb options when they otherwise wouldn’t have any.
To experience the uniquely delicious flavors pecan meal has to offer, try our recipes for Banana Bread , Pecan Crackers, Buttermilk Pancakes, Chick-Fil-A Copycat Chicken Nuggets, or Pecan Meal Crust.
Crunchy and Buttery Pecan Salads
Nothing welcomes warmer weather like a fresh fruit salad or crisp greens with your favorite balsamic vinaigrette. If you don’t already toss in a handful of pecans to your favorite salad, you are truly missing out, friend. The special part about adding pecans to your salads is that they match perfectly regardless of the theme of your salad. Lightly roast your pecans to give them a deeply robust flavor, toast the pecans with a hit of sugar and cinnamon to add a little sweetness, or simply toss a handful of farm fresh pecans in your salad to create a pleasant buttery and rich finish. So much flavor and nutritional power packed into a single handful!!
Experience the added freshness of including pecans in your salads by trying our Crisp Fruit Salad with Tangy Pecan Oil Vinaigrette recipe.
Pecan Snacks for the Whole Family
Of course, we all love the yummy pecan desserts the holidays are famous for, but let’s not forget the incredible nutrition pecans offer to keep our families fueled year-round. Because pecans have more than 19 vitamins and minerals, you don’t have to sacrifice flavor for valuable nutrients. Pecans are perfect for including in trail mixes, snack mixes, homemade granola bars or are perfect for enjoying by the healthy handful.
Recognize the importance of fueling your family with healthier food this year by trying one of our snack recipes including Pecan Pie Energy Balls, Dark Chocolate Superfood Granola, Apple Nachos, or our Tres Pepper Roasted Pecans.
At the end of the day, the sky is the limit when baking with pecans, cooking with pecans and enjoying pecans in general. We hope this inspires you to step out of your comfort zone and experience the added flavor, added nutrients and overall eating experience added when you choose to include pecans in your healthy lifestyle.
