Holiday Recipes with Nuts

Candied Walnut Brussel Sprout Bites from Laura Rege on Delish are a new and tasty take on both appetizers and veggies.  While we could just enjoy the candied walnuts on their own, adding them to some melty brie cheese and perfectly crisp roasted brussel sprouts is a game changer.  The drizzle of spicy honey on top to round it out?  Truly next level.  Try not to eat them all - there's a lot more food to come!

Thanksgiving Snack Board by Passion for Savings is your holiday take on a charcuterie board.  They're not just for girls nights or wine tasting - this mix of sweet and savory morsels will have your guests snacking just the right amount, without spoiling their appetite for the dinner to come.  Nuts make a fabulous addition to any snack board spread, in any capacity - raw, roasted, or candied!

Speaking of Candied Nuts, this article from Cake Whiz takes you through the ins and outs of candying nuts, and answers any questions you could possibly think of.  What nuts are best when candied?  What flavors should I make?  What can I use them for?  How do I make them?  She even mentions alternative sweeteners that can be used to accomodate different dietary needs and preferences.  A truly all-encompassing article, with a recipe ready for you at the bottom of the page.

The Ultimate Fruit, Cheese, & Nut Salad by Ambitious Kitchen is a fabulously fresh addition to your holiday spread.  Bright greens, fresh fruit, toasty nuts, creamy cheese, and a delightfully tangy vinaigrette make up this dish that is worth going back for seconds.  The versatility of this dish is worth noting as well - don't have apples and grapes?  Try it out with berries or stone fruit.  Not a fan of walnuts?  Almonds or pecans are delicious inclusions.  Feel free to switch it up.

Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad with Cherries, Goat Cheese, & Candied Walnuts by Ambitious Kitchen will absolutely be on our table tomorrow.  This dish is great for fans of sweet potatoes who don't care for the syrupy sweet casserole dish we've all come to expect at Thanksgiving.  The roasted sweet potatoes bring out their natural sweetness, and paired with our favorite ancient grain quinoa, its a no brainer.  Goat cheese adds a creamy tartness, cherries bring in that fresh fruit delightfulness, and lightly candied walnuts add the most satisfying crunch to make the perfect salad side dish.

Butternut Squash and Kale Salad with Pomegranate, Toasted Almonds, & Goat Cheese by Ambitious Kitchen is the perfect fall salad.  Roasted butternut squash seasoned perfectly with earthy, warm turmeric (visit our friends at OlamSpices.com for high quality ground turmeric!), fresh and juicy pomegranate arils, crunchy toasted almonds, and tangy goat cheese round out this dish, tossed in a lightly tangy vinaigrette.  Healthy, fresh, and flavorful - you can't go wrong with this dish.

Vegan Green Bean Casserole by Lena Abraham on Delish is a vegan and vegetarian friendly version of the thanksgiving staple we all know and love.  This recipe calls for fresh green beans, fresh mushrooms, and real onions crisped up with the broiler, so it's a much lighter version than its predecessor.  By adding in almond milk to replace the standard cream of mushroom soup, you still get that warm and creamy flavor we all know and love.

Tuscan Roasted Broccoli with Pistachios by Savoring Today is the roasted veggie side dish of our dreams.  We love roasted veggies of all kinds, but roasted broccoli is simply next-level amazing.  Toss it in a little lemon juice, parmesan, and crushed red pepper and top it with crunchy, salty pistachios?  We'll be coming back for seconds of this side dish!

Maple Glazed Carrots with Goat Cheese & Pistachios by Ambitious Kitchen is bound to be the most colorful side dish on your plate this year.  Every holiday table is in need of bright, colorful veggies, and you can't go wrong with these!  Roasted rainbow carrots glazed in perfectly autumn-y maple syrup and topped with creamy goat cheese and crunchy pistachios?  Color us impressed!

Apple Cranberry Walnut Stuffing by Delicious Little Bites is a new take on the classic, savory stuffing we know and love.  The tartness of Granny Smith apples paired with the sweetness of dried cranberries brings bursts of flavor to every bite.  Adding in the perfectly crunchy, mildly buttery walnuts bring a delightful texture to this dish as well.  It pairs perfectly with turkey or ham, and is a must for your Thanksgiving spread!

Apple Walnut Oatmeal Cookies by Great Grub, Delicious Treats is a guaranteed hit for all oatmeal cookie lovers.  These are loaded with apple chunks, walnut pieces, and cinnamon and drizzled with glaze to make a soft, thick, chewy, delicious cookie.  This is a quick and easy recipe - you can be munching on these, warm and fresh from the oven, in just over 30 minutes!

Maple Walnut Coffee Cake by Handle the Heat is a light and fluffy coffee cake that is perfectly moist and chock-full of those fall inspired flavors we all love.  Nutty and sweet, a slice of this is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an anytime snack.  With chopped walnuts incorporated into the cake and streusel, you won't miss out on their delightful flavor and perfect crunch.

Dark Chocolate Walnut Blondies by Barefeet in the Kitchen are an absolutely delectable dessert - imagine a brownie and a chocolate chip cookie combined and you've got this rich, chewy, flavorful dessert that's impossible to not love.  It has dark chocolate morsels and crunchy walnuts in every bite, which complement each other perfectly.  Plus, with only 9 ingredients required that are all pantry staples, you could be whipping up a batch of these right now.

Walnut Maple Pie by Elise Bauer is a variation of a pecan pie - fresh chopped walnuts, custardy base, and sweetened with maple syrup.  While regular pecan pie recipes call for a corn syrup sweetener, swapping that out for maple syrup helps balance the mild bitterness customary to walnuts.  If you're looking for a nutty dessert that isn't overly sweet but packs a lot of flavor, this one is a winner.