Nuts/Seeds | Zest For Cooking

Easy Chocolate Cups

June 20, 2019 by pamflo

Dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants and minerals such as magnesium, zinc and iron, and has been shown to have many health benefits. Studies show that chocolate can help reduce inflammation in the body and it’s a mood booster too! There are many good quality brands of chocolate on the market, but be sure to use chocolate containing between 65 and 80 percent cacao. Most professional chocolate is “tempered”, which is the process of melting, cooling and then reheating the […]

Categories: Candy, Chocolate, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Healthish, Low Sugar, Nuts/Seeds • Tags: Chill, Melt

Sesame Soba Noodle Salad

May 26, 2016 by pamflo

There’s a limit to how many lettuce-based salads one can eat in the course of a week. It was time to add a new healthy, flavorful salad to the rotation. My industrious intern wanted to try this recipe and it turned out to be a winner. You can modify both the salad and the dressing to suit your mood. Roast chicken left over from a previous meal, combined with the soba noodles and some seasonal vegetables made the perfect cold salad. This dish is terrific for […]

Categories: Appetizer, Dairy Free, Dressing, Gluten Free, Greens, Lunch Ideas, Nuts/Seeds, Salads, Side Dish, Vegetables • Tags: Boil, Toss, Whisk

Sesame Peanut Bars

October 8, 2015 by pamflo

My younger son usually feels left out when I make nutty homemade energy bars, as most of the bars are made with tree nuts, and he has an allergy. Crunchy, healthy and yummy, these bars are made with sesame seeds and peanuts, a legume, not a tree nut. Sesame seeds are available in many colors such as, black, white, red and yellow, and are nutrient-dense and high in dietary fiber. These bars can be made with all white seeds, but the black sesame seeds provide […]

Categories: Bars, Beans/Legumes, Breakfast Ideas, Dairy Free, Dessert, Gluten Free, Nuts/Seeds, Snack • Tags: Bake, Dairy Free, Gluten Free

Nutty Oat Bars

May 7, 2015 by pamflo

Crunchy on the outside but soft in the middle, sweet and nutty, and honestly a terrific snack or breakfast! I’ve been working on finding a healthy and satisfying snack bar. Some bars are either too sweet or not sweet enough, crumble when cut or too mushy. Nutritious and flavorful, this is the perfect bar. High in protein and calcium, amaranth is a gluten-free grain and an important food source in South America and Mexico. If amaranth is hard to find, sesame seeds or […]

Categories: Bars, Breakfast Ideas, Dairy Free, Desserts, Gluten Free, Nuts/Seeds, Rice/Grains, Snack • Tags: Bake, Boil, Dairy Free, Gluten Free

Salad in a Jar

April 23, 2015 by pamflo

Jarred salads are hardly a new idea, but certainly a smart one! Only your imagination will limit you. I like the combination of greens, seeds, fruit and grains. Consider a mixture of greens/herbs, grains, nuts, salsa, a variety of veggies and/or fruit, and a protein or two. Salad preparation is easy and can be made ahead. This makes a great “on the go” meal, just shake vigorously and dig in. The dressing works best as the bottom layer, the next […]

Categories: Appetizer, Beans/Legumes, Nuts/Seeds, Rice/Grains, Salads, Seeds, Snack, Vegetarian • Tags: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Shake