Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges with Pistachios, Goat Cheese & Pomegranate Glaze

I have a thing for dishes that bring together sweet and salty flavors in one bite. It's like every mouthful hits all the right notes and sends you going back for more (and more and more!).

I first tried these Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges topped with Pistachios, Goat Cheese and Pomegranate Glaze at an event I went to last week sponsored by Wonderful Pistachios (yes, they of the amazing TV commercials!), where we all teamed up to make a bunch of delicious winter recipes featuring pistachios.

You can read more about that party here, but if it's the recipe you're looking for, scroll down!

I have made this easy sweet potato side dish twice since the party last week, and am already thinking about doing it again for Christmas or maybe even our New Year's party. It is THAT good.

The sweet potato wedges are crispy on the outside and tender inside, and paired with the salty roasted pistachios and goat cheese. And then the perfectly sweet and spicy pomegranate juice glaze ties the whole magical thing together. Ahh...SO GOOD!

0

A Winter Cooking Party with Wonderful Pistachios (Plus 3 Pistachio Recipe Ideas!)

Last week, I got the chance to attend a fun little cooking party sponsored by Wonderful Pistachios. The event was hosted by Momtrends, and brought together an amazing group of blogger ladies for a festive night of cooking, eating, drinking, and sharing.

0

Pistachio and Cherry Popcorn Balls

Popcorn balls have always been one of my favorite holiday treats, and this recipe from the Wonderful Pistachios event I attended last week was wonderful.

Though this recipe calls for dried cherry, feel free to improvise, adding other dried fruits (or a mix of them!). Dark chocolate chips would also be lovely, as would a dash of almond extract, to bring out the nutty flavors.

0

Flourless Pistachio Oatmeal Muffins (Gluten-Free)

After a few weeks of heavy recipe testing for a client of mine, I ran out of all-purpose flour and sugar earlier this month. The large glass jars that usually sit on my counter have been empty for weeks, begging to be refilled, but for some reason, I've gone through three grocery orders, each time forgetting to get the flour and sugar.

I'm not sure why this is. Some kind of weird mental block, and instead of properly remedying it (you know...like by walking the three blocks to the grocery store), I've decided to use it as an opportunity to play around with flourless recipes like these amazing Flourless Pistachio Oatmeal Muffins.

All the better for you, my gluten-free friends!

This recipe actually does use a kind-of homemade oat "flour" made by grinding up some gluten-free oats in the food processor or blender. If you're sensitive to oats, you can replace this amount with something like rinsed and dried quinoa or a course cornmeal. I think dessicated shredded coconut could work, too, although that would add a bit of coconut flavor (not necessarily a bad thing!)

The base (and delicious intoxicating pistachio-y flavor) of these Pistachio Oatmeal Muffins comes from pistachio paste, which is one of my favorite baking ingredients (I used it to make these pistachio blondies, too!).

It's an ingredient that's similar to almond paste, but oilier, and comes in a can. It's made from pureed pistachio pralines, so it's already sweetened, and adds amazing flavor to just about any recipe.

Combined with eggs and oats, it makes for wonderfully moist and fragrant little pistachio cakes.

If you're a fan of desserts like financiers or dense chocolate tortes, I think you'll like these, too. I love that they're light enough to enjoy for breakfast as a muffin, but could also be dressed up with some powdered sugar or a dollop of whipped cream and berries for a really lovely dessert.

They are just the perfect amount of sweet for those days when you want a little touch of something decadent, but aren't in the mood to go full-out. It's weekday-decadent!

****
Loved this recipe? Here are four other flourless cake recipes you might like:

• Flourless Cashew Oatmeal Cake (gluten-free)
• Flourless Clementine Almond Cake (Low-carb, gluten-free)
• Giant Flourless Chocolate Cashew Muffins
  

And let's connect so you can find out the next time I post! Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest, become a fan on Facebook, or sign up to receive my once-a-week e-mail updates.

Thanks so much for reading! 

Flourless Pistachio Oatmeal Muffins (Gluten-Free)
Yields: 6 giant or 12 standard muffins

Ingredients
1/2 cup gluten-free rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 11oz can pistachio paste (such as Love n’ Bake; about 1 1/4 cups)
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)


Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a 6-cup “texas size” muffin pan, or a standard 12-cup muffin pan.

Grind the oats in a  food processor or blender until coarsely ground into a powdery “flour.” Whisk with baking powder, and set aside.

Combine pistachio paste, eggs, salt, and extract (if using) and beat in an electric mixer until smooth and evenly combined (about 5 minutes). Stir in the oats just until combined.

Divide batter into muffin tin, then bake 15-22 minutes, or until puffed, slightly brown around the edges, and completely set in the center. Remove from oven and let cool in pan 5 minutes before turning out. Let cool completely on rack or serve slightly warm.

0

Chewy Pistachio Blondies

I debated calling these Chewy Pistachio Blondies "greenies" because there really isn't anything very "blonde" about them, but Greenies (capital "g") are a well-known dog treat, and I figured that could prove confusing.

And anyway, I think you guys get it.

These super chewy bar cookies will be a hit with any of you that love pistachio-flavored desserts--macarons? Ice cream? Pistachio cake?

If you love those, you will FLIP out over these. (In a good way.)

The deliciousness comes from pistachio paste, which is a confection made from pureed pistachios, sugar, and a few other goodies. It's similar to almond paste, though looser in texture (more like natural peanut butter) and a bit trickier to find. Whole Foods usually carries it, and you can easily get it online from a few sources.

Amazon has this 3-jar deal that I think is totally worth it. I promise you this stuff will come in handy--especially with the holidays coming up! (I may have a few more recipes up my sleeve...)

It's a pretty easy one-bowl type recipe, and it bakes up beautifully. The hardest part (isn't it always!) will be waiting for these to cool before trying them. I actually recommend chilling them in the fridge for a few hours--you'll get perfect cuts + it enhances the chewiness.

I absolutely love the pretty minty shade of green. It looks gorgeous with a sprinkle of confectioner's sugar and a glass of milk. A really simple, but elegant sweet to serve at a party or to give as a gift.

Oh, by the way, while I kept these plain, you could also have a lot of fun adding some goodies to these bars. I bet white chocolate chips or dried cherries would be amazing, or you could even add some roasted salted pistachios for a fun salty-sweet crunch.

Let me know what you decide to try!

****
Love Always Order Dessert? Let's connect! Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest, become a fan on Facebook, or sign up to receive my once-a-week e-mail updates. And if you ever need any entertaining or cooking advice, please don't hesitate to e-mail me. Thanks for reading!    

Chewy Pistachio Blondies
These chewy green blondies are made with canned pistachio paste--a sweet confection made with ground pistachios and sugar.

Yields about 20 small blondies.

Ingredients
1/2 cup pistachio nut paste
1 cup light brown sugar (or substitute granulated sugar + 1 teaspoon of molasses or honey; dark brown will affect the color too much)
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 drops green food coloring (optional)
Confectioner's sugar, for dusting (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and line an 8" square baking pan with parchment paper or foil so that it overhangs on the sides.

Combine the pistachio paste and sugar in the base of a mixer, and beat until evenly combined. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, and mix again for 1 minute. Add the melted butter, egg, vanilla, and food coloring (if using), and beat until smooth and evenly combined--about 1 minute.

Spread batter into the prepared pan, and bake about 25 minutes, or until set and slightly golden around the edges. Let cool in  pan a few minutes before lifting out and placing on a rack to cool completely before cutting & dusting with confectioner's sugar.

Tip: Want super clean squares? Chill the blondies in the fridge for 1-3 hours (or overnight!) before cutting. You'll get super perfect cuts.

0

Pistachio Mint Pesto

If I were forced to rank herbs by order of preference (what kind of a weirdo survey is this!?) mint would probably be second. Cilantro is first, of course, and then mint, which I have been putting in everything lately.

(Seriously...even my coffee, but I'll share more about that another day.)

A few weeks ago, I hosted a Sunday brunch for my parents and in-laws. It was a hot day, and I wanted to keep the meal light, so I served a variety of light Spring-like things: a whole baked herbed salmon, roasted vegetables, whipped feta, an overflowing cheese plate, etc.

Along with the salmon, I made a Pistachio Mint Pesto that ended up being one of the biggest hits of the meal.

If you've never really branched out beyond the classic Italian basil-pine nut pesto, I really urge you to play around. The recipe is so flexible--you just need some kind of herbs (or even a mix!), some kind of nut, some garlic, some oil, and a few seasonings. You can add cheese, too, but I preferred to keep this particular one dairy-free and then serving crumbled feta on the side.

Mint and pistachio are a natural pairing in Middle Eastern dishes, and since that's the feel I was going for, it worked out beautifully. Because I've been rebelliously adding fresh lime to everything despite the cost, I also included it in this recipe, and loved the brightness it added.

A big batch of this will keep well in a sealed container in the fridge for about a week. Eugene and I enjoyed the leftovers along with grilled shrimp and chicken, and on top of scrambled eggs. It's one of those handy little sauces that makes summer eating so incredibly easy and satisfying.

****
Love Always Order Dessert? Let's connect! Follow me on Twitter or Pinterest, become a fan on Facebook, or sign up to receive my once-a-week e-mail updates. And if you ever need any entertaining or cooking advice, please don't hesitate to e-mail me. Thanks for reading!  

Pistachio Mint Pesto
This makes a chunky pesto, if you like something creamier, increase the oil and puree until smooth.

Yields: about 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients
2 cups fresh mint leaves, rinsed and patted dry
1 cup roasted salted and shelled pistachios
3 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 large fresh lime, juiced
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions
Use a knife to finely chop mint, then place in a small bowl.

Combine pistachios, garlic, salt, and lime juice, and place in food processor. Pulse until coursely chopped. Combine with mint and stir to evenly distribute. Stir in olive oil. Taste and adjust salt, if necessary.

0

Pistachio Rosewater Cake

It's no secret that I have a thing for baking with nuts. I owe it all to a now seemingly long-ago attempt at the low-carb dieting, which I was actually following when I first started this blog as evidenced by some of my earlier recipes. I've always loved to bake, but flour-based treats were prohibited if I wanted to stay on track, so I threw myself into researching alternative flours. This introduced me to the amazing world of almond meal and coconut flour; things which I still use quite regularly today.

Atkins is a thing of the past for me right now (though I may take it back up come wedding dress fitting time!), but I'm glad that because of that experience I was able to expand my baking (and cooking) repertoire to work with ingredients that I may have otherwise totally ignored. My successes with almond flour led me to hazelnut meal which encouraged me to experiment with macadamia nuts and pecans, and soon almond paste (which is not the least bit low-carb, but which makes cakes incredibly moist).


One afternoon a couple years ago, I stopped by Whole Foods to pick up some almond paste for a batch of Italian Rainbow Cookies, and noticed a row of Pistachio Nut Paste cans lined up just above. My brain started whirring and I impulsively tossed a couple of them in my basket (ignoring the $11 Whole Foods price tag). That night, I baked a three-layer pistachio cake filled with chocolate ganache and topped with white chocolate. It was gorgeous (think layers of green, black, and white--so pretty!) and tasted even better than it looked.

Since then, I've been wanting to try out more recipes using pistachio paste, but had a hard time justifying the steep price tag. So I decided to make some myself. I ordered a bag of bulk raw pistachios and subbed them for the almonds in my homemade almond paste recipe. Much to my surprise, it worked!


I used a portion of the homemade pistachio paste to create this cake, which is a bit more modest than the one I previously described. I also added a bit of rosewater for a slightly Mediterranean feel, though this is absolutely optional (replace it with vanilla extract if you prefer). Topped with a rich dark chocolate ganache and a few salty roasted pistachios, it's a lovely afternoon cake that takes little effort to make, but which looks absolutely gorgeous on the plate.

Tip: I used homemade pistachio nut paste for this recipe (as described above), but I've also had no trouble finding it (by a company called "Love n' Bake") at my local Whole Foods. It's about 10-11 dollars there which is quite a bit, but you can also find it for a bit less on Amazon or from my favorite baking supply store NutsOnline.com. If you have any questions about this, just ask me in the comments; I'm happy to help!

Pistachio Rosewater Cake
Makes one 9" round single-layer cake

Ingredients
1.5 sticks butter, softened
3/4 cups granulated white sugar
3 large eggs
6 ounces of pistachio nut paste (just a little bit over 1/2 a regular sized can)
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 teaspoon rosewater
1.5 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1.5 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon green liquid food coloring (optional); can also subtitute equivalent gel food coloring

For syrup:
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons amaretto liquour

For the ganache:
1 cup heavy cream
12 oz semisweet chocolate

Optional Garnish: whole roasted pistachios, marzipan flowers

Equipment: 1 round 9" springform pan with at least 2" sides, or 1 9" round baking pan with at least 2" sides

Prepare your pan by buttering and flouring. If using a regular cake pan (not a springform) I suggest adding a round of parchment paper to the bottom to prevent sticking.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. In the base of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. About 5 minutes. Add the eggs and continue to beat for 3 more minutes. Add the pistachio paste, almond extract, and rose water and continue to beat until combined.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder then slowly add to the pistachio paste batter and mix until just combined. If using food color, add the green food color and fold in until evenly distributed.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake in on the center rack in the preheated 350 degree oven for approximately 40 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes, then turn over onto a cooling rack and let cool until it reaches room temperature.

While the cake is cooling, prepare the ganache by heating 1 cup of heavy cream in a small saucepan just until bubbles start to form around the edge. Turn off the heat and pour over the chocolate in a large bowl. Stir continuously until melted completely and smooth. Let cool.

Also prepare the syrup: combine the 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves. Remove from the heat and let cool. Pour in the amaretto and set aside.

Once the cake is cool, use a pastry brush dipped in the amaretto syrup to brush the top and sides of the cake several times, allowing the syrup to absorb. Place the cake on the serving dish and tuck slices of parchment paper under the cake to protect the dish. Pour about 1-2 cups of the ganache over the cake. Garnish with pistachios and marzipan flowers, if desired. Let cool for 2 hours, or until the ganache thickens. Gently slide out the parchment paper pieces from under the cake and serve.

0