Honey Glazed Walnuts: Pick Me Up Snack

I caught Video: Maple Glazed Walnuts on FoodNetwork while flipping through channels and thought it was a good idea.

This new health kick I've been on (trying anyway), made me think honey would be a better substitute for the maple syrup. It has far fewer calories and no sugar. Not to mention it only takes 5 minutes to make.

Ingredients

2 cups walnut halves

1/3 cup honey

pinch of salt

Preparation

1. Heat a skillet/pan on medium heat.

2. Add the walnuts, honey and a pinch of salt.

3. Stir for 3 minutes, allowing the nuts to roast and the honey to caramelize.

4. Transfer to a plate and let cool.

5. Store in an airtight container or zip-lock bag.

This makes for a healthy snack, since the walnuts have a high content of Omega 3 fat and the honey is low in calories and sugar. You can use other nuts, such as pecans and peanuts, as well. You can also add raisins, dried cranberries, dried fruits, dates, etc. to add more texture and health value to this snack.

Nuts are a great source of energy so make this snack in bulk and store it in the fridge (to prolong the shelf-life of the nuts). Grab some and take it with you to work/school to keep you going. Go for these honey-glazed walnuts when you're hungry, instead of the chips and cookies.

This is so good I ate half a batch as soon as it was cool enough to pick off the plate! This would make a fabulous topper on an ice-cream sundae, even better than regular nuts.

Maple-Chili Glazed Desert

I was so enamored with the glaze from the Chicken dish, I had to have some more. I didn't want another pizza, so I wondered if I could incorporate it into a desert.

A peek into my pantry revealed a can of pinapples, so I figured why not. And the result was absolutely yum!!!!

Ingredients

2 slices pineapple (canned)

1 tbsps maple syrup (adjust to taste)

1/2 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp chili powder (adjust to taste)

1/4 tsp cumin powder (optional - I find it enhances the taste)

Pinch of salt

Preparation

1. Heat a nonstick pan at high. Brown both sides of the pineapple slices to desired level.

2. Lower heat to medium. Add remaining ingredients and stir as the syrup comes to a boil.

3. Lower heat to medium-low and cook till the glaze thickens.

Serve with whipped cream!

I'm sure you can use other fruits such as strawberries, apples, or pears for an equally satisfying desert.

Don't forget to store the extra pineapple in a different container along with its juice.

Maple-Chili Glazed Chicken

The need for a quick meal led me to google which led me to http://www.eatingwell.com/. My fridge is a little bare since I haven't had the chance to go shopping, so I was limited in my choices. I also didn't want to spend any time cooking up pasta or wait for something to boil and simmer forever; my stomach would accept nothing that took longer than 30mts to make. So I turned to the "under 20mts section" and happened upon Maple-Chili Glazed Pork Medallion. The picture looked tempting and the recipe simple enough; the only problem was, I was missing half the ingredients. Namely, I had no pork. I did have frozen chicken strips however, so I began substituting and ended up with something definitely palatable. I hope you like it too.

Ingredients
1 cup frozen chicken strips
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chili powder (adjust to taste)
1/4 tsp paprika powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cumin powder (optional)
1 tsp lemon juice
1-2 tsp ketchup
2 tbsp maple syrup (adjust to taste)
1/2 onion - diced small
1 tsp oil (vegetable or olive)

Preparation
1. Defrost chicken, drain any excess water and add dry ingredients. Mix well so all the chicken pieces are evenly coated.
2. Heat oil in a nonstick pan at medium. Add onion and saute till lightly brown.
3. Add chicken and saute for 2 minutes.
4. Add maple syrup, ketchup and lemon juice. Bring to a boil and stir occasionally to prevent sticking/burning. Reduce heat to medium-low and keep cooking till the sauce is reduced to a glaze. (about 5mts)

Serve over white rice. Or, like I did, heat up a tortilla till it's crisp add some cheese and top with the chicken and glaze for a Maple-Chili Glazed Chicken Pizza! :)

You can also try adding canned corn (whole kernel), green peppers, mushrooms or any other vegetable that strikes your fancy. Include in the initial stage when you are sauteing the onions.

Don't forget to scrape up the glaze from the pan - it's the best part! ;)

I was so hungry, I forgot to take a picture of the final product. I'll update with one, the next time I make it :)