Roasted Green Beans with Red Onions and Walnuts

Michelle loves to roast vegetables like cauliflower, kale, green bean, etc as the high heat and short cooking time brings out the caramelization and yet retain the nutrition.

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Michelle shared the above Roasted Green Beans with Red Onion and Walnuts in the South Arm Older Adults Kitchen.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound green beans, stem ends snapped off, rinse and pat dry
  • 1/2 medium red onion, cut into 1/2″ thick wedges
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 medium thin-sliced garlic cloves
  • 1/3 cup toasted and chopped walnuts

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Source: Cook’s Illustrated

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Banana Split with Pineapple and Maple Walnuts

The South Arm Community Kitchen completed the meal with a dessert. Minoo prepared a Banana Split recipe with a twist.

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This Banana Split with Pineapple and Maple Walnuts is just the right size and not as indulging as the version served at the stores. I like the portion size and the addition of the pineapples with a slight sourness to counter balance the sweetness of the ice-cream.

While we were enjoying our meal, Minoo shared with us some tips for a healthy lifestyle and a cleaner environment, starting from our own kitchen. Here is the link to the tips.

Ingredients

  • 1 x 15 ounce can crushed pineapple, in natural juice
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice, preferably freshly squeezed
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3 ripe, firm bananas
  • 6 scoops vanilla light ice-cream or frozen yogurt, 1/4 cup each
  • 6 fresh mint leaves, for garnishing, optional
  • Maple Walnuts for toppings (refer Butternut Squash Soup with Maple Walnuts recipe)

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Source: unknown via Minoo

Serves 6

Oh!, I learned something new about banana from a NCIS: Los Angeles show and it is also mentioned in Wikipedia.

Bananas are naturally slightly radioactive, more so than most other fruits. Small amounts of the isotope is found in naturally occurring potassium.

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Butternut Squash Soup with Maple Walnuts

Minoo selected a hearty winter soup recipe for the South Arm Community Kitchen. Squash is great for soup and they are in season in the winter. It is always good to eat produce in season for their freshness and cheap price.

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his Butternut Squash Soup with Maple Walnuts is a recipe from Quebec. It is the maple syrup that distinguishes this soup from others.  You may serve this soup as an appetizer or a stand alone light lunch, You may substitute butternut squash with other winter squash like acorn squash, Kabocha squash, etc. You can also substitute the walnuts with other nuts like cashew or pecan.

Ingredients

Maple Walnuts for topping

  • 1 cup (250ml) walnut pieces
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) maple syrup
  • a pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
  • salt to taste

Soup

  • 2 teaspoons (10ml)  vegetable oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 2 pounds (1 kg) butternut squash, peeled and cubed (you can microwave it for 5 minutes to soften it for easier peeling)
  • 1 1/2 cups (350ml) apple cider
  • 2 cups (500ml) reduced sodium vegetable stock
  • 1 teaspoon dried sage
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • cayenne pepper to taste, optional
  • 1/3 cup (80ml) maple syrup, optional (we did not add this to the soup as the butternut squash is already sweet enough)

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Source: this recipe is adapted from www.alive.com

Serves 6.

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Pesto Sauce with Walnut

Marian also included a Pesto Sauce with Walnut recipe in the South Arm Cooking Club for Senior kitchen. The Pesto Sauce can be served with the pasta which is part of the meat ball recipe.

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The Pesto Sauce with Walnut is amazingly fresh and great with the pasta dish.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups fresh basil leaves
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

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Source: unknown via Marian

Serves 10 to 12

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Walnut Balls

Someone requested for the recipe of the Walnut Balls brought by Ella during the Richmond Community Kitchen Potluck before Christmas break last year. So, Minoo looked up for the recipe and shared it in the Gilmore Park Church Community Kitchen.

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Ella commented that these Walnut Balls are better than those made by her friend.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter, softened
  • 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • pinch of salt
  • 8 oz walnuts, chopped
  • 1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar

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Source: unknown

Prep time: 30 minutes; Bake time: 14 minutes; Yield 36 balls

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Cranberry Nut Loaf

Stella shared this lovely Cranberry Nut Loaf with the members of the South Arm Cooking Club for seniors. She was given a cook book by one of the members of the South Arm seniors titled “A World Community Cookbook’, Simply in Season. This recipe from extracted from this cookbook.
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Stella insisted that everyone must try her cake because it is very rare for her to bake. Of course, we will never resist such a healthy cake loaded with flax seeds, cranberries and nuts.

Ingredients

Dry:

  • 1 cup (250ml) whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup (250ml) all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup (75ml) flax seed meal
  • 1 1//2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Wet:

  • 3/4 cup (175ml) sugar
  • 3/4 cup (175ml) orange juice
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) oil
  • 2 tablespoons grated orange zest
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Additions:

  • 1 1/2 cups (375ml) sweetened dried cranberries (coarsely chopped)
  • 1/2 cup (125ml) walnuts or pecans (chopped)

This recipe yields 1 loaf.

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Brown Basmati Apple Walnut Salad

If I remembered correctly, June shared this recipe of Brown Basmati Apple Walnut Salad.  Brown Basmati Rice is gaining popularity for it’s higher nutritional values.  It also tastes nuttier than regular white rice.  A friend told me that after a few months of changing from white rice to brown rice, she is actually losing weight.  I may try to include some brown rice in my regular rice and my family will slowly accept it.  I’m sure Ben is going to make a fuss of it as he hates grainy stuff  like whole wheat or whole grain bread.

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This Brown Basmati Apple Walnut Salad can be kept in the refrigerator for a couple of days, which makes it the perfect make-ahead dish for company.  You may add the apples and toasted walnuts just before serving.  In fact, this salad tastes better the next day.

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup toasted walnuts
  • 4 cups cooked brown basmati rice
  • 1/2 cup dried cherries, raisins or cranberries
  • 1 apple, sliced
  • 2 stalks celery, sliced
  • 5 to 6 celery leaves, chopped
  • 4 sprigs parsley, chopped

Dressing:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • zest of 1 orange
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

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You may toast the walnuts in the microwave. Microwave them on high at 45-seconds intervals, smelling for doneness. It takes between 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.

June and Frances make this healthy and nutty salad.

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