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📍 Introduction:
Nuts & seeds add sweet, rich, complex flavors to salads, in addition to crunchy & creamy textures. When raw, they can be a bit soft and bland. A quick toast makes their flavors shine, and crunch come out. One of the best things about toasting nuts and seeds is that they can be stored for 1-2 weeks, making them ideal for meal prep. Go ahead, get creative and create your own unique blends for many salads to come!
🧂 Ingredients:
Nuts or seeds (see Notes for suggestions)
☑️ Instructions:
Pan method (faster)
Preheat a pan on high, add nuts & turn down to medium
Monitor & lightly toss the nuts every 1-2 min
When golden brown & fragrant (about 2-5 min), remove from heat
Chop (optional)
Toss with a tiny bit of olive oil and salt (optional)
Oven/Toaster-Oven method (easier)
Pour nuts onto a small roasting pan or dish in a single layer
Bake/roast at 350 for about 5-10 min; check & shake every 5 min
Remove when golden brown & fragrant
Chop (optional)
📝 Notes Tips & Tricks
Recommended nuts: almonds, pine nuts, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, peanuts, macadamia, cashew
Recommended seeds: sesame (black & white), poppy, caraway, chia, flax, amaranth, sunflower, coriander, cumin, anise
Nuts & seeds burn easily & fast. Don’t walk away for more than a minute or two.
Chop nuts after toasting, not before
Toasted nuts & seeds can be stored and saved in airtight containers for two weeks. Let them cool before storing, or they will get soggy from the steam.
Stride ahead by toasting nuts alongside something else that’s already roasting or baking
For extra flavor, try adding oil, salt, herbs (e.g., rosemary, thyme, sage) or spices (e.g., cinnamon, cayenne, turmeric) before toasting the nuts
Seed mixes are versatile & a fun way to get creative in the kitchen. Try using them to top avocado, scrambled eggs, grain bowls, etc.
To ensure nuts are fresh, take a little sniff and taste. If they smell like chemicals (e.g., paint, plastic), they’ve gone bad. If they taste bitter or sour, throw them out. Trust your instincts.
Hack to prevent messy chopping - capture flyaway nuts by placing a cutting board inside a rimmed baking sheet
Store nuts in the fridge or freezer to ~double their shelf life. Some nuts spoil faster than others (e.g., pine & pistachio). Most are good ~1-2 years unopened. If opened, ~ 6-12 months.
🎓 Further Study
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