Now that you know you should have 4 to 5 servings of nuts,
including pecans, each week as part of your healthy diet,
the pecan possibilities are endless. Here are just a few
healthy suggestions to get you started.
-
 Top off pumpkin, squash or tomato soup made with
low-fat milk, with roasted, chopped pecans.
- Sprinkle chopped pecans on salads. They add crunch
and flavor to both green salads (think roasted pecans
and crumbled goat cheese) and fruit salads (pecans go
with any fruit combination).
- Try baked apples filled with pecans. Core the apple
and fill with roasted pecans and a bit of maple syrup.
Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes or until soft.
- Make pecans a part of breakfast. Sprinkle them on
cold or hot cereal, frozen, whole-wheat pancakes or
waffles or put them in the batter, if you’re making them
from scratch.
- Bring roasted pecans along as a snack, or pack them
in your lunch. Plain and unadorned they’re delicious and
nutritious.
- Add chopped pecans to rice dishes. They really add
flavor to pilaf and brown and wild rice.
- When seasoning breadcrumbs for coating fish or
chicken, add finely chopped pecans to the mix.
- Stir chopped, roasted pecans in unsweetened
applesauce. Serve it with lean pork, as a side dish at
breakfast or as an anytime snack.
 How to
roast the perfect pecan:
Basic Toasted Pecans
Preheat over to 300 degrees. Place ½ cup of shelled
pecans on a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for
approximately 7 minutes. Check toward the end, to be
sure they don’t burn.
Dry Sautéed Pecans
Heat a dry sauté pan over medium high heat. Add
shelled pecans and roast, tossing or stirring
frequently. Do not leave unattended, as the pecans can
burn quickly. When the pecans are browned, remove the
pan from the heat and turn the nuts out onto a cool
plate to stop them from cooking further.
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