I realized lately that I go through the Starbucks drive-thru far too often. And as soon as I find a drink that I really love, they discontinue it. Thankfully, I’ve discovered Torani syrups.
For just $7.95 for a 750 ml bottle, I can now have Starbucks-like coffee without having to wait in line. My personal favorite is the English Toffee, but they also have a fantastic Butter Pecan flavor and pretty much any flavor you could think of, including sugar-free varieties.
I’ve seen them in stores like Cost Plus World Market and at smaller coffee shops, but you can also order them online. I highly recommend having it on hand for those days you need a little extra something to get going in the morning.
Oh my, oh my. Can you believe that Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away? I am so excited for spending time with family while digging into fantastic food and delicious desserts.
In honor of this special holiday, here are a few sumptuous pecan dishes to serve alongside the Turkey this Thanksgiving.
Cream Cheese-and-Olive Pecan Bites - This time-friendly and budget-friendly appetizer only has 5 ingredients, plus it creates a perfectly popable snack for guests to munch on while the turkey finishes browning.
Harvest Sweet Potato Pecan Pie Tarts - Pre-prepared mini phyllo shells make this recipe super quick and simple to throw together. Serve it as an appetizer or side dish in place of traditional sweet potatoes.
Pecan Pie Bars - Exactly like pecan pie, only in bar form so you don’t have to worry about making a perfect crust.
If you have any fantastic Thanksgiving recipes that you love to serve, let me know! These are just a few of my favorites that I’ve found for one of my favorite holidays of the year.
I just found this fantastic article that breaks down all the nutrition you need to know about nuts. And the CNN.com article confirms what we’ve been saying all along - the pecan is one naturally nutritious nut! Here’s why:
Unsaturated fats - It’s not entirely clear why, but it’s thought that the “good” fats in nuts - both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats - lower bad cholesterol levels.
Omega-3 fatty acids - Many nuts are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s are a healthy form of fatty acids that seem to help your heart by, among other things, preventing dangerous heart rhythms that can lead to heart attacks. Omega-3 fatty acids are also found in many fish, but nuts are one of the best plant-based sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
L-arginine - Nuts also have lots of l-arginine, which is a substance that may help improve the health of your artery walls by making them more flexible and less prone to blood clots that can block blood flow.
Fiber - All nuts contain fiber, which helps lower your cholesterol. Fiber also makes you feel full, so you’ll eat less later. Fiber is also thought to play a role in preventing diabetes.
Vitamin E - Researchers still aren’t sure, but it’s thought that vitamin E may help stop the development of plaques in your arteries which can narrow them, leading to chest pain, coronary artery disease or a heart attack.
Plant sterols - Some nuts contain plant sterols, a substance that can help lower your cholesterol. Plant sterols are often added to products like margarine and orange juice for additional health benefits, but sterols occur naturally in nuts.
There you have it! For more information on pecan nutrition, check out some of our older posts, or head on over to ILovePecans.org today.
I came across this video on YouTube.com the other day and it’s very interesting. It talks about the heart-healthy benefits of cooking with pecan oil. Available at ThePecanStore.com, Kinloch Plantation Pecan Oil can be used in place of your favorite cooking oil for just about every recipe you can think of. Some of the benefits include:
High smoke point
Virtually flavorless so it can be mixed in to almost any dish
Low saturated fat with 1/3 less than olive oil
Pecans have the highest amount of antioxidants compared to other nuts
Watch the video for an in-depth report on Kinloch Plantation Pecan Oil.
We’ve posted a lot of posts on this blog about pecans over the past year or so, but in order to understand why we have such a passion for them in the first place, I’d like to give you a closer look at exactly what we do. Here are a few fun facts about the Walden Family farm and The Green Valley Pecan Company!
that we have over 6,000 acres with over 101,000 Wichita and Western Schley pecan trees?
our harvest beings in mid to late November and usually carries on through January?
our farm has been family-owned and operated since 1948 with over three generations of the Walden family involved in The Green Valley Pecan Company?
southern Arizona has the perfect pecan growing conditions with lots of sunshine, quality water and rich, sandy soil?
we grow our own pecans, and process them on site?
each pecan processed on site has to pass strict quality control tests before being selected for packaging?
we love pecans so much, we’ve created a festival in honor of them and the Sahuarita community, which has supported us throughout the years?
So, there you have it. A quick glimpse into what makes our farm tick and a quick peek behind the curtain about what goes into producing the world’s freshest, tastiest, yummiest, crunchiest pecans.
Did you know that pecans are one truly healthy nut? Or that they pack a ton of flavor and a big health crunch? There’s a lot more to the pecan than what meets the eye, and maybe more than you thought, including:
The pecan contains tons of minerals which are essential to a health body, including calcium, potassium and iron, along with vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6 and C
Pecans also contain flavonoids, which lower cholesterol and protect against heart disease
New research suggests that adding a handful of pecans to a low-fat diet can dramatically lower bad cholesterol
Almost 90% of the fats in pecans are “good” fats, which help maintain good health
Two-thirds of the fats in pecans are the same type found in heart-healthy olive oil
There’s nothing like a great day of picking pecans during the harvest at our farms. Just watch the video below and you’ll see exactly how we get the freshest, crunchiest, most flavorful pecans fresh from our farm to your table. Check out the video below to see how we do it!
There is nothing I love more than Saturday morning. The workweek is over. There’s no need for an alarm. And it’s the perfect day to make a fantastic brunch.
I usually sleep in a little on Saturday, but wake up early enough to make a great breakfast. And I make sure to switch it up every week. Last week was a goat cheese, spinach and tomato omelet, but this week will be Orange-Pecan French Toast Casserole courtesy of Cooking Light.
I haven’t made it before, but this looks so delicious. Plus it was rated “Outstanding” and has over 37 reviews. The best part is that you make it the night before so all you have to do is wake up and pop it in the oven.
Back in March I went to New York to visit some friends and explore the city. The one recommendation that all of my friends had while I was there was to eat at Max Brenner. The food was beyond fantastic, and I wish there was one where I lived.
Max Brenner is a famous chocolatier who has dedicated his life to making mouth-watering chocolate and chocolate-related food. I even got to sample some of his chocolate-covered pecans. The creamy chocolate melts in your mouth instantly, leaving you to finish the confectionery treat with the satisfying crunch of the nutty pecan.
I found this video on the food network, and although I’ve expressed my feelings about Paula Dean before, I have to admit that this Chocolate Pecan Pie she bakes with Max Brenner looks fantastic!
Check it out. And next time you’re in New York City, eat at Max Brenner! They have the best breakfast in the city.
Celebrate National Pecan Month with us this April by chowing down on the “All American Nut”!
According to The National Pecan Sheller’s Association, on April 6, 2001, pecans were “proclaimed in the U.S. Congressional Record, and National Pecan Month was established.”
Although this is a fairly new celebration, the natural goodness of the pecan has been around since the very beginning. Whether you choose to snack on pecans for your health or just for the taste, it’s our month to snack away!
