Roasted Maple Chai-Spiced Cashews

Thirty minutes before friends were set to arrive, I heated maple syrup in a skillet until it was sticky. I was making this salad from Saveur Magazine. No more than five minutes later, the cashews were candied and slowly disappearing while they cooled. (Who? Me? Steeling cashews from the pan? Never! 😏)

The cashews from that salad reminded me of the honey sesame cashews Trader Joe's sells in it's trail mix section. But better, because maple syrup. All things maple syrup are better, right? 

Those cashews sat in my mind for the next week. My eyes had been opened to something new: homemade maple cashews, and the flavor possibilities were endless. Maple Cayenne Cashews. Maple Cinnamon Cashews. Maple Rosemary? It could work. 

But the flavor profile that really got me excited was Maple Chai (you know how I love all things chai-spice). 

While I did no gifting of these cashews, and we ate most of them while they were still warm, they would also make a pretty little gift. Can you picture a mason jar filled with Maple Chai-Spiced Cashews tied up with a festive bow and a little name tag? Cute! And so sweet, in more ways than one. 

Roasted Maple Chai-Spiced Cashews

Published November 30, 2017 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 8   |    Total Time: 10 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 2 cups roasted, unsalted whole cashews 
• 1/4 cup maple syrup 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/8 teaspoon salt 
• 1/16 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/16 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/16 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 pinch ground anise
• 1 pinch ground cloves

Directions:

1. Prepare a baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine cardamom, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, anise, and cloves. Stir to combine.
3. Heat maple syrup in a skillet over medium-high heat for about 1-2 minutes, stirring, until it begins to thicken. Reduce heat to medium-low, and add spice mix to syrup, stirring to distribute.
4. Now, add cashews to skillet. Stir using a spatula or wooden spoon until all cashews are coated. Scrape cashews with maple syrup onto lined baking sheet and spread out into a single layer, breaking up large clumps. Allow to cool 5-10 minutes.

Pistachio Butter Chocolate Cups

Usually, pistachios just taste like nuts to me (roasted, salted, a bit crunchy) but when they are churned into smooth nut butter, they take on a whole new personality: slightly citrusy — or floral? - bold, and nutty. Pistachio butter isn't quite as thick as peanut butter or almond butter, lacking the "glue your mouth shut" characteristic you know well if you've ever eaten a PB&J sandwich. 

Still, it's rich and creamy, and pairs well with my favorite ingredient. Chocolate. 

Plus it makes chocolate cups so pretty when you bite into them!

I made these with Oliver in mind because he loves pistachios, but they're becoming my favorite chocolate nut butter cup quickly, too. In part because they are just different — not something you can find the store! It's a little unexpected, and feels special, knocking peanut butter cups out of the way and showing up almond butter cups with their bold green filling. 

I add a sprinkle of sea salt for good measure — it makes everything “pop” a little more, and adds a bit of sparkle. Perfect around the holidays!

This post may contain affiliate links. 

Pistachio Butter Cups

Published June 13, 2017 by Caitlin Sherwood

Pistachios make a colorful filling for these chocolate cups!

Serves: 12   |    Total Time: 15 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 12 small cupcake liners or 6 regular cupcake liners
• 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips 
• 1/4 cup pistachio butter (Make this by blending 1/2 cup shelled, unsalted pistachios in a high speed blender until creamy) 
• 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil
• Sprinkle of sea salt or fleur de sel
• Optional: 12 pistachios (shelled) for topping

Directions:

1. Melt the chocolate: place chocolate and coconut oil in a small bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, and stir. Repeat 2-3 times, until chocolate is almost entirely melted (if small clumps remain, they should melt from residual heat). By heating for only 30 seconds at a time, you will avoid overheating the chocolate.
2. Spoon chocolate into the cupcake liners (2 teaspoons for small liners and 4 for standard size). Then, while the chocolate is still warm, tilt the liners one at a time from side to side so that the chocolate goes about half way up the sides of the liners. Place on a tray and transfer to the fridge to set.
3. When the chocolate is set, use a teaspoon to scoop pistachio butter into each chocolate cup (1 teaspoon for small cups, 2 for standard sized). Then, pour 1 teaspoon of the remaining chocolate over the pistachio butter and use the back of a spoon to gently spread it over the top. Sprinkle each cup with a small amount of seas salt and top with a pistachio. Allow to set in the fridge.

Raw Gingerbread Energy Bites

When I first started thinking about all of the holiday goodies in the world and which ones I wanted to make (and share) this season, I jumped to gingerbread pretty much from the start. Even though I already have this recipe for grain-free gingerbread men on the site, I wanted to share another recipe because the cozy combination of spices is just quintessential wintertime for me. 

What I hadn't thought through yet, was how many sweets come with the holiday season, and how every year I wish for those classic holiday flavors in a healthier form. It was right around the time that I began researching for a chewy gingerbread cookie that my friends over at Made in Nature asked me if I would help them with some holiday recipes. Ding! It was as if the stars had aligned and everything came together. Of course. Why not make a chewy gingerbread bite using dates? 

I went to the Made In Nature test kitchen this morning... The end result is delicious.

These raw gingerbread cookies are something I would take climbing or skiing, but I also just grab one out of the fridge when I need a little something sweet. Heck, I'd even take a batch to a holiday cookie swamp-- it's always so nice to have something a little healthier in the mix. 

Made in Nature provided me with product and compensation for this blog post, but the recipes and opinions are all my own. Working with brands to develop wholesome recipes is one way I keep Foraged Dish going! Made In Nature helps me stock the pantry and keep the blog going. I only work with brands that I truly enjoy and use.  

Raw Gingerbread Energy Bites

Published December 15, 2016 by Caitlin Sherwood

Yield: 12   |    Active Time: 20 minutes

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Ingredients:

6-ounces pitted Deglet Noor dates

1/2 cup pecans

1/2 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated on microplane

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and run until the a sticky crumb forms. Everything should stay together when pinched between two fingers.
2. Roll mixture together by the tablespoonful to make a single bite. Place on a plate and repeat until all of the mixture is used.
3. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge.