Ever crumbled some walnuts over your breakfast creations and wondered? Does it get tastier than this? Well... IT DOES! Toast your walnuts and let them shine!
Perhaps you're like I was. Whenever I saw a recipe that asked me to preheat my oven, spread my nuts on a baking sheet, and toast them before making a crust or what not... I groaned a little. It just seemed like a bit of extra hassle I didn't think I really needed.
Well... I needed it! And so did my walnuts! They're:
Full Of Flavour
Wonderfully Warm
Super Toasty
So Fragrant
And Just So Darn Yummy!
To be honest, I actually wasn't the biggest fan of walnuts. For me, they were a tough nut to get used to! When I was younger and more used to sugary peanut butter, a walnut tasted kinda... pasty to me... do you know what I mean?
Well no more! Not only do your tastebuds slowly change as you get used to different foods, your nuts change when you toast them!
How To Toast Walnuts
There's 3 Easy Steps for how to toast walnuts. Are you ready?
- Preheat Your Oven To 350 degrees F.
- Spread Your Nuts On A Baking Sheet.
- Bake For 7- 10 Minutes OR When You Start Smelling That Wonderful Toastiness!
That's it! It's really that simple. And I know it can seem like it's 10 minutes you don't really want to spend when you're just making some oatmeal but gosh darn do it!
I've now gotten into the habit of just clicking on my oven right before I start making breakfast. That way I'm toasting my nuts while I'm preparing the rest of whatever I'm having and it doesn't feel like extra work.
Using Toasted Walnuts
What won't you use them for! Let's see, they're perfect as:
- A Topping For Your Favourite Breakfast.
- We put them on our oats, like these heavenly Carrot Cake Oats. Our pancakes. Our smoothie bowls... you name it.
- Salads
- Seasonal Pastas
- Think squash and toasted walnuts... mhmm.
- Pestos
- Desserts! Check out this topping on my popular Vegan Carrot Cake!
- And oh so much more!
The possibilities are really endless!
Storing
Definitely. You can toast a larger batch than you need and store the leftovers:
Allow The Nuts To Cool
Store In An Airtight Container
Use Within A Few Days - 1 Week For Preferable Freshness
Storing In the Fridge Can Prolong Their Tastiness
Toasting Other Nuts
It sure does! And there are other methods too. You can toast your nuts in the oven, on the stove-top, and even in the microwave... though I haven't tried that version.
My Baking Addiction has a great tutorial for toasting different kinds of nuts and all the different methods available!
The Cost
The way we cook is pretty thrifty so nuts are definitely the priciest things we buy. BUT if it's to top a breakfast item, we usually toast about ½ cup for the two of us and we'll have some leftover. That's approximately CAD $0.63.
The great thing about nuts is they're full of healthy fats that will make you feel full and satisfied without needing to eat too many. The Harvard Health Blog has a great article all about walnuts and why they are considered to be one of the best nut choices for good health.
If you have access to a wholesale store you will likely find the best consistent savings on nuts from there. BUT your local bulk store is sure to have frequent sales on nuts that will be comparable, if not lower in price!
I personally never buy nuts from my local grocery store unless there is a flash sale on stock that needs to be sold. Doing some price comparison the next time you're out will help you decide which option is best for you and where you're located.
So now that you know all about how to toast walnuts, get toastin' and let us know in the comments below if it's a game changer for you!
Try them on our Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie Bowl Surprise and our Carrot Cake Oatmeal You Need In Your Life!
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