If you are like me, I love any excuse to celebrate a random food holiday. And National Pistachio Day is no exception. I often find pistachios to be a highly underrated member of the nut family—yet they are probably my favorite of them all.
Because I am a dietitian, I’m naturally drawn to their nutrient composition. Pistachios are a great source of fiber, protein, and potassium. Additionally, they are rich in zeaxanthin and lutein which are antioxidant-rich compounds that are associated with improved eye health. With February being National Heart Month, they are a great heart healthy food to add to your routine due to their composition of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
For those of you who care less about the nutrition composition of pistachios, then you may be interested in their versatility. You can eat them on their own either with or without the shell. I particularly like pairing them with a source of carbs for a balanced snack. I often incorporated them into an easy trail mix with dried cranberries and dark chocolate chips. Yum!
I also wanted to provide you with some creative ways you can incorporate pistachios into your routine. First up, my Citrus Parfait with Pistachios.
I love incorporating citrus into my recipes during the winter months because its in it’s peak season and I can usually find the best prices. Lately my favorite has been cara cara navel oranges. If you live in the midwest, these can be found in the produce section at Hy-Vee.
Citrus Parfait with Pistachios
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup plain Greek or Icelandic yogurt use whichever percent you prefer (ie. whole milk, fat-free, etc)
- 1 1/2 tsp honey
- 1 tsp lime juice
- 1/2 cara cara navel orange
- 1/8 cup shelled, roasted & salted pistachios
Instructions
- Combine yogurt, honey, and lime juice together.
- Peel the cara cara navel orange and cut each segment in half.
- In a parfait cup (or clear glass of choice), scoop half of the yogurt. Then layer with cara cara navel orange segments and pistachios. Place the rest of the yogurt on top. Finish off with remaining orange pieces and pistachios.
- Enjoy!
Notes
In addition to my own recipe, I have included 9 other recipes that are sure to inspire you to use pistachios in creative ways in your kitchen.
Pistachio Turmeric Rice Power Bowl from Sharon Palmer (The Plant-Powered Dietitian)
Cranberry Pistachio Granola Bar Squares from Lauren Harris-Pincus of Nutrition Starring You
Creamy Pistachio Soup from Jess Degore of Dietitian Jess
Pistachio Crusted Salmon with Citrus Gremolata from Emily Cooper of Sinful Nutrition
Pomegranate Pistachio Chia Breakfast from Amy Gorin of Amy Gorin Nutrition
Pistachio Crusted Tilapia Nuggets from Lauren Sharifi of Bite of Health Nutrition
Lemony Kale Pasta Salad with Pistachio Nuts from EA Stewart of E.A. Stewart Spicy RD Nutrition
Curried Pistachio Chicken Salad for Cara Harbstreet of Street Smart Nutrition
Vegetarian Stuffed Eggplant with Savory Pistachio Cream from Lauren O’Connor or Nutri Savvy Health
Easy Baked Brie with Cranberry Sauce and Pistachios from Ashley Munro of Ashley Munro Nutrition
Are you drooling from all of these recipes yet?! I know I am! For more recipes, check out my past blog posts.
What other ways do you think you can incorporate pistachios in your routine?
Love pistachios! Your Citrus Parfait looks fabulous! Thanks so much for sharing my Pasta Salad recipe 🙂
I agree, that parfait looks amazing! So colorful 🙂