Produce with Amy

“Some of the days in November carry the whole memory of summer as a fire opal carries the color of moon rise.” -Gladys Taber

Greetings, Friends! I hope that November finds you healthy and hopeful. As far as beauty goes, we cannot complain about this fall. The weather was mild and the colors vibrant and inspiring. My tomato crop was been extremely prolific and each weekend I found myself roasting the sweet gems in the oven and either freezing or canning them for soup, chili, and pasta over the winter. 

As I planned for this recipe to share with you, it struck me that I do not share many sweet recipes. My tastebuds gravitate toward the savory side of food (even though the rest of my family has a sweet tooth). Therefore, I thought I would create a recipe that was sweet, and a little indulgent, but was still made with healthy ingredients.

This lush spread would be a great addition to a holiday charcuterie board with crackers, served as a dip for fruit, or be fantastic on a bagel for brunch. It is simple to make and would keep for several days stored in the refrigerator. d

At first I was going to use plain walnuts, but then I decided to caramelize them to bring more sweetness to the dish. However, if you want to avoid the extra calories and sugar you could omit that step. You also could use pecans or almonds. Raw nuts are known for their health properties and would make a fine addition.

CANDIED WALNUT SPREAD WITH HONEY & CINNAMON

*1 brick of cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
*1 cup of candied walnuts (recipe to follow)
*1 teaspoon of cinnamon
*1 Tablespoon of raw honey
*Crackers
*Optional – dried fruit (I used apricots, cherries, and dates), you can also use fresh fruit such as apples and pears 

CANDIED WALNUTS

*¾ cup of walnuts (chopped)
*3 Tablespoons of butter
*3 Tablespoons of brown sugar
*½ teaspoon of salt
*Tablespoon of cinnamon

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. In a sauce pan melt the butter add the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir well until bubbling. Add the nuts in the pan and coat with the mixture. Add the nuts to the baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes. Let cool completely before adding to the cream cheese.

Mix the cream cheese, nuts, cinnamon, and honey. Serve on crackers or fresh fruit and top with dried fruit. Enjoy!

While this recipe is simple, it brings a creamy elegance to your table. A little goes a long way, but if you are making it for a crowd, you might want to make a triple or quadruple batch.
I hope you enjoy this recipe and that it finds a way into your holiday festivities. Make sure you check out the tab at the top of the page for a wide range of wholesome recipes that take advantage of healthy ingredients. From roasted vegetables, homemade salad dressing, and soul warming bowls of soup. In the coming months make sure you make yourself a priority and balance out the indulgences with a rainbow of fruit and vegetables. You are worth it!