Recipes: Peanut soba noodle salad, walnut pesto salmon

Health in a nutshell: Benefits of adding nuts to your diet

Dietitian Jamie Miller of the Camelback Village Racquet and Health Club explains how nuts can benefit your health.

Peanut Soba Noodle Salad

For the Peanut Sauce:
5 tbsp. peanut butter
3 tbsp. water
5 tbsp. coconut aminos, tamari, or soy sauce
2 tbsp. honey (or monk fruit for sugar-free option)
juice of 1 lime
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. ginger powder
Optional: sriracha, amount depending on spice tolerance

For the Salad:
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
4 carrots, thinly sliced or grated
3–4 cups chopped purple cabbage, thinly sliced
1 bunch green onions, green parts only, thinly sliced
4 ounces soba noodles
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
½ cup fresh basil, chopped
½ cup chopped peanuts

Instructions:
First, cook the soba noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water, and set aside. Then prepare the dressing by whisking all ingredients in a medium bowl. Taste and adjust to personal preference. Set aside. To prepare the vegetables, use a knife and grater or a food processor. If using a food processor, shred the cabbage with the slicing disk, then grate the carrots using the grating disk. In a large serving bowl, combine the cooked soba noodles, prepared vegetables, chopped herbs, peanuts, and most of the dressing. Toss to coat, then add dressing to taste as needed. For best flavor, let the salad sit for 20 minutes before serving. Optional: garnish with extra chopped herbs, peanuts, and lime wedges.

Walnut Pesto Salmon

Walnut Pesto:
2 cups fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup light olive oil
Salmon:
1 individual salmon filet
1/2 cup walnuts
1 tbsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

To prepare the pesto, place all ingredients for the pesto in a high-powered blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and well combined, set side. To prepare the salmon, first preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Chop walnuts or pulse in food processor until they have a fine crumb texture. Place walnuts, dried parsley, and salt and pepper in a shallow dish and stir to combine. Press salmon into the walnut mixture to coat on all sides. Place on the baking sheet, and bake for 10 minutes. Turn broiler on high and broil for an additional 3 minutes until the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven, top with 1 tbsp of pesto and allow to rest for 3 minutes. Garnish the salmon with a lemon wedge if desired and serve with your favorite side dishes.

Vanilla Almond Granola

2 cups rolled oats
½ cup sliced almonds
½ cup raw almonds
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. salt
⅓ cup maple syrup (or monk fruit syrup for sugar-free option)
¼ cup melted coconut oil
1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. almond extract

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