44 THE QUEENS COURIER • AUGUST 22, 2019 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
back to school
Simplify Back-to-School Dinners with Nutritious Meal Plans
Back-to-school season can be cluttered
between aft er-school activities, week end
sports and evening homework - as well
as making dinner each night. Creating a
master meal plan with quick, simple and
nutritious meals is an easy way to take
control of your family’s hectic schedule.
Start by stocking the pantry with staple
ingredients that amp up the nutrition and
fl avor of your family favorites.
For example, American Pecans are a
nutri tious ingredient to have on-hand
- among the highest in “good” monounsaturated
fats and packed with plant
protein, fi ber and essential minerals -
and “Th e Original Supernut” is versatile
enough for breakfast, lunchboxes, dinners
and on-the-go snacking. Adding one bag
to your weekly grocery list provides a canvas
for exploring new dishes that are both
nutritious and delicious.
In fact, according to the Food and Drug
Administration, scientifi c evidence suggests
but does not prove that eating 1
1/2 ounces per day of most nuts, such as
pecans, as part of a diet low in saturated
fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of
heart disease. One serving (28 grams) of
pecans contains 18 grams of unsaturated
fat and only 2 grams of saturated fat.
Updating your dinner repertoire doesn’t
have to be complicated. Fuss-free recipes
such as Pizza with Pecan-Herb Topping,
Baked Pecan-Crusted Chicken Tenders
and Pecan-Crusted Air Fryer Pork Chops
can be ready in less than an hour and put
a fresh twist on classic favorites to please
parents and kids alike.
Discover more back-to-school mealplan
ning recipe inspiration and cooking
tips at AmericanPecan.com.
Pecan-Crusted Air
Fryer Pork Chops
Cook time: 22 minutes
• 1 cup pecan pieces
• 1/3 cup arrowroot starch
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, plus additional,
to taste
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, plus additional
for serving
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 6 medium boneless pork chops,
trimmed of fat
Heat air fryer to 400 F.
In medium bowl, mix pecans, arrowroot
starch, Italian seasoning, onion powder,
garlic powder and 1/4 teaspoon sea
salt.
In separate bowl, whisk egg, 1 tea spoon
Dijon mustard, water and garlic.
Cover pork chops in egg mixture then
transfer to bowl with pecan mixture to
coat all sides. Repeat with remaining pork
chops. Place three pork chops in air fryer
basket.
Cook pork chops 6 minutes, fl ip, then
cook additional 6 minutes. Set aside on
plate.
Repeat with remaining pork chops.
Serve hot with Dijon
mustard, if desired.
Baked Pecan-Crusted Chicken Tenders
Cook time: 35 minutes
• 2 cups raw pecan halves or pieces
• 1 cup panko or gluten-free bread
crumbs
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus additional, to taste
• 1 1/2-2 pounds chicken breast tenders
or chicken strips
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose fl our or gluten-free
fl our blend
• pepper, to taste
• Buttermilk Ranch Dip:
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried dill
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
Heat oven to 425 F.
In food processor, pulse pecans until
fi ne as breadcrumbs. In shallow bowl, mix
pecans with panko, garlic powder, cayenne
pepper and 1 teaspoon salt.
In separate shallow bowl, whisk eggs
until smooth. In third shallow bowl, add
fl our.
Lightly season chicken tenders with
salt and pepper, to taste. Working with
one chicken tender at a time, dip in eggs,
fl our then pecan mixture. Be sure to press
pecan mixture into chicken to be sure
it is completely coated. Set chicken on
baking sheet lined with cooling rack or
parchment paper. Repeat with remaining
chicken.
Place chicken on center rack and bake
20 minutes until golden brown and
cooked through.
To make Buttermilk Ranch Dip: In
small bowl, whisk buttermilk, mayonnaise,
sour cream, parsley, onion powder,
garlic powder, dried dill and salt until
smooth.
Serve pecan-crusted chicken tenders
warm paired with Buttermilk Ranch Dip.
Pizza with Pecan-Herb Topping
Cook time: 40 minutes
• 1 store-bought pizza dough
• 1 cup raw pecan halves or pieces
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon red pepper fl akes (optional)
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch pepper
• 1/2 cup jarred pizza sauce
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red pepper
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced Vidalia onion
Heat oven to 400 F. Line baking sheet
with parchment paper.
Lightly fl our clean surface. Using rolling
pin, roll out pizza dough to 1/8-inch thick
and transfer to prepared baking sheet.
Gently pierce dough with fork to prevent
air pockets. Bake crust 10-15 minutes, or
until lightly golden in color.
In food processor, pulse pecans, parsley
and garlic powder until mixture becomes
coarse crumbs. Transfer to bowl and stir
in Parmesan cheese, red pepper fl akes (if
desired), salt and pepper. Set aside.
Using spoon, evenly spread pizza
sauce over crust. Top with mozzarella
cheese, red pepper slices and onion slices.
Sprinkle 1/3 cup pecan mixture evenly
over pizza.
Transfer pizza to oven and bake 10-15
minutes, or until crust is crispy and cheese
is melted. Serve with remaining pecanherb
mixture.
Notes: If dough instructions diff er
from recipe, use package instructions.
Additional topping options include: pepperoni,
olives, ham, bacon and roasted
veggies. Left over pecan-herb topping can
be used for pasta and salads.
Courtesy Family Features
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/AmericanPecan.com
