Roasted and salted pistachios combined with creamy and tangy goat cheese make a drool-worthy appetizer. You could also enjoy these tasty, Pistachio Crusted Goat Cheese, nuggets on a salad.
Pistachio Crusted Goat Cheese
Sometimes on the blog, I feel like I’m on the show Chopped. I’m given ingredients to sample and then write about them. I was sent three bags of pistachios to try. I like pistachios, I put them in appetizers, salads, and cookies, but haven’t ever snacked on them. After reading all the health benefits of pistachios I was anxious to incorporate them into my eating plan.
What are some of the health benefits of pistachios?
- They’re delicious, nutritious and satisfying. With pistachios, you get more nuts per serving – 49 kernels per ounce, compared to 23 almonds, 14 walnut halves, and 18 cashews.
- Additionally, 30 pistachios make a satisfying, deliciously healthy snack for only 100 calories!
- Pistachios are a good source of fiber. Fiber fills you up without filling you out!
- The Pistachio Principle We all snack, right? Actually eating a healthy snack is good for you. It keeps your metabolism up which means you’ll burn more calories. The key is healthy snacking and mindful eating. Have you ever heard of the Pistachio Principle? The Pistachio Principle is the concept of having a visual cue of quantity. In other words, if you snack on in-shell pistachios your cue to curb overconsumption is seeing the empty shells! I would also think the time it takes you to actually shell the pistachios, makes you more mindful of eating each one versus grabbing a fist full of nuts and eating without having to do anything but open your mouth!
Tips on working out
- “The key to looking and feeling amazing is working out first thing in the morning so the rest of the day you feel virtuous. Plus, you’ll be mindful of what you eat the rest of the day to not feel like you’re ‘throwing away’ what you worked out in the morning.”
- If you can’t work out for an hour starting out or if you don’t have time to dedicate an hour to working out, do what you can. Get in 30 minutes and gradually increase, always strive from progress.
- Mix weight workouts with cardio workouts for maximum results. I’ve recently added weights back in my workouts and am seeing some positive results. You can follow me on instagram and see for yourself.
Tips
I enjoy pistachios by themselves as well as in various foods. One of my most favorite pistachio and food combinations is with cheese. This Pistachio Crusted Goat Cheese is impossibly easy to make. I took 6 oz of goat cheese and rolled them into small balls about the size of a nickel. You don’t want them too big so don’t make them huge golf-ball size. If you purchase in-shell pistachios, one cup in-shell pistachios will equal approximately one-half cup shelled pistachios. You will need one-half of a cup for 6 oz of goat cheese. Chopped the pistachios fine, the smaller they are the easier they ‘stick’ to the cheese. I drizzled agave nectar over them and served as an appetizer. You could use honey if you prefer. These tasty nuggets would also be wonderful on a green salad.
How do you eat pistachios? Do you have a favorite pistachio recipe?
Pistachio Crusted Goat Cheese
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Save To Your Recipe BoxIngredients
- 6 ounces goat cheese
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pistachios
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- pinch of black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon agave nectar
Instructions
- Roll goat cheese into balls. They need to be small, think size of quarter.
- Mix salt, pepper, and pistachios together.
- Roll goat cheese balls in pistachio mixture.
- Just before serving drizzle with agave nectar.
Nutrition
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Stephanie says
I love pistachios and I love cheese..perfection!
Paula says
Thank you! I just love that combo too!
Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor says
Hi, my name is Ashley and I am addicted to pistachios. Seriously, I eat them almost everyday for my night time snack. Usually, I grab a handful after my evening workout. These pistachio crusted goat cheese look perfect, Paula!
Gloria // Simply Gloria says
Girlfriend, I’m just trying to fit in 10 minutes of work out in my day! (Sometimes, me and girls gab while walking around the inside track while the kiddos are running loose! Then there’s my 2-3 hour workout!)
You created an interesting recipe using pistachios! Pinning… (=
Diane says
Paula these look GREAT! I like the idea of putting the pistachio and goat cheese into a salad! That would be a WIN in our home!
Kelly says
Pistachios are one of my favorite nuts and they sound awesome with the goat cheese! What great appetizers, pinning 🙂 Have a great weekend Paula!
Paula says
Thank you, Kelly!
Cindy Eikenberg says
Paula, I love pistachios and goat cheese – this sounds fantastic! Thanks for sharing and pinning! Have a great Friday!
Deb@ Cooking on the Front Burner says
We love pistachios here and I like how you created them into an appetizer!!
Zainab @ Blahnik Baker says
I love pistachios and I didn’t even know all these benefits!! Now I will be snacking on them more often. Thanks for the info on working out 🙂
Emily @ It Bakes Me Happy says
Oh yum Paula, I love pistachios, pinning!
Cranberry Morning says
No kidding, those pistachios make the goat cheese look irresistible! What a great idea. I’m pinning this (and I don’t pin just anything, btw.) Can’t wait to make these. Oh. and what I’m doing for fitness in 2014? First, recovering from total hip replacement, and then staying on my lower carb diet, eating mainly meat, vegetables, and nuts. Avoiding grains, starchy vegetables, and fruit. (There are no antioxidants in fruit that can’t be found in vegetables.) Also eating lots of peppers! and getting out there walking, as soon as the snow melts (which might be June, at the rate we’re going!)
tanya says
You don’t have to convince me to eat pistachios OR goat cheese! Love them both, never thought of pairing them! Yum!
Paula says
OH it’s so yummy, Tanya, especially with a drizzle of agave