Walnut Butter & Roasted Pear Crostini

Recipe inspired by The California Walnut Board.

Prepared and photographed by NutraMilk nutritionist, Florencia Tagliavini.

INGREDIENTS

For the Walnut Butter:

• 2 cups walnuts
• Pinch salt (optional)

For the Roasted Pears:

• 2 ripe yet firm pears
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon chopped parsley

To Assemble:

• Bread of choice: whole-wheat, french baguette or sourdough bread sliced into 6 pieces
• Honey for drizzling (about 2 tbsps) or maple syrup if vegan

INSTRUCTIONS

• To make walnut butter:

• Place walnuts in the NutraMilk container.
• Press Butter cycle, set for 5-6 minutes.
• Press Start.
• Open the container lid.
• If necessary, set for an additional 1-2 minutes for a creamier butter.
• Use amount necessary to layer bread and store the rest for later use.

• To make the roasted pears:
  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Peel the pears and cut them in half. Remove the cores. Place cut side down on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the sugar over the top. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool and cut into 1/2-inch pieces and put the pieces in a bowl. Stir in the parsley. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

• To assemble the crostini:
  • Toast the bread in the toaster or under the broiler. Spread some of the walnut butter on top of the bread, spoon some pears on top and drizzle with honey.