Easy Pecan Recipes You Will Love (And So Will Your Heart)

Whether you say pee-can or peh-kahn, this tree-bearing nut is a top agricultural commodity for North Carolina. It ranks in the top 10 in the United States for pecan production and farmers produce three to five million pecans annually. Georgia is number one in the U.S. and Albany, Georiga is the Pecan Capital of the U.S with almost 600,000 pecan trees. Pecan history facts go back to the 16th century. While most of us enjoy pecans during the holidays, the nut is available all year and is a great, healthy snack.

Pecans are rich in copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and vitamin E. The tree nut boasts 14 vitamins and minerals in one serving. It also provides a good source of protein. April is National Pecan Month and I am constantly searching for recipe ideas on my Pinterest Account, especially my lower-carb board.  The nut is a certified American Heart Association heart-healthy food and has been linked to cholesterol reduction.

I think most people tend to think about pecans more in the winter and it is overlooked the rest of the year unless it's in a Planter's Nut mix that you may snack on when you open your pantry. Grocery stores display pecans front and center around Thanksgiving and Christmas for pecan pies and sweet potato casseroles, but typically, there is little publicity around them the rest of the year.

Even though I have a great holiday recipe using pecans for a sweet potato souffle, I thought it would be fun to showcase a few recipes that don't remind us of the holidays. For lunch the other day, I used pecans as a topping for my salad. I tossed mixed greens, tuna, avocado together and added some pecans for a little crunch. Have fun with using pecans as a topping for a salad by combining your own ingredients.

Here are some other healthy recipe with pecans to add to your dinner rotation. The National Pecan Shellers Association has a fabulous free cookbook on its website that it put together for its 75th Anniversary. There are some great recipes using pecans in this pecan-focused cookbook you can download for free.

5 Other Recipes With Pecans You Must Try that are Heart-Healthy

Fettucine with Zucchini and Pecans 

Toasted pecans with zucchini, asiago cheese, basil, and fettuccine make this recipe simple for a weeknight meal. This is delicious, and you could go lower-carb by using zucchini noodles.

Banana-Pecan Smoothie

Pecans add great flavor to this power-protein smoothie with vanilla yogurt as a base. For even more protein, use vanilla-flavored Greek yogurt.

Stuffed Eggplant with Pecans, Sundried Tomatoes, and Feta Cheese

I love eggplant and am always wanting new ideas for the vegetable. This recipe looks easy, quick and delicious. Pecans are part of the stuffing for the roasted eggplant.

Paula Deen's Pecan Chicken Salad with Pecans 

You're either a fan of grapes and pecans in your chicken salad or not. Personally, I love the two flavors mixed in for the crunch in place of traditional celery. Paula adds sour cream to this recipe to add to the uniqueness. Great on a croissant.

Pecan Crusted Salmon

If you do google search for pecan crusted fish then you can use a pecan breading for most any type of fish. I like pecans with salmon. I chose this dish for ease. No need to get out a processor and using mayonnaise as a base helps the crust stick to the fish when baking. No need to the cucumber dill sauce unless you want to do so. I skip it because my kids won't eat it.  Not a mayo fan, then you may like this recipe with dijon mustard, instead. You can also use pecans for all types of fish.

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