Perfect Pistachio Pairing: Mediterranean Style

“I received free pistachio samples from the Pistachio Health Institute mentioned in this post. By posting this pairing for Mediterranean in-shell pistachios with mandarin orange and chocolate, honey mint Greek yogurt, I am entering a contest sponsored by Pistachio Health Institute and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.”

Great news: this month, the Pistachio Health Institute tasked us Recipe ReDux bloggers with creating the perfect in-shell pistachio pairing. In other words, an equation for the ultimate snack. Being a lover of pistachios — buttery taste, good fats, vitamins and minerals, plus only 160 calories for 49 kernels (!) — I was thrilled to develop this tasty Mediterranean-style pistachio pairing:

In-shell pistachios (one serving = about 49 pistachios…more than you get with most nuts)

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Mandarin orange (halo are my new favorite)

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Chocolate honey mint Greek yogurt parfait

When snacking on pistachios, be sure to follow “Pistachio Principle:”

Crack ‘em, Chew ‘em, Love ‘em, Leave ‘em.

The leave ’em referring to the shells — empty pistachio shells may serve as a “visual cue” of how many pistachios you’ve consumed. In fact, study participants who left pistachio shells on their desk reduced their calorie consumption by 18 percent compared to participants who discarded shells immediately after consumption.*

How to make the parfait:

Layer low-fat or non-fat organic plain Greek yogurt with wild honey, shaved dark chocolate, and fresh mint chiffonade (fancy term for a food cut into ribbon-like pieces). You can also add orange zest to the parfait if you’re not planning to have the mandarin on the side.

I’m not ashamed to say this snack pairing idea was inspired by a cupcake. Not just any cupcake, however – Swirlz Greek Yogurt cupcakes. The flavor: Mediterranean Chocolate Orange Honey Pistachio. Check out the picture in the hyperlink. ‘Nuff said.**

*Painter, J. “The Effect of Pistachio Shells as a Visual Cue in Reducing Caloric Consumption.”  Appetite. 2011, 57(2):418-420.

**Disclosure: I helped develop this line of Greek yogurt cupcakes for Swirlz and they are one of my clients. I was not compensated for including them in this post.