Pistachio Bread

I've said it several times already, but I love Trader Joe's. There's a location about 15 minutes from me that's kind of tiny, but they really jam pack the aisles with everything you could possibly need. I really like that their produce is always really fresh (I especially like their bok choy and shishito peppers) and I also enjoy the fact that if you want to try something, you can just ask an associate and they'll open up the package and make it for you to test out before you buy it. They have these awesome sweet & hot pickled jalapenos and tiny baby cornichons that we're always stocking up on.

I'm also a huge fan of their snack selection. I like to buy rice crackers, chips, and cookies to keep in my desk drawer at work so I always have something to munch on throughout the day. I also love their cashew butter (I'm allergic to peanuts so it's my alternative); I keep it in the fridge at work and make myself a cashew butter & jam open-faced sandwich when I feel like having a little dessert after lunch. I am also quite fond of the fact that they have shelled pistachios (which they call "pistachio nut meats" on the package) because I can eat them by the shovel-full without slowing down to crack the shells off.

The pistachios also came in handy for today's recipe. I think it's weird that we call things "bread" just because they're baked in a loaf tin. It's like banana bread or lemon poppyseed bread; these are clearly cake. But this one could really pass for bread. It's not overly sweet and it toasts up beautifully.

Ingredients [yields 1 loaf]:
1 cup + ¼ cup pistachios
½ cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup butter
3 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ cup flour, sifted
3 tablespoons cream

Start by adding 1 cup of pistachios, brown sugar, and salt to a food processor and pulsing until finely ground.

Cut the butter into chunks and add to the food processor. Blend until creamy.

Add vanilla extract and the eggs and pulse until homogenous.

Add the flour and pulse just until it's incorporated and then scrape down the sides.

Add the cream and pulse again, just until combined.

Pour the batter into a greased loaf tin, top with some more pistachios, and bake at 350F for 45 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

The loaf should be slightly mounded and smell delicious. Let cool before digging in.

I cut into this loaf the next morning for breakfast.

I toasted the slices in a little butter and drizzled with honey before digging in. This pistachio bread is kind of dense in the way that pound cake is dense, which I really enjoyed. It's spongy and soft, but it's hearty enough to keep you full. It's pretty rich because of the nuts and butter but it's not too sweet, and this one really can be a guilt-free breakfast. And because it isn't cloyingly sweet, I also think it would be awesome with a generous slather of Nutella.

Here's the recipe page: