I love Biscotti with a robust cup of coffee! This Italian cookie style is made festive with dried cranberries and  pistachios for the holiday season. It is twice baked for that crunch factor for dunking purposes. Pistachios and cranberries offer a powerful combination of nutrients. I’ve made these on quite a few occasions as homemade holiday gift to give for family, friends and more.

 

Powerful pistachios! An excellent source of copper, manganese and phosphorus. It is very high in vitamin B6 and a good source of thiamin. Did you know, pistachio nuts provide 3 grams of dietary fiber (about 12% of RDA) in a single serving?! This is twice the fiber in an ounce of walnuts and about the same amount in a serving of oatmeal.

 

There are many reasons to LOVE dried cranberries! This fruit naturally contains flavonoids, an antioxidant, which offers bacterial anti-adhesive properties that is not found in other fruits or vegetables. Cranberries may also help to inhibit the bacteria associated with gum disease and stomach ulcers. An excellent source of fiber ( about 10% daily of RDA)  and women with recurring symptoms of urinary tract infections report a reduction for up to six months after consuming one serving of dried cranberries per day for 2 weeks.

 

 

YIELDS: about 40

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup unsalted organic butter (1 stick), room temp

1/2 cup organic raw sugar

2 local large eggs, room temp

1 orange, zest

1/2 cup dried locally grown cranberries

1/2 cup pistachios, shelled

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine flours, baking powder and salt.

With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until smooth. Add one egg at a time. Mix in zest. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients; mix until incorporated. Mix in dried cranberries and pistachios.

Divide the dough in half and approximately shape into 10 x 2 logs. Place baking sheet with lined parchment. Bake until golden brown around the edges and firm to the touch, about 20-25 minutes. Let cool for about 20 minutes.

Reduce heat to 300. Using a sharp knife, cut logs into 1/2 inch thick slices. Arrange on sheet in a single layer. Bake until crisp and dry, about 15 minutes on each side. Let cool and enjoy!

 

 

NUTRITIONAL VALUE: Calories 90; Total Fat 4.5g; Saturated Fat 2.3; Cholesterol 21mg; Sodium 55mg; Total Carbohydrates 11.2g; Sugars 2.5g; Protein 1.5g; vitamin A 2%, vitamin C 1%, calcium 2% and iron 4%.

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