Have you heard of the pili nut? Think the soft neutral flavors of macadamias and cashews with the smoothness of butter. Seriously. These little nuts are delightful!
The pili nut is native to Southeast Asia and has been consumed for many years. Hunter Gatherer Pili Nuts are a cut above the rest, however, because they go one step further to sprout them! Nuts and seeds contain lectins and phytates, which can hinder nutrient absorption when consumed in excess. Sprouting helps to deactivate these compounds and make them more digestible. Furthermore, Hunter Gatherer Pili Nuts are harvested from the mountains of the Philippines. They grow in volcanic soil in their ideal environment, which translates to a high nutrient content! Pili nuts are naturally high in magnesium and phosphorus, and their fat profile contains both monounsaturated and saturated fats. Last but certainly not least, Hunter Gatherer works with the local communities, which not only means that they are able to source top quality product, but also that they have built relationships and created jobs within the Philippines. They are certified paleo, keto, and beyond organic!
Hunter Gatherer carries four flavors of pili nuts: coconut oil and himalayan salt, spicy chili, raw cacao, and turmeric black pepper. The ingredients are simple:
Coconut Oil and Himalayan Salt: sprouted pili nuts, extra virgin coconut oil, himalayan salt
Spicy Chili: sprouted pili nuts, coconut oil, himalayan salt, siling labuyo chili
Raw Cacao: sprouted pili nuts, raw cacao, coconut sugar
Turmeric Black Pepper: sprouted pili nuts, turmeric, black pepper, sea salt
All four flavors are delicious, but if I had to pick one to eat straight from the bag, I think it would be the turmeric black pepper. The spices add just a hint of complexity to the flavor, and I'm all for working some extra anti-inflammatory nutrients into my day! All but the Raw Cacao flavor are Whole 30 and 21 Day Sugar Detox compliant.
Hunter Gatherer also sells Raw Kwiot Honey, which is hands down the most unique honey I've ever tasted!
From their website: "Our Kiwot Honey is harvested in the wild from the hives of the Filipino Stingless Bee, or Kiwot. Don’t expect the sweet, mellow taste of your standard honey; Kiwot Honey’s sour, fermented taste has prompted many people to call it “Kombucha Honey”. While the comparison is useful, Kiwot Honey’s wild flavor is truly like no other in the world. Kiwot Honey is a perfect second product for Hunter Gatherer Natural Foods because Kiwot stingless bees work in a relationship of mutually beneficial symbiosis with the pili tree. The bees are essential for pollinating pili trees, and the trees, in turn, provide valuable food for the bees. By offering both delicious foods we are able to protect both species in their wild habitats, and by doing so, increase our own effectiveness in producing them."
What a neat relationship and an amazing example of the many symbiotic relationships that occur in nature. True to the description, this honey is sweet, tangy, and sour all in one. My favorite way to use it is drizzled over fruits or spreads, on salads, and in dressings!
While I could eat any of these products on their own, I had fun creating a couple of recipes with them. Naturally I thought the soft texture of the pili nuts would lend them nicely to a dairy free cheese, so that's where my creativity took me!
Pili Nut Cheese
-1 cup Hunter Gatherer Coconut Oil and Himalayan Salt pili nuts
-1/4 cup Sari Foods nutritional yeast (the only brand I use because it's not fortified with synthetic B vitamins)
-1/4 tsp salt (here's the one I use)
-1 tsp apple cider vinegar
Blend all ingredients in a food processor or high powered blender until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary. Transfer to a ceramic dish or parchment lined bowl, then set in the fridge to chill. After about an hour the "cheese" will be firm but spreadable, but then will harden up and be sliceable, as shown in the picture above. Serve with sliced raw vegetables or as part of a charcuterie board!
Pili Nut Cheesecake Spread
-1 cup Hunter Gatherer Coconut Oil and Himalayan Salt pili nuts
-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
-1 tbsp Hunter Gatherer Raw Kiwot Honey (more to taste)
Blend all ingredients in a food processor or high powered blender until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary. Use immediately while spread is still soft, or transfer to ceramic dish or parchment lined bowl and place in the fridge to firm up. Serve with fresh fruit!
If you'd like to give some of these delicious nuts a try, you can find them at www.eatpilinuts.com or at Barefoot Provisions! You can learn more on the Hunter Gatherer blog, as well as follow along on Instagram.
Don't forget to enter my giveaway over on Instagram! It will be live through Sunday July 23rd, 2017.