Yesterday we talked about underrated foods, à la walnuts. Today I’m thinking about later-in-life foods. As in, stuff you just didn’t eat until you were adult-like. But now that you’re older and much, much wiser, you enjoy your new culinary discoveries all the time!

A lot of people tell me that avocados are their LIL foods. Also fava beans.

One poor soul told me that Jolly Ranchers were his LIL food. I gave him a hug and we cried together.

Pistachios are my later-in-life food. I honestly can’t remember eating them at all until I met A., who is a true pistachiophile. He taught me proper cracking technique.

I really grew to appreciate the unique flavor of pistachios, but it wasn’t until I started reading about working them into cakes, cookies, flans and even moles that I was truly hooked.

Today we’re making little, green pistachio muffins. For breakfast!

I have this idea that muffins can be quite boring, which is why I like to play with their texture when I make them.

These pistachio muffins involve the nuts two ways:  ground into a pistachio ‘pesto’ and chopped whole kernels.

If you’re lucky enough to find a sack of shelled pistachios, you’re money. If not, pull up a chair, throw on a good movie, and prepare to crack your face off:  we need 1 1/2 cups of pistachio kernels for these muffins.

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