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News from the Nuttery

Baked Brie with Honey, Dried Cherries, Rosemary, and Pecans

Baked Brie en Croute with Honey, Dried Cherries, Rosemary, and Pecans

Discovered this recipe from Jenn Segal at Once Upon a Chef.com - it's delicious and so easy to make!

Add a glass of sparkling wine, and voila!

Find the recipe here at OnceUponaChef.com

Bon appetit!

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Random Musings from the Nuttery...Fun Facts

We started way back in 1969 in little kiosks in malls around Houston.  Here are a few remembrances of those days:

We charged $1.79 a pound for "King Cashews", which were subject to sales tax back then because nuts were considered a luxury, not a food.  Fun fact: The largest and oldest cashew tree is in Brazil, covering over two acres and producing about eighty thousand cashews each year.  The photo you see to the left shows the cashew nuts with their pear-like fruit.

We bought almonds from the California Almond Growers Exchange, which was a cooperative of almond orchard owners.  Back then, we were able to get the really big almonds, but mother nature has a rule that the larger the crop is generally, the smaller the almonds are when harvested.  Today California supplies over 90% of the world market on almonds, and harvests about 670 million pounds each year. The really big beautiful kernels are scarce.

Agriculture methods have changed over the decades, but one nut will always be harvested the really old-fashioned way, the Brazil nut.  Brazil nut trees will only produce in the rainforests of South America, and are harvested by hand by village cooperatives.  It's a somewhat dangerous activity, since the trees grow to about 165 feet and drop the seed pods, which obtain a pretty fast velocity on their way down.  Fore!!

More to come!

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Think nuts are so fattening? Think again. This is a good article from the Miami Herald this month.

Want a great snack?  Eat walnuts, almonds, and pistachios  

BY SHEAH RARBACK
srarback@hotmail.com

Engulfed in holiday frenzy you might have missed the headline that walnuts have fewer calories per serving than previously thought.

Calorie guides state that an ounce of walnuts contains 185 calories. Findings from real-life consumption and excretion research reveal that only about 146 calories are absorbed. Similar research in 2012 showed that an ounce of almonds had about 130 calories instead of the published 160 calories.

These facts demonstrate that our understanding of nutrition continues to evolve. And if this makes someone feel more comfortable eating super nutritious tree nuts, well that’s a good thing. Walnuts and almonds are filled with nutrients.

I usually recommend a variety of nuts. All nuts have protein, fiber and good fats. Walnuts are very high in omega 3 fatty acids as well as copper, manganese, and molybdenum. Almonds are loaded with vitamin E and biotin and pistachios are the only nut with eye-support nutrients lutein and zeaxanthin. And one Brazil nut provides the recommended daily amount of selenium.

Many studies have found that nut consumption is linked to a lower risk for heart disease. Other findings include less weight gain and lower risk for developing Type 2 diabetes among nut consumers. All this goodness in 130 calories is a bargain.

I recommend nuts to nearly all of my patients. If the nuts are for a snack, I suggest carrying a small container that holds an ounce portion. Enjoy them mindfully by eating one at a time. The culinary uses for nuts are endless. It might be a generalization but it is true — nuts make most every dish taste better. Two of my favorite sites for nut recipes and information are www.walnuts.org where you can download a free eBook of Mollie Katzen walnut recipes and www.almonds.com

Sheah Rarback is a registered dietitian on the faculty of the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine. Follow her on Twitter @sheahrarback.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/living/health-fitness/chew-on-this/article50615510.html#storylink=cpy

 

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