Although they are yummy and a great whole food, nuts are not just for snacking! They can find a place in all types of meals – salads for lunch and delicious main course recipes as well.  And you will find that their health benefits can be amazing.  In fact, nuts are a great plant based protein to introduce into your diet because many nuts are good sources of vitamins E and B₂ (riboflavin, an antioxidant), and are rich in protein, folate, fiber and essential minerals such as magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper and selenium.

Nuts have what people might refer to as “good” fats – or if you want to be formal, the essential fatty acids linoleic and linolenic acids.  This means that the fat found in nuts is monounsaturated fat which is the same found in heart-healthy olive and canola oils.  Nuts also contain a lot of polyunsaturated fat, which is known to lower cholesterol levels. (The fat you want to limit or avoid is saturated fat, which is the artery clogging kind found in things like red meat.)

Nuts are also high in Omega-3 Fatty Acids, so like cold-water fish (think salmon,) having nuts as part of your diet may help to reduce the risks of strokes and heart attacks. They also rich contain arginine, which our bodies use to make a potent natural vasodilator. And don’t forget the abundant flavonoids and isoflavones― compounds now thought to help ward off cancer and cardiovascular disease.

So…go nuts! Try this main dish recipe and let us know how you feel about nuts – do you eat them as a snack? In salads, dessert breads or desserts mostly? Or have you experimented with adding them to other meals? Let us know your favorite way to eat these terrific little foods.

Pork, Green Bean and Cashew Stir Fry
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup stir-fry mixture, 1/2 cup rice, and 1 tablespoon cashews)

Ingredients

• 1/4  cup  low-sodium soy sauce
• 2  teaspoons  cornstarch
• 1  pound  pork tenderloin, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 4  cups  (2-inch) cut green beans (about 1 pound)
• 2  teaspoons  dark sesame oil
• Cooking spray
• 1 to 2  tablespoons  minced peeled fresh ginger
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4  cup  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 2  cups  hot cooked rice
• 1/4  cup  chopped unsalted cashews, toasted

Preparation
Combine the soy sauce and cornstarch in a medium bowl, and add pork, stirring to coat. Cover and chill.

Place beans in a large saucepan of boiling water, and cook 5 minutes. Drain beans; plunge into ice water. Drain.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add pork mixture; stir-fry 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in green beans; stir-fry 1 1/2 minutes or until pork is done. Stir in broth; reduce heat, and simmer 2 minutes. Serve over rice; sprinkle with cashews.

Cooking Light, MARCH 1999

You’ve probably still got a houseful of candy this week – either from your children, or leftover from the treats you bought for the trick-or-treaters. Or maybe the extra made its way to the office where you’ll be confronted by it again and again.

We are fascinated by a recent New York Times article that examined society’s relationship to candy.  It seems that the sugary stuff has a bad rap –so bad in fact, today some Americans even equate it with things like drugs; while historically it has even been linked to the spread of diseases including polio.

But according to some nutritionists, that may be little harsh for candy, which has never tried to masquerade as a health food.  Instead it is an honest indulgence, unlike foods such as granola bars and sports drinks which purport health, but can sometimes contain more sugar than even the sweetest candy.

The article quoted experts and examined the fact that candy is (nutritionally) not very different than foods that people may consider better for them, or even healthy.

“I don’t think candy is bad for you,” said Rachel Johnson, a nutrition professor at the University of Vermont who was the lead author of the American Heart Association’s comprehensive 2009 review of the scientific literature on sugar and cardiovascular health.

Dr. Johnson also noted that (contrary to popular belief) candy provides only 6 percent of the added sugar in the American diet, while sweet drinks and juice supply 46 percent. “

The article introduced us to a woman who calls herself the Candy Professor, Dr. Samira Kawash, and her blog Dr. Kawash started the blog when she realized just how unhealthy our perception of candy and our relationship to it can be, even ultimately admitting that her relationship to the stuff is “not totally healthy.”

How is your relationship with candy? Do you love it? Hate it? Can’t resist it? Let us know if you liked the article as much as we did and what you think of the Candy Professor and her blog.

Getting children to eat their vegetables, the cornerstone of any good diet, can be very difficult. Because of that, family mealtimes, especially breakfast can be a bit of a power struggle in most households.  There is the frequent begging and cajoling to eat more veggies, and the stubborn refusal to change habits that our children can’t help – after all, what child wouldn’t pick pancakes over grapefruit or macaroni and cheese over broccoli?

So it’s up to us to use a little ‘loving deception’ to put the Trick in the Treat! For this we’ve turned to the book “Deceptively Delicious” by Jessica Seinfeld.  The Mom of 3 small children, she was inspired to write the book to help other families stop the battles and turn mealtimes into fun, healthy experiences.  The premise of her book is that there are many ways to add healthy ingredients to foods that children like in order to make sure they get their “5 a day” serving of veggies.

We like these two recipes, one for breakfast and one for dinner.  They both incorporate healthy veggies that are in season now.

Pancakes (with Sweet Potato)
1 cup water
½ cup sweet potato puree
¼ teaspoon cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
1 cup pancake mix
Nonstick cooking spray
1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
Pure maple syrup, for serving

1. In large bowl, mix the water, sweet potato puree, and cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, if using. Add the pancake mix and stir just to combine.
2. Coat a griddle or large nonstick skillet with the cooking spray and set it over medium-high heat.  When the pan is hot, add the oil and spoon the batter onto the griddle or pan, using ¼ cup batter for each pancake.
3. Cook until bubbles form on the top of the pancakes and the batter is set, 2-3 minutes. Then use a spatula to flip the pancakes and cook them until golden brown on the other side, 2-3 minutes.
4. Serve with maple syrup.

Macaroni and Cheese (with Butternut Squash or Cauliflower)
1 ½ cups elbow macaroni
Nonstick cooking spray
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ cup nonfat (skim) milk
½ cup butternut squash or cauliflower puree
1 ½ cups shredded reduced fat Cheddar cheese (8 oz.)
4 oz. reduced fat or non-fat cream cheese
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon pepper

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the macaroni and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a colander.
2. While the macaroni is cooking, coat a large saucepan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the oil, then the flour, and cook, stirring constantly until the mixture resembles a thick paste but has not browned, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Add the milk and cook, stirring every now and then until the mixture begins to thicken, 3-4 minutes.
4. Add the vegetable puree, Cheddar, cream cheese and seasonings, and stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Stir in the macaroni and serve warm.

Enjoy the recipes and let us know if you have any ‘tricks’ to share for getting your kids to eat their 5-a-Day!

When we think of salads we think of those that are light and fresh from the garden – they combine leafy lettuces, tomatoes, cucumbers, fresh herbs and all the bounty of the summer.  But don’t stop eating salads just because your garden has been put to bed for the Winter.  Instead, try using some cool weather alternatives to make salads that are rich in healthy greens and other fruits of the season.  After all, Autumn brings its own wonderful variety of seasonal vegetables and is a wonderful time to experiment with those flavors. You can combine them with lean protein to make a meal.  And they make great brown bag alternatives to sandwiches!

We’ve tapped Bon Appétit and Whole Living for inspiration and created several delicious ideas for healthy cool weather salads:

• Combine baby spinach leaves with diced Anjou pears, chopped dried figs, crumbled blue cheese, and spiced pecans.  Toss with a Sherry vinaigrette.  Layer thin slices of lean grilled beef on top.
• Mix bibb lettuce, a diced Macintosh apple, diced celery, sliced almonds and grilled chicken.  Add low-fat buttermilk dressing.
• Chop hearts of Romaine lettuce, layer on a thinly sliced hard-boiled egg, light Caesar croutons and shaved parmesan.  Drizzle with Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
• Start with mixed greens.  Toss with cold sliced beets and cooked lentils; add walnuts and crumbled gorgonzola.  Add a small slice of cold, poached salmon and drizzle with your favorite vinaigrette.

Take the time to experiment – mix and match any green, veggies, fruit, nuts and other protein to create your own favorite.