Crazy About Nuts

Sometimes foods get a bad rap. Carbohydrates are still trying to recover from the Atkins Diet craze a few years back, when the public was told that they were the cause of all the bulge on their waistlines. Nuts are also shunned by some because of their high fat content. There is no need to pass on the peanut butter, a little bit can be good for you!

As long as you are in control of portions, nuts are a great addition to any diet. WebMD, a website devoted to health, says nuts contain "monounsaturated fat, vitamin E, folic acid, magnesium, copper, protein, and fiber, and are rich in antioxidant phytochemicals." They can also reduce the risk of heart disease. Nuts can also be a great tool to lose weight, as they are filling and high in fiber.

One handful of almonds a day has 170 calories, 1 g of saturated fat, 0 cholesterol, 5 g carbohydrates, 3 g of fiber, and 6 g of protein. They also provide 35% of your daily recommended intake of vitamin E. As far as snacks go, this one packs a nutritional punch.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that nuts are an excellent source of monounsaturated fats. Nuts, seeds, and legumes (beans) even have their own part of the nutritional pyramid, and are recommended as part of a healthy diet.

Being a Broke Foodie doesn't mean that you have to skip out on all that nuts have to offer. Peanut butter, a staple of the broke pantry, is great and not at all expensive. I eat almonds every day as a midday snack, and they are a great pick-me-up. They are a little bit more expensive, but I get them at a bulk supply store so the cost is lower. Peanuts or cashews are also a great midday snack.

It wouldn't be a blog post unless I included a recipe, so here's a great one using wasabi, courtesy of the Almond Board.

Wasabi Almonds


Ingredients
1 egg white
1 tablespoon water
1 pound whole natural California Almonds
2 tablespoons wasabi powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Directions
Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Line a sided baking sheet with greased foil or parchment paper.
Whisk egg white and water together until foamy. Add almonds and toss to coat. Transfer to a sieve; toss gently and let drain. Stir together wasabi powder, salt and cornstarch in a large bowl. Add almonds and toss to coat.
Spread almonds on baking sheet in a single layer, and bake 30 minutes. Gently stir, reduce temperature to 200 degrees and continue baking 20 more minutes. Let cool completely before serving. Serve, or store in an airtight container for up to a week

Stretching Your Grocery Dollar

Winona Volunteer Services recently held a program called "Stretching Your Grocery Dollar," hosted by Nadine Bayer, and I was lucky enough to attend. The idea behind the program was saving money on groceries by buying smart.



Bayer, a nutrition education assistant through the U of M extension services and Winona County, gave tips and ways for the average person to save money and still eat very well. She gave the following top 15 tips:

1. Plan. At least make a list before shopping, best to plan a week's menu.
2. Don't shop hungry.
3. Buy generic or store brand. Check the nutritional information and ingredients.
4. Shop alone if possible. If you have to bring kids, make sure they aren't hungry.
5. Bring your calculator and check the unit price.
6. Substitute wisely. Make smarter choices, such as oatmeal instead of sugary cereal.
7. Buy foods as close to whole as you can. How much are you paying for processing?
8. Buy in bulk when you can.
9. Shop the outside walls of the grocery store. This is where more whole foods are, such as fruits and meat.
10. Find protein for meals outside of meat.
11. Shop with coupons, but only if they are for something that you would normally buy.
12. Avoid bakery items such as cakes and cupcakes. You can make better (and cheaper) at home.
13. Eat seasonally. Avoid foods like tomatoes in the winter, they never taste as good.
14. Pack your own snacks and lunches. Fast food is expensive and unhealthy.
15. Grow it. If you can, grow your own herbs and veggies in pots or in your yard.

One of the best ideas of the program, in my opinion, was using a crock pot. Bayer recommends cooking a whole chicken in the crock pot all day, then serve it for dinner. Save the liquid from the crock pot and use it to make soup the next day. Soup is a great way to use up leftover meat and vegetables, and is excellent in the winter.

Another tip for making soup from Bayer, "If you are using enough other flavors, you do not need to use chicken broth."

Although it might seem cheap at the time, fast food is not your friend. "It might taste good, but is it worth it nutritionally?" Bayer questions.

Here are a couple of great recipes that Bayer demonstrated (and I taste-tested).

Tamale Pie
Filling:
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 T oil
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
2 cups cooked beans or one can refried beans
1 tsp salt
2 T tomato paste
1/2 cup corn
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped celery

Crust:
2 cups boiling water
1 cup cold water
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/3 cup grated cheddar cheese

Stir cornmeal into cold water, then stir in boiling water. Cook and stir until thick. Sauté veggies for filling. Mash beans and mix in tomato paste and veggies. Set aside. Press 2/3 of the cornmeal mixture into the bottom of an 8x8 pan. Pour bean and veggie mixture onto bottom crust, top with remaining cornmeal mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Bayer recommends buying a block of cheese and shredding it yourself. It takes a little bit more time, you you save yourself a lot of money.

Egg, Cheese, and Tomato Casserole
6 cups diced day-old bread, whole wheat is best
1/2 c grated cheddar cheese
4 large eggs
2 1/2 cups milk
1 T butter
2 medium tomatoes (if in season) or 1 cup diced, drained, caned tomatoes
1/8 tsp nutmeg

Beat eggs and milk. Stir in most of the cheese (reserving some to sprinkle on top) and the nutmeg. Put half of the bread cubes in a mixing bowl and pour milk and egg mixture over it. Stir and allow to stand 30 minutes.
Grease a 9x13 pan with the butter. Place remaining bread cubes in the pan and cover with tomatoes. Pour egg, milk, and bread mixture on top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

This recipe is one that has infinite possibilities. Add whatever veggies you have on hand, such as spinach, asparagus, or peppers.