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