As autumn approaches each year, I get a little antsy for freshly harvested nuts in the shell to reach the grocery store. This year’s fresh crop has arrived and is well worth the wait! Showing off their glorious colors, fresh nuts are noticeably more delicious—they’re sweeter, more moist, and have a distinctly fresh flavor. Don’t get me wrong; the nuts from last year’s crop are still great and have been stored with care to preserve them. It’s just that the fresh ones pop with flavor that compels me to keep reaching for another and another.

If you’re not a nut like me, you may not have noticed them yet—beautiful walnuts in their plump wrinkly shells that remind me of brains, almonds in their pitted golden shells with raggedy edges, pecans enclosed in deep red shells that look as if they’d been dyed, little round sable-colored hazelnuts that have a sort of musical sound when they clink together, and Brazil nuts with their large exotic-looking triangular chocolate brown shells that are a challenge to crack.

Sometimes I find bulk nuts piled into individual bins in the produce section, one bin for the walnuts, another for the almonds. But in recent years I found the nuts attractively packaged in three to five-pound mesh bags as a stunning, colorful mixture. I take them home and empty them into a sturdy woven basket with a strong handle. I call it my nut basket because I’ve outfitted it with the wildest selection of nutcrackers you’ve ever seen.

Friends who know I’m deeply into nuts have contributed an amazing array of nutcrackers to my collection that seems to joyfully multiply each year. There’s a special one that cracks walnuts with one squeeze and another that’s made for cracking macadamias. I have three very old nutcrackers that operate on the vice principle—no, those nutcrackers don’t do surgery on anyone—not even the Vice Principal—I was actually referring to the ones that simply work like vices where I place a nut between two metal parts and turn a crank to tighten the space between. Those three nutcracker vices are true antiques, rusted to perfection, wearing their 109 years with elegant dignity, and still working stalwartly.

I also buy bulk nuts already shelled for serious baking, but there’s something deeply bonding about sitting at the table with friends and placing the nut basket between us. It doesn’t take long before the ballet begins—the nut-cracking ballet, that is. You know, it’s the Nutcracker Sweet, and is it ever sweet. Pretty soon, there’s a giant pile of nut shells on the table, and still we reach for another nut, and then, another.

Nuts have a special way of bringing friends closer. They seem to invite sharing, not only the nuts themselves, but I’m often surprised at the conversations that flow after the first few nuts have been opened and tasted. Because of these opportunities, I’ve come to equate nuts with friendship.

During this holiday season, play the Nutcracker Sweet, enjoy good friends, and keep the nut basket handy. Now, I really must go—my pistachios are calling!

I fee like Oliver today.  I’m still hungry!  Pretty light meals.  I’m still feeling pretty tired.  Think the uneven consumption of protein and carbs provides for a very inconsistent energy level.  Soooo sleepy, I feel like a walking zombie.  I hope this will improve because I don’t know how people could survive like this long term.  A staggering blow today too.  Karyn’s menu is up for next week.  It’s another week full of seed cheeses and dips for lunches, and the beet seed cheese is back.  I just can’t do that again.  I may have to prepare my lunches on my own next week and buy individual entrees, snacks and breakfasts from Karyn’s.  No more beet cheese!  There’s another raw place, Cousins, that I might try this weekend and if it’s good order from there too.  But I think I could just make big, hearty salads with lots of seeds and nuts in it and hope that will sustain me.  I’m still deciding, we’ll see.  This is not as easy as I thought.  Maybe if I had more energy it wouldn’t seem like such a pain.  Anyway, food tasted good today, just want more.  Breakfast was another green meal shake, check out yesterday’s post for a pic.

Lunch:

Broccoli salad, brown "bread", Stuffed Mushrooms

I had the broccoli salad last week too, but for some reason it tasted better this week.  Not sure if the dressing was tastier or if I’m just getting used to this stuff, but it was good.  They only filled the container like halfway though WTF!  I wanted more!  The brown bread was fine, some kind of sprouted thing that I dipped in the leftover broccoli dressing.  The stuffed mushrooms had some kind of nut, herb, veggie stuffing, mainly nuts.  They were pretty good.  The mushrooms weren’t too soggy either.  I could have eaten like 10 more of these though!  I did get a snack of spiced macadamias, but I forgot to take a pic.  Sorry!

Green Salad, Cilantro "Aioli", Red Chili Croquettes

Dinner:

Now if you see this and think, “Where’s the rest?”, that’s the same thing that I thought too.  I mean seriously!  WTF are baby greens supposed to do for me?  It’s like eating pure water w/ a little fiber.  Where are the calories!  I tossed the garlicky dressing and used the cilantro dipping sauce instead because it had better flavor.  I put it on the croquettes too, which were like the size of small sausage patties.  I think it was more like a pesto flavor w/ basil instead of cilantro, but either way it was good.  Must have been mixed with pine nuts.  The croquettes looked like some kind of sprouted grain mush, but were pretty tasty.  A little spice, not much heat though.  Again, I could have eaten like 10 more of these.  At least it tasted good.  I felt like Oliver for sure after this dinner.

Dessert:

Banana "Pudding"

This was a repeat and for whatever reason, didn’t taste as good as it did last week.  It was still fine, creamy with banana, but kind of bland.  It did help to fill me up a little though.  I’m sure there’s lots of nuts or coconut or something in this to help add calories.  Whatever.

Tomorrow I at least get a gardenburger for dinner, it looks pretty substantial so hopefully I’ll get full then.

-Peace and RAWr

1. Almonds
2. Brazil Nuts
3. cashews
4. hazelnuts
5. macadamias
6. pecans
7. pine nuts
8. pistachios
9. walnuts
10. peanuts

Flour (1 3/4 cups)
Baking Soda (1/2 tsp)
Butter (1 3/4 sticks or 14 tbsps)
Sugar (1/2 cup)
Brown Sugar (3/4 cup, packed)
Salt (2 tsp)
Vanilla Extract (1 tsp)
Eggs (2 large)
Macadamia Nuts (3/4 cup)

Preheat oven to 375F. Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.

Heat 10 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1-3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and, using heatproof spatula, transfer browned butter to large bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter until completely melted.

Add both sugars, salt and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add eggs and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let mixture stand for 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth and shiny. Using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in nuts.

Divide dough into 16 portions, each about 3 tablespoons. Arrange 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets, 8 dough balls per sheet.

Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 10-14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely before serving.

Inspired by: http://familyfriendsandfood.blogspot.com/2009/03/improved-tollhouse-cookies.html

Hello all! I hope you have had a pleasant Mother’s Day–complete with a phone call or hug for your mama:) My weekend was relatively low-key, but I spent much of today planning and preparing a special meal for my mom. Each of the kids contributed a component of tonight’s celebratory meal…more details on that later. How did you celebrate Mom today?

Here are a few pics of the celebration:

Mom with one of her gifts, a framed passage from Proverbs

another gift from Lea--can you guess which one is me?

Greta the big baby (hiding her new scar)

Rewind to the rest of the weekend:

Friday

Fab shake! I used copious amounts of PB2 for a lovely nutty flavor.

strawberry-chocolate-PB dream with chocolate HempShake, soymilk, Choco Cherry Treat granola, & chocolate syrup

Saturday

After months of searching, I finally found the elusive Rachel’s Roated Red Pepper Cottage Cheese (see my review here). I kept the sodium count down by using toasted pine nuts rather than my customary sliced olives.

Rachel's Roasted Red Pepper Cottage Cheese with pine nuts; red bell pepper; bagel; blackberries & clementines

Dee-lish

Later, I found this waiting for me at the door. A quick scan of the ingredients revealed that there is kosher gelatin in these yogurts–bummer for vegetarians. I am never one to waste food, however, so I’ll still give these a try–they’ll make for a nice protein hit!

Better Whey of Life goodies

French Vanilla, Plain, & Acai Berry

I’ve been having a hankerin’ for a simple PBJ lately…so that’s exactly what I had for lunch. I used my favorite TJ’s Blueberry Preserves.

greens with broccoli, leftover beans, & salsa; PBJ; apple

craving satisfied:)

broccoli, in all its glory

I have quite an arsenal of soy products that I am attempting to expunge from my food supply (in favor of less processed items), so I decided to use up some of this soy pepperoni for dinner. I topped a flatbread with tomato sauce, red onion, string cheese, & said pepperoni. I reviewed these pepperoni slices a while back for VegFamily.

veggie pepperoni pizza; spinach with garlic & slivered almonds; salad

I satisfied my sweet tooth with this snack plate:

a rather fat banana with Nutella

Then I headed to see The Soloist. I highly recommend this film; I was moved to tears by the intense emotion of the music (and the storyline). It makes me think I should resume my voice practice that I have neglected since entering college. Anyway, I relaxed with a tasty smoothie:

peach-cherry smoothie with berry HempShake, soymilk, & Mango Coconut Melange granola

Sunday

I finally got around to sampling some oats sent to me by the kind folks at McCann’s. I can’t say I noticed a difference in the Irish oats from the regular variety, but future bowls of oat goodness might reveal a variance in taste or texture. PS How did I not know how fabulous macadamias are until today?

"M" Oats: McCann's Irish Oats, rice milk, mango, macadamia nuts, & white chocolate chips

Lazy lunch. ‘Nuff said.

greens with broccoli, dried fruit, & Woodstock dressing; hummus with rice crax; apple

Protein-tastic snack plate:

string cheese; veggie pepperoni; raw almonds

Mama’s meal! I prepared Pesto Potato Salad (which I have enjoyed before; recipe from Ellie Krieger), fruit salad, and steamed asparagus. Major made some kabobs–and even made separate veggie ones, just for me! Katie was in charge of dessert.

Pesto Potato Salad

steamed asparagus

Major's kabobs

asparagus; fruit salad; Pesto Potato Salad; veggie kabobs

phenom kabobs seasoned with soy sauce and sesame seeds

Katie's nutty brownie-chocolate pudding concoction

Whew! After that monster post, I need a break. Ciao for now!

My friend, Chef AJ, teaches healthy vegan cooking classes. At the end of a special 6-week session, she inspired her students to take on a unique challenge—to create their own, from-scratch NUT BALL recipe as a dessert treat. To make this challenge even more exciting, she gave them a deadline and said there would be a contest and an enticing prize.

Chef AJ gave her students a rough recipe for the Nut Balls and asked that they design their recipe without any kind of traditional sweetener—only dates. There were no restrictions on ingredients—only that they be natural, unrefined, and unprocessed.

On the evening of Sunday, April 4, three of us intrepid tasters participated in judging this unique and very spirited event—my husband and I and Kimberly Elliott (because she hates healthy food and will only eat stuff that tastes really great.) Of AJ’s nine students, five of them entered their creations and made enough Nut Balls for all of the 15 to 20 attendees to taste as well. Though the event took on a raucous party-like atmosphere, there was a serious edge to the contest–the judging was to be based on appearance, taste, and creativity. The entire group also voted.

Knowing what lay ahead, my husband and I ate lightly for dinner to keep our palates refreshed and clear. Each of the Nut Balls was innovatively conceived, deliciously indulgent, and looked visually engaging, but two recipes stood out from the rest for their exceptional taste and out-of-the-box creativity.

Following are the NUTTY BALLS recipes along with their photos that are so enticing you might want to reach into the dish and nab one:

Blue Ribbon Prize Winner

NUT BALLS by YiFan Rao

Yield: about 25 to 30 one-inch balls

1 1/2 cups of raw almonds

1 cup of macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
1 cup of dried pineapple, diced
1 cup of dried apricots, diced
1/2 cup of raw almonds, roughly chopped

10 to 12 dates, soaked in water overnight

1 cup golden flax seeds

1. Grind the 1 1/2 cups of raw almonds to a fine meal in the food processor and transfer to a large bowl.
2. Add the macadamias, pineapple, apricots and the 1/2 cup chopped almonds to the bowl.
3. Chop the dates and add them to the bowl. Mix well until the mixture becomes sticky.
4. Form the mixture into 1-inch balls by rolling between the palms of the hands, then, roll the balls in the flax seeds to coat them completely. Place the balls into a covered container and freeze. Serve the balls frozen, partly defrosted, or room temperature.

Note: If you prefer sweeter balls, add more dates to taste.

The balls are very sweet for my taste so I rolled them in golden flax seeds to offset the sweetness. Since many people thought the flax seeds were sesame, I’m sure sesame seeds will work just as well. …YiFan

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Second Prize Winner

NUT BALLS by Paula Shields

Yield: 18 to 20 one-inch balls

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup raw pecans
1/2 cup raw almonds, soaked for several hours
1 1/2 teaspoons non-alcoholic vanilla extract
10 to 12 dates soaked in water overnight
1 tablespoon goji berries
1 tablespoon raisins (black, golden, or a blend)
1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
1 tablespoon raw cacao nibs, slightly ground

1/4 cup dried coconut, finely ground

1. Combine all the ingredients, except the dried coconut, in the food processor and process to a fine or slightly chunky consistency, adding the date soaking water as needed to moisten and bind the ingredients together.
2. Form into balls by hand and roll each one in the ground coconut. Place the balls into a covered container and put them into the freezer. Serve frozen or room temperature.

Note: Dried cranberries would also make a tasty addition.

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Honorable Mention

NUT BALLS by Wolfie Cavender

Yield: about 40 one-inch balls

2 cups raw cashews
1 1/2 cups raw sunflower seeds

1 3/4 cups cacao powder, divided
2 cups of dates, finely chopped
1 cup of dried cherries, finely chopped

1. Place the cashews and sunflower seeds into the food processor and process them until they are finely ground.
2. Add 1/2 cup of the cacao powder, the dates, and the cherries to the food processor and process until all the ingredients are finely ground.
3. Form the mixture into 1-inch balls by rolling between the palms of the hands. Place the remaining cacao powder into a bowl and roll the balls in the powder, coating them completely.
4. Place the finished balls into a covered container and freeze them. Serve them frozen, partially thawed, or room temperature.

Note: The balls are quite firm and dense. Soaking the dates or cherries or both will create balls with a more moist texture.

**********************************

Honorable Mention

NUT BALLS by Pamela Lopez

Yield: about 24 one-inch balls

1 cup raw almonds, finely ground in food processor
3/4 cup sunflower seeds, finely ground
1/4 cup cacao powder

1 cup chopped dates
1 handful raw cacao nibs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons cacao powder

1. Combine the nuts, seeds, and cacao powder in the food processor and pulse briefly.
2. Add the dates, cacao nibs, and vanilla extract and process until the mixture becomes well blended and sticky.
3. Form the mixture into 1-inch balls by rolling between the palms of the hands and then roll them in cacao powder. Place the balls into a covered, shallow, plastic container and freeze them. Serve frozen, slightly thawed, or room temperature.

Note: To vary the recipe, use pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, or a mixture in place of the sunflower seeds. Other dried fruits like goji berries or cherries may be used instead of or in addition to the dates.

*******************************

Honorable Mention

NUT BALLS by Matthew Weisman

My recipe was the same as Pamela’s, but I used raw pistachios instead of the raw almonds.

I’m often amazed at how often the words “nut” or “nuts” or mention of particular nuts enter into conversations, jokes, comparisons, political commentary, and famous quotations. Below are a few quotations to ponder, some from well-known literary figures and some less familiar. The frequent mention of nuts in famous quotations speaks for the important role they have played in daily life throughout history.

For years I’ve heard people using expressions like “so and so is a tough nut to crack,” or “That’s a nutty idea,” or “We’re all a little nuts.” I find myself using expressions like “nutty,” “nut case,” and “totally nuts” when referring to myself, or on occasion, when referring to someone else.

What is it about nuts that invites this notion of craziness or being out of step with reality in such a humorous, non-confrontational manner? I certainly don’t have the answer, but I do often wonder why nuts make us just a little nutty from time to time.

“I’m Charley’s aunt from Brazil–Where the nuts come from.”– Brandon Thomas, playwright, Charley’s Aunt (1892)

“Pistachio nuts, the red ones, cure any problem.”–Paula Danziger, American children’s author

“Anything will give up its secrets if you love it enough. Not only have I found that when I talk to the little flower or to the little peanut they will give up their secrets, but I have found that when I silently commune with people they give up their secrets also – if you love them enough.” –George Washington Carver, scientist and inventor

“Sweetest nut hath sourest rind.”–William Shakespeare in As You Like It, act 3, sc. 2, l. 155-7.

All true histories contain instruction; though, in some, the treasure may be hard to find, and when found, so trivial in quantity that the dry, shrivelled kernel scarcely compensates for the trouble of cracking the nut. –Anne Brontë, British novelist and poet In Agnes Grey, ch. 1 (1847).

Even to this day, no native Australian animal species and only one plant species–the macadamia nut–have proved suitable for domestication. There still are no domestic kangaroos.–Jared Diamond, professor of geography and physiology

8 March 2009 was the 35th anniversary of my first date with C.  We had met at school the previous year (1973) when he was in Matric (or Std 10 – the final year of school) and I was in Std 8 (third last year).  We caught the same bus home.  I had about 2kms to travel home (it was walking distance but we had to wear blazers and the bags were heavy) but he went into the city each day and met his mom at her work and then travelled home another 30 or so kms with his parents.  He hadn’t changed schools to one closer to home as he just had a year to go, and he had only arrived the year before from England.  We were both nerds.  I was an academic, shy nerd and he was a glasses-wearing Pommy nerd from the wrong side of town.

It was a very inauspicious first date.  We went to the drive in (the Hillfox) with a friend of his (C didn’t get a car till a couple of years later).  I have no idea what movie we saw!  We have been together ever since.  I have never dated another guy (which did not please my parents who wanted me to meet a lawyer or doctor at university).  He had one relationship prior to me, but she lived in Pretoria and as he was living in Elspark, a suburb of a satellite town south of Johannesburg, so distance, if nothing else, killed that.

Anyway, we grew up together.  He was 18 and I was 16 when we started dating, 22 and 20 when we got engaged, 23 and 21 when we married.  We will celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary on 30 June this year.   How far we have travelled together!

I did want to get flowers on Sunday.  C always used to bring me dutch irises when we were dating.  But Miss Dolce cat likes to tip over vases.. and I didn’t get to go out till late so…  I made him these:

Honey roasted spiced macadamias.  C loves honey macadamias but they are expensive!  I get 500g of natural macadamias at a local fruit shop for about A$6.50 and would guess the recipe costs me less than A$8 in total.

I used this recipe.  I used macadamias instead of mixed nuts, dark brown sugar and a mixture of sweet and smoky paprika. The complexity of the spices balanced the sweetness and richness of the coating.  Be sure to cook the honey mixture till it is dark and almost toffee-like.  I made them before and only cooked the coating to fudge-stage.  This batch were much better. They were divine and were finished by Tuesday!  Enjoy!

Macadamia nuts are frequently treated as outcasts, shunned because they’re charged with being TOO HIGH IN FAT. Even the FDA refused to include them on the list of nuts they considered acceptable for health claims. Do macadamias need to prove their innocent goodness with a trial?

Fear and uncertainty have caused people to hesitate before reaching for a handful of delicious, creamy macadamia nuts. But should we really hesitate to put trust in one of nature’s wondrous foods? Convincing scientific trials claim multiple health benefits from munching on a handful of macadamias a day. No trial is actually needed, but a nod from scientific studies can often clear up confusing information and reassure us about a food’s health benefits.

Several studies since 2000 have proven that macadamia nuts CAN be included in a heart healthy diet. Macadamia, like all plant foods, have no cholesterol, but they do contain 75% total fat, 80% of which is monounsaturated. This high level of fat would naturally be a concern to anyone trying to avoid excess fat in his or her diet. But these nuts possess amazing properties that actually lower cholesterol in spite of their high fat levels.

Their high fat level also scares people who want to watch their weight or have a few pounds to lose. Several study authors expressed the same concern but found their study subjects actually lost a few pounds or stabilized their weight in macadamia trials.

Macadamias Lower Cholesterol

In a study in the April 14, 2008 issue of Science Daily, lead researcher Dr. Amy E. Griel of Penn State conducted a five-week cholesterol-lowering trial on male and female subjects with mildly elevated cholesterol by comparing the standard American diet with a diet substituting 1.5 ounces of macadamias for some of the fat and protein. Researchers matched the diets for fat content and reported the macadamia diet significantly lowered total cholesterol by 9.4 percent and LDL cholesterol by 8.9 percent compared with the standard American diet. The results were defining and the researchers stated that including macadamias in the diet lowered overall cardiovascular disease risk.

Because macadamia orchards are cultivated in diverse locations, the macadamia nut became a natural study subject in those regions. The University of Hawaii conducted a macadamia study in 2001 and reported similar success showing their participants consuming the macadamias decreased their total and LDL cholesterol when compared with those in the control group who followed the American Heart Association Step 1 Diet.

Macadamia nuts were the subject of a recent study conducted at the University of Newcastle in Australia and reported in the journal Lipids in 2007. The four-week study of 17 male participants with elevated cholesterol included 40 to 90 grams a day of macadamias. Researchers were looking specifically at blood markers for inflammation, coagulation, and arterial oxidation. The study authors found significantly lower blood markers of inflammation and oxidation. At the conclusion, the researchers suggested that regular consumption of macadamia nuts may play a role in reducing the biomarkers of oxidative stress, thrombosis, and inflammation, the typical risk factors for coronary artery disease.

Reduce Coronary Artery Risk

While the macadamia’s rich fats proved successful in reducing coronary artery risk, researchers felt there may be other bioactive factors aside from the monounsaturated fatty acids that were imparting impressive health benefits. Examining more closely, they found the monounsaturated fats contain oleic acid, known as Omega 9, a beneficial fat found in other foods like avocados, almonds, and olive oil. Oleic acid is a naturally heart protective fat that helps to maintain the function and flexibility of the cell structure.

Findings at a 2002 macadamia conference in Australia show that the nuts contain plant sterols, which are natural plant fats found in fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, and seeds and play a role in lowering elevated blood cholesterol and reducing the risk of heart disease.

Macadamias also contain palmitoleic acid, which makes up almost one-third of the content of monounsaturated fat. According to cardiologist Dr. Ross Walker at Walker Health Resources in Australia, “The palmitoleic acid in macadamias works to stabilize, the rhythm in the heart. Omega 3 fatty acids and the palmitoleic acid in macadamias settles the heart down.” He also believes that if you are prone to heart disease or to irregular heartbeats, you would benefit from a daily dose of 10 to 15 macadamias and reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death.

Health Claims for Nuts

In July 2003, the FDA issued the following health claim statement: “Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts (such as almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios, peanuts, some pine nuts, and walnuts) as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease.”

The FDA’s list of approved nuts for this health claim does not presently include macadamias because they exceed the limit of 4 grams of saturated fat per 50 grams of nuts. Macadamias contain 6 grams of saturated fat for the 50 grams, but researchers studying macadamias suggested they should be included considering their significant health benefits.

Over the years several studies agree that macadamia nuts are effective in the prevention of coronary artery disease and stressed they should be included in the daily diet by substituting them for other saturated-fat-containing foods. Aside from their multiple heart-health advantages, macadamias are just plain good eating and are an excellent source of high protein, high fiber, and healthful plant fats that make them a nutritious food. Enjoy macadamia nuts and reap the benefits.

While my cookbook, The Nut Gourmet, was in the editing process, my editor suggested I include some bean spreads made with nuts. That was a great idea I hadn’t even thought of. It was my husband who came up with the idea of putting a dark bean recipe and a light bean recipe together to form the yin yang symbol. Wow! Another great suggestion I could instantly picture in my mind.

That very afternoon my kitchen was buzzing with the food processor in full gear as I concocted the recipe below. It makes a great party dish that can be prepared a day ahead and always gets conversation flowing.

If you’re a bit intimidated by the artistic aspect, set that fear aside and simply enjoy two separate spreads that make delicious party food. Both recipes can serve as a sandwich filling, an endive filled appetizer, stuffing for a mushroom appetizer, or just a succulent spread over whole grain bread, pita, bagels, or crackers.

Nuts Boost Nutrition

Nutritionally, you can’t beat beans for their wonderful high protein, high fiber, and generous soluble fiber that help to lower cholesterol. Besides, they’re downright satisfying.

With the addition of nuts, you’ve got an even better nutrition boost. Macadamias contain the highest level of monounsaturated fats of all the nuts. That’s the good fat that helps to lower cholesterol. And walnuts are king of the omega 3 essential fatty acids that help to reduce inflammation in the arteries and reduce the risk of coronary artery disease.

Now, what’s with the yin yang treatment? The symbol has Taoist origins. The circular form represents the universe, while the dark and light colors suggest opposites in the universe. And since nothing in this world is all black or all white, a small white dot appears in the dark portion and a small black dot accents the light section.

The macadamia-filled Chunky Cannellini Mac Spread sings a masculine hot, light, and
active yang song while the Walnutty Black Bean Spread balances with a feminine, cool, dark, and passive yin song.

While famous sculptors used a hammer and chisel to create their artistic form, my tool of choice is nothing more than the simple spoon. Here’s to delicious eats and a touch of creative joy!

YIN-YANG NUTTY BEAN SPREAD

Yield: about 4 cups

Chunky Cannellini Mac Spread
3/4 cup raw macadamia nuts

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans (white kidney beans), drained
2 teaspoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed

1. Place the macadamia nuts into the food processor and process briefly to break the nuts into smaller chunks.
2. Add the remaining ingredients to the food processor and process until thick and slightly chunky. Stop the machine occasionally to scrape down the sides of the work bowl.
3. If you prefer a smoother spread, first process the macadamia nuts into a paste in the food processor. Then add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth.
4. Transfer to one side of a serving dish and set it aside. Wash and dry the processor work bowl and blade.

Walnutty Black Bean Spread
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2/3 cup raw walnuts
1 tablespoon umeboshi plum vinegar *
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons dried onion flakes

1. Combine the beans, walnuts, vinegar, water, cumin, chili powder, and salt in the food processor and process until smooth. Stop the machine occasionally to scrape down the sides of the work bowl.
2. Add the onion flakes and pulse until they are incorporated. Transfer to the serving dish beside the Chunky Cannellini Mac Spread, and work with the back of a spoon to form the two spreads into the yin-yang symbol. Begin by forming the Chunky Cannellini Mac Spread first. Then, the Walnutty Black Bean Spread will fall right into place. Covered with plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator, leftover Yin-Yang Nutty Bean Spread will keep for about one week.

* Umeboshi plum vinegar is a unique vinegar made from the brine used to salt and pickle ume plums used in macrobiotic cooking. The vinegar has a tangy, salty, and delicately sweet flavor and is used sparingly as a seasoning. You can find this item in natural food markets but can easily substitute with seasoned rice vinegar.

I thought it might be helpful to have an overview of the nutritional highlights of tree nuts. While this listing is certainly a good quick reference, it only scratches the surface of the plethora of health benefits nuts have to offer.

It may seem that I’m promoting nuts as some sort of miracle food. Not so. I’m just recognizing nuts are one of Mother Nature’s many gems that are packed with goodness, especially when paired with other foods that are nutrient-dense and low in saturated fats.

In the information below there may be some terms that are unfamiliar. Here is a brief explanation:

Arginine –an amino acid that changes into nitric oxide that relaxes blood vessels and permits better blood flow. May help alleviate coronary artery disease like chest pain and clogged arteries (called atherosclerosis).

Phytosterols – natural plant fats found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds that benefits the body by interfering with the absorption of excess cholesterol

Antioxidants – combination of vitamins, minerals, and enzymes found in plant foods that prevents our tissues from oxidation that leads to degenerative diseases like cancer and heart disease

Tryptophan – an essential amino acid the body can’t manufacture and must get from food. Necessary for normal growth in infants and for nitrogen balance in adults. Used by the body to help make niacin and serotonin. Serotonin thought to produce healthy sleep and a stable mood

Folate – also known as folic acid or folacin, a form of the water-soluble Vitamin B9. Occurs naturally in food and can also be taken as a supplement. Helps prevent neural tube birth defects.

ALMONDS

• Lower cholesterol, especially LDL (bad cholesterol)
• Decrease risk for coronary heart disease
• Lower risk for diabetes
• Promote weight control
• Good source of phytosterols
• Excellent source of arginine
• High in protein,
• High in monounsaturated fats
• High in minerals: calcium, iron, zinc, potassium,
• High in vitamin E.
• High in arginine
• Packed with antioxidants

BRAZIL NUTS

• Provide powerful antioxidants
• Highest level of selenium of all nuts
• High in beneficial mono- and polyunsaturated fats
• High in protein
• High in minerals: calcium, copper, iron, potassium, and zinc
• Source of arginine

CASHEWS

• Source of arginine
• High in beneficial monounsaturated fat
• High in protein
• High in minerals: copper, potassium
• High in folate
• Help to lower cholesterol and decrease risk for coronary heart disease
• Contain the highest levels of zinc of any nut
• Excellent source of phytosterols

CHESTNUTS

• Super low in fats, especially saturated fat
• High in B vitamins, good level of folate
• The only nut to contain healthy level of vitamin C
• Promote weight loss
• Protect the heart
• Lower cholesterol

HAZELNUTS

• Contain the highest levels of copper of any nut
• Protect the bones and blood vessels
• High in minerals: calcium, potassium, zinc
• High in folate
• Lower cholesterol, especially LDL cholesterol
• High in heart-protective vitamin E
• High in fiber
• Good source of phytosterols
• Loaded with antioxidants

MACADAMIAS

• Highest in beneficial monounsaturated fats
• Highest in B vitamins of all nuts
• High in phytosterols
• High in fiber
• Source of arginine

PEANUTS

• High in resveratrol a heart-protective antioxidant
• Promote weight loss
• Combat prostate cancer
• Highest in phytosterols
• Lower cholesterol
• Highest in arginine of all nuts
• High in mono- and polyunsaturated fats
• Good source of protein
• High in minerals: calcium, iron, potassium, zinc
• High in B vitamins, especially folate
• High in fiber

PECANS

• Highest in antioxidants of any nut
• Good levels of phytosterols
• High in beneficial monounsaturated fat
• High in minerals: manganese, selenium, and zinc
• High in B vitamins and heart-healthy vitamin E
• High in fiber

PINE NUTS

• Excellent source of arginine
• High in phytosterols
• Good levels of mono- and polyunsaturated fats to keep cholesterol in check
• Excellent source of protein
• High in vitamin E and B vitamins, especially folate
• High in fiber

PISTACHIOS

• Impressive levels of phytosterols
• Packed with antioxidants
• High in beneficial monounsaturated fat.
• Good source of protein, calcium, iron, copper, and zinc.
• High in vitamin E and B vitamins, especially folate
• High in fiber
• Excellent source of arginine

WALNUTS

• Only nut (except butternut) with essential Omega 3 fatty acids
• Lower cholesterol
• Combat cancer
• Boost memory
• Lift mood
• Protect against heart disease
• Help to develop more than 3 dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function
• High in tryptophan
• Loaded with antioxidants
• Good source of arginine
• Good source of protein
• Good source of minerals: calcium, copper, iron, zinc
• High in vitamin E and B vitamins, especially folate
• High in fiber

vegan treats – originally uploaded by moirabot

New World on College Hill is a good place for grocery shopping if you’re in the mood for vegan treats. Here are some things I found today:

• Patak’s ready-puffed pappadums in a bag (in the chip section). These are great – the only problem is that you have to eat the whole bag once you open it, so they’re really a more-than-one-person treat.
• FruBay dairy-free fruit dessert. This is a bit like icecream in texture, but light and fruity rather than creamy. I had “banilla” (banana and vanilla), which was delicious. The supermarket also had mango flavour. The FruBay went well with the strawberry and cardamom cake I baked this afternoon:
  
• Organic blueberries. Yum. Also strawberries and nectarines (not pictured).
• Cathedral Cove macadamia lemon kelp sprinkle, for coating cooked food or sprinkling over salads and such.
• Organic red quinoa. My sister made quinoa salad for Christmas lunch and I’m keen to start cooking it more often – it’s a good protein source, friendly for gluten-free friends, tasty, and easily cooked.

College Hill New World has previously yielded such vegan treats as dairy-free chocolate spread (in the style of Nutella, except without hazelnuts), spicy roasted chickpeas, and all manner of dried fruit. Lots of these things are probably available from other supermarkets, but New World has a really good range of organic, natural and fancy foods. It’s also right on the Link bus route, and really close to Ecostore, so is handy for refilling your bottles of environmentally-friendly dishwashing liquid and such.

vegan white chocolate & macadamia cookies – originally uploaded by moirabot

I was flipping through Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World soon after I bought it, trying to work out what I could make with the ingredients in my kitchen. The Lemon Macadamia Cupcakes recipe sounded delicious, suggesting “if you can find vegan white chocolate chips, add half a cupful to make this flavor combo even more intense.”

Pfft, whatever, I thought, spoiled New York vegans. As if any other city in the world has vegan white chocolate chips. Happily, I was wrong!

Australian company Sweet William makes dairy-free chocolate – their soy chocolate (in the style of dairy milk chocolate) is available in the health food sections of many Auckland supermarkets. The SAFE shop has recently started stocking their white chocolate, in the forms of chocolate bars, and cooking buttons.

I still haven’t tried baking those cupcakes, but I made white chocolate and macadamia cookies for Greg and Paul’s Christmas party last weekend (a very vegan-friendly event – if you are lucky enough to be friends with them, ask Paul to make you vegan nachos).

They were a success, and I made them again (minus the macadamias) for a morning tea at work.

The recipe is a slightly fancier and more vegan adaptation of the Edmonds Junior Cookbook classic. It goes like this:

• 250g white chocolate chips (I used Sweet William white chocolate buttons from the SAFE shop. Jo says she has tried baking with the bars of Sweet William and it hasn’t worked out so well)
• 250g vegan margarine (I used Olivani)
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cup raw sugar
• 1 egg replacer (I use Orgran “No Egg”, which you can also get from the SAFE shop, or from lots of supermarkets and health food shops.)
• 3 cups white flour (I used stoneground organic white flour, which was from some organic shop or other)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• a handful of macadamias (I used unsalted ones, but salted would probably be quite nice)

Melt half the chocolate chips in a small saucepan.

Beat the margarine and both kinds of sugar together. Add the egg replacer and melted chocolate and stir.

Sift in the flour, baking powder and cinnamon, and mix well.

Chop the macadamias roughly. Add them to the mixture, with the rest of the chocolate bits. Mix some more.

Divide the dough into two lumps. Roll into 20cm-ish long logs. Wrap these in wax paper and leave in the fridge for at least an hour.

Cut into 1cm slices, place on a baking tray and bake for 12-15 minutes at 180°C.

Leave to cool, then consume!

There’s still plenty of that pumpkin cannelloni left, so guess what we’re eating tonight?

My stomach and abdomen are still very sore and I’m having lots of reflux and regurgitation these past few days. Not pleasant. Powerade helps ease the nausea, I sip about 200mls over the course of the day. After many months of not eating them I have placed macadamia nuts back into my diet. For the calories and low volume. They also taste nice! My stomach seems to be enjoying them as it’s settled down a lot this afternoon. I used to mix macadamias with some diced dried fruit, but of late in Australia our dried fruit is often imported and tastes odd (I think so anyway). So I’m skipping the fruit and just eating the nuts. One has to be very disciplined not to eat too many nuts. I limit myself to 6 macadamias per day, I forget the number of calories or kilojoules that equates to, but it’s enough to top me up.

Cheers,

Gosto muito de cookies. Daqueles meios “chewie”, que não são super crocantes nem moles, mas ficam naquele meio termo bom. Tenho várias receitas guardadas, de vários tipos, mas confesso que não os experimento muitas vezes. Cá em casa só eu é que gosto e quando faço ou acabo a comê-los todos sozinha ou dou metade ou mesmo mais.

Quando vi esta receita no blog da Letrícia, achei que seria uma forma fantástica de usar as macadâmias que o Zé tinha trazido de Chicago. Tinha todos os ingredientes em casa, portanto lancei mãos aos trabalho.

Fiz umas alterações à receita, por isso fica aqui a minha versão – a da Letrícia está aqui. Uma das alterações que fiz foi trocar a manteiga por margarina. Eu sei que para os puristas isto é uma grande, grande asneira, porque bolos e bolachas se devem fazer com manteiga. A verdade é que gosto mais do sabor dos cookies feitos com margarina (Vaqueiro, sempre) do que com manteiga. Já experimentei as duas e prefiro, honestamente, a margarina. Com manteiga não consigo ter os cookies com a textura de que gosto, ficam sempre muito mais crocantes e “esfarelentos”.

Cookies de aveia e macadâmias

Ingredientes:

• 125g farinha sem fermento
• 1/2 colher chá bicarbonato de sódio
• 1/2 colher chá fermento em pó
• 1/2 colher chá sal
• 100g açúcar mascavado escuro
• 100g açúcar amarelo
• 125g margarina
• 1 ovo
• 1 colher chá extracto de baunilha
• 1 colher sopa leite
• 160g flocos de aveia
• 120g macadâmias

Na batedeira, bati os açúcares e a margarina até obter um creme. Acrescentei o ovo, a baunilha e o leite e continuei a bater. Quando estava tudo bem misturado, acrescentei a farinha, o bicarbonato, o fermento e o sal. No fim, já à mão, envolvi bem na massa a aveia e as macadâmias partidas em pedaços. Fiz bolas do tamanho de bolas de ping-pong e levei a assar, a 180ºC, por 10 minutos. Deixei-as arrefecer sobre uma grade e guardei-as em embalagens hermeticamente fechadas. A receita rendeu 30 cookies.

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Gostei muito destes cookies. São leves e suaves, com o ocasional pedaço de macadâmia a acrescentar intensidade ao sabor. Não acertei bem com o tempo de forno: uns ficaram pouco assados e outros demasiado crocantes. Da próxima vez sairá melhor, certamente. Da receita da Letrícia eliminei o chocolate, porque achei que poderia disfarçar o sabor das macadâmias, e dobrei a dose das nozes. Uma coisa que não fiz (e que farei) foi torrar as macadâmias. As minhas são cruas e achei o sabor algo estranho. Quando ficaram à superfície do cookie e torraram, acidentalmente, no forno, ficaram com um sabor muito mais agradável.