Nuts have had a bad reputation over the years for being unhealthy. That’s mainly because they have a high fat content, and until quite recently all fats were seen as dietary enemy number one.
But the consensus of the scientific community these days is that there are good fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats) and bad fats (trans fats and saturated fats). Good fats help lower LDL cholesterol levels in the blood, while bad fats increase the levels of LDL cholesterol. And because nuts contain mostly good fats, they’re actually very good for your heart and arteries.
Nuts are also a rich source of other health-giving nutrients including vitamin E (which acts as a powerful antioxidant), B vitamins and potassium — and they’re a good source of protein and dietary fiber. However, nuts are also quite high in calories, so it’s best not to overindulge!
We enjoy nuts in lots of different ways. Often we’ll enjoy them as a wholesome between-meal snack, or sprinkled over cereal and dessert — but we also love using nuts in our cooking. And for inspiration all we have to do is look to Mediterranean and Asian cultures to see how nuts can be used in a wide variety of healthy and delicious ways.
Here are some Mediterranean and Asian recipes from this blog as well as our website that contain nuts:
Penne with Roasted Pear, Goat Cheese and Walnuts
Pesto Genovese
Penne Rigate alla Ricotta e Noci
Spinach, Pumpkin, Walnut, Basil & Ricotta Lasagna
Sun-dried Tomato & Walnut Pesto Pasta with Salmon & Asparagus
Honey-Lemon Chicken with Almonds
Moroccan Chicken & Olive Tagine with Almond Couscous
Mushroom, Bacon & Walnut Risotto
Thai Crab & Cashew Fried Rice
Lemongrass Chicken with Bean Thread Noodles
Peanut Chicken Noodles
Pad Thai
Tofu & Cashew Chow Mein
Mixed Greens, Cherry Tomato & Pine Nut Salad
Insalata di Riso (Italian Rice Salad)
Gado Gado
Tuna, Olive & Tomato Salad with Romesco Sauce
Roast Vegetable & Chickpea Couscous
Pancetta & Walnut Salad
Cantonese Rice Salad
Spanish Broccoli & Almond Soup
Dolmades
Chicken Satay
Romesco Sauce
Indonesian Peanut Sauce
4 Comments
I have found that oven toasted, thinly sliced almonds can be a good substitute in dishes that would normally be garnished with some crumbled bacon. I love bacon and pancetta, but it’s nice to have a healthy alternative when you’re out of these things or just don’t feel like eating meat some days.
And now you have me craving pad thai.
I think this post is going to definitely influence whatever I end up choosing for dinner tonight!
Mmmm pad thai sounds good. I’m craving a nice rich peanut sauce at the moment, so gado gado might be on the menu for us tonight.
My mother used to supplement her vegan diet with lots of nuts, most often on a salad with a yummy dressing of honey, lemon juice, oil and parsley. Flipping through some of her vegan cookbooks, I’ve noticed lots of interesting recipes calling for nuts to be put into a blender — such as cashew cream used in vegan french toast and casseroles.
We haven’t used a lot of nuts in our household in recent years because of the number of my kids’ friends who are extremely allergic to nuts.
Maggie, I really like the sound of your mum’s salad with nuts and honey-lemon dressing — hope you can share the recipe!
I can understand your concern about your kids’ friends who are extremely allergic to nuts, but do they eat at your house often? If not, you really should think about including more nuts in your family’s diet. As I mentioned, they pack a big nutritional punch, but apart from that they taste great and can enhance so many different dishes.