Nuts are Good Food

Don't know about you, but I do believe I could live on peanut butter. I love it. If left unattended I could easily consume an entire jar -dead serious. But the love affair doesn't end with peanut butter; oh no, I'm crazy about all nuts. Walnuts, pecans, cashews, macadamias, I don't discriminate --I love 'em all. Put them with chocolate and it's pure unadulterated pleasure! One word…NUTELLA…oh, yeah…are ya feelin' me, people? (ok, maybe a little TMI there, sorry)

But, I guess in the big picture, my obsession isn't a bad thing. Nuts are good food; when, of course you eat them in MODERATION!!! (keyword). They are an excellent source of protein, and are packed with fiber, vitamins, and fats that are actually good for you. They contain monounsaturated fats which will lower the bad cholesterol (LDL) and raise the good (HDL). You can help reduce your risk of heart disease by eating 1.5 oz (1/3cup) per day. Also, nuts vary in fat and nutrient content. For example, brazil nuts have the highest amount of fat, 8g a serving, and almonds, one of the least with 2g. Almonds contain more vitamin E than any other nut, and cashews are a great source for copper and magnesium. Who knew?

Anyway, imagine my bliss when I stumbled upon this recipe for Hazelnut Honey Nut Butter. Can you feel my enthusiasm vibrating off of the computer screen?

I just have to share it. Keep in mind that even though this recipe uses hazelnuts, you can make nut butter out of any nut. If you have a food processor or something like a Magic Bullet Blender, experiment. If you don’t like honey, try it plain. Or, blend it with soy sauce or Curry. Curry blends well with cashews and would add a nice Thai flavor; add some noodles and you have a great dish. Spread your nut butters on toast or add it to your oatmeal. Spread the Hazelnut honey butter on an english muffin and top with banana for a great breakfast. Just remember that a serving size would be 2 tablespoons a day, and to refrigerate the butters so they will keep longer.

Here's the recipe:

Makes 7 - 2-tbsp servings.

1 1/2 cups hazelnuts
1 tbsp honey
2 tsp canola oil
1/4-1/2 tsp salt, to taste


Instructions:

Heat oven to 300 degrees. Roast hazelnuts on a cookie sheet for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, place nuts in a dish towel and rub together until the skin is removed.

Place hazelnuts, honey, oil and salt in a blender or food processor. Grind on high until smooth, using the pulse button when necessary, and stopping to scrap down the sides. Be patient, as it might take a little effort to reach desired consistency.

Store in a refrigerator in a sealed container. Keeps for two months


Enjoy!!!