Nutty for Nuts

Do you love nuts? I think of them as Mother Nature’s gift of good things coming in small packages.

Walnuts, almonds, macadamias, hazelnuts are stashed in my freezer. Aunt Gene and I joke about her love and daily eating of peanuts. Toasted unsalted almonds are part of my daily breakfast. Almost everything I bake includes nuts.

What is it that makes us love them so much? Nuts contain a wealth of nutrients including protein, vitamin E, fiber, calcium, selenium, magnesium and iron. They’re a “superfood.”

That’s great and important health wise, but for me it’s also all about their flavor, crunchiness and sweetness as well as one of the best snacks ever that’s chemical free.

Here’s the top nuts in order of protein content and other nutritional benefits or let’s just say yumminess. The scientific nutrient analysis courtesy of the United States Department of Agriculture is based on 100 grams or about ⅔ cup.

• Peanuts: Legume considered a nut. Protein: 25.80 g, fat: 49.24 g, carbohydrate: 16.13 g, fiber: 8.50 g, sugar: 4.72g
• Almonds: Protein: 21.15 g, fat: 49.93 g, carbohydrate: 21.55 g, fiber: 12.50 g, sugar: 4.35 g
• Pistachios: Protein: 21.15 g, fat: 49.93 g, carbohydrate: 21.55 g, fiber: 12.50 g, sugar: 4.35 g
• Cashews: Protein: 21.15 g, fat: 49.93 g, carbohydrate: 21.55 g, fiber: 12.50 g, sugar: 4.35 g
• Walnuts: Protein: 21.15 g, fat: 49.93 g, carbohydrate: 21.55 g, fiber: 12.50 g, sugar: 4.35 g
• Hazelnuts: Protein: 21.15 g, fat: 49.93 g, carbohydrate: 21.55 g, fiber: 12.50 g, sugar: 4.35 g

No wonder our chefs use a variety of nuts in so many flavorful ways!

Wishing you joy in the kitchen,
Michele

Almond Chicken Soup

This recipe is from my mom’s collection.
Yield: 6 servings

½ cup blanched almonds
3 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon onion juice
1 bay leaf, crushed fine
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons butter or other fat, melted
2 cups whole milk
1 cup cream or evaporated milk
Salt and pepper to taste
2-3 cups roasted, shredded chicken

1. Chop almonds fine.
2. In a large saucepan, add chicken stock, almonds, onion juice and bay leaf. Simmer 15 minutes.
3. Combine flour and butter and add to stock mixture, stirring constantly until boiling point is reached. Add milk and cream and season to taste with salt and pepper, then add chicken and heat through.