THE NIBBLE BLOG: Products, Recipes & Trends In Specialty Foods


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TIP OF THE DAY: Add Nuts To Your Food, Raw Or Roasted

August 31, 2013 at 7:54 am · Filed under Fruits, Nuts & Seeds, Snacks

Nuts are good for you, and you should enjoy an ounce of them daily as a heart-healthy snack or ingredient: added to salads (green, chicken, egg, tuna, pasta, etc.); chopped and mixed with rice; atop hot or cold cereal, pancakes or French toast; on cottage cheese or yogurt; on ice cream and frozen yogurt; and anywhere else your imagination takes you.

But is there a difference between raw nuts and roasted (toasted) nuts?

In a recent Science Times Section of The New York Times, C. Claiborne Ray, who writes the Q&A column, quotes Rui Hai Liu, a professor of food science at Cornell University. Dr. Liu has studied the benefits of eating nuts.

“No research has specifically addressed how roasting nuts may change their nutritional value,” said Dr. Liu.

 


Toasted or untoasted? (photo © Bake Your Day).
 
Dr. Lui opines that roasting will not decrease the benefits, and “it may actually improve the bioavailability of some bioactive compounds” like flavonoids (powerful antioxidants). He has found a positive effect when tomatoes and sweet corn have been roasted.

Phenolic compounds* in nuts “have high antioxidant activity and are able to quench free radicals that lead to cell damage and oxidative stress,” Dr. Liu said. “Nuts also have a very nice fatty-acid balance and are a good source of vegetable proteins.” And they are linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

 


Grilled fish with cilantro pesto and slivered almonds (photo © National Almond Board).		   Walnuts have the most phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity, followed by pecans. Then come peanuts, actually a legume. Pistachios, cashews, hazelnuts and almonds also have high levels.

We love nuts raw or roasted, but the flavors are distinctively different. For fun, have a snack tasting or cocktail tasting with two different nuts, each served both raw and toasted. We recommend starting with almonds and walnuts for a broad spectrum of flavors. Here’s how to toast nuts.

  • The health benefits of nuts and the seven healthiest nuts
  • Here’s the original article.

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    *Phenols, sometimes called phenolics, are a class of chemical compounds consisting of a hydroxyl group (—OH) bonded directly to an aromatic hydrocarbon group.
     
    †Flavonoids, called vitamin P until the early 50s, are the most important plant pigments. The highest-antioxidant foods (blueberries, cherries, pomegranate, etc.) get their deep colors from these antioxidants.

     
      

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    RECIPE: Strawberry Avocado Salad

    August 30, 2013 at 8:44 am · Filed under The Nibble

    Don’t let summer end without making this yummy strawberry, avocado and goat cheese salad. The recipe can be a side salad or a main course.

    STRAWBERRY AVOCADO SALAD RECIPE

    Ingredients For 4 Servings

  • Fresh salad greens: mixed greens, baby spinach, whatever you like
  • 1 pint strawberries, tops removed and halved
  • 2 ripe avocados
  • 1 small sweet onion, sliced into thin rings
  • 8 ounces fresh goat cheese (chèvre) or blue cheese
  • 1 package almonds, regular (to save calories) or butter toffee glazed; or make this candied nuts recipe
  • Vinaigrette dressing (recipe)

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    Preparation

    1. PEEL avocados, halve and remove pits. Slice.

    		  
    A delicious summer salad. Photo courtesy GimmeSomeOven.com.
    2. PLACE greens, strawberries, onions and dressing in bowl and toss well.

    3. DIVIDE mixture among 4 plates. Place avocado slices on top.

    4. CRUMBLE cheese and sprinkle salad with cheese and almonds.

     
    The blog GimmeSomeOven.com makes a similar salad with a poppyseed dressing. Check it out.

    Find more of our favorite salad recipes.

      

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    FOOD FUN: FunBites Cuts Food Into Mini Squares

    August 30, 2013 at 8:26 am · Filed under Kids, Kitchenware-Tabletop


    Have fun with it! Photo courtesy
    OpenSky.com.    		   Typically we avoid gadgets that clutter up drawers and have limited use (mango slicer, anyone?).

    But FunBites is a new kitchen tool that cuts food into 12 perfect bite-sized squares that make food fun for kids and adults alike.

    The curved blade cutter and matching popper top pop out mini-squares of brownies and pound cake, cheese, fruit and vegetables, pancakes, sandwiches, and more.

    This little gadget makes food so much fun that even the pickiest eaters will dig in. The little squares tempt the wary to try new things.

    For kids’ recreation, you can have “make your own snack” art contests at the table.

     

    The BPA-free plastic is dishwasher safe. At $12.99, it’s a gift idea for kids and adults alike.

    Get yours at OpenSky.com.

    Then, have fun making bite-size:

  • Burgers
  • Cheese
  • Grilled Cheese, peanut butter and other
    sandwiches
  • Melon
  • Omelets
  • Pancakes, waffles, French toast
  • Pizza
  • Tofu

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    What are you going to “square” first?

    		 
    We’re not lion: This is fun! Photo courtesy Fun Bites | Open Sky.
     
      

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