ArcaMax

Just Go Nuts

I don’t know where they get the grant monies to do some of the studies they do, but this one caught my eye.

At Harvard they did a study on nuts as snacks. Having studied 120,000 men and women, the study indicated the more nuts people ate, the lower their risk of premature death.

Indeed, those who munched nuts daily were 20 percent less likely to have died during 30 years of follow-up than non-nut-nibblers.

More good news: Frequent nut eaters were also less likely to have gained weight.

Now, I read this in a women’s magazine. So I went on line to check it out. I found all kinds of write ups that reference the study. It was actually completed in 2004. Seems it took time to get traction. Ten years.

I’ve been suggesting nuts as a snack for Plan Z dieters for years. They satisfy your crunch craving. They fill you up. And they are good for you.

One ounce of nuts is a nice portion. Here’s an idea of how many that is: 20 almonds, 18 cashews or 30 peanuts. That seems like a reasonable snack, doesn’t it?

I also suggest people eat unsweetened peanut butter; especially at breakfast. People complain they don’t have time to make a breakfast, when in fact, you can have a healthy breakfast ready in a flash. Grab an apple. Slice it up. Spread peanut butter on the slices. Eat. Kids will love this as a breakfast option. They get their sweet along with their peanut butter. This will keep them full and focused too; unlike breakfast cereal.

Most nut experts will tell you it really doesn’t matter which nuts you choose for your snack. They are all good for you in one way or another. Just as an example, Brazil nuts are supposed to help men prevent prostate cancer. The nuts and their benefits vary widely. When a friend of mine had cancer I used to make him nut snacks out of walnuts and pecans. Those were both supposed to be cancer fighters.

Just don’t see this as an excuse to eat all the snacky nut options you find in the store that are covered in candy or coated with sugar. If you go that direction you’re negating the benefits of nuts. Most of the time I don’t even buy nuts with commercialized salt on them. Much better to start with raw nuts and roast them yourself with a variety of flavorings. I have probably six different nut combo recipes for Plan Z snacking. I offer one up to you here today.

“Chex Mix” Nuts

These nuts taste eerily like the ones in the famous Chex Mix only I left off the Chex and the pretzels. These are a huge hit. The recipe easily doubles or triples for a big batch.

Ingredients:

3 cups of nuts. These can be mixed nuts, peanuts, a combo of pecans and walnuts. Let your nut brain run wild and choose your favorites.
Olive oil spray
3 tsp Worcestershire sauce
A grate of sea salt.
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp cayenne (or to taste)

Instructions:

Pour the nuts into an ovenproof pan. Spray nuts with oil and toss. Sprinkle on the seasonings and the Worcestershire. Toss thoroughly. Roast in your oven at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. When you start smelling the wonderful aroma, or when you spy a little browning on the edges, take them out of the oven. You’ll also know they are done when the moisture from the Worcestershire sauce has basically soaked into the nuts. Now, toss one more time. Cool on paper towels. You can even eat them warm and really savor the coating.

Enjoy!
Cheers,
Zola