"cashews" news and stories

First of all, shame on you for what you're thinking. Second, shame on you for what you're thinking.

Today is National Grab Some Nuts Day. I have no idea how this differs from National Nut Day (I'm sure such a day exists), except for the grabbing aspect. Don't lift or scoop, you have to grab.

My favorite nuts are cashews and pistachios, and I've been meaning to pick a can or two up (even if I do think of nuts as a fall and winter snack, don't ask me why). Here are some recipes you can make with nuts: Sugar and Spice Nuts, Rosemary Toasted Nuts, and a bunch of recipes from GroupRecipes.com, including salads, side dishes, and desserts.

We think of many foods as being nuts, but what are they really? Nuts are seeds, but not all seeds are nuts. Specifically a nut is a dry fruit with usually one, but sometimes two or more seeds. These seeds are contained in a hard wall derived from the ovary and remain unattached to the wall. Seeds can be removed from the fruit, but nuts are compound ovaries which are the seed and fruit combined. Not all nuts are edible, some are just too small, and others can be very bitter. Culinarily we label many seeds as nuts when they are not. Peanuts are actually legumes. Cashews are a "false fruit" that forms off the end of the cashew flower. Many "nuts" such as almonds, pistachios, and coconuts are actually drupes. Drupes are when a fleshy outside layer surrounds a hard walled seed, such as a peach. Pine nuts are coniferous seeds. Macadamias are kernels of seeds. Did you know that macadamia nuts are toxic to dogs?

Nuts are high in protein and fats, but the fats tend to be the type that are actually a healthy part of our diet. Especially those found in almonds and walnuts. Nuts have many other nutritional and dietary benefits; Pine nuts may curb the appetite and Pecans are good for your heart. So don't feel too bad about eating all those nuts during the holidays, just don't go overboard, and enjoy going nuts.

Source

The recommended daily serving size of nuts is about one-ounce, an amount that should contain approximately 160-200 calories, full of protein and other nutrients (vitamin E in almonds, manganese in hazelnuts and iron in cashews, for example). A nutty snack will also fill you up with a good balance of protein, unsaturated fats and carbs. The problem lies in getting that one-ounce size. I know that if I want to eat some nuts, I don't put them on my scale in the kitchen before I pop them into my mouth, although I do worry a bit about how many I've eaten when a big bowl is placed in front of me. An extra serving or two of nuts can add up quickly, especially if you're indulging a bit extra over the holidays. The trick is to learn what a one ounce portion looks like and nutnutrition.com, which is run by Planters, has a great interactive resource to help you do just that. The site lets you see what one-ounce of nuts looks like when scattered and in a 1/4 cup measure. After a couple of visits to the site, you'll be able to sit in front of that big nut bowl and snack with confidence.

Source

Several years ago I encountered a Thai snack food that utterly captivated me. I was perusing the shelves of goodies that lined the counter at Queens' Sripraphai. This was back in the day when this wonderful Thai eatery had yet to undergo a slick renovation and was still a hole in the wall, but in a good way.

I spied a round container filled with fried garlic chips, huge dried (maybe fried) shrimp, kaffir lime leaves, dried hot peppers, peanuts and cashews. The cashier saw me eyeing it and told me it was a Thai snack that goes well with beer. I'd downed more than a few cold ones while munching on the Chinese beer snack of salty fried fish, chiles, black beans and peanuts, but I'd never seen anything quite like this. Immediately I pegged it as a great snack to munch on over a few cold brews. But what really drew me to it was the combination of classic Thai flavors it embodied. Hot, sweet, salty and fishy ... mmm. I couldn't wait to try it.