Go Nuts For Nuts - You'll Live Longer! Nut Medley Recipe

Eating nuts can lengthen your life!

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Longevity Foods
Occasionally you'll hear someone promote a food that could improve your health and possibly extend your life but often it's not something you would want to eat everyday. Cholorella and spirulina come to mind. Or, it's not something you have easy access to like goji berries, for example. But a 30-year Harvard study recently revealed that plain old, easy-to-find nuts can help you live longer.

Amazing Study Results
In this study 119,000 men and women were tracked, making this the largest study of its kind. The results were astounding. Here's what they found:

Over the 30 year study period, people who ate just a handful of nuts (about 1/4 cup or an ounce) each day:

 * were 20% less likely to die from any cause,

 * had a 29% reduction in deaths from heart disease, and

 * had an 11% reduction in deaths from cancer.

There was also a linear relationship between how often people ate nuts and the amount of benefit they received. The more times a week they ate nuts, the longer they lived. 

 * Those who ate nuts less that once a week had a 7% reduction in mortality.
 * Those who ate nuts once a week had an 11% reduction,
 * two to four times per week, a 13% reduction,
 * five to six times per week, a 15% reduction, and
 * seven or more times a week, a 20% reduction.

But Aren't Nuts Fattening?
Nuts are high in calories because of their fat content and I'm sure if you ate a pound of nuts each day you would gain weight. But the study found that regular nut-eaters were found to be more slender than those who didn't eat nuts. So eating a handful of nuts a day not only improves your chances of living longer but it can also keep your slimmer. 

What To Do (In my opinion)
So how can you take advantage of this good news? 
To take advantage of the many benefits of nuts, eat a variety of them, of course avoiding those you may be allergic to. Walnuts provide more omega-3 fatty acids, Brazil nuts are rich in selenium, almonds are high in vitamin E, pistachios provide vitamin B6, macadamia nuts and pecans are rich in manganese as are most other nuts. So mix it up!

I prefer to eat raw nuts because the roasting process can create carcinogenic chemicals. Some of the nuts that are sold as "raw" are actually blanched (like almonds) or exposed to high heats during the shelling process (like cashews). But at least they are not roasted in oil. 

Raw nuts, however, are high in phytic acid which can lower your absorption of minerals like, zinc, calcium, iron and others because it has a tendency to bind with them. If you are a raw foodist and nuts are a key part of your diet, this could be an issue. To prevent this, nuts could first be soaked, rinsed, and dehydrated. However, if you are only consuming an ounce or two of nuts a day, (which is all you really should be consuming to get health benefits) it's not a problem. 

I also prefer to eat unsalted nuts. I find that I can eat a handful of unsalted nuts but if they are salted, I want to eat a lot more. I cannot walk away from a bowl of salted pistachios!

Because of their high fat content, nuts can go rancid so always keep them in the refrigerator.

Store nuts in a large glass jar
and keep refrigerated.

Make a mixture of your favorite raw, unsalted nuts. 
 * Store in a glass jar and refrigerate.
 * Serve to your guests as an appetizer.
 * Put an ounce in everyone's lunchbox.
 * Put out a bowl for family "grazing".
 * Sprinkle nuts on top of green salads and fruit salads.

          *                                *                                *

Nut Medley
Vegan, Gluten Free
[makes 24 (1/4-cup) servings]

1 cup raw, shelled, unsalted English walnuts
1 cup raw, shelled, unsalted pistachios
1 cup raw, shelled, unsalted pecan halves
1 cup raw, shelled, unsalted cashews
1 cup raw, shelled, unsalted almonds
1 cup raw, shelled, unsalted Brazil nuts

Mix all ingredients and store in a glass jar. Refrigerate until needed. 
Enjoy a serving a day!

Per serving: 188 calories, 17 g total fat, 2 g saturated fat, 505 mg omega-3 and 5,692 mg omega-6 fatty acids, 0 mg cholesterol, 5 g protein, 6 g carbohydrates, 3 g dietary fiber, and 1 mg sodium. 

Serve this nut medley to your holiday guests and put
1/4 cup servings in your family's lunchbox every day.

Creamy Vegan Pumpkin Pecan Ice Cream - Made With So Delicious Coconut Milk Creamer

So Delicious Coconut Milk Creamer gives this vegan ice cream an incredibly creamy texture!

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Vegan Ice Cream
I typically just use unsweetened soy milk to make a healthful frozen dessert ( see my Mango Peach and Strawberry ice cream recipes) but since the holidays are here, I stepped it up a notch and added some coconut milk creamer for my pumpkin pecan ice cream. Coconut creamer is fat free but does add some calories. However, it makes a big difference in the texture and creaminess of the ice cream. Even so, this dessert weighs in at less than 100 calories per serving with less than 1/3 a gram of saturated fat! 
This ice cream has all the flavors of autumn and winter and makes a perfect topping for holiday pies or a slice of ginger spice cake. 

So Delicious French Vanilla coconut milk creamer is non GMO, vegan and gluten free! 

Texas Pecans are the Best
During my many years living in Texas, I developed a love for the wonderful pecans grown there. I'm not the only one who feels that way. Luther Burbank, the world famous horticulturist, was quoted in 1908 as saying, " If I were a young man, I would go to Texas, knowing as I do the possibilities of the pecan industry and devote my life in propagating new species of the pecan and doing the same work there in nut culture as I have done here in other lines of horticulture. Your pecan is superior to our walnut and you are standing in your own light - why not develop it?"

Pecans make a perfect addition to pumpkin ice cream.

Pumpkin Pecan Ice Cream 
Vegan, Gluten Free
[makes 8 servings]


1 cup So Delicious French vanilla coconut milk creamer
1 cup unsweetened gluten free soy milk
1 large banana
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 packets stevia, or to taste
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped raw Texas pecans


Place coconut creamer, soy milk, banana, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice and stevia in a blender and blend until smooth. 
Add mixture to an ice cream maker and process according to directions.
Add pecans to the ice cream maker during the last few minutes of processing.
Serve immediately.


Per serving (with 1/4 cup pecans): 97.7 calories, 3.1 g fat, 0.3 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 1.7 g protein,15 g carbohydrates, 1.7 g dietary fiber and 12.5 mg sodium.


Per serving (with 1/2 cup pecans): 121.2 calories, 5.5. g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 2 g protein, 15.4 g carbohydrates, 2.1 g dietary fiber and 12.5 mg sodium.

Raw Vegan Pumpkin Chia Seed Pudding With Pecans - A Great Thanksgiving Dessert! And, It's Gluten Free!

Raw Pumpkin Chia Seed Pudding with Pecans makes a healthy and delicious Thanksgiving Dessert!

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Chia Seeds
If you know me or follow this blog, you know that chia seed pudding is top on my family's list of favorite desserts. So I thought it would be fun to create one for Thanksgiving! Chia seeds are packed with ALA omega-3 fatty acids (7 grams per quarter cup) and they are also very high in dietary fiber (15 grams per quarter cup). If you love chia seed pudding, you will love the autumn flavors of pumpkin pie spice in this recipe!


Not Really Pumpkin!
Although this pudding looks and tastes like pumpkin pudding, it's actually made with a carrot! Carrots give this a more intense "orange" color and it's the pumpkin spices that really make you think you're eating a pumpkin dessert. Carrots are also more commonly found in your refrigerator so you can make this dessert anytime.

When making this dessert, shave the carrot until you get to the pithy center. Use the shavings and discard the center.

Cashews make it Creamier!
I have posted many chia seed pudding recipes. The easy ones involve mixing chia seeds with prepared non-dairy milk. For example, Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding with Hemp Milk and Blueberries uses vanilla Living Harvest hemp milk (now called Tempt). Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding uses Earth Balance (or other) non-GMO chocolate soy milk. But for the creamiest chia pudding, like in my original Amazing Chia Pudding recipe, start with soaked cashews and dates. 


Pumpkin Chia Seed Pudding with Pecans
Raw Vegan, Gluten Free


1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked for 4 to 6 hours and rinsed
3 Medjool dates, pits removed, cut in quarters, soaked in 2 cups water (reserve soaking water)
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract *
2 packets stevia extract, or to taste *
1 large carrot, peeled
1/4 cup dried chia seeds
1/4 cup chopped, raw pecans
* For gluten free, make sure vanilla and stevia are gluten free


Place soaked cashews in a Vitamix or other high speed blender. Add soaked dates and the reserved soaking water, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, vanilla extract and stevia to the blender. 
Using a potato peeler, shave the outer part of the carrot into the blender until you get to the pithy center. Discard the center.
Blend until smooth and creamy.

You will need a very good blender, like a Vitamix, to make a smooth and creamy nut milk. The carrot gives the milk a nice, orange color.

Pour the cashew-carrot milk into a one quart container. 
Add the dried chia seeds to the milk and stir vigorously with a fork for at least a minute.
Let sit for 15 minutes and stir again until the chia seeds are well blended and no longer clump together.

Stir chia seeds into the cashew carrot milk until well blended.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 to 8 hours. I usually make this a day before I serve it. The longer it sits, the creamier it gets!
Serve in small bowls and top each with 1 tablespoon of chopped pecans.


Per serving: 235.1 calories, 14 g fat, 1.8 g saturated fat, 1.8 g omega-3 and 3.1 g omega-6 fatty acids, 0 mg cholesterol, 5.0 g protein, 25.9 g carbohydrates, 7.2 g dietary fiber and 16.3 g sodium.

Fresh Cranberry And Pear Oatmeal With Pecans - A Simple And Delicious Thanksgiving Morning Vegan Breakfast

Just for fun, this was posted at 1:11 on 11/11/11

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Thanksgiving Morning
Picture that it's Thanksgiving morning and you already have a house full of guests. You have a busy day of chopping and cooking ahead of you so you don't really have time to prepare a big and complicated breakfast. So start the day off right with a festive bowl of oatmeal bursting with fresh cranberries and pears and a sprinkling of chopped, raw, Texas pecans! It will only take a few minutes and this hearty breakfast will carry you through the morning.
What's different about this oatmeal is the wonderful flavor of fresh fruit. Unlike dried cranberries, raw ones burst in the oatmeal giving a fresh and slightly tart flavor. This tartness is offset by a nice, ripe pear and a touch of stevia. 


Cranberries
Nothing says Thanksgiving more than fresh cranberries. Besides their wonderful flavor, they are a "phytonutrient stew" containing 5 different categories of healthful plant chemicals: anthocyanins, flavonoids, phenolic acids, proanthocyanidins and triterpenoids. Although many have flocked to supplements of cranberry extracts or cranberry juice, the "whole" cranberry provides the most health benefits. Just about every woman knows that cranberries protect against urinary tract infections, but their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties also play a role in lowering the risk of heart disease, periodontal disease, stomach ulcers, colon cancer and more. 
Check out my recipes for Raw Cranberry Relish and Low Sugar Cranberry Sauce.

Purchase bags of cranberries when in season and throw them in the freezer for use all year long!

Use a juicy, soft, sweet pear for this recipe. A Comice pear is shown above but you can also use Anjous, Bartlett or Bosc

Fresh Cranberry Pear Oatmeal with Pecans
Vegan, Gluten Free (when certified gluten free oatmeal and oat bran is used)
[makes 4 (1 cup) servings]


3 cups water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup fresh cranberries
1 cup rolled 5 minute oats (thick cut)
1/2 cup oat bran
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 packet stevia extract
1 medium, ripe pear, peeled and diced
4 tablespoons chopped, raw pecans


In a saucepan, bring water, vanilla extract and cranberries to a boil. Lower heat, cover and cook for 2 minutes.
Mix oatmeal, oat bran, salt, cinnamon and stevia in a bowl.
Bring water back to a boil and add oatmeal mixture. Cook uncovered on medium low heat for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
Stir in diced pears and cook for another 2 minutes or until oatmeal thickens. Turn off the heat, cover and let sit for 2 minutes.


Stir well and pour into 4 bowls. Top each with 1 tablespoon of chopped pecans and serve immediately.


Per serving: 188.7 calories, 7 g fat, 0.8 g saturated fat, 0.1 g omega-3 and 2.2 g omega-6 fatty acid, 5.6 g protein, 31.9 g carbohydrates, 6.8 g dietary fiber and 148 mg sodium.