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 Raw Vegan Zucchini Soup With Crushed Pistachios - Can Turmeric Fight Cancer And Prevent Alzheimer's?

Turmeric and its Many Health Benefits

Turmeric is the spice that gives curry its gold color and contains the phytochemical compound, curcumin. It has been used as a powerful medicine in China and India for centuries. Turmeric has strong anti-inflammatory properties with no side effects. Although it has been used for numerous ailments from toothaches to rheumatoid arthritis, there has been some exciting research linking turmeric to the prevention of Alzheimer's disease and the ability to inhibit the development of many cancers including pancreatic, colon, prostate, liver, esophageal, and others. I'm very excited by these findings and started using more and more of this lovely and healthful spice. Here's an easy and delicious raw soup recipe that includes turmeric.

***

Creamy Raw Zucchini Soup with Crushed Pistachios

[serves 4]

4 cups diced zucchini

1 1/3 cups frozen peas, thawed

1 cup diced celery

1 avocado

1 cup filtered water

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 to 3 cloves chopped garlic (to taste)

1 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)

1 teaspoon fresh thyme plus extra for garnish

1 teaspoon turmeric (or more to taste)

Several shakes black pepper (or cayenne if you prefer)

1/4 cup crushed raw pistachios

In a VitaMix or other high speed blender, process zucchini, peas, celery, avocado, water, lemon juice, garlic, salt, thyme, turmeric and pepper until smooth. Pour into 4 bowls and top each with 1 tablespoon of crushed pistachios, fresh thyme and additional fresh ground pepper, if desired.

Per serving: 163.6 calories, 9.0 g fat, 1.2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 7.0 g protein, 17.7 g carbohydrates and 6.6 g of fiber.

Agave Sweetened Vegan Granola - Make Your Own Omega 3 Rich Oat Cereal Packed With Heart Healthy Nuts And Seeds

Vegan granola with soy milk and mixed berries.

An easy way to chop nuts.

Drizzle and stir liquid ingredients into the oat mixture.

Bake oat mixture in a roasting pan at low temperature.

Mix granola with fruit and yogurt for a healthful breakfast.

Mix in a few chocolate chips and serve on dairy free ice cream.

Make Your Own Cereal

It amazes me how expensive it is to buy cereal and my husband can polish off an entire box of it in a few days! Then, of course, there is the worry of what is in the ingredients. To get around these issues, I've decided to make my own cereal. A friend visited last week and shared her granola recipe with me. I modified it a bit to add more omega 3 fatty acids by adding ground flax seed, hemp seed and walnuts. I also replaced the honey with agave nectar and stevia for those vegans who do not include honey in their diets. I also added a touch of tahini just for fun. Except for the fact that I can't get it to clump very well, it is very delicious. (I did read somewhere that granola clumps better if you use "quick" oats but I haven't verified that yet). I've been in a granola mood all week and also developed a raw granola recipe which I posted on Tuesday so be sure to check out Raw Granola - The Health Benefits of Nuts and Seeds. Many of the nutrients and health benefits written about in that posting apply to this recipe. Although this recipe is not raw, many of the nutrients and fatty acids are preserved by starting out with raw nuts and seeds and baking at a very low temperature.

Simplify if you Must

OK, I admit, I got a bit carried away with all of the ingredients. As mentioned in the Raw Granola posting, every nut and seed has a unique nutritional benefit so not to miss out on any, I included many different types of nuts and seeds in this recipe. Besides flavor and packing in the vitamins and minerals, I also strived for optimizing the omega 3 to omega 6 ratio which is critical for vegans. See Best Fish and Vegetarian Sources of Omega 3 Fatty Acids. But if you want to simplify and only use a few nuts and seeds, just increase the amount of the ones you do use to get the same volume.

Use it For Everything!

I've made quite a few cups of granola this week trying to perfect this recipe so of course we've been eating it in many different ways. For breakfast, my favorites have been with raspberries and blueberries and unsweetened Silk soy milk. Another favorite was with a sliced banana and yogurt. I didn't particularly love the soy yogurt I used but once it was mixed with the yogurt and banana, it tasted pretty good. I bought several other non-dairy yogurts the other day which I will eat and review with you shortly. If you are not lactose intolerant or a vegan, try using goat yogurt. It's more digestible than cow's milk and goat farms are generally less "corporate" and the animals are treated more humanely. My husband also enjoyed the granola with a few chocolate chips mixed in and poured over a bowl of soy ice cream. Yummmm!

***

Agave Sweetened Vegan Granola

[makes 11 cups or 22 half cup servings]

[For the most healthful results, use organic ingredients where possible and raw, unsalted nuts and seeds]

4 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup raw wheat germ

1/2 cup raw walnuts, chopped

1/2 cup raw pistachios, broken

1/2 cup raw pecans, chopped

1/2 cup raw cashews, chopped

1/2 cup un-roasted sliced almonds

1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds

1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup raw, shelled hemp seeds

1/4 cup ground flaxseeds

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

6 packets stevia extract (optional, for added sweetness)

2 tablespoons sesame tahini

1/2 cup raw agave nectar (or maple syrup)

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil or organic canola oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup dried, unsweetened coconut

1 cup raisins (or cranberries and chopped dates)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F and get out a large roasting pan.

Add oats, wheat germ, walnuts, pistachios, pecans, cashews, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, flaxseeds, cinnamon, sea salt and stevia into a large bowl and combine.

[An easy way to break up pistachios or other large nuts is to put them in a zip lock freezer bag and hit them gently with a wooden mallet until they reach the desired consistency. Or buy nut "pieces" which are also less expensive].

In a small bowl, mix tahini, agave nectar, oil, and vanilla. Drizzle the wet mixture into the dry oat mixture and stir very well until the oats are well coated.

Spread out into a roasting pan and bake for 50 minutes or until golden. Don't over bake.Clean out the large bowl, you will be using it again.

Remove pan from the oven and scoop the baked granola into the large bowl to cool. Once cooled, mix in the coconut and dried fruit. When completely cooled, put into air tight containers and store in a cool place.

Serve with fresh berries and soy milk or with fresh fruit and yogurt. It's also delicious as a topping for ice cream with a few chocolate chips mixed in.

Per half cup serving: 215.4 calories, 16.9 g fat, 3.2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 4.1 g protein, 14.7 g carbohydrates, 2.5 g fiber, 793 mg omega 3 and 4,287 mg omega 6 fatty acids.

Raw Granola - Hearty Breakfast And Convenient Snack. Also, The Health Benefits Of Nuts And Seeds.

Soak nuts for 4 hours, seeds for 2 hours and dates for 30 minutes.

After soaking, rinse nuts and seeds.

Lay out mixture on a Teflex sheet and dehydrate.

Once dehydrated, break up into bite-sized pieces.

Store in air tight containers and refrigerate for freshness.

The Importance of Nuts, Especially in a Raw Food Diet

Studies have shown that people who eat nuts regularly have lower risks of heart disease. Although they are high in calories, they are high in fiber, "good fats", antioxidants and protein. The nuts and seeds used in this recipe are rich in the following important nutrients:

Manganese: Important in the metabolism of carbohydrates and amino acids. Supports bone health, blood sugar balance and energy production.

Copper: Needed in the metabolism of iron, the formation of red blood cells and keeping a healthy immune system.

Magnesium: Plays a key role in the proper functioning of muscles and nerves and supports energy production.

Phosphorus: Key in the formation of bones and teeth, energy production, protein synthesis and muscle contraction.

Thiamin: Required for carbohydrate metabolism and supports the nervous system.

Omega 6 fatty acids: Required for cholesterol metabolism, growth and reproduction.

Besides containing the above listed nutrients, some nuts and seeds also are high in other key nutrients:

English Walnuts: High in omega 3 fatty acids with a good balance of omega 6 fatty acids. Omega 3 is key for proper functioning of all body tissues and is especially needed in fetal development. It reduces inflammation and is important for heart health and brain development.

Pistachio nuts: High in vitamin B6, needed for amino acid metabolism and proper functioning of the nervous and muscular system.

Sunflower seeds: Contain high levels of vitamin E and selenium, both strong antioxidants that work together to protect our cell membranes. Sunflower seeds are also high in vitamin B6, folate, niacin, zinc and iron. Vitamin E, zinc and iron are difficult to get in a raw food diet so sunflower seeds are an important food for raw foodists. Iron is needed for the formation of hemoglobin and transporting oxygen. Zinc supports growth, immunity, sexual development, detoxification and wound healing.

Pumpkin seeds: Also high in iron and zinc, pumpkins seeds are important in a raw food diet.

Flaxseeds: Very high in omega 3 fatty acids.

Tahini or sesame paste: High in calcium, needed for bone and tooth development as well as muscle contraction and nerve transmission. Calcium is also difficult to get in a raw food diet so sesame tahini is an important food for raw foodists.

Hempseeds: Hempseeds are high in omega 3 fatty acids, zinc and iron and are a very important food in a raw food diet.

Raw Granola - A Healthy Snack When You Are On-The-Go

Whether or not you are on a raw food diet, raw granola makes a great snack, especially for the kids. Just throw some in a baggy and drop it in their lunch boxes or take some to work for yourself. Don't get put off by the number of ingredients as each nut and seed offers unique benefits. But if you want to leave out pecans, just use more walnuts or cashews. Or double the sunflower seeds and leave out the pumpkin seeds. Get creative and use the nuts and seeds that you and your family like the best. This recipe was formulated to give a healthy balance of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids and provide some of the nutrients that are difficult to get in a raw food vegan diet.

Also check out my Agave Sweetened Vegan "Cooked" Granola recipe.

***

Raw Granola

[makes 8 cups of granola or 16 half cup servings]

1 cup raw English walnuts, (soaked for 4 hours)

1/2 cup raw pistachios, (soaked for 4 hours)

1/2 cup raw pecans, (soaked for 4 hours)

1/2 cup raw cashews, (soaked for 4 hours)

1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds, (soaked for 2 hours)

1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds, (soaked for 2 hours)

1/4 cup raw wheat germ (do not soak)

1/4 cup raw, shelled hemp seeds (do not soak)

2 tablespoon ground flaxseeds

1/4 cup dried, unsweetened coconut

1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins

2 medium apples, cored and chopped

5 large medjool dates, pitted (soaked for 30 minutes)

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons raw tahini

1/2 cup raw agave nectar, or maple syrup

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

To minimize the use of bowls, I usually soak the nuts (walnuts, pistachios, pecans and cashews) for 2 hours and then add the sunflower and pumpkin seeds to the same bowl and soak another 2 hours. After soaking, rinse and drain the nuts and seeds in a strainer. Put them in a food processor and pulse 3 or 4 times until broken up to your liking. You may want to do this in two batches so the nuts and seeds don't get over processed.

Once pulsed, place in a large bowl. Add wheat germ, un-soaked hempseeds and ground flaxseeds to the bowl and combine with the processed nuts and seeds. Stir in coconut and cranberries (or raisins).

Without cleaning the food processor, add chopped apples, soaked dates, lemon juice, tahini, agave nector (or maple syrup), vanilla, cinnamon and salt and process until smooth. Pour into the bowl and stir into the nut mixture until thoroughly combined.

Spread out onto 2 or 3 Teflex sheets and dehydrate for 8 to 12 hours at 115 degrees F. Flip over onto mesh tray, remove Teflex sheets and dehydrate for another 8 to 12 hours or until dry and crisp to your liking. When complete, remove from dehydrator and let cool. When cool, break up into small pieces and store until needed in an air tight container. Refrigerated, it will last for a few weeks. Serve with berries and raw nut milk or juice or just eat by itself for a snack.

Per 1/2 cup serving: 248 calories, 16.1 g fat, 2.6 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 5.7 g protein, 24 g carbohydrates, 3.9 g fiber, 1.2 g omega 3 and 6.3 g omega 6 fatty acids.