NUTS ANY NUT

Keep several bags on hand in the car or in your desk, for easy snacking. When snacking at home, mix toasted tree nuts with popcorn or trail mix to boost the nutrition content.


Appetizers

Top softened Brie or Camembert cheese with chopped pistachios for a simple, elegant treat. Add your favorite tree nuts to any cheese and cracker platter, or simply serve them straight up in a festive bowl!


Soups

Sprinkle chopped nuts on a bowl of soup for added fl avor and texture. For example, garnish potato soup with minced pecans or a hearty split pea with hazelnuts.


Salads

Restaurants often serve creative salads with various tree nuts and fruit. Do the same at home by adding whole, sliced or chopped tree nuts to your favorite salad recipes. For instance, toss pecans and/or walnuts with blue cheese or Gorgonzola to add zip to a spinach salad; or garnish chicken salad with slivered almonds.


Veggies

Nutty vinaigrettes made with chopped hazelnuts or Brazils, add pizzazz to steamed vegetables…
even the pickiest of eaters may give them a try!


Pasta

Pine nuts have always been the secret ingredient to a tasty pesto, but other tree nuts can also add protein and fl avor. Sprinkled on top or mixed in with a sauce, nuts give a special fl air to any pasta dish.
Fettuccini with toasted walnuts is always a hit.


Entrees

Toss fi nely diced toasted almonds into a gingershrimp sauté or add toasted cashews to Chinese vegetable stir-fry dishes. Sprinkle chopped mixed tree nuts on your favorite casseroles.


Coat for Flavor…

Need a quick and easy coating to spruce up dinner? Mix equal parts prepared seasoned breadcrumbs and fi nely chopped, toasted, mixed nuts; add the herb or spice of your choice, such as basil, thyme, cayenne pepper or cumin. Dip meat, fi sh or poultry into crumb mixture, pressing to coat. Bake, broil or grill. Bon appétit!


Desserts

Tree nuts are wonderful in baked goods such as cookies, cakes and brownies, but you can also sprinkle them on top of ice cream, frozen yogurt and parfaits. Toss chopped macadamias and other tree nuts with fresh fruit for a light and tasty dessert.


Tips for Toasting…

To bring out extra fl avor, spread whole, chopped or sliced tree nuts in a single layer in an ungreased baking pan. Place in 350° oven and bake 5 to 10 minutes or until nuts are slightly brown; stir once or twice until lightly toasted. Remove from pan to cool. Nuts will continue to brown slightly after removing from oven.


Tips for Buying and Storing…

• When buying whole, unshelled nuts, be sure to look for clean shells without cracks. The exception is pistachios, which are usually sold in a semi-open shell.
• Whole, raw shelled nuts should appear fairly uniform in color and size.
• To keep tree nuts as fresh as possible, store them in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to six months, or up to a year in the freezer.


The International Tree Nut Council (INC) Nutrition Research & Education, Foundation, a nonprofit organization, represents nine tree nuts: almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts. For more information on tree nuts and health, please visit website at http://www.nuthealth.org/.