pistachios

Lamb Chops With Mint-Pistachio Pesto Recipe
Appetizers

Fresh, Flavorful Lamb Chops With Mint-Pistachio Pesto

While this may seem like a complicated recipe, it's deceivingly simple.
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While this may seem like a complicated recipe, it's deceivingly simple. The lamb chops practically cook themselves in the broiler, and the pesto forms like presto after a whirl in the food processor.

The bright green star of the show is pesto made with mint, pistachios, and Pecorino Romano, rather than the typical trinity of basil, pine nuts, and Parmesan. Keep the mint-pistachio pesto slightly chunky so you can top it over the lamb chops like salsa.

While appetizer appropriate, lamb chops are a fairly expensive item that you may want to reserve for a special occasion dinner. To keep with the Mediterranean theme, serve these lamb chops over a bed of couscous or orzo.

Keep reading for the recipe.

What One Ounce of Nuts Looks Like
healthy living

Know Your Nuts? What's in an Ounce

Nuts are one of the best foods you can nosh on because they're full of healthy fats, contain protein and fiber to fill you up, are cholesterol-free, and they're a great snack you can easily pack with you wherever you go.
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Nuts are one of the best foods you can nosh on because they're full of healthy fats, contain protein and fiber to fill you up, are cholesterol-free, and they're a great snack you can easily pack with you wherever you go. A serving size of nuts is one ounce, which is about a handful. Considering my handful and my hubby's handful look a lot different, I thought it'd be good to go over what exactly one ounce of nuts looks like. Take this quiz to see if you know.

Chicken Tenders With Asparagus and Pistachios Recipe
fast and easy

Fast & Easy Dinner: Chicken Tenders With Asparagus

If you are in desperate need of a quick-cooking meal, pick up a pack of chicken tenders.
by partysugar

If you are in desperate need of a quick-cooking meal, pick up a pack of chicken tenders. This kid-friendly cut of meat is incredibly versatile (it can be seasoned with just about anything), and in a matter of minutes it's cooked all the way through.

Sear in a wok or other large pan with asparagus, ginger, green onions, and chili sauce for an Asian-inspired meal. Serve over rice and you've got a healthy, balanced, and flavorful dinner. Want the recipe? Read more.

Pistachio Trivia and Fun Facts Quiz
nuts

Can You Crack This Pistachio Quiz?

Happy Friday — and World Pistachio Day!
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Happy Friday — and World Pistachio Day! Since the year began, pistachios have literally been popping up everywhere in San Francisco. And while I've always loved to eat them, I realized I don't know much about their existence at all.

Upon further research, I discovered some pretty entertaining facts about these nuts. For instance, in China, they're known as the "Happy Nut." Another trivia tidbit: they're enjoyed with an apéritif in France, but favored with a cold one in Russia. What else is there to know about the grand pistachio? See if you can nail the rest of the fun facts when you take this quiz.

Take the Quiz
Food Review: South of the Border Pistachios
Food Review

Food Review: South of the Border Pistachios

We all crave junk food every once in a while, but there are healthy substitutions out there.
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We all crave junk food every once in a while, but there are healthy substitutions out there. If you crave Spicy Nacho Doritios you should give the South of the Border Pistachios by Everybody's Nuts a try.


The flavor of these pistachios is as satisfying as the Doritos, but the nuts are so much healthier than corn chips, and nuts don't leave a neon coating on your fingers either. Speaking of hands, here is another reason to choose the nuts over chips: it takes two hands to eat pistachios, and only one hand to reach into a Doritos bag. This means you will eat the nuts more slowly, and not while driving, a bad snacking habit many of us are guilty of.

To see how these two nacho-flavored treats compare, read more

FDA Issues Warning Against Pistachios
News

Pistachios: Salmonella's Latest Victim

Last night — only two months after a colossal peanut scare that led to a recall of more than 3,800 peanut products — the FDA recalled two million pounds of pistachios that have been distributed nationwide due to risk of a salmonella outbreak.
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Last night — only two months after a colossal peanut scare that led to a recall of more than 3,800 peanut products — the FDA recalled two million pounds of pistachios that have been distributed nationwide due to risk of a salmonella outbreak.

The new contamination concerns, which are not tied to the peanut products, were traced to pistachios grown by Setton Farms of Terra Bella, CA. One of Setton Farms' customers, Kraft Foods, alerted the FDA of its findings on March 24 after it discovered several strains of salmonella during routine analysis of its pistachio products. Packaged foods containing traces of the pistachios — from ice cream to boxed cakes to trail mix — have been pulled from shelves.Although so far there have been no reported illnesses and only a couple of consumer complaints, the FDA is advising customers to avoid eating pistachios until it confirms more details of the outbreak. Pistachio growers are not happy: "We hope the FDA comes out with a more refined statement about which pistachios to avoid. The vast majority of pistachios are not tainted," said Richard Matoian, executive director of California's Western Pistachio Association.

Considering President Obama just vowed to strengthen America's food safety system, I hope this issue gets addressed immediately. Until then, I plan to avoid nuts for the time being. What about you? Are you surprised to hear about another nut recall so soon?

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Come Party With Me: March Madness — Dessert
Come Party With Me

Come Party With Me: March Madness — Dessert

No appetizer spread is complete with out a sweet dish.
by partysugar

No appetizer spread is complete with out a sweet dish. For my March Madness night with the fabulous ladies of Sugar, I'm serving a menu of sophisticated snacks. To keep up with the theme, I'll offer these lime squares with pistachio graham-cracker crust.

They're like key lime pie, but in bar form. This type of dish is the perfect party dessert because it can be made in advance and doesn't require utensils for eating. To take a look at the recipe, read more

Sunday BBQ: Grilled Pork and Pistachio Couscous
grilling

Sunday BBQ: Grilled Pork and Pistachio Couscous

Pork tenderloin may not be the first thing that comes to mind when barbecuing, but it's just as easy to grill as other meats like chicken breast.
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Pork tenderloin may not be the first thing that comes to mind when barbecuing, but it's just as easy to grill as other meats like chicken breast. In this rendition, grilled lemon and pork tenderloin are served with broccoli rabe and pistachio couscous. As this cut of meat is fairly lean, it makes for a healthy, well-rounded meal. To get the recipe, which is perfect for both Summer and Fall, read more

Nutty About Nuts
almonds

Nutty About Nuts

I think of nuts as little nuggets of energy, since ounce per ounce they are one of the most nutritionally dense foods around.
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I think of nuts as little nuggets of energy, since ounce per ounce they are one of the most nutritionally dense foods around. Nuts are high in protein, but unlike meat, they are low in saturated fat. Also absent from nuts – cholesterol. Instead nuts contain phytosterols, which are considered heart healthy since they help to lower cholesterol.

We all know that variety is the spice of life, and this philosophy holds true for nuts. Not only do they vary in taste and shape, but they each have fairly unique nutritional properties too.

Here's a little lesson on nut nutrition:

  • Almonds: An ancestor to stone fruits, the almond is high in vitamin E. Vitamin E is considered a powerful antioxidant that helps prevents cells from damaging oxidative stress that has been linked not only to heart disease, but to Alzheimer’s as well.
  • Brazil Nuts: Just one of these large nuts exceeds the daily requirement intake (RDI) for the mineral selenium. The mineral selenium is also an antioxidant proven to reduce the risk of cancer.

To learn about three more nuts just read more

Pistachios Lower Cholesterol
Antioxidants

Pistachios Lower Cholesterol

Not only are pistachios fun to eat, but new research has found that these little nuts can also lower the LDL (bad) levels of cholesterol in your body.
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Not only are pistachios fun to eat, but new research has found that these little nuts can also lower the LDL (bad) levels of cholesterol in your body. You know what that means - you can reduce your risk for developing cardiovascular disease.

Eating just one or two handfuls (1.5 - 3 oz) of pistachios is all it takes. Researchers also found that these tasty nuts contain antioxidants normally found in dark leafy vegetables like kale. Pistachios also contain more beta carotene (vitamin A) than other nuts.

Reap the health benefits of pistachios by adding them into your diet. Eat them plain (shelling them has got to burn a few calories) or add them to muffins, granola, salads, or try making pesto made with pistachios (instead of pine nuts).

Interested in how pistachios compare nutritionally with other nuts? Check out this nut break down.

Fit's Tips: Look for the nuts with white shells, since the red ones are dyed and you don't need to be eating weird chemicals. Plus they stain your fingers all pink.

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