Fall 2006

Whole nuts and seeds.
One serving equals one medium handful. Sprinkle seeds and crushed nuts on cereals, vegetables, and salads. Mix them with a small amount of dried fruit and eat as a snack or small meal. Use them as a crunchy topping on casseroles.
Nut and seed butters. One serving equals 3 tablespoons. Examples of nut butters include sesame seed butter (tahini), hazelnut butter, and peanut butter. To make your own nut butter, add fresh unsalted nuts to a blender, food processor, or food grinder. Add sweeteners such as molasses or honey and seasonings such as cinnamon or nutmeg. Process until smooth.

Savory nut butters.
One serving equals 3 tablespoons. These can be made by adding garlic, onions, peppers, or other seasonings to the unsweetened nuts. Dilute nut butters with canola, flaxseed, or olive oil and use as a salad dressing; or mix them with a little soymilk and use as a sauce or a vegetable dip.

Nut milks.
Commercially available nut milks, which can be purchased at health-food stores and some grocery stores, include coconut milk, almond milk, and hazelnut milk. Nut milks can easily be made at home. Just add a handful of nuts to a blender with 1 cup of filtered water. Process until the water is milky in color. Strain to remove the fiber and store in the refrigerator. Nut milks can be sweetened with honey or molasses and then blended with fruit juice, dried fruit, soft whole fruit, yogurt, or soymilk to produce a calorie-rich shake. Store in the refrigerator, where it will keep for four or five days.

Nuts and seeds are an excellent choice when you’re looking for a nutrient-rich snack that will help you build a healthy body. They are rich in cancer-fighting and heart-healthy oils and are high in protein. But again, be mindful: don’t just grab any snack that includes nuts or seeds: avoid nuts and seeds that are flavored, oiled, fried, or salted. Eat yogurt- or chocolate-coated nuts only in small quantities.