Eat a handful of nuts a day. Why? In a Nutshell, Nuts are rich in energy, protein, packed with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and omega-3 fatty acids.
The nuts, or shell fruits, as they are sometimes termed, form a class of food differing greatly from the succulent fruits. They are more properly seeds, containing, no starch, but are rich in fat.
In composition, the nuts rank high in nutritional value, but owing to the oily matter which they contain.
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The fat of nuts is similar in character to cream. Nuts, such as almonds, filberts, and pecans, which do not contain an excess of fat, are the most wholesome. A handful of nuts makes a delicious snack.
Most of the edible nuts have long been known and used as food.
The Almond was highly esteemed by the ancient nations of the East, its native habitat, and is frequently referred to in history. It is grown extensively in the warm, temperate regions of the Old World.
There are two varieties, known as the bitter and the sweet almond. The kernel of the almond yields a fixed oil; that produced from the bitter almond is much esteemed for flavoring purposes, but it is by no means a safe article to use, at it possesses marked poisonous qualities.
Fresh sweet almonds are a nutritional, and, when properly eaten, wholesome food. The outer brown skin of the kernel is somewhat bitter, rough, and irritating to the stomach but it can be easily removed by blanching.
Blanched almonds, if baked for a short time, become quite brittle, and may be easily pulverized, and are then more easily digested. Bread made from almonds and baked, is considered an excellent flavor.
To Blanch Almonds—Shell fresh, sweet almonds, and pour boiling water over them; let them stand for two or three minutes, skim out, and drop into cold water. Press between the thumb and finger, and the kernels will readily slip out of the brown covering. Dry between clean towels. Blanched almonds served with raisins make an excellent dessert.
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Brazil Nuts are the seeds of a gigantic tree which grows wild in the valleys of the Amazon, and throughout tropical America. The case containing these seeds is a hard, woody shell, globular in form. It is divided into four cells, in each of which are closely packed the seeds which constitute the so called nuts, of commerce. These seeds are exceedingly rich in oil, one pound of them producing about nine ounces of oil.
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The Coconut is perhaps the most important of all the shell fruits, if we may judge by the variety of uses to which the nut and the tree which bears it can be put. It has been said that nature seldom produces a tree so variously useful to man as the coconut palm. In tropical countries, where it grows abundantly, its leaves are employed for thatching, its fibers for manufacturing many useful articles, while its ashes produce potash in abundance. The fruit is eaten raw, and in many ways is prepared for food; it also yields an oil which forms an important article of commerce. The milk of the fruit is a cooling beverage, and the woody shell of the nut answers very well for a cup from which to drink it. The saccharine juice of the tree also affords an excellent drink.
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The Chestnut is an exception to most nuts in its composition. It contains starch, and about fifteen per cent of sugar. No oil can be extracted from the chestnut. In Italy, and other parts of Europe, the chestnut forms an important article of food. It is sometimes dried and ground into flour, from which bread is prepared. The chestnut is a nutritious food, but owing to the starch it contains, is more digestible when cooked. The same is true of the Acorn, which is similar in character to the chestnut. In the early ages, acorns were largely used for food, and are still used as a substitute for bread in some countries.
Baked Chestnuts in the shell on a perforated tin in a rather hot oven, and bake for ten minutes, until tender. Remove the shells, and serve hot. If preferred, they can be roasted.
Boiled Chestnuts -The large variety, knows as the Italian chestnut, is best for this purpose. Remove the shells, drop into boiling water, and boil for ten minutes, take out, drop into cold water, and rub off the brown skin. Have some clean water boiling, turn the blanched nuts into it, and cook until they can be pierced with a fork. Drain thoroughly, put into a hot dish, dry in the oven for a few minutes, and serve. A cream sauce or tomato sauce may be served with them if liked.
Mashed Chestnuts.- Prepare and boil the chestnuts as in the preceding recipe. When tender, mash through a colander with a potato masher. Season with cream and salt if desired. Serve hot.
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The Hazelnut, with the Filbert and Cobnut, varieties of the same nut obtained by cultivation, are one of the nuts among the most desirable nuts for general consumption.
The Walnut, where in ancient times it was so highly valued as to be considered suited only for the table of the king, is now found very commonly with other species of the same family, the Butternut and Hickory nut, in most temperate climates.
The Pecan, a nut allied to the hickory nut, is one of the most easily digested nuts. These nuts are used in baking often.
The Peanut is the seed of an annual, cultivated extensively in most tropical and sub-tropical countries. After the plant has blossomed, the stalk which produced the flower has the peculiarity of bending down and forcing itself under ground so that the seeds mature some depth beneath the surface.
When ripened, the pods containing the seeds are dug up and dried. In tropical countries the fresh nuts are largely consumed, and are thought greatly to resemble almonds in flavor. In this country they are more commonly roasted.
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Acai (Euterpe oleracca) Very popular as an energy drink. Acai is the fruit from a palm tree native to tropical Central and South America. It is rich in B vitamins, iron, Omeg-3 fatty acids and antioxidant flavonoid.