My "School Birthday" and Nuts and Seeds Part Six (Walnuts!)

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Tomorrow is my birthday! That means today is my 'School Birthday.' You know, like when you were little and your birthday fell on a weekend (or, God forbid, SUMMER!), and you were all excited to have your school birthday on a Friday... and your mom brought in cupcakes for your school party, then planned a birthday party for your whole class after school. Remember that? Well, I do. Want to ride the bus home with me after school? 

Anyway, my school birthday is quite fun! I arrived at work this morning to see this on my desk... what a lovely day! My favorite things... York Peppermint Patties, Coconut Water, and totally cute cards!

But really. You want to know what I'm doing for my birthday? Thanks for asking! I have no idea what my real birthday plans are (Justin's got something figured out)... but, as far as my school birthday plans, I'm going on a self-guided gangster tour of Chicago tonight! Get excited for some juicy stories...

Without further ado, here is a bit of yummy insight into using Walnuts. I've been pouring out data and recipes for using nuts and seeds lately... get excited!


The Nuts And Seeds Gang:
Over the next few weeks, stop by for eight posts about nuts and seeds, how to incorporate them into your diet, which ones are best, and recipes for use...

1. Flax Seeds
2. Chia Seeds
3. Pumpkin Seeds
4. Sesame Seeds
5. Sunflower Seeds
6. Walnuts
7. Pistachios
8. Almonds

Walnuts: They Look Like Brains (And Are Good For Yours)

• WHAT'S GOOD:Fabulous source of Omega-3 Fatty Acids, manganese, and copper. Also shown to improve brain function, protect bones, and regulate sleep (due to melatonin). Walnuts also have Vitamin E in a different form than most other foods, in fact, a form that has greater health benefits for cardiovascular health.
• THE SUMMARY:
  
• CAUTION:
  Walnuts, like most nuts, are fairly high in calories and fat. 1/4 of a cup is sufficient for a snack or sprinkling over other foods. Be careful not to sit down with a huge bag of these and eat too many. It's easy to do!
• CALORIES IN 1/4 CUP: 196
• HOW TO EAT IT:
  DO shuck the SHELL; DON'T shuck the SKIN! 90% of a Walnut's nutrients are found in the skin!
• Add to oatmeal
• Add to yogurt
• Add to muffin or cake batter (Add to yellow cake batter along with bananas to make banana walnut cupcakes).
• Add to salads
• Consume a handful after a meal high in unhealthy fats in order to reduce the damaging effects of such fats on your blood vessels.
• Try Some of These Recipes Including Walnuts: Kahlua and Walnut Sweet Potatoes / Skinny Monkey / Grilled Balsamic Pear with Walnuts and Feta /  Protein Stay-Full Meal Cookies / 
• Add Walnuts to These Recipes: Oven Baked Sweet Banana Oatmeal / Frozen Banana Low Cal Ice Cream / Trail Mix / Banana Nut Muffins with Peanut Butter Whip / Healthy Breakfast "Coffee" Cake

CREDITS:
 Image Walnuts

Nuts and Seeds Part Five: Sunflower Seeds

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Nuts and seeds. They're good for you. But there are so many to choose from... what the heck is the difference? What's the big deal??

To catch up on what the big deal is and read tips for nut use, take a look at this post. If you missed it, here's the brief version: Protein (YES! Muscle repair!), Omega-3 Fatty Acids (Skin! Nails! Hair!), Fibers (Fitness! Digestion! Filling!), and Lignans (Disease-preventing!). All good things and ALL found in nuts and seeds!

The Nuts And Seeds Gang:
Over the next few weeks, stop by for eight posts about nuts and seeds, how to incorporate them into your diet, which ones are best, and recipes for use...

1. Flax Seeds
2. Chia Seeds
3. Pumpkin Seeds
4. Sesame Seeds
5. Sunflower Seeds
6. Walnuts
7. Pistachios
8. Almonds

Sunflower Seeds: Here Comes The Sun...

• WHAT'S GOOD:
  Great source of Vitamin E, anti-inflammatory, and a great source of essential fatty acids. High fiber, high protein.
• THE SUMMARY:
  A delicious addition to salads and trail mix, Sunflower Seeds neutralize free radicals and alleviate the symptoms of asthma, arthritis, and any conditions where inflammation is part of the issue. Sunflower seeds are also known to decrease the incidences of hot flashes in women.
• CAUTION:As with any nut, be careful! Don't eat too many. They're high in calories!
• CALORIES IN 1/4 CUP: 186
• HOW TO EAT IT:
  Some sunflower seeds are sold unshelled (aka with the shell still on). Don't forget to remove it! To remove shells, grind them slightly (enough to break them out of their shells) and then dump them into a bowl of water, where the shells will float and the seeds ill sink. If purchasing shelled seeds, avoid yellowish seeds (which may have "gone rancid").
• Sprinkle on salads
• Add to salad dressings
• Use in meat marinades
• Add to stir fry dishes
• Add Sunflower Seeds to These Recipes: Trail Mix /  Balsamic Glazed Prunes with Feta and Basil / Pumpkin & Pine Nut Sage Orzo Risotto /  Garlic Chicken Greek Salad

CREDITS:
Image Sunflower Seeds

Nuts and Seeds Part Four: Sesame Seeds

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Nuts and seeds. They're good for you. But there are so many to choose from... what the heck is the difference? What's the big deal??

To catch up on what the big deal is and read tips for nut use, take a look at this post. If you missed it, here's the brief version: Protein (YES! Muscle repair!), Omega-3 Fatty Acids (Skin! Nails! Hair!), Fibers (Fitness! Digestion! Filling!), and Lignans (Disease-preventing!). All good things and ALL found in nuts and seeds!

The Nuts And Seeds Gang:
Over the next few weeks, stop by for eight posts about nuts and seeds, how to incorporate them into your diet, which ones are best, and recipes for use...

1. Flax Seeds
2. Chia Seeds
3. Pumpkin Seeds
4. Sesame Seeds
5. Sunflower Seeds
6. Walnuts
7. Pistachios
8. Almonds

Sesame Seeds: Open Sesame!

• WHAT'S GOOD:Good source of lignans calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorous, vitamin B1 (thiamin), zinc, dietary fiber, and healthy (monosaturated) fats.
• THE SUMMARY:Sesame seeds are easy to add to any sesame or stir fry dish! They also contain a crazy amount of nutrients!
• CALORIES IN 1/4 CUP: 208 (but you'll rarely eat that many)
• HOW TO EAT IT:The nutrients are best consumed if the seeds are ground or broken prior to consumption. I remember that by thinking "Open Sesame - Grind them (open) first!" (Here's a great Sesame Seed Grinder)
• Sprinkle on salads
• Add to salad dressings
• Use in meat marinades
• Add to stir fry dishes
• Try these recipes including Sesame Seeds:  Asian Lettuce Wraps
• Add Sesame Seeds to These Recipes: Trail Mix / Balsamic Glazed Prunes with Feta and Basil / Garlic Chicken Greek Salad

CREDITS: Image Sesame Seeds

Nuts and Seeds Part Two: Chia Seeds

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As you may recall, my lovely friend Jordan over at Exclusively Chic asked me about nuts and seeds. Why are nuts and seeds so good for you? What's the big deal??

To catch up on what the big deal is and read tips for nut use, take a look at this post. If you missed it, here's the brief version: Protein, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Fibers, and Lignans. All good things and ALL found in nuts and seeds!



The Nuts And Seeds Gang:
Over the next few weeks, stop by for eight posts about nuts and seeds, how to incorporate them into your diet, which ones are best, and recipes for use...

1. Flax Seeds
2. Chia Seeds
3. Pumpkin Seeds
4. Sesame Seeds
5. Sunflower Seeds
6. Walnuts
7. Pistachios
8. Almonds

Chia Seeds: The Filling Superfood

• WHAT'S GOOD: 
  High Fiber, Balance Blood Sugar, High Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Boosts Energy, Can replace Butter/Oil in baking, Craving-reducing, Antioxidant-rich, Hydrating
• THE SUMMARY:
  Chia Seeds are packed with fiber, fatty acids, and even a considerable amount of protein! When soaked in any liquid, chia seeds expand and develop an external coating that is gel-like, but tasteless (other than the liquid it is soaked in) and clear. This allows it to be a fabulous option for people who want to feel full, as it takes up room in your stomach without adding calories. Similarly, it can be added to protein shakes, drinks, puddings, etc to thicken the mixture.
• CAUTION:
  The texture of soaked seeds (which develop a gel-like coating) is a bit funky to some people. Make sure you can handle it before buying in bulk - or just decide to cookwith dry seeds!
  
• CALORIES IN 1/4 CUP: 140
• HOW TO EAT IT:
• Add to smoothies
• Add to chicken marinade
• Add to salads or salad dressings
• Add to oatmeal
• Add to pudding (like this)
• Add to eggs and let sit for 10 minutes, then make an omelet
• Encrust chicken or tuna (like this)
• Read this post on Chia Uses!
• Try These Recipes Including Chia Seeds: Chia Muesli Breakfast Pudding  Post-Workout Chocolate Protein Pudding
• Add Chia Seeds to These Recipes: Trail Mix / Healthy Breakfast "Coffee" Cake / Balsamic Glazed Prunes with Feta and Basil /  Garlic Chicken Greek Salad / Seared Tuna
• BUY IT AT GNC! Sign up for their mailing list and they'll send you a multitude of useful coupons!

CREDITS:
Chia Seed Benefits / Image Chia Seeds

Chia Muesli Breakfast Pudding with Greek Yogurt, Berries, and PB2

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I recently discovered Chia seeds... and they're my new favorite thing. Truly. Want to know why? Okay, I'll tell you. Just because you asked. ;-)

• They taste like whatever you cook them in - that means you don't have to deal with a funky flavor in order to get healthy food into your body!
• When exposed to liquids, the seeds form a gel-like substance. This causes it to increase in size and makes you feel fuller -- without adding additional calories (as the gel is mostly water).
• They help your body use energy more efficiently, so that you can burn calories steadily instead of all at once and then slumping.
• They contain more Omega 3 Fatty Acids than Salmon! 
• More calcium by weight than whole milk! That means you can enhance your calcium intake, which is good for your bones and also allows you to get your daily calcium needs without consuming other calcium sources, which are often high in fat.
• More fiber than flax!
• They're filled with complete protein, meaning that, unlike peanut butter or bean-derived protein, you don't need to combine it with other foods to get the full effect!
• You can bake with them (get excited for some Chia recipes on Creatlive over the next few weeks)! The gel derived from soaked chia seeds can be substituted for butter and other fatty baking ingredients in most recipes! To do this, use half of the amount of butter/oil you would need (ex: 1 cup butter = 1/2 cup Chia gel)
• Antioxidants prevent free radical damage in your body. That helps protect you against diseases and cancers.

What do you put them in?
Chia seeds do not add or remove from any flavors in your food. That means you can use them just about any way you'd like!

• Baked goods
• Salad dressings
• Puddings
• Smoothies

For today, we're putting it in breakfast. Muesli, to be exact. For those of you who aren't familiar with Muesli, it's a traditional Swiss and German breakfast or light dinner food that consists of various types of rolled oats along with small pieces of nuts and fruits. Muesli is, essentially, an even more antioxidant-rich and healthy version of Oatmeal.

When combined with Chia seeds and soaked overnight in skim milk, you wake up to a DELICIOUS and remarkably healthy breakfast. I know I cook healthy a lot... but this is the healthiest of the healthy. This stuff might make you turn into a superhuman. It's just that good for you!

For 211 calories per serving, you're getting 11.4 grams of protein (wow) and 4.5 grams of dietary fiber. From those of you who read my post yesterday on why you need more fiber in your diet... can I get an amen?

Chia Muesli Breakfast Pudding
Prep Time (Night Before): 2 minutes
Prep Time (Morning Of): 2 minutes
Calories Per Serving: 211
WW Points (Previous): 0

WW Points Plus: 6

Ingredients (Makes 4 servings):

• 2 cups Milk, Nonfat, Fluid
• 3/4 cup Muesli-Old Country Style
• 4oz Yogurt
• 1/4 cup Dried Cranberries (Craisins will also work)
• 4 oz Chia Seeds
• 1/4 cup raw Blueberries
• 1/4 cup Strawberries (cut)
• 1 tbsp dry PB2 (combined with 1/2 tbsp water and stirred to make Peanut Butter... or just use another organic or natural peanut butter that you have on hand, though the PB2 option is much lower in calories)
• 1/8 cup Finely Diced Walnuts

Directions:

1. Combine Muesli, Chia seeds, and Milk and soak overnight.
2. Heat over stove or microwave. 
3. Add other toppings on top and serve!

Credits:
Top 10 Benefits of Chia Seeds