Beans with pecans and macadamias

Beans with pecans and macadamias 175g green beans, trimmed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon macadamia oil
1 teaspoon honey
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
50g raw pecans, roughly chopped
50g raw macadamia, roughly chopped
Salt and black pepper

Place beans in a saucepan of boiling water and blanch for 1-2 minutes. Drain well and place on a serving plate.

Heat a small saucepan over medium low heat.

Add the lemon juice, olive oil, honey, dijon and nuts.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring until honey has dissolved.

Spoon warm dressing and nuts over the beans and serve immediately. Serves 6.

Nutrient content per serve
Energy 655kJ (156kcal), Protein 2g, Total fat 16g, Saturated fat 2g (13% of total fat), Monounsaturated fat 11g, Polyunsaturated fat 2g, Carbohydrates 3g, Fibre 2g

Did you know: With a number of essential nutrients pecans are a great all round snack for the health conscious. They have also been shown to reduce blood cholesterol[x]. Feast on a handful or 15 pecans.

Source: Nuts for Life www.nutsforlife.com.au


NUTS AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT TO THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET

It is widely recognised by nutritionists and researchers around the world that the Mediterranean diet is one of the best for your health and weight. But what is it about this diet that is so good for you?

A study published by the British Medical Journal in June 2009 found that certain foods in the Mediterranean diet may actually offer the bulk of the nutritional benefits. Included in this list is nuts.

Tree nuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, chestnuts, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, pistachios, pine nuts and walnuts and are a small package with a large number of essential nutrients such as healthy fats, Vitamin E and fibre. They are an easy and effective way to reduce heart disease risk, lower cholesterol and control weight.

A handful of nuts (30-50g) daily can actually enhance palatability and nutrient quality of the diet without posing a threat for weight gain, even though they are high in (healthy) fats. The fat, fibre and protein in nuts can help to satisfy hunger for longer, meaning you may actually eat less overall .

Adding a handful of nuts to the traditional Mediterranean diet was also found to help control the risk of Metabolic Syndrome in research published by the Journal of American Medical Association last December. Metabolic Syndrome is a cluster of health indicators that if left untreated can lead to heart disease, stroke, diabetes and obesity.

So it seems it is high time for nuts to take their rightful place in the healthy spotlight. Add a handful of nuts to your diet and observe the benefits for yourself.

Some handy tips to include nuts in your daily diet are

· Toss roasted pistachios through a salad of roasted pumpkin, spinach and avocado
· Blend almonds, milk, yoghurt and ice cream to make a delicious smoothie
· Roast chestnuts and add to a poultry stuffing mix
· Bake blueberry bread with pecans
· Dry roast cashew and sprinkle over a Thai beef salad
· Try hazelnut in a chilli pasta
· Crumble macadamias into your next risotto
· Add roasted pine nuts to a frittata with tomato and feta
· Use walnuts next time you make pesto and add to grilled meat
· Whiz Brazil nuts, garlic, ricotta and parsley together for a mushroom stuffing

For more information on the health benefits of nuts and for tasty nut recipes for all occasions please visit www.nutsforlife.com.au