PrintBy Vanessa Rush
eDiets Contributor
- Almond Oatmeal
- Creamy Strawberry and Walnut Pita Pocket with Apple
- Minestrone Soup and Cottage Cheese Fruit Walnut Salad with Flatbreads
- Healthy Trail Mix
- Southwestern Refried Beans with Brown Rice, Green Beans Almondine and Tomato Salad
It’s OK to go a little crazy about nuts – after all, they offer a super health boost that add tasty crunch and flavor to the most blah dishes. You may not be happy to see oatmeal make an appearance as breakfast in your meal plan, but with a sprinkle of healthful nuts, you’ve jazzed up your morning meal in a healthful and yummy way.
While you may think of nuts as a high-fat food, the good news is they’re high in all the right kinds of fats.
“Nuts are high in monounsaturated fat, which is the good fat that helps lower LDL cholesterol. It’s great for heart health, because it prevents plaque from building up in the arteries,” eDiets Director of Nutrition Services Pam Ofstein says.
It doesn’t take many nuts for those benefits to kick in. “Only about an ounce of nuts provide health benefits,” Pam says. “Nuts make an appearance on all those super food lists for a reason! They’re high in cancer-preventing antioxidants,” Pam adds.
Other benefits Pam likes about nuts is the presence of protein and fiber.
“We all need more fiber in our diets,” she says.
They’re easy to prepare when you buy them pre-shelled – just sprinkle! And while they may seem pricey, serving sizes are small but filling and flavorful, so you get the most nutritional bang for your budget. Add them to cooked dishes like rice, casseroles and stir-fries. They make a sensational salad topper, and nuts alone can be a great snack – add them to some dried fruit to make your own trail mix!
While everyone can benefit from adding nuts to their meal plan, vegetarians in particular may add them as an additional source of protein. Check out the recipes below for some great ideas.
Breakfast Wake-Up Call
It will definitely be a good morning when you punch up your same old, same old oatmeal with flavor and heart-healthy antioxidants.
1. Almond Oatmeal with Cottage Cheese, Fruit Cocktail and Milk
Almond Oatmeal Ingredients
1/4 cup old fashioned dry oatmeal
2 Tbsp. wheat germ
2 1/2 Tbsp. sliced almonds
Directions
Cook oatmeal according to package directions to ensure proper consistency. Stir in wheat germ and almonds. Serve.
Also Include
3/4 cup fruit cocktail, juice packed
1/2 cup low fat, low sodium cottage cheese
1 1/4 cups nonfat, skim milk
Light Lunch
Pick the cream of the crop with fresh strawberries and walnuts, wrapped together in a perfect pita pocket.
2. Creamy Strawberry and Walnut Pita Pocket with Apple
Creamy Strawberry and Walnut Pita Pocket Ingredients
2/3 cup low-fat, low-sodium cottage cheese
1/3 cup sliced fresh strawberries
2 1/2 Tbsp. walnuts
1/2 whole-wheat, approximately 6 inches (2 oz) pita bread
1 Tbsp. wheat germ
Directions
Mix together cottage cheese, strawberries, walnuts and wheat germ; place in pita pocket half or halves and serve.
Also Include
1 cup nonfat, skim milk
1 medium apple
Lunch? Dinner? Your Choice!
When you’re not sure what to eat, this selection makes a versatile, convenient and healthful meal with ingredients that are probably already in the fridge or pantry.
3. Minestrone Soup and Cottage Cheese Fruit Walnut Salad with Flatbreads
Cottage Cheese Fruit Walnut Salad Ingredients
2/3 cup low-fat, low-sodium cottage cheese
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1 fresh kiwi
2 Tbsp. chopped walnuts
Directions
Rinse and drain blueberries. Peel and slice kiwi into thin rounds. Top cottage cheese with kiwi rounds and blueberries. Sprinkle with walnuts and serve.
Also Include
1 1/4 cups minestrone soup (120 calories)
2 flatbreads
Pack a Snack!
Don’t face a snack attack unarmed. This satisfying nosh is a cinch to throw together and take on the go.
Ingredients
1/2 oz. small pretzels, hard, whole wheat, unsalted
1 Tbsp. walnuts
1 Tbsp. sliced almonds
1 1/2 Tbsp. raisins
Directions
Combine pretzels, raisins, walnuts and almonds. Serve.
Superb Summer Supper
A fantastic side garnished with almond slivers tops off this filling and delicious meal that borrows flavors from south of the border.
5. Southwestern Refried Beans with Brown Rice, Green Beans Almondine and Tomato Salad
Southwestern Refried Beans Ingredients
3/4 cup pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 clove garlic
1/3 cup vegetable broth
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 cup low sodium salsa
1 Tbsp. fresh cilantro (coriander)
Directions
Mince garlic, set aside. Heat a nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray over medium heat. Sauté garlic until soft; add the beans, vegetable broth and spices; raise heat to medium-high and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly. Using fork or potato masher, mash beans until just smooth or desired consistency; continue cooking for 3-5 minutes more, until thickened: stir in salsa. Rinse and chop cilantro and sprinkle on top of beans. Serve.
Brown Rice Ingredients
3 1/2 Tbsp. brown rice
2/3 cup water
Directions
Place rice in a small pot with tight-fitting lid and cover with about 2 1/2 times the amount of water (for example if you’re cooking 2 tablespoons of rice, use 5 tablespoons of water or about 1/3 cup water). Bring to a boil, uncovered, on high heat; reduce heat to low, cover tightly and cook for about 40-45 minutes, or until water is absorbed and rice is tender.
Green Beans Almondine Ingredients
1 cup frozen green beans
1 1/3 Tbsp. sliced almonds
Directions
Microwave or steam green beans according to package directions. Drain thoroughly and stir in almonds. Serve.
Also Include
4 cherry tomatoes
1 Tbsp. salad dressing, low fat or nonfat; low sodium
1 cup cantaloupe
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