"Homemaking Thursday" : Nuts, Lists & Simple Gifts

As a child, I didn't know many different kinds of nuts, and probably only ate a few of them. It was not a habit for my parents to eat nuts because they are good for the health. Now Chris & I know the benefits of eating nuts.

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Several epidemiological studies have revealed that people who consume nuts regularly are less likely to suffer from coronary heart disease. Recent clinical trials have found that consumption of various nuts such as almonds and walnuts can lower serum LDL cholesterol concentrations.
One study found that people who eat nuts live two to three years longer than those who do not. However, this may be because people who eat nuts tend to eat less junk food.

A nut in cuisine is a much less restrictive category than a nut in botany, as the term is applied to many seeds that are not botanically true nuts. Any large, oily kernel found within a shell and used in food may be regarded as a nut. Because nuts generally have a high oil content, they are a highly prized food and energy source. A large number of seeds are edible by humans and used in cooking, eaten raw, sprouted, or roasted as a snack food, or pressed for oil that is used in cookery and cosmetics. Nuts (or seeds generally) are also a significant source of nutrition for wildlife. This is particularly true in temperate climates where animals such as jays and squirrels store acorns and other nuts during the autumn to keep them from starving during the late autumn, all of winter, and early spring.

Nuts, including both tree nuts and peanuts, are among the most common food allergens.

Some fruits and seeds that are nuts in the culinary sense :

- Almonds and Walnuts are the edible seeds of drupe fruits — the leathery "flesh" is removed at harvest
- Brazil nut is the seed from a capsule
- Candlenut (used for oil) is a seed
- Cashew nut is a seed
- Coconut is a dry, fibrous drupe
- Gevuinanut
- Horse-chestnut is an inedible capsule
- Macadamia nut is a creamy white kernel (Macadamia integrifolia)
- Malabar chestnut
- Mongongo
- Peanut is a legume and a seed
- Pine nut is the seed of several species of pine (coniferous trees)
- Pistachio nut is the seed of a thin-shelled drupe
- Lychee is a member of the soapberry family, in which its berrylike fruits can be eaten fresh or sun dried as nuts

(source : Wikipedia)
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From the list above, these are the ones we usually eat : almonds, walnuts, pine nuts, Brazil nuts, cashew nuts, Macadamia nuts & pistachios. We also eat / have at home : pecan nuts, hazelnuts. Some years ago, I wasn't aware of all the good things contained in these nuts. This is what I learnt along the years :

- Brazil nuts are a good source of magnesium and are perhaps the richest dietary source of selenium. (toxic in large amounts, but trace amounts of it are necessary for cellular function)
- Pine nuts are a source of dietary fiber
- Almonds are a rich source of Vitamin E & are also rich in monounsaturated fat, one of the two "good" fats responsible for lowering LDL cholesterol
- Macadamias are highly nutritious nuts & have the highest amount of beneficial monounsaturated fats of any known nut. Pistachios in the diet can significantly reduce cholesterol and help prevent narrowing of the arteries, according to researchers
- Pistachios in the diet can significantly reduce cholesterol and help prevent narrowing of the arteries, according to researchers
- Walnuts are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, and have been shown as helpful in lowering cholesterol

This was the boys' even snack (a bit before having dinner), and they were as happy as if they were little squirrels waiting for their dose of nuts, that was hilarious ! My boys love nuts ! (and I couldn't be any happier !!) In a word, if you're not really used to eat nuts, I'd advice you to start, even though they contains calories. These are good calories & your health will thank you after that.

Now ... people ... I have officially started making lists about the move. Yep. Things to do, or buy before we'll leave this place & region, things to do, or buy once we'll have moved there ... I'm thinking about this night & day, these days, uh. Not all the time, but very often, I must admitt. But, hey, we'll be moving in a little more than three months, so I have the right to feel concerned, right ?Two days ago, we were invited for a playdate / snack at some of our friends. I didn't want to come totally empty handed (I was told not to bring anything), so I came with a little idea that may be useful to you, so I'm sharing. I'm not the creator, I've been this somewhere else. It's basically little blank books made of A4 sheets, sewn together with a sewing machine. I used color paper (simple ones, not scrapbook paper, which, anyway, I don't have), I folded them in half, sewed them in the middle. Then I stamped the children's name on a label & sticked it to the front page. I made two for each child. I would have added a box of pencils, but I knew they already had enough of them. I loved that idea (which was greatly appreciated), because it was made at home, with what I had on hand (I could have used white paper too), it didn't cost a thing, it was made in a few minutes, and is a good idea for the child to use their imagination. (they can draw inside, write, invent a story, whatever)And I think they look nice !!

OK, must go. Have to stop by the supermarket & the health store before picking the boys at school. Peace, love, and if no one's said it to you today, I love you. xoxoxo