5 Amazing Cashew Recipes

Asparagus and Cashews Recipe

Ingredients
1-1/2 pounds fresh asparagus , trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 Tbsp sesame oil
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp marjoram
2 Tbsp chopped toasted cashews , unsalted

Instructions
Steam the asparagus in a metal steamer over boiling water for about 6 to 7 minutes. Drain. Combine asparagus with remaining ingredients and serve. 

Yield: 6 servings, 1/2 cup each

Nutritional Information (per 1/2 cup serving): 51 cal; 4 g total fat (1 g sat fat); 4 g carb; 0 mg cholesterol; 8 mg sodium; 2 g protein; 1 g fiber; 1 g sugars.

Dietary Exchanges: 1 vegetable; 1/2 fat.

Credits
Recipe from: Flavorful Seasons Cookbook by Robyn Webb (McGraw-Hill)

Cashew Mushroom Loaf Recipe

Ingredients
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
8 ounces cashew nuts
4 ounces fresh bread crumbs
3 medium parsnips , cooked and mashed
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp nutritional yeast (optional)
1/4 pint hot water
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 ounce butter
8 ounces mushrooms , chopped

Instructions
Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4 or 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).

Heat the oil and fry the onion and garlic until soft. Grind the cashew nuts, then mix with the breadcrumbs. Mix in the mashed parsnips and herbs. Add the onion, being sure to scrape all the juices into the mixture.

Dissolve the yeast in the water and mix into the vegetable nut mixture. Season well.

Melt the butter in a skillet and saute the chopped mushrooms until soft. Grease a 2-pound loaf tin then press in half the nut mixture. Cover with a layer of mushrooms and top with the rest of the nut mixture.

Press down well. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. When cooked, remove the pan and let stand for 10 minutes before turning onto a plate. Serve hot or cold. Slice to serve. Serve with vegetables or a crisp green salad.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Credits
Recipe from: Author unknown

Cashew and Pineapple Soup

Ingredients
1 ounce salted butter
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 cup pineapple pieces, drained
2 garlic cloves, halved
5 ounces cashew nuts, crushed
4 potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups vegetable bouillon
1/2 cup Bourbon
5 fluid ounces half and half cream
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
parsley sprigs to garnish

Instructions
Fry onion and garlic in butter until softened, about 3 minutes. Put crushed cahsew nuts and onion mixture in a blender. Blend until smooth. Put cashew mixture into a deep pan. Add pineapple pieces, potatoes, vegetable bouillon, Bourbon, cream, salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, combine cornstarch and water until smooth. Add cornstarch mixture to soup. Stir constantly until thickened. Serve hot with garlic bread and garnished with parsley sprigs.

Yield: 4 servings

Credits
From: Author Unknown

Saffron Rice with Cashews and Raisins Recipe

Ingredients
1-1/2 cups basmati rice
2-1/4 cups water
1 cinnamon stick , broken in half
5 cloves
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup chopped cashew nuts
1/4 cup raisins

Instructions
Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Put the rice in a medium saucepan with the water, cinnamon stick, cloves, bay leaves, saffron, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and cook, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit, without removing the lid, for 10 minutes. With a fork, gently stir in the butter, cashews, and raisins.

Yield: 4 servings

Credits
Recipe from: Quick From Scratch Herbs & Spices by Food & Wine Magazine

Szechwan Chicken And Cashews Recipe

Ingredients
2 whole chicken breasts, boned, skinned and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp chinese rice wine or dry sherry
2 Tbsp additional soy sauce
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp white vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 to 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
3 green onions, sliced
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
1/2 cup unsalted cashews
Cooked rice

Instructions
Marinate chicken in 1 Tbsp soy sauce and rice wine for 30 minutes.

Combine 2 Tbsp soy sauce, cornstarch, sugar and vinegar and set aside.

Heat oil in wok or skillet. Add red pepper to taste and cook until black. Add chicken and stir fry for 2 minutes. Remove chicken. Add green onions and ginger and stir fry for 1 minute. Return chicken to wok. Cook 2 minutes. Stirring constantly, add soy sauce mixture and any remaining chicken marinade. Add cashews. Serve over cooked rice.

Yield: 4 servings

Credits
Recipe from: Creme de Colorado Cookbook by Junior League of Denver (Junior League of Denver)

Click here to read more about cashews and other nuts…

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Pineapple Nutrition Information

Complete blueberry nutrition information as stated by the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 20 (2007) is shown in the chart below.

• all information about pineapple

Apple Nutrition Information

Complete apple nutrition information as stated by the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 20 (2007) is shown in the chart below.

• nutrition information for an apple
• nutritional information apple

About Nutrition…

Choosing the Right Nutrition Plan

The below article about nutrition was written by James Steffy and explains what nutrition is and how you might go about choosing the right nutrition plan for yourself.

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Choosing the Right Nutrition Plan For You

WHAT IS NUTRITION?

Nutrition is defined as “the act or process of nourishing or being nourished,” or “the process by which organisms take in and utilize food material.” Good nutrition is the cornerstone of any successful weight loss, or fitness program. The human body is a complex machine that requires adequate fuel in order to function at optimum levels. Proper nutrition impacts all physical, and mental aspects of our lives. The fuel we consume, or our food, is used by our bodies as energy, for the renewal of cells, and as building blocks for hormones, anti-bodies, and enzymes.

Each person requires a minimum amount of energy to keep their body alive and awake, and this is called the basal metabolic rate, or BMR. This is the amount of energy required from a body to be awake and lie perfectly still…nothing more. The body requires energy to maintain temperature, keep the heart beating, the lungs breathing, and the brain thinking.

BMR is measured in calories, which are simply a measure of the potential energy of a food. BMR for females is usually between 1200-1450 calories, and for men between 1600-1800 calories.

Fitness and weight loss nutrition, and daily caloric consumption should therefore be devised with the BMR in mind. Daily caloric intake should be enough to satisfy BMR requirements, as well as provide the necessary energy to perform daily activities, whether it’s sitting at a desk, running a mile, lifting weights, or all three.

WEIGHT LOSS

Weight loss will occur when the amount of calories consumed is less than the amount expended. Plain and simple. The trick to this seemingly simple statement lies in 3 important steps.

1. Learning proper nutritional principles, and recognizing the real nutritional value and

content of the food you eat every day.
2. Incorporating foods into your diet that satisfy your specific nutritional requirements, that are healthy, and that you enjoy.
3. Using this knowledge to create a way of eating that works for you, and that you can sustain as a lifestyle, not a quick-fix.

With these 3 steps, you have the power to achieve any fitness, or weight loss goal you desire.

SO WHAT IS “HEALTHY” AND WHAT KIND OF FOOD SHOULD YOU EAT?

As I’m sure you’ve noticed, there is a TON of information available about which foods you should eat, which ones you shouldn’t, and why. Some diets allow you only meat, some only fruit and vegetables, some low carbs, some no carbs, and some no food all! So with all of the varying information, how do you know which diet is right, and more importantly which diet is right for you?

The answer lies in understanding food, understanding protein, carbohydrates, and fats, the different vitamins and minerals, and the function each one plays in maintaining a healthy body. The answer is understanding food, and then applying your understanding to your lifestyle, your activities, and your preferences – not in some magical ratio of food, the incorporation of a magic food, or the elimination of an evil one.

Healthy, whole foods consumed in moderation, especially when combined with exercise, will produce results. Healthy carbohydrates are complex, unrefined ones. Healthy sources of protein are unrefined as well, and come from lean meats, as well as eggs, nuts and some grains. Healthy fats come from a variety of plant, and some animal sources. Basically, the closer a food is to it’s natural state, the healthier it is for you. The right combination of foods for you depends on your tastes, your lifestyle, your activity levels, and your goals.

A fresh potato is better for you than a french fry. A chicken breast is better for you than a processed, battered and fried “chicken strip”. And an apple is better for you than a processed apple juice drink is. The reason for this is the quality of the food diminishes the further away from its natural state a food becomes.

Why?

Because the further from its natural state a food is, the more it has been altered chemically with fats, sugars, and preservatives which serve no nutritional purpose. The purpose of additives in most foods is the preservation of food. Improved shelf life. If you don’t know what an ingredient is, why would you want to put it in your body?

Understanding the real nutritional value of food, and understanding your body’s requirements based on your activity, your preferences, and your goals is the key to good nutrition, and the key to fitness and weight loss success.

James Steffy, CSCS
Owner- A Perfect Fit Personal Training
For more information on exercise, diet, or weight loss, please visit http://www.APerfectFitTraining.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Steffy

Lettuce Started as a Weed

There are hundreds of varieties of lettuce to choose from which makes it widely popular throughout the world. Lettuce is readily available in supermarkets year round with most domestic varieties being grown in California. Iceberg lettuce used to dominate in popularity but other varieties are now moving to the forefront. Most imported varieties of lettuce come from Europe.

The lettuce that we see today, actually started out as a weed around the Mediterranean basin. Served in dishes for more than 4500 years, lettuce has certainly made its mark in history with tomb painting in Egypt and identification of different types of lettuces by various Greek scholars. Christopher Columbus introduced lettuce to the new world and from there, lettuce in the United States began cultivating.

Benefits of Lettuce:
Most dark greens are good sources of Vitamin C and other nutrients.The rule of thumb is, usually, the darker the greens, the more nutritious the leaf.

Lettuce Nutrition (Romain, Shredded)
Serving Size 1 cup chopped, raw (56g)Amounts Per Serving % Daily Value
Calories 10
Calories from Fat 0
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholestrol 0mg 0%
Sodium 0mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugars 1g
Protein 1g
Vitamin A 70%
Vitamin C 20%
Calcium 2%
Iron 4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Types of Lettuce:

Butterhead (includes Boston and Bibb)
Loose heads, grassy green leaves, butter texture, mild flavor. Good examples are Boston lettuce, which looks like a blooming rose, and Bibb lettuce that has a small cup-shaped appearance.

Crisphead
The least nutritious of the salad greens, this pale green lettuce takes on the cabbage appearance with its leaves more tightly packed together. An example is the Iceberg lettuce. It’s known for the crispy texture and very mild flavor.

Looseleaf
This variety doesn’t grow to form lettuce heads, but is instead the leaves are joined at the stem. Good examples of this variety include: oak leaf, red leaf, and green leaf.

Romaine or Cos
This lettuce has gained tremendous popularity in the past decade as the key ingredient in Caesar salads. It has a loaf-like shape with darker outer leaves. It’s strong taste and crispy texture has been favored by those who like Iceberg lettuce.

Lettuce Varieties:

Arugula (rocket or roquette)
This variety used to be hard find, but can now be found at many supermarkets. This variety is characterized by small, flat leaves with long stems, quite similar looking to dandelion leaves, and a peppery taste. This lettuce is usually paired with other varieties to balance out the taste.

Belgian endive or French endive
This leaf is a family member of chicory and escarole, with tightly packed leaves and bullet-like shape. Creamy yellow or white in color, slightly bitter in taste, but crisp in texture.

Chicory or curly endive
This leaf is slightly bitter, with darker outer leaves and paler or even yellow leaves towards the center. The leaves itself are ragged edged on long thin stems.

Escarole
Another member of the chicory family, this lettuce has broad wavy leaves and a milder taste than chicory.

Mâche or lamb’s lettuce or field salad
With a fingerlike shape, velvety feel, and mild taste, this variety is usually sold bunched together with its roots, at an expensive price due to its delicate and perishable nature.

Raddicchio
This variety looks like red cabbage, but it’s actually a chicory family member. This leaf is typically used for an accent in salads because of its steep cost as most radicchio lettuce arrives from Italy.

Selecting and Storing Lettuce:
Lettuce is a delicate vegetable and great care should be taken when selecting and storing. Most lettuce is showcased on ice or in refrigeration. When selecting your leaves, be sure that they are fresh and crisp, with no signs of wilting, slim, or dark spots or edges. Remember when selecting your lettuce that the darker outer leaves are the most nutritious.

Lettuce tends to keep well in plastic bags in the crisper section of the refrigerator. Iceberg lettuce keeps the best, lasting around two weeks, while Romaine, ten days, and butterheads types and endives lasts approximately four days. The very delicate greens don’t last very long, so it’s best to buy only as much as you need at one time and use immediately.

Salad greens should not be stored near fruits that produce ethylene gases (like apples) as this will increase brown spots on the lettuce leaves and increase spoilage. Greens that are bought in bunches should be checked for insects. Those leaves that have roots should be placed in a glass of water with a bag over the leaves and then placed in the refrigerator.

Preparing Lettuce:

Generally lettuce is eaten raw, so consider removing any browned, slimy, or wilted leaves. For all lettuce types, you should thoroughly wash and ‘dry’ the leaves to remove any dirt or lingering insects. If you eat lettuce often, it’s wise to invest in a salad spinner. Simply rinse the leaves and place in the spinner to remove the excess water.

In addition to their most common use in salads, you can also braise, steam, sautè and even grill certain lettuce varieties to create a wonderful and different taste treat. Try halving a head of radicchio or romaine lengthwise, and brush on some extra virgin olive oil, and grill until they soften and just begin to brown-absolutely delicious.



Sources: FruitsandVeggiesMatter.gov

Click here for a lot more information about organic gardening.

If you found this post interesting or helpfull leaving me a comment would be much appreciated. Thanx Jeanne

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