Stored properly, fresh nuts can be kept in great shape for a year. You don’t have to be afraid of buying a bunch at a time. Just store them in an airtight container in the fridge or put them in the freezer and they will keep for months. If they lose their crunchiness in the fridge, all you need to do is toast them for 10–15 minutes at 200°F and they are good-as-new.
Almonds
Why We Love Them:
A fresh almond is a revelation, a far different thing from the brown, often wizened nut that you find in bags on supermarket shelves. At its best, no more than a month off the tree, an almond is golden, plump and tender with a mellow, buttery flavor.
Health Benefits:
One ounce provides half your daily vitamin E—more than any other nut. It also supplies 8 percent of your daily calcium needs.
1/4 cup (about 23 nuts) contains 192 calories, 16 g. fat, 4 g. fiber
Try This Recipe:
Baked Pears with Blue Cheese
WALNUTS
Why We Love Them:
The rich, robust, almost smoky taste of walnuts can turn everyday dishes into exciting signature creations. No other nut can match the distinctive pungent flavor that has elevated the walnut to the status of the “Ultimate Nut” for foodies who place rigorous demands on their recipes.
Health Benefits:
Walnuts deliver omega-3 fatty acids and contain antioxidants that support the immune system. Being low in saturated fats, high in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, and having no cholesterol makes it a tough nut to beat.
30 grams (about a small handful) contains 210 calories, 20 g. fat, 3 g. fiber
Try This Recipe: Cabbage Walnut & Gorgonzola Salad
MEDJOOL DATES
Why We Love Them:
Considered the diamond of dates, Medjools are prized for their large size, extraordinary sweetness and chewy texture. Bite into one, and your teeth sink into satisfyingly sticky flesh that tastes of rich caramel, hints of wild honey and a touch of cinnamon.
Health Benefits:
Dates are loaded with fiber and contain more potassium than bananas, yet they are virtually fat-, cholesterol- and sodium-free. Their naturally occurring sugars also make them energy boosters.
2 dates contain 120 calories, 0 g. fat, 3 g. fiber
Try This Recipe: Spinach Salad with Carrots, Dates and Goat Cheese
PISTACHIOS
Why We Love Them:
Pistachios have a wonderful sweet-nutty taste that adds to any fish, chicken, fruit or veggie dish. They can be chopped up as a crunchy topping, sprinkled whole on salads and ground into butter. You can bake them into muffins, grill them with fish and stir-fry them with asparagus—your imagination is the limit.
Health Benefits:
Nutritionally, fresh pistachios contain vitamins A, B and C along with calcium, magnesium, potassium and phosphorous.
1 ounce contains 170 calories, 13 g. fat, 3 g. fiber
Try This Recipe: Pumpkin Crusted Salmon
DRIED CRANBERRIES
Why We Love Them:
Cranberries aren’t just for Thanksgiving turkey. Dried cranberries add color and a tart burst of flavor to salads, baked goods and cereals and provide a tasty source of energy when you eat them on their own as a snack.
Health Benefits:
The recommended serving size for dried cranberries is 1 ounce, which counts as slightly less than one serving of fruit. They are low in calories and fat, and a good source of dietary fiber.
1 ounce contains 90 calories, 0 g. fat, 2 g. fiber
Try This Recipe: Brussels Sprouts Salad with Pears and Cranberries
Why We Love Them:
Peanuts originated in South America, but have become an important crop throughout the southern half of the United States. They are great for snacking on, and are extremely versatile in both sweet and savory recipes.
Health Benefits:
Peanuts are a good source of protein and help to include more of the “good fat” (unsaturated fat). They naturally have zero cholesterol.
1 ounce contains 160 calories, 11 g. fat, 4 g. fiber
Try This Recipe: Homemade Peanut Butter
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