Healthy Diet for December 18 – Wal-Nuts to You!

Today’s nutrition advice is getting nutty! Eating a small handful of walnuts (eight to eleven nuts) or other nuts is good for you.

Because the unsaturated fatty acids in nuts don’t raise cholesterol levels, nuts are heart-healthy. What’s more, walnuts are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids that help keep blood vessels from clogging and help prevent arteries from hardening. All nuts are good sources of protein, some minerals, and flavonoids that can help fight cancer and heart disease, too.

Add a walnut accent.

• To soup: chopped walnuts on pumpkin or potato soup, corn or ish chowder
• Over fish: finely chopped walnuts on any baked or broiled finfish
• In salads, wraps, and pasta: toasted chopped walnuts mixed in (see March 8)
• In batter: chopped walnuts mixed in pancake, waffle, and muffin batter

Sunrise Power Blend

• 1 1⁄2 cups strawberries, halved
• 2 ripe peaches,* pitted and quartered, or an additional cup of strawberry halves
• 1 cup fat-free yogurt
• 1⁄4 cup nonfat dry milk (optional)
• 3 tablespoons wheat bran or oat bran (optional)
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1⁄4 cup (1 ounce) chopped walnuts

Put all ingredients in a blender, (10-ounce) and blend until smooth and frothy. Makes 2 servings.