Prairie Fare: Are nuts healthful?

“Do you want a brownie with or without nuts?” the server asked as she brought a tray of treats to our table.

I observed my companions to see who liked nuts in their brownies.

I think about half wanted the added crunch. This was not a scientific experiment. I was just curious.

I was happy to get a nut-free brownie.

Although I like various types of nuts, I do not like walnuts in cakes, cookies or muffins.

Am I finicky or what? In my defense, I will eat baked goods with nuts if I have no choice.

We all are different in our preferences. I just had a pile of pecans sprinkled on a salad, and I keep single-serving packets of cashews at my desk.

People who have nut allergies must be very cautious when selecting foods. Fortunately, the nine major food allergens, which include nuts, must be listed on food labels.

Nuts of all types are a nutritious and convenient snack food. They add crunch to main courses, salads and desserts. Nuts are included in the protein foods group.

Nuts provide protein, fiber, healthful fats, and minerals such as magnesium, zinc, selenium, manganese and iron. These minerals are “trace elements.” They are needed in tiny amounts compared to other nutrients such as protein and carbohydrates. They play major roles in our body, though.

Iron, for example, is part of hemoglobin, which helps carry oxygen around our body. Iron is found in meats, seafood, vegetables such as spinach, fortified grains and nuts.

Trace elements play a role in the action of enzymes, repairing tissues and many other functions. As another example, Zinc plays a role in the functioning of the immune system, taste and wound healing. It can be found in meat, shellfish, poultry, eggs, milk, yogurt, dry beans and nuts.

In other words, eating a variety of foods is important to get the nutrients your body needs.

Those who follow a vegan (all-plant) diet must take special precautions to get the nutrition they need.

Read the nutrition facts on labels to learn about your choices. For example, an ounce of cashews has about 160 calories, 4 grams of protein, 13 grams of fat and no cholesterol. If you choose “lightly salted,” your snack has only 10% of the daily value for sodium.

If you choose nuts in the shell, such as pistachios, removing the shells from the nuts will slow your snacking.

Nuts contain unsaturated fat, which is healthy for our hearts. Unfortunately, unsaturated fat is the type of fat that may become rancid during storage. Rancid nuts develop off odors or flavors if they are stored in a warm cupboard for too long.

That’s a good reason to use by the “best by” date on the package. Freeze the nuts if you have too many to consume within that amount of time.

Even though they are called “nuts,” peanuts technically are legumes. If you like trivia, remember that peanuts sometimes are referred to as “ground nuts” or “goobers.”

Have you ever tried making homemade nut butter without any extra ingredients such as added sweeteners? If you have a food processor, this easy activity takes about 10 minutes.

To make peanut butter, add two to three cups of lightly salted or unsalted peanuts to your food processor and pulse for 30 seconds to one minute at a time. Give your food processor “relaxation breaks” because this activity can be challenging for the motor.

Keep processing and scraping down the bowl until you have a smooth spread. Place in a sealed container. You can use this same process to make other types of spreads, such as almond butter. Store your homemade peanut butter in the refrigerator for several weeks.

Here’s a way to tempt the taste buds for a morning meal. It features both peanut butter and chopped almonds. You could adjust this for people who cannot have peanuts or almonds due to allergies by using sunflower butter and sunflower seeds.

Peanut Butter Granola Breakfast Pizza

3 cups granola cereal of choice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup almonds, chopped

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup Greek yogurt, any flavor

Toppings: Fresh or dried fruit, nuts, granola, chocolate chips

In a large bowl mix granola, cinnamon, almonds and peanut butter until combined. Press peanut butter granola mixture evenly into a lined (parchment or foil), 8-inch round pan. Refrigerate overnight or freeze for one hour until firm. Transfer crust to a serving plate. Top with yogurt and desired toppings. Cut into small wedges.

Makes 12 servings. Each serving has 240 calories, 12 grams (g) fat, 10 g protein, 24 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber and 130 milligrams sodium.