MOVE MORE FOR YOUR HEART

• Date posted:  04/16/2024 
• Posted in:
• Nut Usage Ideas,

Every April the American Heart Association promotes Move More Month. The goal is to encourage everyone to enjoy more physical activity on a regular basis. And the timing couldn’t be more perfect with the arrival of spring. So, let’s lace up our walking shoes or hiking boots, don a swimsuit, or pull our bikes out of the garage and embrace the warmer weather.

Whether it’s a walk around your local botanical gardens, kayaking or rowing, catching some waves, or simply running with your kids around the back yard with a frisbee, we all need some fuel to keep us going. And there’s no more perfect snack than nuts for a sustained boost of energy. Tree nuts are a powerhouse of vitamins, minerals, plant protein and unsaturated fats, that not only supply energy and satiety, but contribute to an overall healthy diet.

Naturally, the most common option is to slip a bag of nuts in your backpack, but there are many other ways to enjoy nuts on the go. Here are just a few:

Nut-wiches – A simple sandwich spread with nut butter is delicious and so much more nutritious and sustaining than just plain bread. Easily packed in your backpack, car or bike bag, sandwiches bring you an all-around balance of carbohydrates, fats and protein. Try hazelnut butter with tomatoes and mozzarella, almond butter with cucumber, pecan butter with banana, walnut butter with celery and apple just to get you started.

Traveling for Work – Rather than sitting and waiting for your flight, take a roam around the airport—there’s plenty of sitting to be done on the flight. Skip the airplane salty snacks and pack your own seasoned nuts to elevate the journey. We have lots of ideas for both sweet and savory seasonings for nuts. Or make a pan of nut bars that can last your entire trip. Simply wrap each bar in individual servings. Here’s one using macadamias and pine nuts.

Family Hikes – On weekends, why not start the day by taking the family on a hike and having a scenic breakfast. You can make some muffins the night before to make the perfect portable brunch. Try these with Pecans and Banana. Or, for the more adventurous gourmets out there, these Hazelnut German sticky buns make a wonderful picnic morning treat.

Picnic Feast – Gather with friends and family outdoors for a game of touch football or badminton, instead of watching TV. There are lots of ways to incorporate tree nuts into a picnic fit for a king. Here are some salad ideas:

• This Peach and Arugula Salad with Pistachios makes a fresh addition to any picnic and the Apple Celery and Grape salad is a twist on the Waldorf, and kids will love it!

• For an Asian inspired salad, these Cashew Prawn Lettuce Cups are a great hand-held treat. Make the noodle salad, then pack the lettuce separately and assemble on the spot.

• For a meal in a salad, throw in some grains, such as this Red Quinoa and Kale Salad or an Almond Farro and Black Bean Salad. They’ll be sure to keep you going all day!

• If you’re in the mood for a barbecue, these Vegetable Rice and Nut burgers are a great plant-based option. But if it’s a real meat patty you’d like, jazz it up a notch by adding some chopped tree nuts and fresh herbs to the mix, then topping with Pesto or Romesco Sauce. 

• For fish lovers, this salmon dish makes a great barbecue. Just remember to bring a small pan for the sauce.

Grilled Salmon with Peach Almond Brown Butter

Preparation time – 10 minutes, Cooking time – 10 minutes

Serves 4

• 4 salmon fillets
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• Olive oil, for cooking

Peach Almond Brown Butter

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 peaches, diced
• 2 ounces roasted almonds, roughly chopped
• Zest of 1 orange
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar, optional

1. Brush grill or heavy-based pan with olive oil. Season salmon and cook, skin side down for 2 minutes, then turn and cook as desired.
2. While salmon is cooking, heat butter in a small skillet and cook until bubbles subside and the butter starts to color. Add the peaches, almonds, orange zest, and rosemary and toss in the butter until all are warm. Add the vinegar if using (it adds a little zip to the butter).
3. Serve the salmon with sauce spooned over the top, and a vegetable such as barbecued asparagus.

However you choose to move more, don’t forget to bring tree nuts with you!

The Nutty Chef!