Tag Archives: peanuts

Irresistible 30-Minute Hoisin Chicken Lettuce Wraps by Chef Suzanne Leher

Editor at The Cooking Channel and also a chef and writer, Suzanne Leher says it’s near impossible for her not to order chicken lettuce wraps if they’re anywhere on a menu. So what’s a chef to do with her favorite dish? Replicate it at home of course!

Plated Suz Lehrer

Suzanne created this recipe that she says just may convince you to throw out your takeout menus and hit the kitchen.

plated hoisin chicken lettuce wraps

Cool, crunchy Bibb lettuce serves as the perfect pairing for gingery-hot chicken sautéed with sweet and crunchy carrots. Rice noodles stir-fried with sesame oil and red bell peppers, then topped with chopped peanuts and scallions make the perfect side for filling but healthy dinner. (more…)

Pistachios are a Home Run at MLB Stadiums Along with Other Healthy Snacks

Summer is in full swing, meaning baseball stadiums around the country are packed with fans, especially this week at the All Star Game. It wouldn’t be an all-American baseball game without chowing down on some ballpark food, like stadium staples hot dogs, nachos, and peanuts. But what about those who want to enjoy a night at the old ball game without feeling bloated from the grease and sodium afterward?

Don’t fret my friends! Ballparks around the country are adding healthier choices to their menus! Some baseball stadiums added pistachios as an alternative to peanuts. Pistachios have more fiber and less saturated fat than peanuts, are a good source of vitamin B6 (15% DV), and you get almost 50 pieces for a single serving. That’s good stuff.

“There aren’t many healthy options at ballparks, so it’s exciting that consumers will be able to get in the game with pistachios this summer,” said Patricia Bannan, registered dietitian for Wonderful Pistachios. “Nutrient-packed pistachios have a lot to offer without sacrificing taste, so you can snack on them guilt-free as you enjoy watching your favorite teams.”

There is no doubt that the tasty healthy snacks are giving peanuts a run for their money. (more…)

The Truth About Peanut Butter: 4 Healthier Brands

Who didn’t grow up eating peanut butter sandwiches? While peanut butter and jelly has been a lunchbox staple for as far back as anyone can remember, the delicious sandwich spread is far from diet-friendly.

“Peanut butter in its basic or pure form is a healthy source of protein,” said Oliver Gerard Heffern, owner of glor foods.  “It’s what’s added there after that can cause concern:  sugars, preservatives, additives and colors.”

According Brandon May, author of The Healthy Advocate, peanut butter label claims can be be misleading. “No matter which brand, any peanut butter labeled ‘reduced fat or ‘low-fat’ should be avoided,” May said. “They typically have fillers that increase the sugar content, making them potentially more harmful to your health than a higher fat version.”

Additionally,  most commercial peanut butters have oils that have been fully or partially hydrogenated, which creates trans-fat. “It isn’t peanut fat that’s a problem, it is the trans-fats in the peanut butters that contributes to poor health,” said May.  “Any peanut butter labeled ‘natural’ or ‘organic’ will not have hydrogenated oils, but you should always check the label to see the sugar content.”

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Help Your Child go Back to School Safely with a Peanut Allergy

My son has a severe, life threatening allergy to peanuts and tree nuts. We discovered this food allergy when he was two years old and we just could not figure out why he had severe asthma, requiring multiple emergency room visits, steroids and the like. He also randomly developed enormous hives all over his body and had difficulty breathing when the hives occurred. We took him to an allergist who tested him with both a skin test and a blood test, and we learned of the severity and breadth of the allergies.

Food allergies are different from food intolerances. A food intolerance can cause stomach upset, gastric distress, and possibly digestive issues in the form of diarrhea and constipation. Many people claim that they have a food allergy when a food does not agree with them, and this diminishes the severity for those with a true, life threatening allergy. A food allergy is defined as an abnormal response to a food triggered by your body’s immune system, and is most often triggered by the so called “Big 8”.  These eight foods account for 90% of all food reactions and are milk, egg, peanut, tree nut, shellfish, sesame, wheat and soy.

You may hear of a person outgrowing their food allergies, but peanut and shellfish most often remain as lifelong allergies. A food allergy affects the breathing and heart and can, if not stopped in time, lead to death. People who have been diagnosed with a food allergy are often prescribed an epi-pen, an auto-injector of epinephrine that must be injected into the upper thigh to stop the reaction.

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Find Allergy-Friendly Restaurants at AllergyEats.com

With the thousands and thousands of individuals suffering with food allergies, it can be hard to navigate menus or even find a restaurant where you can safely eat. I remember when I first learned that I had to avoid wheat, dairy and eggs. I was convinced I would never eat out again and avoided dinner parties with friends and family, not knowing what I would be able to eat. Many years have passed since that diagnosis and I have learned how to navigate foods to ensure I eat yummy, wholesome foods without feeling like I’m missing out. (more…)

Food Allergies at Highest Levels in History and Will Continue to Rise

In what may end up being the largest of its kind, a new study has found that food allergies are among the most common medical conditions in the U.S. Even worse, the problem seems to be growing.

The newly released study found that nearly three percent of Americans – about 7.5 million people – have a potentially life-threatening allergy to dairy, eggs, shellfish, and the most common allergen: peanuts. About 1.5 percent in the study tested highly positive for the antibodies, which are proteins made when faced with what the body sees as an allergen. Next up was shrimp, at one percent of the people in the study. (more…)

Boiled Peanuts a Healthy Snack

Residence of the South are very familiar with the boiled peanut. They’ll be pleasantly surprised to find out that it looks like it may be a healthier snack than raw peanuts.

Unsurprisingly, the news comes from food scientists from Alabama A&M University, where they compared raw and boiled peanuts. In the study they examined an extract from each and found that the boiled ones were higher in antioxidants. Antioxidants are thought to prevent cancer, heart disease, and other chronic conditions.