In the name of lowering my triglycerides, I made chicken cutlet roll-ups the other night, with sauteed spinach, onions, garlic, mushrooms and finely chopped walnuts, cashews and almonds as the stuffing. No cheese, no bread, and yet they turned out tasty and filling.
As many of us grow accustomed to a nuts-in-things lifestyle--ice cream flavors loaded with nuts, and candy bars containing bits of pieces of pecans and peanut butter filling--we forget how much fuel these small miracles of nature really can provide for us, and how healthful they can be if not smothered in processed sugar and stuffed into pieces of white bread.
The walnut, in particular, is an amazingly diverse nut, able to vivify the blandest of salads or, as I experienced in the recipe I tried, fill a chicken cutlet adding flavor and nutrition in one mouthful.
Traditionally harvested in December, their beautiful appearance has made them a holiday time favorite for as long as anyone can remember.
The real punch that walnuts pack is their extraordinary omega-3 fatty acids. As many of us know by now, these are crucial for lowering triglycerides, maintaining brain, bone and heart health, and an overall great balance in your body. There are not many other nuts which boast this ingredient, making walnuts the perfect addition to salmon, blueberries and quinoa in your healthy eating choice menu.
For more on the amazing powers of the tiny walnut, follow this link:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=99
Aimee Boyle lives and writes in CT. She is a regular contributor to EmpowHER. Follow her blog here: http://www.straightandnarrow.yolasite.com