Wednesday, November 11, 2009

seeing green

Well, I really wish I could tell you it’s lots of money, but alas it’s PISTACHIOS, lots and lots of pistachios!  If you follow me on twitter, I won a contest from @thegreennut for a years worth of pistachios plus a subscription to Prevention magazine.  I was so excited because I rarely win anything!  I didn’t really know what to expect, but I was thinking that maybe I would get a bag every month, or little bags so I could do a giveaway.  I was so shocked when I opened the door to find a giant box full of pistachios!  Thank you!

IMG_5403I guess this would be a years worth!  wow, I couldn’t get over it and I don’t think I’ve seen that many nuts in my entire life.  Right now I have 3 gallon bags in the freezer, 2 bags in the fridge, 1 in the pantry and 5 sandwich bags full of them.

Do you have any good pistachio recipes??  One that I have to try to make is baklava.  Anyone ever try to make pistachio butter?  hmmm so many possibilities!

Here are some cool facts on pistachios:

  • One serving of pistachios is 49 nuts (160 kcals), more than any other tree nut
  • Pistachios are high in phytosterols which may lower cholesterol levels and decrease the risk of heart disease. In animal studies phytosterols have been shown to potentially have anti-cancer properties
  • One serving of pistachios has as much potassium (300mg, 8%) as an orange (250mg, 7%)
  • Just a single serving of pistachios provides you with the same amount of protein in a one-ounce serving of soybeans and can serve as a protein alternative to meat, poultry or beans according to the USDA Food Guide Pyramid
  • Forty-nine pistachios serve up to 20 percent of your Daily Value of B6, about the same as half an avocado

Check out their website, they have lots of yummy looking recipes that I want to try too.

Since I had the day off today (glorious!), I got caught up on some school work.  I finished a lit review and presentation for sports nutrition, although I didn’t make too much progress on my proposal and presentation for research methods :(  the day just flew by too darn fast!

I also treated myself to a little house cleaning since it was in desperate need, and did a little baking :)  Could this have been the reason my day flashed before my eyes?? . . . nah  I blame it on taking Chris out to lunch at BJ’s since he had to work :)

Morning eats started with pistachio date oats.  I can’t get over dates in oatmeal!  It makes it taste like caramel-y heaven, and the pistachios give a nice contrasting crunch.

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For a snack I had 1/2 of the Clif Spiced Pumpkin Pie Bar.  I didn’t really like this flavor, and I will not be getting this one again.  It didn’t have any cinnamon in it and had a strange ‘fish-like’ taste to me?  Weird.  I would much prefer making these bars from Dan which are soo much better. 

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IMG_5428 I tried a new spice today called cardamom in Cardamom Banana Bread with Pistachios from CookingLight.  It’s a very interesting spice, aromatic and warm, but with a licorice type flavor.  I can’t quite put my finger on the taste?  I guess I just have to keep tasting! 

I used 1/2 whole wheat & 1/2 AP flour.  I reduced the butter by 1 tbsp, doubled the cardamom and added a bit of cinnamon and some dates.  It turned out nice and Chris is very fond of the quick breads. 

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Dinner consisted of a bunch of leftover items in the fridge that I needed to use or risk wastage.  I enjoy trying to make things from random ingredients because I hate wasting. 

I made a mix of roasted goodness (sweet potato, apple, brussels sprouts, and apple chicken sausage) with a maple glaze . . .

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IMG_5431 And a little lasagna with some leftover homemade pasta sauce, and some sweet potatoes, oyster mushrooms and thai basil I got from the farmer’s market.  It actually worked and tasted pretty darn good!

 

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Hope you are having a fantastic week so far!  I am so looking forward to the holidays and a little break, just have to get through.  I also want to say Happy Veteran’s Day, so thankful for those who dedicate their lives for our protection. 

What’s your favorite way to use pistachios? 

        

 

21 comments:

Sophia said...

I'm as green as those pistachios with ENVY!!! OMG! You lucky nut!! I LOVE pistachios...and that bag you got there won't last me a month!

I have this AMAZING chocolate-pistachio cake recipe if you want it...Otherwise, I also love to sprinkle it into some kind of pasta. Try this: http://burpandslurp.wordpress.com/2009/10/27/thank-god-there-is-no-forever-21/

MelindaRD said...

Haha, looks like you hit the jackpot. Megapistachios instead of megabucks! If I still lived in Vegas I would be right over to help you out :)

Anonymous said...

congratulation on getting ton of pistachos... i love love just peeling and eating it plain!
your lasagna looks delicious too.... well.... everything in this post is so appetizing... am i hungry? ;)

Anonymous said...

congratulation on getting ton of pistachos... i love love just peeling and eating it plain!
your lasagna looks delicious too.... well.... everything in this post is so appetizing... am i hungry? ;)

Shannon said...

I didn't know there were so many nuts in a serving. I don't like a lot of nut, but I do like pistachios. Your roasted vegetables look wonderful. Full of fall flavors!

Gina; The Candid RD said...

Oh WOW! That's a heck of a lot of pistachios! I didn't used to really enjoy pistachios a whole lot until I met Nick. He really loves them, especially in ice cream, and now pistachio ice cream is one of my favorites. I would probably make a bunch of ice cream with those pistachios, or continue to add them to salads for some CRUNCH! Can't wait to see what else you do with them! I bet they would be good in a granola too. You can make some for Christmas gifts.

MelissaNibbles said...

Sweet potato lasagna sounds amazing.

Pistachio's add a nice crunch to salads. Congrats on the stash!

RunToTheFinish said...

ohh can you post exactly how you made that lasgana? It looks DEVINE!!

hmm no suggestions on pistachios but I can't wait to see what you do

Gina; The Candid RD said...

KRisten,

I know, I fell into the PERFECT job! Of course, we don't have a lot of business right now so it's sort of scary, but I Think we will end up doing just fine.

As for the beer, it's made by the Great Lake's brewing company so I don't think you will find it in Vegas. However, if you are interested I'm SURE you could order it! Nick and I have already decided we are going to have a keg of it at our wedding, whether or not it's during the winter months :) And no, I'm not engaged, but we still talk about it!

Lara (Thinspired) said...

I love it! The pistachio info, the roasted veggies, everything!

Maybe you can try to mimic the Larabar recipe for their pistcahio bars? Those are soooo good.

Your roast veggie dinner is gorgeous. I bet it went so well with chicken sausage. Maple + brussel sprouts is my favorite!

Jessica said...

Holy pistachios!! My favorite way is to eat them plain. :)

Nicole, RD said...

HOLY MOLY! What a giveaway to win!

I love pistachios just as a snack. You could make homemade ice cream! Yumm!

Emily said...

That is a ton of pistachios! Crazy! I don't know of any recipes offhand...I rarely even eat pistachios, but their nutritional profile looks pretty good.

Dan's bars are delish. You should make them again. :-)

Naomi(Onefitfoodie) said...

holy pistachios!! I love them! I like them in the classic way right out of the shell, but I also do adore pistachio icecream!

Nicole, RD said...

Hey!

I wanted to stop by and let you know I've moved... preventionRD.blogspot.com

Nicole

Michal said...

yum pistachios! i cant get over your pistachio date otes :) my favorite way to use pistachios is eating them plain out of the bag. but since you have a years supply that can get a little boring. I looked up a couple recipes that looked tasty...

http://www.vegfamily.com/vegan-recipes/entrees/lentil-pistachio-patties.htm


^that looks promising to me!

http://www.epicurious.com/tools/browseresults?att=161&type=browse&att1=514&threshold=50

here are a bunch too! I hope I helped a little. Have a nice weekend.

Missi said...

Mmmm...Kristen, if you want to send me some of your pistachio stash for Christmas, I will gladly accept your gift. ;) You're so creative with your foods - I love it! I'm imagining eating everything you posted... When I think of cardamom, I think of Indian food - that's why I bought the spice a couple years ago: trying out an Indian recipe.

Meal Makeover Mom Janice said...

Wow, that is a lot of pistachios! I ate some the other night at a party and was reminded of how much I love them. I look forward to seeing what other ways you find to eat them! Now I'm craving pistachio ice cream...

FoodFitnessFreshair said...

That's a LOT of pistachios! Great for you! Pistachios are one of the least calorie-heavy nuts, and they taste so good! I love just chopping them up and throwing them on salads, grains, bean dishes, anything!

RunEatRepeat said...

So many nuts! That is crazy!

Diana said...

I don't have any good pistachio recipes, but I LOVE pistachio gelato - maybe you can find a good one online?

I cant believe they sent you one HUGE bag! lol I would have expected smaller portions spread out, too! lol