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Or are you just going nuts?
Whether you are nuts or not is no concern of mine. Personally, I prefer folk who are a bit on the nutty side. I feel an affinity as I am certifiably nuts. But I digress.
What I am trying to say, and saying it rather poorly I might add, is you might want to add a few more nuts to your diet. New research says regular nut eaters were less likely to die of cancer, heart disease, and in fact, were less likely to die of any cause at all. WHY?
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According to BBC News:
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People who regularly eat nuts appear to live longer, according to the largest study of its kind.
…..snip…….
The findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, suggested the greatest benefit was in those munching on a daily portion.
The US team said nut eaters were likely to also have healthy lifestyles, but the nuts themselves were also contributing to their longer lifespan.
…..snip…….
The study followed nearly 120,000 people for 30 years. The more regularly people consumed nuts, the less likely they were to die during the study.
People eating nuts once a week were 11% less likely to have died during the study than those who never ate nuts.
Up to four portions was linked to a 13% reduction in deaths and a daily handful of nuts cut the death rate during the study by 20%.
Lead researcher Dr Charles Fuchs, from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, said: “The most obvious benefit was a reduction of 29% in deaths from heart disease, but we also saw a significant reduction – 11% – in the risk of dying from cancer.” [Emphasis mine.]
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You can read the entire article by clicking the link above.
I know about now some of you may be saying, “But nuts have so much fat in them.” Yes. But they are good fats. Nuts, like most everything else, are not fattening when eaten in moderation.
Plus regular readers here know that fat is not the boogeyman that Food Police would have us all believe. Nuts have the good kind of fat that makes you feel full and sated, thus causing you to eat less.
Among the best nuts to eat are: walnuts, almonds, pistachios, cashews, pecans, macadamia, Brazil nuts, and pine nuts.
Featured Recipe I Can’t Believe Its Leftover Turkey Casserole
Leftovers never looked nor tasted SO good as in this casserole.
This is Gourmet Leftovers.
This is so divine no one will even think twice about eating turkey again the day after Thanksgiving. In fact, this casserole is so heavenly you will want to make it often during the year with chicken or other leftover meats.
The ‘secret’ ingredient in this recipe is the cream. Most casserole recipes just use milk. But cream is richer and tastier than plain cream. This is what makes this casserole so heavenly.
This is no turkey of a recipe!!!!
Just An FYI: I will have another leftover turkey recipe –Apple Harvest Turkey Sandwich – for you on Thursday.
This is what you will need for 4 people:
Spray oil
1 -14 ounce package frozen broccoli
2 cups cooked turkey pieces *
1 -10 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
2/3 cup whipping cream
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese (or Swiss **)
½ cup Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter
1 stalk of celery + some of the leaves
1 cup croutons
1/8 cup dried cranberries
* I use whole slices of meat if there is any left as well as bits and pieces of meat off the bone. No one ever said you have to have the same sized pieces in a casserole.
** I usually use Swiss but there was no Swiss in the dairy section of the store. It had been replaced with Egg Nog. ‘Tis the Season you know.
Here is what you do:
Heat the oven to 350 F.
Spray a light cover of oil on the bottom of the casserole.
Steam the broccoli until a toothpick can be inserted into the stems easily. The broccoli will not be fully cooked at this time. The broccoli will be cold. BUT NOT TO WORRY. Remember, it will cook for 30 more minutes later. WHY DO THIS? It prevents the broccoli from getting mushy. And I hate mushy broccoli in casseroles. This method assures you perfect crisp-tender broccoli.
Place the broccoli in a 12x 8 casserole dish. See how I do that? I just use tongs to take it straight from the pot right into the casserole pan. Another Lazy Cook technique.
Layer turkey evenly on top of the broccoli.
Combine soup with cream, mix until smooth and pour over turkey.
Sprinkle both cheeses on top. I layered Mozzarella first then the Parmesan.
Cover with foil and bake at 350 F for 25 minutes.
While the casserole is cooking there are so few dishes you may want to wash them now. So who ever’s turn it is to wash the dishes that night………they owe you.
Slice the washed celery. Also mince some of the leaves from the celery. I use the minced celery leaves in place of parsley in this dish.
About 5 minutes before the 25 minutes are up, melt the butter. Add the celery and sauté 1-2 minutes. Then add the croutons and sauté just a scant minute. I don’t like soggy croutons either. I want some crunch!
Remove the casserole from the oven and remove the foil.
Sprinkle the celery and crouton mixture on top of the casserole.
Lower the oven to 300 F and place back into the oven uncovered for 5 more minutes.
Remove from oven and sprinkle the cranberries and the minced celery leaves over the finished dish.
Serve with a salad or some fruit.
Bon appétit!!!
Cost
Spray oil $0.05
1 -14 oz package frozen broccoli $2.00
2 cups cooked turkey pieces Leftovers $0.00
1 -10 oz can cream of mushroom $1.00
2/3 cup whipping cream $1.35
2/3 cup shred Mozzarella cheese $1.52
½ cup Parmesan cheese $2.00
2 tablespoons butter $0.16
1 stalk of celery + leaves $0.13
1 cup croutons $1.05
1/8 cup dried cranberries $0.78
Total cost = $10.04
Cost per person = $2.51
Quote of the Day
The most remarkable thing about my mother is that for 30 years she served the family nothing but leftovers. The original meal has never been found.
Calvin Trillin
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