Super Foods

Sometimes in my life I discover new food items that I wonder why it took so long. For instance, several years ago I discovered I liked goat cheese. I always assumed I didn't. I had it confused with feta and was sure it was too strong for me to enjoy it. I'm not a bleu cheese fan you see.

Well, surprise surprise, I loved it and then proceeded to have it with everything. It became my mission to add goat cheese to every dish, or at the very least, every meal. Almost to the point of getting burned out on it.

I recently discovered pistachios. I know! I always assumed, for some odd reason, that they had a odd taste because they were green and let's face it - me and green things don't usually bond a friendship. Unreasonable assumption I agree, but nevertheless that is the madness inside my head.

This summer I bought a bag to make my husband Banana Pistachio Ice Cream. About a month ago I found the opened bag and thought "what the hell", I ate one.

OMG!

Where have you been my whole life? How could something this good have gotten past me, not to mention - can it be healthy? It is a nut, but it must be a bad nut.

So I did some research. And was quite surprised.

Did you know that:

• Pistachios are a "heart healthy" snack, offering antioxidants, phytosterols, healthy fats and more.


• Pistachios provide about 310mg of potassium per 30g serving (about 1 ounce); more than any other tree nut, and more than is found in half of a large banana.


• While pistachios are a rich source of dietary fat (14g per 30g serving); almost 90% of the fat is the healthy unsaturated type, mono- and polyunsaturated. Pistachios are naturally free from trans-fat.


• Pistachios contain more than 10 different beneficial antioxidants—including resveratrol, lutein, quercetin and naringenin—each of which may offer unique health benefits.


• Pistachios have high levels of lutein, beta-carotene, and gamma-tocopherol relative to other nuts.


• Pistachios are one of the highest in antioxidants among all snack nuts. Compared to other antioxidant super foods, pistachios have twice the antioxidant capacity of red wine and strawberries; 50% more than blackberries and 20% more than blueberries, based on an ounce-per-ounce basis.

I'm sold. Bring 'em on.

I wonder how pistachios would taste on...