Nuts good for you in moderation

Nutritionists are falling all over themselves touting the health benefits of nuts. In their raw state, they are high in fiber, minerals, antioxidants, protein and “good fat,” increase the feeling of “satiety” (fullness) and may help lower “bad” cholesterol. One nutrition website consulted concluded with this helpful admonition: “Just limit your portion to a healthy handful.”

There's the rub. Anyone who has sat down with a bag of nuts can attest that they have the addictive quality of popcorn or chips. A spokesperson for walnut growers told me that eating “four walnuts” before a meal will help a person feel fuller and eat less. But who eats just four walnuts? Or the “11 to 12 almonds” that are considered a “healthy” portion? Consuming nuts “in moderation” might be a healthy move, but it's the “moderation” that's the problem.

One way to achieve it is to buy nuts raw (which also means unsalted) and keep them in an airtight container in your freezer and use them not for snacking but in recipes, in measured amounts.

Roasting is controversial: Some health advocates say that roasting nuts increases the fat content and reduces the availability of proteins. Others say the changes in the nuts are minimal after roasting. Taste-wise, roasting wins hands down. The decision is yours.

Another road to moderation is to use nut butters in measured quantities; aside from peanut butter, you can find almond butter, cashew butter, macadamia-nut butter and pistachio butter. Look for butters made without added fats or salt. Again, I vote for roasted-nut butters, for taste; the choice is yours.

Back in the day, “nut loaf” was a popular vegetarian version of meatloaf, and these days, nuts are often used to add protein and texture to homemade veggie burgers, to top a salad or cereal. But one of the most appealing recipes I have encountered recently is for a creamy Alfredo sauce made with cashews. It's from the new “One World Vegetarian Cookbook” by Troth Wells (2011 Interlink Publishing Group) and delivers 2 tablespoons of nuts per serving ... just the “healthy handful” the nutritionists advise.

The same cookbook also offers an interesting variation to pesto, made with rosemary instead of basil, cashews instead of pine nuts, and yogurt instead of oil.

To toast nuts in an oven: Heat to 350 degrees, and place the nuts in a single layer in a baking pan with sides. Bake until the nuts become fragrant and begin to darken slightly. Watch carefully; this will take anywhere from 5-10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, and remove the nuts from the pan to stop cooking.

To toast nuts in the microwave: Line a microwave-safe plate with several sheets of paper towels. Spread the nuts out in one layer. Cook on HIGH for 2 to 3 minutes. (The time will vary according to the size and power of your microwave oven.) Watch carefully, adding cooking time in 10-second intervals as needed. Cool before using.

• Marialisa Calta is the author of “Barbarians at the Plate: Taming and Feeding the American Family” (Perigee, 2005). More at marialisacalta.com.