walnut

If you're a furnishing with the word "walnut" in your product description, the chances I'm saving my pennies for you are high. I'm wild for walnut! The fine wood is as durable as it is beautiful, and it only looks better with age. Beyond that, its cool modern style makes a perfect complement to any room. My next big furniture splurge is likely to be walnut. But, seeing as there's so much of it out there to drool over, there are plenty of decisions to make before I go spending. See a few walnut pieces I'm eyeing when you read more

Etsy is not by any means a go-to place for furniture. But, if you are willing to sift through the crafty, country pieces, you may stumble upon a one-of-a-kind, handmade gem like this KALA Studios Phila Chair ($1,500). Simple and elegant with a beautiful walnut frame, it's what I'd call grown-up furniture for the modern home. Both the seat and back rest are upholstered, making this chair comfortable despite its rigid, tailored look. I think this piece would fit right into Twilight's Cullen Family home. Or, in my home, on second thought . . .

If you're throwing a holiday party and need some appetizer ideas, rather than putting out the tried-and-true Chex Mix and guacamole, why not try something entirely new? I did, when I brought these blue cheese walnut amuses-bouche to my holiday party this year. The bread, when buttered and toasted, takes on the crispy, airy consistency of a cheese puff, which is a perfect foil for the brandy, mustard, and blue cheese topped with walnuts. While this bite is certainly elegant, it won't stay on your table long. To make these canapés, read more

When the FDA and EPA warned pregnant women about mercury levels in fish, consumption of this healthy food dropped dramatically. Women were told not to eat more than 12 oz. a week, but confusion about which fish was OK to eat and fear about getting too much mercury made women give fish up altogether.

Now experts are saying that not getting enough Omega-3s is much more dangerous to the developing fetus than getting trace amounts of mercury. These important fats are found most readily in fish and are necessary for brain development and improved motor and cognitive skills. Some evidence suggests that it may also prevent premature delivery and postpartum depression.

These experts are pushing pregnant woman to eat at least 12 oz. of fish, while the government's advice is to eat no more than 12 oz. The thing is, the National Fisheries Institute is the one paying for this health message urging pregnant women to eat more fish, so the message seems like it's got money on the mind instead of babies.

What's the bottom line? Omega-3 fatty acids are essential to the health of growing babies. If you are pregnant and love to eat fish, go ahead and eat it, but stick to no more than 12 oz. a week. Salmon, tuna, sardines (yum), oysters, and mackerel are great sources. Not into fish? Great plant sources of omega-3s include flaxseeds, flaxseed oil, walnuts, soy products, canola oil, and enhanced foods such as Breyer's yogurt and eggs.

Source

I could talk your ear off about omega-3 fatty acids, but hopefully you know by now that they are super beneficial to the body. They increase HDL (good cholesterol), decrease triglycerides, prevent irregular heart beats, and prevent blood clot formation. Omega-3s are the fats you should love because they also reduce inflammation throughout the body.

Last week when I posted about which fish are both high in omega-3s and low in mercury, I received a lot of comments from folks that just don't like eating fish. So here is a list of foods high in omega-3s.

• Flax seed and Flax seed oil: Uncle Sam breakfast cereal contains whole flax seeds and it is high in fiber, which means there are multiple reasons to eat it for breakfast. Flax seed oil can be used in salad dressing or on toast as a butter alternative. Calorie wise you get the most bang for your buck with flax seeds - 95 calories of flax seeds provide over 100 percent of the Daily Recommended Intake of omega-3s.
• Walnuts: Raw walnuts are a great treat, tossed into a green salad or your morning oatmeal. 2 ounces of walnuts contain 5.2 grams of omega-3s. Plus you can use walnut oil - it is great in salad dressing or on toast.
• Soybeans - 1 cup of cooked soybeans contains just over 1 gram of omega-3s. While that is not a lot, I say every little bit counts. Cook up some for your dinner veggie tonight...they are also great to munch on while you're cooking.
• Canola oil also contains omega 3s and can be used at high temperatures so it is great for baking and cooking.

Fit's Tip: The current dietary recommendation is to eat 7 - 11 grams of omega-3s a day. So plan your meals and snacks ahead of time so you can eat all you need of this fat. Remember, just because it is a good thing doesn't mean you should go overboard. Fat is still fat, even if it is good for you.

One of the easiest foods to snack on (in my opinion) is nuts - a great Super Bowl munchable. Dieters tend to shy away from them because of their high fat content - but they have the the unsaturated heart-healthy fat that may help to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol. Just want to remind you that even though they are loaded with "good" fat, you still should limit yourself to a handful.

Check out how these crows eat their nuts...

Okay, here's the Nut Break Down for a 1 oz serving of each nut (dry-roasted, no salt added), including calories, total fat, saturated fat (bad fat), and protein.

Almond (20-24 nuts): 161 cals, 14g fat, 1g sat fat, 6g protein
Brazil Nut (6-8 nuts): 183 cals, 19g fat, 4g sat fat, 4g protein
Cashew (16-18 nuts): 160 cals, 13g fat, 3g sat fat, 4g protein
Grape Nuts: (just kidding)

Want to see the rest? Then read more

Cold weather makes me crave warm foods, which unfortunately take more time to prepare. That's why I like making a big batch of something and storing it in the fridge - then you can scoop out as much as you want and re-heat it for a quick warm snack or meal.

Walnut Raisin Oatmeal is one of my favorites, and it's not just for breakfast, anymore.

You'll need:

2 cups water or milk
2 cups 100% whole grain oats (you can also use quick oats - they just dontt have as much fiber)
1/3 cup maple syrup or honey
2 medium apples: cored, peeled, and diced
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries
1/2 cup walnuts

Bring the water or milk to a gentle boil. Stir in oats, apples, and syrup or honey. Return to a boil, then reduce to medium heat. Cook 5 minutes (1 minute for quick oats), or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, then stir in cinnamon, walnuts, and raisins.

Place it in a big Tupperware container, or divide it into 4 containers, to be easily warmed up in the microwave later.

Why we love it:
Whole grains such as oats are healthy for your heart, lower your cholesterol, and are a good source of fiber.
Dried fruits such as raisins or cranberries give you energy, and are low in fat. Raisins are also good for your teeth.
Walnuts are high in "good" fats, so they help to reduce the "bad" cholesterol.

Do you have a great recipe featuring raisins? Then check out YumSugar's secret ingredient group because this week the ingredient is raisins!!!!!