As you can imagine, we get a lot of questions about nuts at Nuts.com!

We asked our Health Nut and Registered Dietitian, Molly Morgan, to put together some facts to answer the most frequent questions we get from our customers.  We combined these facts into an infographic for a healthy serving of nutty nutrition nuggets.

Tomorrow is National Milk Chocolate Day. That’s one food holiday we just can’t ignore! We love the silky, sweet taste of milk chocolate. In fact, we love it so much that we offer a huge variety of premium milk chocolate treats on Nuts.com. All of our milk chocolate items are made of the highest-quality ingredients and have the best flavor of all the sweets we’ve sampled!

Our chocolate peanuts are a truly remarkable treat. Freshly roasted peanuts are coated in a rich, thick layer of milk chocolate to make our amazing chocolate peanuts. They’re one of our best (and most popular) chocolate-covered items! We love to munch on them and sprinkle them on hot fudge sundaes.

Our sweet chocolate pretzels will definitely please any lover of milk chocolate. The terrific combination of sweet chocolate, sea salt and crisp, crunchy pretzels is always a hit. Our chocolate pretzels are incredibly fresh and delicious.

If you crave a milk chocolate treat that’s a little out of the ordinary, we’ve got you covered! Try our milk chocolate gummy bears. These Swedish gummy bears are coated in a decadent layer of milk chocolate for a surprisingly yummy treat. Our milk chocolate covered cashews are rich, delicious and simply amazing. And you can’t go wrong with our milk chocolate covered espresso beans! These sweet espresso beans pack a caffeinated punch, and they’re one of our most popular products.

Take a look at all of our delicious milk chocolate items today, and choose a few treats for you and your loved ones! Don’t forget that we do offer heat-resistant packaging that makes sure your milk chocolate candies arrive in one piece. Just make sure to upgrade your shipping option at checkout, and we’ll do the rest!

Are your kitchens overflowing with ripe, delicious peaches? We think that peach crisp, with the delicious flavor of almonds, is the perfect summer dessert.

If you don’t have any ripe peaches on hand, this recipe bakes up wonderfully with our yummy dried peaches. Just soak the dried peaches in hot water for about 30 minutes before making the filling.

To start, peel and thinly slice four to six large, juicy peaches. (If you’re using dried peaches, drain the water and give them a quick chop.) Place the peach slices in a bowl and add 1/2 cup of dried cherries or raisins, 3 tbsp. of all-purpose flour (or coconut flour), the juice and zest of one lemon, 3 tbsp. of packed light brown sugar, 2 tbsp. of organic evaporated cane juice, 1/2 tsp. of ground cinnamon and 1 tsp. of pure vanilla extract. Pour the filling into a greased glass baking dish.

In a medium bowl, stir together 3/4 cup of almond flour, 3/4 cup of rolled oats, 1/3 cup of packed light brown sugar, 3 tbsp. of organic evaporated cane juice, 1/2 tsp. of salt and 5 tbsp. of sliced almonds.

Melt 6 tbsp. of unsalted butter and stir in 1/2 tsp. of pure vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp. of ground cinnamon. Pour the butter over the almond flour mixture and toss the topping lightly until it’s evenly coated. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the peach filling.

Bake the peach crisp at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes, or until the filling is thick and bubbly and the topping is golden brown. Serve the warm peach crisp with a big scoop of vanilla frozen yogurt for a tasty, cool dessert.

What are some of your favorite fresh fruit desserts to make during the summer?

Our Health Nut and Registered Dietitian, Molly Morgan, offers tips for putting together delicious ice cream sundaes with healthy toppings (and some treats!)
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Healthy eating is all about balance!  In 1984, July was designated National Ice Cream Month.  Celebrate with a fun ice cream sundae bar loaded with delicious – and nutritious – fixings!  If you’re looking for even more inspiration, check out our sweet ice cream toppings.

If you’re starting with vanilla ice cream…

• Blueberry Pie: Top ice cream with dried blueberries and Vanilla Light and Crunchy Granola
• Apple Pie: Top ice cream with chopped Infused Dried Apple Wedges and Apple Cinnamon Granola
• Tropical Sundae: Top ice cream with shredded coconut, diced dried pineapple, diced dried mango and diced dried papaya
• Dark Chocolate Cherry Sundae: Top ice cream with sour tart cherries and dark chocolate covered cashews
• Cilantro Lime Crunch: Top ice cream with cilantro lime pistachios and pepitas

If you’re starting with chocolate ice cream…

• S’mores Sundae: Top ice cream with S’mores candy, white marshmallow bits and sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs
• Grasshopper Pie: Top ice cream with mint chips and chopped Andes Mints and finish with chopped grasshopper chocolate mint cookies
• Peanut Butter Blast: Top ice cream with chopped Resses’s Pieces, chopped peanuts and mini peanut butter cups
• Raspberry Chocolate Sundae: Top ice cream with raspberry chocolate chips, mini dark chocolate raspberry cups and dried red raspberries

If you’re starting with sorbet…

• Spicy Mango Sorbet: Top mango sorbet with chopped chili mango
• Lemon Blast: Top lemon sorbet with crushed lemon snap cookies, lemon chips and finish with a sprinkle of diced glazed lemon peel
• Raspberry Cookie Crumble: Top raspberry sorbet with macaroon crunch and  dark chocolate cover raspberries
• Peach Pie: Top peach sorbet with diced peaches and crushed graham cracker cookie gems

Quick tips for putting together your sundae bar

• Group toppings together on your sundae bar and consider placing small cards that suggest topping ideas for your guests.
• Balance your ice cream bar with a variety of healthier options, such as dried fruit and granola, with indulgent options, such as dark chocolate covered cashews and cookie crumbles.
• Lighten-up your ice cream selection by choosing a low-fat variety! Many light varieties have about ½ the fat of ice cream!  One serving (1/2 cup) of low fat ice cream has about 100 calories and 3-4 grams of fat per serving.
• Help your guests keep their portions in check by providing small bowls for their sundae creations!  Studies show that the larger the bowl, the more you will serve yourself and eat.

Are you spending a lot of time in the great outdoors this summer? We love hiking, biking and goofing off at the park, especially when it’s warm outside! We always make sure to bring a snack with us to keep our energy up while we’re out. Our favorite energizing treat is homemade snack mix, featuring some of our favorite nibbles.

Start by measuring two cups of your favorite nuts into a gallon-sized zip-top bag. You can use any variety of nuts for this recipe. We most enjoy mixed nuts, pistachios, almonds and cashews. Add two cups of pretzels to the mix. All of our fabulous varieties of pretzels are superb in this snack mix. Try using chocolate pretzels to add a bit of sweetness!

Add 1 cup of a delicious and nutritious dried fruit, such as goji. Add 1/2 cup of flavored chips, such as peanut butter chips or white chocolate chips. Throw in 1 cup of sunflower seeds or roasted pumpkin seeds.

Seal the bag and shake it until the snack mix is fully combined, and you’re ready to go! Measure out the mix in small baggies or containers for single servings, or take the whole batch on the road to feed a crowd. We do recommend that you keep this snack mix in a cooler packed with ice so that the chips don’t melt. To keep the mix from getting soggy, make sure to seal the bag completely and wrap it in a towel before putting it in the cooler.

What are some of your favorite snack mix ingredients?

Want to whip up a quick, simple dinner that won’t heat up your kitchen? We highly recommend pasta with a nutty, spicy sauce featuring sun dried tomatoes and walnuts. This fresh meal is perfect when paired with a loaf of french bread and a crisp green salad.

To start, measure 1/2 cup of sun dried tomatoes, 2-3 tbsp. of olive oil, a handful of finely chopped fresh basil leaves, 1/4 cup of shelled walnuts, 1/4 tsp. of red pepper flakes and two cloves of garlic into the bowl of your food processor. Process the ingredients until they’re finely chopped, then add 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pulse the food processor until the ingredients are combined, and scrape the sun dried tomatoes sauce into a bowl.

Boil 12 oz. of your favorite pasta. (Gluten-free pasta works great with this recipe!) Toss the drained noodles gently in the sauce, and top each serving of pasta with grated Parmesan and a little chopped basil.

If pasta isn’t your passion, this sauce is also great when it’s spread on a slice of fresh, crusty bread. The walnuts give the sauce a slightly nutty flavor, and the sweet sun dried tomatoes are a wonderfully savory addition to any sandwich or appetizer.

What are some of your favorite recipes featuring sun dried tomatoes?

Developed by our Health Nut and Registered Dietitian, Molly Morgan, this delicious chia seed pudding has a similar texture to tapioca pudding thanks to the hydrophilic properties of chia seeds, which means that the chia seeds absorb large amounts of water.

4 servings

Ingredients
½ cup chia seeds
1 tablespoon agave syrup
2 cups low fat milk or unsweetened almond milk
Cinnamon and sugar, to taste
Optional ingredients: dried blueberries, sliced almonds, diced dried strawberries, walnut pieces

Directions:

1. In a quart-jar, combine ½ cup of chia seeds, agave syrup and milk. Stir to combine.
2. Cover and refrigerate for 4-6 hours or overnight.
3. Serve topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar OR top with dried fruit and sliced nuts

Even when it’s hot outside, we love to kick up our snacks with a little spice. Spicy nuts are just the thing to provide a bit of delicious heat to your snacking routine. We have many different varieties of spicy nuts from which to choose, and they’re all simply scrumptious!

If you love peanuts, you’re in luck! Our spicy peanuts are the best we’ve ever tasted. They’re all so fresh and delicious that it’s downright impossible for us to choose a favorite! Cajun peanuts and Cajun roasted peanuts both contain the perfect amount of hot Cajun seasoning. Sing Bhujia, also known as masala peanuts, are a traditional, spicy Indian treat made with graham flour and mango powder. Buffalo peanuts are perfect for those who enjoy the the sweet and spicy flavor of buffalo chicken wing sauce. Wasabi peanuts are definitely one of our hottest items, with a kick that’ll knock your socks off.

When it comes to spicy nuts, we don’t stop with peanuts. We also offer a fantastic array of spicy pistachios that you’re sure to love. Habanero pistachios are the best-tasting, hottest pistachios we have ever tasted. Chili lemon pistachios are a bit milder, with a refreshing lemon flavor. Sweet and spicy chipotle pistachios are coated in a trio of red chilies, with a kick of cumin and other seasonings. This rich, spicy snack is soaked overnight, activating enzymes that allow the nuts to be more easily digested. Delicious!

If you can’t get enough, we suggest you sample our special wasabi cashews and spicy BBQ soy beans. They’re the perfect spicy nuts to top off a delicious snack!

What are some of your favorite spicy nuts from Nuts.com?

Today is National Blueberry Muffin Day. Hooray! We love to munch on fresh, warm blueberry muffins. They’re perfect with coffee for a sweet, satisfying breakfast, and they even make a delicious snack or dessert with a cold glass of milk.

We love to bake blueberry muffins with our delicious dried blueberries. Our dried blueberries are plump, moist and packed with fresh blueberry flavor. A handful of walnuts makes these muffins simply perfect.

To start, measure 1/3 cup of dried blueberries into a bowl. Add just enough hot water to cover the berries, and let the dried blueberries soak for at least 10 minutes.

In a medium bowl, measure out 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 1 cup of Ultragrain white whole wheat flour, 1 tsp. of freshly grated orange peel, 1 tsp. salt and 2 tsp. baking powder. Stir the dry ingredients lightly to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of sugar, 1 egg, 1 cup of regular milk or unsweetened almond milk, 1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce and 1/4 cup of vegetable oil. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring lightly until the ingredients are nearly combined. Drain the dried blueberries and add them to the muffin batter, along with 1/4 cup of walnuts.

Line a muffin tin with paper muffin cups and evenly divide the batter among the 12 cups. Bake the blueberry muffins at 375F for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. Allow the muffins to cool on a wire rack before serving.

This recipe is quite flexible, making it a great match for those who are following a special diet. Try making them with a combination of coconut flour, almond flour and gluten-free all-purpose flour for a real treat! You can also add different types of nuts, such as pistachios or pecans, or leave them out altogether and double the amount of dried blueberries. It’s up to you!

What are some of your favorite blueberry muffin recipes?

Our Health Nut and Registered Dietitian, Molly Morgan, answers our customers’ most pressing health and nutrition questions!

If you’d like Molly to answer one of your questions in a future blog post, please email your question to health@nuts.com. If we feature your question in The Nutty Scoop, we will also send you a pound of your favorite Nuts.com product.

I am diabetic (insulin dependent).  Which nuts are safe and good for me to eat and in what quantity?

In moderation, any nuts can be safe for you to consume as an insulin dependent diabetic as long as you are properly accounting for the carbohydrate content of the nuts that you are eating. Below is a chart of the carbohydrate count for a one ounce serving of various nuts.  One small handful is about an ounce of nuts.

Brazil nuts are the winner if you are looking for nuts with lower carbohydrate content.  Although cashews, which have four times as many carbohydrates as brazil nuts, still only have about 8 grams of carbohydrates per ounce.

Two key points to consider:

1. Measure the amount of nuts you are consuming and place them in a serving bowl so that you can better account for the carbohydrates from the nuts that you are eating.
2. Combine nuts with foods higher in carbohydrates like a piece of fruit or dried fruit. The protein, fiber and fat in nuts helps to slow the digestion of carbohydrates, which may help to control the spike in you blood sugar level (this is true for non-diabetics, too).