It’s that time of year where everyone seems to be coming down with something. We wrote earlier this week about how you can fight off spring colds by eating immunity-boosting foods such as blueberries, wheat germ and pumpkin seeds.

Sometimes, despite our best efforts, we still end up catching whatever is going around. If you’re feeling under the weather, give yourself a little extra TLC with these soothing cold remedies.

1. Menthol Throat Drops

Don’t let that cold hold you back. Our throat drops are available in three tasty flavors – honey lemon, cherry eucalyptus and menthol eucalyptus – to ease the pain of coughs and sore throats.

2. Chamomile Tea

Nothing is more comforting when you’re sick than a big mug of hot chamomile tea. Chamomile is known for encouraging sleepiness, so it will help your body get the rest it need to recover. Drink it with a bit of honey and lemon or mint, bundle up in bed with warm blankets and get some shut-eye.

3. Vitamin C

Studies have shown that vitamin C may help reduce the incidence, duration and severity of the common cold. If you are coming down with symptoms of a cold, try adding vitamin C powder to your morning tea or smoothie. Continue to take a small serving after you’ve recovered to keep your immune system strong.

4. Crystallized Ginger

Ginger has long been a home remedy to strengthen the immune system and to treat nausea, indigestion and colds. Eat a few small pieces of crystallized ginger and enjoy its sweet-and-spicy flavor, as well as its natural healing properties .

What are your favorite cold remedies? Share in the comments!

As the weather changes and your mood brightens with the sunshine, your nose may also start to run when you catch a spring cold.

“Many things change with weather changes,” says Dr. Tom Campbell, M.D., at the University of Rochester, in an article in Men’s Health. “When you have a hurricane, tropical storm, or even a significant thunderstorm, you can have a drop in atmospheric pressure… putting you at risk for developing [flu-like] symptoms.”

In addition to washing your hands frequently, you can help ward off spring colds by eating immunity-boosting foods. Here are a few to try:

1.Blueberries

Blueberries are one of the richest sources of antioxidants found in any fruit. Antioxidants help the body protect itself against diseases and cell damage. Blueberries are high in fiber and Vitamin C, and they have a number of health benefits, including improving vision, clearing arteries, strengthening blood vessels, enhancing memory, and managing weight. Use these slightly sweet dried blueberries in cereals, cakes, muffins, salads, or just eat them as a snack!

2. Matcha Green Tea

Matcha green tea contains more antioxidants than virtually any other food, including Acai berries and pomegranates. It also contains high levels of L-theanine, an amino acid which lowers stress levels but preserves alertness. Mix it with hot water to make green tea, or flavor yogurt or ice cream.

3. Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds contain zinc, which inhibits viruses from replicating and can shorten the duration of colds and flu. They also contain tryptophan, the same substance found in turkey, which produces feel-good seratonin and eases anxiety. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds in your yogurt or salads, or pop a handful into your mouth. For an extra kick, try spicy or tamari pumpkin seeds.

4. Wheat Germ

The germ of the wheat seed is highly concentrated with nutrients, including niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin E, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, and immune-boosting choline and zinc. It’s perfect for baking or toasting on your own to make a breakfast cereal. Sprinkle on breads, cereals, and in smoothies and try it raw or toasted.

5. Noni Powder

Organic noni powder is loaded with antioxidants, polysaccarhides, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. This superfood is pure noni, with no additives. Use organic noni powder to make noni juice, or mix 1 tbsp daily into smoothies, yogurt, juices, or nut milks.

Find more foods to fight your spring cold in this article from ABC News. Which immune-boosting foods work best for you?

This March marks the 40th anniversary of National Nutrition Month, giving us one more good reason to make smart eating choices. The theme for 2013 is “Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day,” and encourages us all to find healthy diet and physical activity habits that work for our lifestyle.

Here are a few healthy eating tips for National Nutrition Month from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics:

Eat Breakfast

“There’s no better way to start your morning than with a healthy breakfast.”

Wake up right with a nutritious meal that will fill you up and give you energy and focus for the day ahead. Browse some of our favorite healthy breakfast foods.

Fix Healthy Snacks

“Healthy snacks can sustain your energy levels between meals.”

Satisfy your hunger with smart snacking choices, including these ideas recommended by the Academy:

• Popcorn topped with grated parmesan cheese
• Parfait with yogurt, fruit and granola
• Celery sticks topped with peanut butter and raisins

Cook Balanced Meals

“Cook more often at home, where you are in control of what’s in your food.”

Cooking your own meals allows you to be an active participant in what you eat, plus it’s a fun way to explore new flavors and foods. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends making half of your plate fruits and vegetables, varying protein choices to include seafood, nuts and beans and opting for 100 percent whole-grain breads, cereals, crackers, pasta and brown rice.

What are your personal tips for eating a healthy diet? Happy National Nutrition Month!

Spring has sprung, and Easter is just around the corner! On Sunday, March 31, kids (and lucky grown-ups!) everywhere will be delighted to hunt for Easter eggs and enjoy a basket full of Easter candy.

You still have plenty of time to order your Easter treats. Here are a few that we think you’ll love!

Easter Baskets and Buckets

Bunny’s Bucket of Sweets is sure to make anyone smile! It’s brimming with classic goodies: pastel Jordan almonds, jelly beans, Swedish fish, gummy bears, chocolate sunflower seeds, white chocolate cherries, milk chocolate caramel, and chocolate cashews.

The festive Easter Sweets ‘n’ Treats Basket celebrates spring with a sweet rainbow of colors. Inside you’ll find Swiss petite fruits, jelly beans, chocolate sunflower seeds, mocha beans, pastel Jordan almonds, cappuccino cocoa cordials, dark chocolate peanut clusters, gummy bears, chocolate cashews, and ice cream sundae malted milk balls.

Jelly Belly 49 Flavors

Jelly Belly jelly beans are true customer favorites. Everyone has a flavor (or two, or many!) that they love best, whether it’s toasted marshmallow or juicy pear. These are some of the most realistic flavors that you’ll find in any jelly bean.This Jelly Belly 49 Flavors assortment lets you try them all!

Pastel Chocolate Covered Fruit

Kids will love the chocolate, and parents will love that they’re eating fruit — everyone wins! This pastel chocolate covered fruit comes in a palette of bright colors, including pastel chocolate strawberries and pastel creamy chocolate apricots. The Deluxe Pastel Chocolate Berry Mix has cherries, blueberries, and apricots — it’s like a chocolate covered fruit salad!

Healthy Easter Candy

Health nuts will be happy to know that there’s healthy Easter candy just for them! Our organic gummies include organic gummy bears and even vegan organic gummy bears. We carry organic hard candy, including organic lollipops, and organic jelly beans. Indulge your sweet tooth with all organic ingredients!

Speckled Robin Eggs

These Speckled Robin Eggs by Hershey are a classic Easter candy! Mini milk chocolate malt balls with a candy speckled coating have a satisfying creaminess and crunch. Absolutely delicious!

What’s your favorite kind of Easter candy?

Talk about a nutty holiday! Today is National Peanut Lovers Day, and we are taking that as a sign to enjoy some of our most delicious peanutty treats.

You can feel good about joining us in snacking. Peanuts are a great source of protein, and research shows that diets higher in monounsaturated fats from peanuts and peanut butter reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 21 percent, compared to the average American diet. Here are a few of our favorite peanut snacks!

1. Jumbo Roasted Peanuts

Our jumbo roasted peanuts will take you back to sunny days spent at the ballpark. We take fresh Virginia peanuts and roast them without salt so you can appreciate their wonderful natural flavor.

2. Buffalo Peanuts

Our buffalo peanuts are flavored with an addictive blend of sweet and spicy seasonings, perfect for a party appetizer or a snack on the go.

3. Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Peanut butter and dark chocolate together? Yes, please! We fill our decadent, premium dark chocolate cups with creamy peanut butter for a taste that is unbelievable.

4. Blister Peanuts

Our blister peanuts are a new item at Nuts.com and already receiving rave reviews. We boil them in water, then roast them and sprinkle them with salt for a seriously crispy snack.

5. Peanut Brittle

Some things never go out of style. Our old-fashioned peanut brittle is just as good as you remember it from your childhood: sweet, crunchy and tasty.

What are your favorite peanut snacks? Browse more Nuts.com peanut products!

Sure, you’ve heard about the health benefits of whole grains, and you may have added healthy foods like quinoa to your diet. But do you know about the super grains teff, millet, and kamut? How about buckwheat, not technically a grain or wheat, but a cousin to rhubarb that has a similar nutritional profile to super grains?

Last week on the Dr. Oz Show, Nutritionist Heidi Skolnik shared that these four super grains are eaten all over the world, while in the U.S. we’re overly focused on wheat. Each of these super grains has its own nutritional benefits, and several are gluten-free!

Teff

Teff is the smallest grain in the world, so small that it can’t be refined or otherwise processed! It has a mild sweetness similar to flaxseed, and it’s full of calcium. Cook whole grain teff as a hot breakfast cereal by simmering 1 cup of teff with 2 cups of water, until the liquid is absorbed. You can also substitute teff flour for around 1/4 of the all-purpose flour called for in your favorite recipes. Teff is gluten-free.

Kamut

Kamut is considered the “high energy grain” because it contains 40% more protein than the national average for wheat. Skolnik writes:

A half-cup of cooked kamut has more protein than an egg! It also has B vitamins and contains omega-3s, which may help the body fight inflammation. It is also higher in vitamin E than common forms of wheat, which helps keep the immune system strong.

Kamut is a long grain that’s best cooked in a rice cooker or slow cooker, for up to one hour. As a member of the wheat family, kamut is not gluten-free.

Millet

According to Skolnik:

Millet provides magnesium and B vitamins, two nutrients that have been shown to help reduce muscle/nerve pain like migraine headaches, muscle tension and cramps. Millet is being rediscovered for its possible role in helping control diabetes and inflammation in the body.

You can use millet in a variety of ways. To cook it like rice, heat 2 parts millet to 5 parts water and boil for 30-35 minutes. You can fluff it and eat it as a hot cereal, mash it as a savory side, or grind it into flour to use for baking. Millet is gluten-free.

Buckwheat

Oprah calls buckwheat a superfood! It’s high in potassium and phosphorous and contains 50% more vitamin B than wheat. Believe it or not, buckwheat has the highest source of biological protein in the plant kingdom! It improves circulation and may lower “bad” cholesterol. To cook buckwheat, combine 1 cup Whole Buckwheat Groats with 2 cups water in large sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook 10 to 12 minutes, then let stand 5 minutes. Buckwheat is gluten-free.

Learn more about the super grains that Dr. Oz recommends, and try incorporating them into your diet!

Explore a new cooking frontier with healthy cooking powders.  These superpowders boast nutritional superpowers, and we’ve got the scoop on them all!

1. Chlorella

Chlorella is an emerald green single-celled freshwater algae that grows naturally in lakes and ponds.  It’s full of cleansing chlorophyll and made up of at least 60% crude protein.  Chlorella’s nutrients include all nine essential amino acids, iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin B12, vitamin C, and Vitamin E.  Whoa!  Who knew nature could pack so much into a single-celled algae!

Chlorella’s powerful nutrients make it a natural detoxifying agent, immunity-booster, hypertension reliever, and infection fighter.

Chlorella’s taste is similar to that of green tea and adds a subtle flavor to smoothies, salad dressings, sauces, juices, pesto, and guacamole.  You can also get more creative and whip up green eggs & ham!

2. Spirulina

Spirulina is a blue-green algae that commonly grows in freshwater lakes and ponds.  It’s considered a complete protein because it contains an ideal balance of all 9 essential amino acids.  This superfood is also loaded with vitamins A through E, iron, potassium, and antioxidants.  It has 26 times as much calcium as milk and is a more potent antioxidant than blueberries.

Health benefits of this superpowder may include a boost in metabolism, blood pressure stabilization, and a decrease in LDL cholesterol.

Like chlorella, you can add spirulina to smoothies, juices, sauces, dressings, and guacamole.  Or, for the more adventurous cooks, try it in a spirulina pate or a chia spirulina fresca.

3. Maca Powder

Maca powder is made from maca, an adaptogenic root known for its dynamic natural effects, including boosts in energy, relief from stress, and increases in libido.  Adding maca to your daily diet can promote better endocrine system health and may even relieve ulcers, mild depression, and menopause symptoms.

Maca powder is high in protein, boasting 4 grams in just ½ ounce.  It also serves up a dose of calcium, iron, magnesium, selenium, and seven essential amino acids.

Maca has a mild taste that blends well into baked goods, such as breads, pancakes, and muffins.  Just add maca to your baking flour and mix well!  You can also sprinkle maca over your food or stir it into juice, smoothies, or yogurt.

4. Moringa Powder

Moringa leaf powder is one of nature’s most nutritious foods, filled with nutrients and antioxidants.  The powder contains seven times the Vitamin C found in oranges, four times the beta carotene of carrots, three times the iron of spinach, four times as much calcium as milk, three times the potassium of bananas and more fiber than oats.

This superpowder couldn’t be easier to use!  Just mix a teaspoon into juice, beverages, smoothies, or yogurt.

5. Acai Powder

Our organic acai powder is made from super-fruit acai berries, which have more antioxidants than almost any other fruit.  The powder also contains high levels of fatty acids, amino acids, and dietary fiber.

Acai powder is a feisty fighter of free radicals.  The nutritional benefits are preserved in the freeze-drying process of preparing our powder.

Mix the powder into smoothies, fruit juices, yogurt, and desserts for a slightly tart, tropical taste.

6. Wheatgrass Powder

This powder is made of all natural wheatgrass, a potent leafy green vegetable.  Our non-GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) wheatgrass powder is chock full of beta-carotene, calcium, chlorophyll, fiber, iron, and vitamin K.

Preliminary studies on wheatgrass powder suggest that wheatgrass may help to reduce total cholesterol.  Wheatgrass powder may also detoxify, increase metabolism, reduce highblood pressure, and act as a natural sleep aid.

Wheatgrass powder has a slightly grassy taste with a hint of sweetness.  Mix a tablespoon of wheatgrass powder with juice, smoothie, or water, or sprinkle the powder into a creamy salad dressing.

It’s almost time to paint the town green! St. Patrick’s Day is coming up next weekend, and now is the time to place your order for your favorite green goodies. Surprise your family with a scrumptious selection of green candy or bring in a special batch of treats to make your co-workers happy.

Here are a few of our favorite St. Paddy’s Day sweets:

Leprechaun’s Delight 
We cover sunflower seeds with a kelly green chocolate coating for a snack that is salty, sweet and green all over.

Green M&Ms
No more picking through a bag of M&Ms just to find the color you want! Now you can buy a 1 lb. bag of your favorite milk chocolate candies that are all decked out in green for the holiday.

Green Apple Gummy Bears
Our green apple gummy bears are perfectly bite-sized and just the right blend of sweet and tart.

Mint Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans
Chocolate and coffee lovers, rejoice! These tasty candies are the best of both worlds — high-quality espresso beans dipped in mint chocolate and bits of ground coffee.

Pear Fruit Slices
Our pear fruit slices are a new spin on an old favorite. Each bite has a juicy and refreshing pear flavor.

What is your favorite green candy?

Follow our St. Paddy’s Day Pinterest board 

What can you make with Nuts.com products? What can’t you make?!

We love when customers photograph their tasty creations and share them with us on the Nuts.com Facebook page. We invite you to post yours, too!

Here are five photos of tasty customer creations to inspire you to make your own:

“I received my bags of pistachio flour the other day, and I immediately made the most scrumptious pistachio macaroons imaginable.” – Amy Shaffer

“A bag of your organic artisan flour, salt, dry active yeast, cool water = Best bread ever!” – Jenny Tardif

“We only use Nuts.com Almond Four in all our Macarons!!” - Le Pop Shop

“Order arrived. Chai Bubble Tea.” – Bianca Alicea

Find Black Tapioca Pearls (boba) and Bubble Tea Straws here, as well as other flavors of bubble tea!

“Thank you!!!
I love my lowcarb bread using your lowcarb bread mix.
European Style Bread
Ingredients:
2 cups vital wheat gluten flour
1 package dry yeast (Rapid Rise/Highly Active)
1 cup warm water (95-105°F)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg (room temperature), beaten
2 Tablespoons Splenda
2 Tablespoons butter, melted

I use my bread maker on plain/1loaf/light crust.
It comes out delicious every time.” – Kennda Varnum

What are the best things that you’ve made with our products? Share them in the comments!

Earlier this week, we shared the good news that eating a Mediterranean diet full of nuts, fruit, vegetables, legumes, fish and olive oil has powerful health benefits, lowering the risk of heart attacks, strokes and deaths from heart disease. The landmark new study, published on the New England Journal of Medicine’s website this week, even supports drinking a glass of wine with meals, so pour yourself a glass of your favorite red and try one of these delicious Mediterranean diet recipes. Your heart and your taste buds will approve!

1. Pasta with spinach, garbanzo beans and raisins

You can prepare this simple weeknight dinner almost entirely from ingredients you already have in your kitchen — pasta, garbanzo beans, golden raisins, fresh spinach, olive oil and parmesan cheese. Soak dried garbanzo beans overnight and use them in place of canned beans (they are inexpensive and tasty).

2. Lamb chops with pistachio gremolata

These flavorful lamb chops only take a few minutes of preparation and cooking time. Mix salt, cumin, coriander, ground cinnamon and black pepper together and sprinkle over the lamb chops. Cook in a skillet over medium-high heat, and sprinkle with chopped pistachios, parsley, cilantro, lemon rind, salt and garlic.

3. Goat Cheese, Cranberry and Walnut Canapes

These goat cheese canapes are an impressive appetizer or side dish that you can throw together in a few minutes. Coat baguette slices with olive oil and spread with goat cheese mixed with dried cranberries and thyme. Top with walnut halves seasoned with cinnamon and salt and pepper.

4. Quinoa Salad With Pears, Baby Spinach and Garbanzo Beans

This hearty quinoa salad is gluten-free and vegetarian and a snap to make. Cook quinoa on the stovetop; when it is finished, add baby spinach, sliced pears, chopped parsley and garbanzo beans. Finish with toasted pecans and a maple-balsamic vinaigrette.

What Mediterranean diet recipes do you love to cook at home? Share your favorites in the comments.