Love Pistachios-It's Healthy and Makes You Happy

 

Pistachios are a delicious snack and colorful, healthy ingredient in salads, desserts, and casseroles. This green food packs a powerful nutritional punch.

Pistachios are rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, two important antioxidants for eye health.

Pistachios are loaded with Vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 helps several bodily functions including blood sugar regulation and the formation of hemoglobin, a molecule that carries oxygen in red blood cells.

Pistachios contain healthy fats, protein, fiber, and antioxidants. The fatty acids and proteins in pistachios can trigger the release of dopamine in the brain, which can create a feeling of happiness and sense of well-being.
 

Read 9 Health Benefits of Pistachios for additional health benefit details.

The pistachio (Pistacia vera) is technically called a “drupe,” a fleshy tree fruit that contains a shell-covered seed. With pistachios we discard the fruit flesh for the tasty seed within. The opposite is true with other drupes including stone fruits like peaches, cherries, and apricots.
 
The pistachio belongs to a group of drupes called “culinary nuts” that include cashews and almonds.
 
Pistachios in America were mainly imported until the mid-1970s, when our domestic production found its feet. This was mainly accomplished by the efforts of botanist William E. Whitehouse, who began importing and experimentally planting pistachio trees in the 1920s.
 
Today, California, where those original plantings were established, is responsible for 99 percent of our domestic production, with the other 1 percent coming out of Arizona and New Mexico.
 
The U.S. now produces over 800 billion pounds of the nuts per year, enough to fulfill our domestic market and export this tasty green product around the world.

Without further ado here's a fabulous way to use pistachios. See “Orange and Kale Salad with Pistachios” from Eva at Captain Bobcat Blog. Although this dish is simple to put together, the colors are bright and it tastes sublime. As an added bonus, it's gluten-free and dairy-free.

Photo Credit Eva at Captain Bobcat Blog

Please visit Eva and Damien at Bobcat Blog to comment on this recipe and share some social love.

Important Note: When you purchase pistachios, please select unsalted or dry roasted, unsalted pistachios. Read every label as packages of flavored and/or pre-roasted pistachios often contain excessive amounts of oil and/or salt.

 

Pistachios are a nutrient rich, flavor-packed plant-based food you may want to consider eating more often. 

A 1 oz. serving of unroasted, unsalted pistachios contains about 160 calories, 13 grams of fat, and 6 grams of protein.

This post is intended for information and entertainment purposes only, and not intended as medical or nutrition advice. Check with a health care professional for nutrition and health guidance.

Do y0u include pistachios in your menu planning? Do you like their taste and what foods do you combine them with? Please share in the comments section below.

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Best Ways to Love our Planet and People on Valentine’s Day

What do you think or feel is the best way to spend Valentine’s Day? Want to acknowledge your love—not just for yourself, significant other, family, and/or friends, but for the planet?

Look below to see research, tips, and ideas that can reduce the environmental impact of Valentine's Day, as well as suggestions for ways to celebrate happily and sustainably.

One projection from the National Retail Federation (NRF) is on the average, U.S. Consumers will end up spending a record $27.5 billion on Valentine's Day celebrations and gifts in 2025.

Best Ways to Love the Planet and

 
People

 on Valentine's Day
 

1.     Provide experience gifts such as a gift certificate for a spa day or concert tickets, rather than perfume or pajamas, and you might just create more than a momentary lift. Make memories and encourage a greater sense of well-being, by spending time with the giftee engaged in an activity both of you love.

 

2.     Plan a romantic home-cooked Vegan Valentine's meal, as its  carbon footprint is smaller than an animal-based food one would be. 

Read Plant-based Dietary Patterns for Human and Planetary Health from the National Institute of Health (NIH) to show reasons why Whole Food Plant-based (WFPB) eating is healthy both for the earth's inhabitants and the planet. 

It indicates transitioning to plant-based diets (PBDs) has the potential to reduce diet-related land use by 76%,  diet-related greenhouse gas emissions by 49%, and helps prevent chronic diseases and lower risk of all-cause mortality.

See Vegan Valentine's Day Recipe Roundup for simple yet delicious festive food to cook at home.

 

Before you gift shop, think of the negative impact the transportation of flowers, chocolates, jewelry, and other gifts add to carbon emissions from fossil fuels and the energy grain caused by manufacturing, shipping, and distributing goods.

There's no doubt that customary Valentine's Day observances leave an adverse eco-footprint that cannot be ignored.

3.      Nurture Mother Nature by grabbing a friend to plant a tree and help stabilize climate, control erosion, give shade, and provide habitats for many animals.
 
4.      Support local businesses for food gifts, clothing, and other items and rest easy, as you don't have to travel to distant places.
 
5.      Opt-in for recycled or reusable packaging and see how creative you can get with decorations.
 
6.     Pick home grown or a locally grown bouquet or plant to honor your special person and this special day.
 

7.     Celebrate your Valentine in an eco-friendly way by engaging in outdoor activities together. Some ideas are hiking, biking, skating, or skiing. 
 
8.     Buy fair trade chocolate or jewelry. Better yet, make your own. 

Photo of Dark Chocolate Hearts from Nora at A Clean Bake

Click the link for a recipe for "Homemade Sugar-Free Dark Chocolate (gluten free, paleo, and vegan)." It's from Nora Schlesinger, the home cook, baker, and mom on a mission to help you and your family live well with food allergies and intolerances. Don't forget to check out many tasty recipes at A Clean Bake. 

9.     If you are gifting new clothes, choose clothing made from sustainable materials like bamboo or hemp and look for quality products rather than quantity.

 
10.  Recycle, repurpose, or reuse giftwrap, cards, and the like to conserve natural resources and stay within your budget.
 
11.    Instead of shopping for new items thrift shop or hold a swap meet. Give new life to pre-loved clothing and household goods. 💝

Please conserve, recycle, repair, and reuse items on hand. This one measure makes a big dent in curtailing pollution and saves energy, money, and time for us to enjoy life and our precious environment. 

In what ways do you demonstrate to loved ones and the planet how much you care for them?

Which ideas sound practical and/or fun to try for Valentine's Day this year?

Please make the effort to develop eco-friendly methods and be a mindful consumer all year long. To foster real change, keep on making eco-savvy moves each day you can. 

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Wishing you a fabulous Valentine's Day. Please remember to be kind and loving to yourself, others, and the planet!

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