Something Yummy for Your Tummy

Hazelnuts Nutrition Facts Hazelnuts are sweet, and incredibly nutritious edible kernels from the "birch" or Betulaceae family of trees. “Filbert” (C.maxima) is similar in kind and related to the common hazel but only differing in having its nut totally covered by its tubular involucre. In Britain, both of these nuts are in general enjoyed as "cobnuts." Scientific name: Corylus avellana. The hazel is a small deciduous tree originated in southern Europe and Turkey. It is now being cultivated in many regions of the world, including the USA as a major commercial crop. Hazels appear in clusters. Each nut is held inside the short leafy involucre or "capsule" enclosing about three-quarters of the kernel. Each yellow-brown color kernel is roughly spherical to oval in shape, about 1.5-2 cm long and 1.2 -2 cm broad, featuring a light scar at its base. They generally fall out of this leafy involucre or capsule once ripe about 7-8 months after p...

Cashew Nut Nutrition Facts Delicately sweet yet crunchy and delicious cashew nut packed with energy, antioxidants, minerals and vitamins that are essential for robust health. Cashew, or “caju” in Portuguese, is one of the popular ingredients in sweet as well savory dishes worldwide. Botanically, cashew is an average sized tropical evergreen tree belonging to the Anacardiaceae family, of the genus: Anacardium. Scientific name: Anacardium occidentale. The cashew tree is native to the Brazil’s Amazon rain forest. It spread all over the planet by Portuguese explorers and today; it is cultivated on a commercial scale in Brazil, Vietnam, India, and many African countries. Cashew tree bears many, edible, pear-shaped false fruits or “accessory fruits'” called "cashew apples." Cashew nut which is a “true-fruit,” firmly attaching to the bottom end of cashew-apple, appearing like a clapper in the bell. Botanically, this tiny, bean shaped, gray “true fruit” is a ...

Pistachio nutrition facts Wonderfully delicious pistachio nuts have long been cherished as the symbol of wellness and robust health since ancient times. The kernels are enriched with many health-benefiting nutrients essential for the optimum health. Pistachio is a tree nut obtained from fruits belonging to the Anacardiaceae family, of the genus: Pistacia. The plant is a medium-sized, broad, bushy, deciduous tree, believed to have originated in the mountain ranges of West-Asia and Turkey region (Anatolia). Male and female trees (dioecious) grow separately. Several cultivars exist; however, the most popular variety grown for the commercial purposes is Kerman cultivar which is one of the tastiest and best quality pistachios coming from the Kerman region of Iran. Pistachios grow well under hot, dry summer and cool winters. They are currently being cultivated on a larger scale in the USA, Iran, Syria, Turkey, and China. After plantation, it takes approximately eight to ten ...

Shallots are a member of the allium family, just like onions, leeks, and garlic. While often thought of as smaller, milder onions, shallots are their own species and aren't simply small onions. They have a slightly sweeter edge than most onions, especially when cooked. HOW TO CHOOSE SHALLOTS? Shallots have a burnished brown skin covering the faded purple crunchy layers inside. As with onions, choose shallots that feel heavy for their size and are firm. Avoid shallots with soft spots or that are sprouting (sprouting shallots have a green sprout growing from their stem end, while perfectly edible, they have a stronger, more bitter flavor than other shallots). WHEN IS SHALLOTS SEASON? In most climates, shallots are planted in the fall to harvest the following summer and fall. Since shallots keep well if kept in a cool, dark, dry place, fresh shallots are often available into early winter. WHAT DO SHALLOTS TASTE LIKE ? Shallots are less bitter...

Garlic—together with onions—are among the best known of all "allium vegetables." Both of these plants (garlic and onions) belong to the same genus of plants called the Allium genus. "Allium" is actually the Latin word for garlic! Other commonly enjoyed foods that belong to this Allium genus are leeks, chives, scallions, and shallots. Unlike this genus grouping for garlic which is very straightforward, the food family for garlic can be confusing. The correct placement for garlic is within the very broad amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae) that includes the very popular flower by that same name. The Allioideae are a subfamily within the amaryllis family and garlic (Allium sativum) is a member of this Allioideae subfamily, along with onions, leeks, chives, scallions, and shallots. The reason for some confusion here is two-fold. First, there was a time when garlic and other allium vegetables were assigned to their own family of plants called the Alliaceae fam...

While we may not usually think about them in this way, onions are a food of astonishing diversity. They are enjoyed in virtually all parts of the world—and so much so that you will find countries in Asia (including China and India), Southeast Asia (including Indonesia and Myanmar), the Middle East (like Turkey and Iran), South America (Brazil), and Russia all being included among the major onion-producing countries of the world. But even this level of diversity fails to tell the full story, since the top onion-consumingcountries in the world are also found in North America (the United States), Northern Africa (Libya and Algeria), and Europe (the United Kingdom and France). Given this remarkable diversity, it is also not surprising that onions can be classified in so many different ways. In the grocery store, perhaps the most common classification system is by color. It is easy to recognize the difference between reds and yellows and whites (at least when considering the root p...

DESCRIPTION Walnuts are a delicious way to add extra nutrition, flavor and crunch to a meal. While walnuts are harvested in December, they are available year-round and a great source of those all-important omega-3 fatty acids. It is no surprise that the regal and delicious walnut comes from an ornamental tree that is highly prized for its beauty. The walnut kernel consists of two bumpy lobes that look like abstract butterflies. The lobes are off white in color and covered by a thin, light brown skin. They are partially attached to each other. The kernels are enclosed in round or oblong shells that are brown in color and very hard. While there are numerous species of walnut trees, three of the main types of walnuts consumed are the English (or Persian) walnut, Juglans regia; the black walnut, Juglans nigra; and the white (or butternut) walnut, Juglans cinerea. The English walnut is the most popular type in the United States and features a thinner shell that is easily br...