FOOD FOR THOUGHT: CHESNUTS ROASTING

Holiday cheer, sparkling lights, and the first sprinkles of snow, in the words (and voice,) of Andy Williams, “it’s the most wonderful time of the year.” While the holiday hustle and bustle is something that brings about much stress, there’s really nothing like the magic that this season brings. From gatherings with family and friends to gift giving, the months of November and December are also one of food-fanaticism. Holiday hams and Christmas roasts, fruitcakes, cookie trays, or perhaps mugs full of hot chocolate, the season brings about good times and good eats. One such seasonal bite are chestnuts, made popular due to the sultry Nat King Cole tune- "The Christmas Song." The song (one of my very favorites,) brings a sense of warmth and nostalgia in a fast-paced world, one that is hard to find anymore. And so to celebrate the season (and the song,) this week I will dive into the wonderful world of CHESTNUTS. Read on for a bit of their historical ties, health benefits, and of course, a delicious recipe that will make you appreciate “chestnuts roasting on an open fire” so much more.

CARB-LOVERS:

Once known as the “Sardian nut,” this member of the deciduous family of beech trees was originally brought over to Europe from Asia Minor (by the Sardis.) Due to its ability to grow in poor climates and soils, chestnuts (high in carbohydrates compared to other nuts) replaced a bulk of the grains and cereals in European diets for millennia. Sturdy and nutritionally dense, Alexander the Great planted trees on his treks across Europe, Greek armies were said to have feasted on the starchy nut for its satiety-inducing abilities, and early Christians used the nuts as a sign of chastity.

Lack of potatoes due to poor growing conditions in highland territories made the chestnut a staple food in such places as Tuscany, and in Gloucestershire England, the famous Tortworth village played home to a giant tree/landmark deemed the “Tortworth Chestnut,” which spanned over 50 feet. A mandate (that lasted for decades) to “plant four trees per year,” (one of which being the chestnut,) was made by the Governor of a town near Corsica, and other regions of Italy used the nut in cakes and cookies for holy days and holidays. Their popularity declined during the late 18^th century due to their correlation as being “food for the poor,” though they regained momentum back in the 1930’s. On US soil, American Indians were eating chestnuts long before European immigrants brought them over, however, a chestnut blight devastated the supply in 1904, taking nearly 40 years to regain strength. Today, most of the nuts we find at the store hail from Sicily or Portugal, as the US still only produces less than 1% of the worlds supply.

A NUT LIKE NO OTHER:

While they are classified as being a nut (defined as a fruit with a hard, inedible shell,) chestnuts contain very little protein or fat, and are predominately made of complex carbohydrates: approximately 44 grams per 3.5 ounces. While a low-carbohydrate diet is all the rage, carbohydrates are an essential component to our daily nutritional requirements, and the type of carbohydrates these starchy little guys contain is of the complex variety- meaning it takes more energy and time to break down in the body. Don’t be scared off, chestnuts have a lot more to offer then just smart-carbs…

FIBER UP: Chestnuts are chock full of dietary fiber, a type of carbohydrate which the body cannot digest, adding bulk to our stools and aiding the removal of toxins and other waste products from our gastrointestinal tract.

a.    SAYONARA SWEET TOOTH: With a high starch content, chestnuts are naturally “sweet,” to the tongue, however their fiber content helps to slow the release of sugar in the blood, meaning that you get a steady stream of energy instead of a quick hit.

b.   PILE ON THE PRE-BIOTICS: If you had a chance to read the post about PROBIOTICS/PREBIOTICS, you will understand the importance that the latter has on allowing our guts and our good bacteria thrive. Chestnuts contain a hefty dose of certain fibers that the beneficial bacteria in our colon love, meaning a happy and healthy microbiome.

BONE & BRAIN BOOSTS: Chock full of B vitamins and certain minerals, chestnuts are a great snack to eat all year long (so stock up while you can and freeze extras for the rest of the year!)

a.    BONE UP! Manganese is a trace mineral whose location is the body predominately resides in the bones (43%.) It helps the functioning of specific enzymes that are essential in the process of bone growth and maintenance.

b. BRAINY B’s: A single serving of chestnuts provides you with a nice dose of B vitamins, which are not only essential in metabolic health, but also extremely important in proper cognitive functioning. Roast em’ up and reap the benefits of B6, folate, and thiamin (B3.)

SELECTING & STORING:

Chestnuts are harvested from October thru March, and the lack of US growers makes the fresh forms a hard-find outside of the holiday season. While canned or vacuumed versions can be found year-round, selecting fresh nuts without blemishes, that have a smooth and glossy shell, without any cracks or shrivels.Do not try to eat the shell as it contains astringent compounds, which could pose allergenic to some (and it doesn’t taste good either ) Store them in a cool, dry place for up to one week, or in a breathable container in your fridge for up to 1 month. They may also be frozen in their shell for up to four months. Chestnut flour and dried chestnuts have very short shelf lives due their ability to go rancid, so keep these products frozen and thaw just before using. Cutting an “x” on the tips of chestnuts before roasting (over an open fire, or in your oven,) will help release the skins. Roast @ 425F for 35-40 minutes.

Want to learn more about the benefits of basil? The powers of cauliflower? The astounding impact of avocado’s? Join me in one of my culinary nutrition workshops, select Wednesdays from 6-7:30PM! Stay tuned for January’s line up, featuring a “Ring in the New Year Right,” detox series!

EMAIL: info@biologicalhealth.com

PHONE: 267-308-0777

Genevieve – “G”

Certified Plant Based Nutritionist | CHHC| Culinary Nutritionist

True Wellness Biological Health

Genevieve@biologicalhealth.com

Chestnut “Biscoff” Snackers

The Belgian “biscoff” or “speculoos” cookies are a popular dessert found traditionally as accompaniments to tea, but can now be found as a sugary spread for sandwiches, in flavored lattes, and even swirled into ice cream (heres looking at you B&J!) With a little more than a week (!!!) left until Christmas, here is a spin on classic gingerbread, using not so classic ingredients! (* If you don’t have chestnuts on hand, swap for almond flour.)

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

1 ½ cups chestnut flour (can be found online)

½ cup coconut flour

1/3 cup local honey

1/3 cup refined coconut oil, melted

¾ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. nutmeg

¼ tsp. sea salt

1/16 tsp. ground cardamom & star anise

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix ingredients in a stand mixer or by hand until incorporated. Roll into a log and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Slice into thin cookies, about ¼ inch thick and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, Let cool until set.  

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: WONDERFUL WALNUTS

Now that turkey-day tantrums and stuffing fiascos have passed, the start of the December holiday season seems to release the baking bug in many of us. From Holiday cookies to cakes and confections, WALNUTS are a nutty staple in many pantries. While available all year long in the baking aisle or bulk bins of your favorite grocery store, walnuts inherent appeal during the cold-weather months makes them the topic of this weeks’ Food for Thought. Read on for some history and lore, nutritional benefits, and a seasonal (and delicious) recipe.

BRAIN GAMES:

With the first documentations dating back to 7000 BC, the Roman’s called walnuts Juglans Regia, or Jupiter’s Royal Crown. Fittingly so, the brain-like appearance of walnuts has long been revered for both its positive and “negative” effects on our crowns (brains.) The medieval Doctrine of Signatures assumed that the similar brain-like crinkles and crevices made the nuts beneficial brain food, often being prescribed to those suffering from mental illnesses, headaches, and head wounds. On the opposite side, a 12^th century Parisian home journal quoted an elderly fathers advice to his young daughter, deeming walnuts a “headache promoter,” and Pliny the Elder believed that sitting under walnut trees emitted a “heaviness of the head.”

While the "yay" or "nay" verdict was still out, walnuts were welcomed in many other nations throughout history. In 8^th century France, trees were planted in Charlemagne’s personal gardens, churches used the nuts as payments, and towns appointed “walnut measurers” to ensure walnut theft was not occurring. The Crusaders took some influence from the Arabs, grinding the nuts into pastes and powders and using them in sauces, and upon landing in China, the nuts were eaten to stimulate blood flow. Eventually exported into Europe and the Americas, Franciscan Monks cultivated the first American walnuts in California, where they were deemed “Mission” walnuts in the 1700’s. While today most of the world’s supply of walnuts hails from China, California is responsible for ¾ of the world’s exports!

NUTS OVER YOU:

While once feared for their "head-demoting properties," the uncanny physical similarities that walnuts hold to the human brain are not only a sign as to the brainy benefits they hold, but they are also rich in a plethora of healthy fats, proteins, and fibers. So crack some open and read on to learn why walnuts truly are all they are cracked up to be!

ALPHA & OMEGA: Walnuts are one of the most concentrated plant

sources of the Omega 3 essential fatty acids ( 1 ounce= 2.6mg or

113% of your Recommended Daily Allowance.)

◼ALA, EPA, DHA? Walnuts contain a plant-form of Omega 3's 
known as ALPHA LINOLENIC ACID, which is converted in the body
into the readily utilized EPA & DHA.

EPA: An inhibitor of a pro-inflammatory molecule known as Arachidonic Acid (AA,) AA promotes the production/secretion of inflammatory compounds such as COX 1 & 2 (hello headaches,) and eicosanoids/prostaglandins, responsible for allergies and topical allergies.

DHA: Due to its larger size, DHA cannot attach to the same

cellular components like EPA in order to prevent cytokine

production. That being said, its large size allows it to

maintain structure inside the brain, offering brain and retinal

cell-membrane support, enhancing communication and

vision.

HEART-Y CHOICE: Walnuts contain a large variety of compounds that

offer full-spectrum support of the cardiovascular system.

◼GIVE ME AN E: While many nuts contain the Alpha-Tocopherol form of Vitamin E, walnuts pack a potent punch of the GAMMA form which inhibits the effects of environmental pollutants like car exhaust and cigarette smoke.   

◼ARGININE AFFICIONADO: L-Arginine is an amino-acid (building block of protein) that is the precursor to NITRIC OXIDE, a compound that helps blood vessels dilate and enhances blood flow throughout the body.

◼FRIENDLY FATS: Walnut oil is a poly-unsaturated fat, that while rich in OMEGA 3’s, also helps support cholesterol health by enhancing the “healthy” form (HDL,) whilst decreasing the lethal (LDL) form.

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SELECTING & STORING:

If purchasing shell-on walnuts, select those with hard, non-rubbery shells that are free of open cracks or crevices. For shelled pieces, opt for organic varieties in sealed bags, as many commercial walnuts are treated with ethylene gas or fumigated with methyl bromide. Purchase loose varieties from a reputable bulk retailer that has a high rate of turnover, and for ground powders, make sure to check the expiration date. Due to their high oil content, walnuts can go rancid fairly quickly, so always store in the refrigerator for 2-3 months, or frozen for up to one year.

Want to learn more about the benefits of basil? The powers of cauliflower? The astounding impact of avocado’s? Join me in one of my culinary nutrition workshops, select Wednesdays from 6-7:30PM! See December’s line-up below, and be sure to snag your spot, as space is limited!

DECEMBER TRUE KITCHEN COOKING CLASS

EATING FOR IMMUNITY

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 13TH

6:00-7:30PM

$35.00 (pre-paid) OR $40 (at door)*

With the holiday season in full-swing, chronic to-do lists, gift shopping, and entertaining take hold. On top of that, the cold & flu season is revving up and many of us find ourselves bed-ridden with a box of tissues! A combination of high stress, confined spaces, and increased illness, the season of giving can also equate to the season of getting sick! In this class, Genevieve will cover how our immune and adrenal systems work in tandem, ingredients, herbs, and spices that naturally combat illness, and show you how to cook up some delicious recipes so you can strengthen your resilience this Holiday season!

* Cost of class includes colorful informative handout, all of the recipes prepared in the class, and of course tasty plates of the food she whips up!

EMAIL: info@biologicalhealth.com

PHONE: 267-308-0777

Genevieve – “G”

Certified Plant Based Nutritionist | CHHC| Culinary Nutritionist

True Wellness Biological Health

Genevieve@biologicalhealth.com

  

Cinnamon Kissed Walnut Butter Cookies

Growing up, my grandmother (Baba) made a simple but addictive cookie she deemed “butter cookies.” Literally melt-in-your mouth and bathed in a shower of powdered sugar, a few simple ingredients (and lots of butter and sugar) equated to a cookie that was one of my favorites. As I came to discover, her cookies were quite similar to Russian tea cookies, snowballs, or Mexican Wedding cookies, but now that I have the know-how, I have developed a recipe just as addictive, but just a tad bit healthier for you!

Makes about 18 cookies

1 cup grain free flour mix OR organic gluten free flour

8 tbsp. grass fed organic butter, room temperature

¾ cup finely chopped/pulsed walnuts

3 tbsp. local honey

2 tbsp. grassfed collagen powder (optional, but a good way to boost nutrition)

1 tbsp. finely ground flax meal

1-2 tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. finely ground sea salt

COATING: Mix ¾ cup finely pulverized coconut palm sugar with 1 tsp. cinnamon

Whisk dry ingredients in a bowl, set aside. Mix butter, vanilla, and honey in a bowl. Slowly add dry mixture and mix until incorporated. Refrigerate dough for at least 20-30 minutes. Roll into 1-2 tsp. sized balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 325F oven for 12-15 minutes, or until edges begin to brown. Allow to cool, and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture.

NUTRITION KNOW-HOW: THE STICKY TRUTH PT. 1

 From apples to applejacks, potatoes to pizza dough, sugar in its many forms, and under many names, is literally in (almost) e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g! With an average consumption of 130 pounds per person per year, America is swimming in the sweet stuff. While it is unfair to label all sugar as “bad,” most consumers fall trap to stealth-marketing techniques, food labels/claims, and of course, the strong addictive qualities it contains. Whether you opt to snack on a carrot stick or carrot cake, understanding the in’s and outs SUGAR will be the theme for this months blog posts.  

           

GEEKING OUT ON GLUCOSE:

We all hear it, “good carbs,” “bad carbs,” “low carb/no-carb,” but do we really know what all that means? CARBOHYDRATES are a broad class of macronutrients (the nutrients we must consume in large amounts each day to maintain life and bodily function.) Under this “umbrella,” there are two primary forms of carbohydrates: starch and sugar. Starch (polysaccharide) is the storage form of sugar in plants, and is found in large quantities in root vegetables and grains/beans. Composed of long chains of sugar molecules, starch is eventually broken down into simpler sugar units, known as monosaccharides. These “simple sugars,” are commonly referred to as glucose, fructose, and galactose.

While almost all food contains varying lengths and ratios of carbohydrates, the process of digestion breaks them down into a singular form: glucose. Glucose is the only form of sugar that our body’s can use to generate energy, and while this is a long, confusing, and multi-stepped process, just know that everything from a strawberry to a snickers bar is transformed into it

GOOD GUYS vs.BAD GUYS:

“Bad carbs” are also known as the “refined” variety, and include processed breads, flours, and additional foods often found in the inner-aisles of the grocery store. The refining process strips certain (healthy) aspects from the grain/seed in an effort to enhance flavor, shelf stability, and overall texture. Refined carbohydrates may taste “better,” and have a finer texture, however the loss of fiber, nutrients, and healthy fats means that these “bad” guys are quick to be broken down, leading to sugar (glucose) spikes in the blood. “Good carbs” are also known as “complex,” and are found in foods that have minimal to no processing, foods in their purest forms. Everything from pears to wild rice contain varying levels of these complex structured carbohydrates, whose intricate structures make them more difficult for the body to break down, equating to a slower stream of glucose in the blood, and a steadier energy supply.

AN “IN” WITH INSULIN:

Once the carbohydrates you obtain from food are broken down into glucose, the pancreas is signaled to pump out INSULIN, a hormone that acts to regulate free-blood sugar. While sugar is essential for fueling our cells, having sugar in our blood leads to some sticky situations. And so, insulin works to transport sugar from your blood, into your cells, where the glucose can be utilized for energy conversion. You can simply think of insulin as the taxi-service for sugar in your bloodstream! When optimally functioning, sugar is efficiently shipped into the cells to be used as energy, and any excess is sent off to the liver to be stored as energy for future use (ie: fat.)

When one consumes a diet high in refined sugars (“bad carbs,”) this process becomes taxed, the little insulin taxi-cabs you have revving through your blood stream loose steam, and the over-worked pancreas gives up and burns out. This cyle leads to things such as insulin resistance and even type II diabetes, which while reversible, can be prevented with the proper dietary approach and preventative measures.

GET TO KNOW THE G.I:

So now you know about good vs. bad carbohydrates, and the functions of glucose and insulin, but how, you ask, do you know which sugars to eat? As I noted earlier, at the end of the day, all carbohydrates are eventually broken down into glucose. So an excess of even the good kind is still an excess (which will be stored as fat in the liver if not used.) The GLYCEMIC INDEX is a good tool to utilize for when you are looking to see a foods impact on your blood sugar levels (blood glucose,) as well as its impact on the pancreatic-insulin response. Utilizing table sugar as its base measure (since table sugar is a pure carbohydrate,) it “scores” a food on a scale of 0-100, (table sugar being 100.)

Foods with values above 60 and closest to 100 are often refined and should be consumed in limited amounts or in moderation. Foods with lower GI’s such as beans tend to be unprocessed and higher in fiber and certain nutrients. So now that you know a little bit about types of carbohydrates, their effects on the body, and a tool to use for making smarter decisions, go forth and munch on!

Confused? Concerned? Or looking to learn more about the science behind sugar cravings, the effects of excess sugar, and the healthiest options? Stay tuned for the entire month of November, where each Monday I will review each of those topics in depth! And be sure to sign up for this months cooking class, all about it!

           

NOVEMBER TRUE KITCHEN COOKING CLASS

SAYONARA SWEET TOOTH

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15TH

6:00-7:30PM

$35.00 (pre-paid) OR $40 (at door)*

Blood sugar plays a major role in our health: from providing the energy we need to get up in the morning, to boosting our brains to power us through difficult tasks- sugar is, inevitably, essential to health in some degree. With the holiday season upon us, surrendering to your sweet tooth is easily done with the plethora of tempting treats surrounding us. Join Genevieve as she dives into the science of cravings, offers healthier swaps and alternatives for the white stuff, and provides ways that you can conquer your cravings for sweets, once and for all!

* Cost of class includes colorful informative handout, all of the recipes prepared in the class, and of course tasty plates of the food she whips up!

EMAIL: info@biologicalhealth.com

PHONE: 267-308-0777

REGISTER FOR CLASS:  HERE

Genevieve – “G”

Certified Plant Based Nutritionist | CHHC| Culinary Nutritionist

True Wellness Biological Health

Genevieve@biologicalhealth.com