Cooking with Pistachios

Pistachios are perfect for snacking straight out of the bag. They add a nice crunch and exotic flavor to all sorts of dishes. The next time you are shopping for pistachios, make sure to pick up some nutmeats (unshelled) to try your hand at cooking with them. You can buy pistachios in-shell or unshelled. The in-shell versions are great for snacking and come in different flavors. They hold their freshness longer, up to a year, if kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container. However, nutmeats are so much easier to cook with…no shelling involved.

These flavorful little green nuts are a good source of vitamin B6, thiamine, and potassium. They are also high in the vision-enhancing lutein, an antioxidant usually found in dark leafy vegetables. Pistachios are also a great source of monounsaturated fat. This is highly touted in the Mediterranean Diet and seems to lower the risk of heart disease and possibly breast and colon cancers.

Pistachios are great at lowering LDL – “bad” cholesterol. You can substantially lower your bad cholesterol just by eating a ½ cup of pistachios daily as part of your regular diet. Eating pistachios is an excellent way to fight heart disease!

Pistachios are also chock full of disease-fighting antioxidants. They rank higher than green tea on an antioxidant scorecard created by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Get started with these healthy benefits by first sprinkling roasted, chopped pistachios onto your cereal and yogurt. Then try some of these recipes from Heart of the Desert’s Pinterest. There are recipes for every meal, making it easy to get your daily dose.

Breakfast: Strawberry, Maple & Pistachio Overnight Oats, start your day with these quick, easy and totally delicious overnight oats.

Lunch: Cranberry, Pistachio chicken Salad Sandwich, add a little zing and crunch to your chicken salad.

Dinner: Pistachio Crusted Salmon with Sautéed Brussel Sprouts with Lemon and Pistachios, a complete, healthy and tasty meal.

Dessert: Pistachio White Chocolate Pudding Cookies, super soft and chewy goodness!

Heart of the Desert is a working pistachio ranch and vineyard with four retail establishments in New Mexico. They are best known for their farm fresh pistachios and Award-Winning New Mexico wines. Each store offers wine and pistachio tastings. They offer worldwide shipping and produce attractive gourmet baskets that make great corporate and family gifts. The main store, on the ranch in Alamogordo, offers farm tours that showcases how pistachios are grown and processed as well as a stunning Tuscany themed patio that overlooks the groves and is available for private parties or enjoying a relaxing glass of wine.