Nouveau Nutrition's Guide to Walnut Oil

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Walnut oil comes from English walnut , which are also known as Persian walnuts. This oil has a light color, delicate scent and nutty flavor profile takes any cold recipe to another level. A short shelf life should not stop you from using this oil that is filled with essential fatty acids and antioxidants.

Here are 5 incredible advantages to using this nutty oil:

• Reduces signs of aging- Walnut oil contains vitamin B which protects us from premature aging. AMAZING.

• Reduces dark circles- Stress, sleep deprivation and not taking good care of yourself can result in dark circles. Gently massaging a little warm walnut oil under your eyes can brighten the dark circles and soothe puffiness.

• Helps with digestion- Walnuts are know to be chocked full of FIBER. It improves the movement of the bowel and keeps most digestive discomforts at bay.

• Nighty-night- If you have issues with sleeping (I do!), walnut oil contains melatonin which promotes sleep and regulates it too. 

Check out this recipe from New York Times Cooking

Lentil Salad With Walnut Oil

YIELD Serves six

TIME About 1 hour

FOR THE LENTILS

• 2 cups green Le Puy lentils, washed and picked over

• 2 large garlic cloves, crushed

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 medium onion, cut in half

• 1 medium carrot, quartered

• 6 cups water

• Salt to taste

• Freshly ground pepper

• ¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

• ½ cup broken walnuts

FOR THE DRESSING

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• Salt

• 1 shallot, minced, or 1 garlic clove, minced

• ⅓ cup walnut oil

• Salt

• freshly ground pepper

  PREPARATION

  1. Combine the lentils, garlic, bay leaf, onion, carrot and water in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil. Add salt to taste (1 to 2 teaspoons), reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer 35 to 45 minutes until the lentils are tender. Remove from the heat. and discard the onion, carrot, garlic cloves and bay leaf. Drain through a strainer set over a bowl.

  2. Whisk together the vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt and shallot or garlic. Whisk in the oil and 2 to 4 tablespoons of the liquid from the lentils. Stir into the lentils. Add the parsley and pepper, and taste and adjust salt. Spoon onto plates, arrange walnuts on top of the lentils, and serve.

Thank you Swanson Health for making such beautiful infographics.

Popcorn-Coated Popcorn Chicken

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Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

15 min

Total Time

35 min

Ingredients
Olive oil cooking spray, for spraying the baking sheet and chicken
1 pound chicken tenders, cut into bite-size pieces
1 pinch Terrasoul Superfoods Himalayan Pink Salt
1/2 teaspoon Simply organic garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Simply organic onion powder
1/4 teaspoon Simply organic ground black pepper
8 cups Trader Joes plain popped popcorn (recipe below)
1/2 cup Pamela's Products Gluten Free All Purpose Flour Blend
1/2 cup buttermilk, or Organic Valley Milk 1%
2 large pastured grass fed eggs
1 cup Aleia’s gluten- free panko crumbs
1/2 teaspoons Simply organic sweet paprika

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a large releasable plastic bag, combine the chicken, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper. Seal and then shake and massage the bag so all the chicken pieces get coated with the seasoning. Set aside.

Popcorn recipe below. You can also use a popcorn popper. Add the popcorn to a separate large resealable plastic bag. Close the bag and, using a rolling pin, crush the popcorn into small pieces.

Set up your breading station using 3 breading pans. In the first pan, add the flour. In the second pan, whisk together the buttermilk and eggs. In the third pan, combine the popcorn, panko and paprika and stir to combine.

Working in batches, dredge the chicken pieces first in the flour, then in the buttermilk mixture and finally in the popcorn breading mixture, pressing the chicken into the breading mixture to make sure it gets completely coated. Place on the prepared baking sheet in 1 even layer. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray.

Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes, flipping each piece halfway through. Serve immediately.

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Paper Bag Popcorn Method:

Measure 1/4 cup popcorn kernels into a lunchbox-sized brown paper bag.
Loosely fold just the very top of the bag.
Microwave until there are more than 3 seconds between popping sounds. About 2.5 minutes. Stay near the microwave. Allow the bag to sit in the microwave for 1 minute.
Adult only: Remove bag carefully and enjoy!

Nouveau Nutrition's Guide to Cooking Oils: Flaxseed Oil

This nutrient dense oil it's best to use on cold dishes like in dressings, bread dipping, smoothies, to name a few.

• Nutty flavor

• Anti inflammatory

• Great alternative to fish oil because of Omega-3 & 6 content 

• Improves gut health

• A short shelf life plus refrigeration will keep this oil fresh for a few weeks

Thank you Swanson Health for making such beautiful infographics.

Nouveau Nutrition's Guide to Cooking Oils: Avocado Oil

Avocado Oil is showing up everywhere in the grocery stores and recipes alike. Our beloved avocado, which is actually a fruit, is jammed packed with healthy fats and antioxidants. 

• Promotes eye health

• Enhances absorption of key nutrients 

• Prevents gum disease

• Improves skin and enhances wound healing

Thank you Swanson Health for making such beautiful infographics.

Nouveau Nutrition's Guide to Cooking Oils: Extra Virgin Olive Oil

What is the difference? Is there a difference? YES!!!

Extra Virgin Olive Oil aka Cold Pressed Olive Oil- This  unrefined oil and cold pressed (no heat added) is the highest quality of all the olive oils. Any time you add temperature or pressure you alter the taste and nutrition profile of oil. It is high in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory compounds. It has the true olive oil taste (peppery finish), highest in oleic acid and contains tons of nutrients. Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) has a lower smoke rate so keep that in mind when cooking. This oil is great for dipping bread and dressing.  

Olive Oil- Due to the very strict guide lines of certifying EVOO, any product that doesn't meet the standards becomes refined olive oil. Does that mean that  this olive oil is garbage? No way. This oil is commonly used for all purpose cooking. This is a blend of EVOO and refined olive oil. A refined oil means that heat and chemicals have been used to extract the oil. It has a very neutral flavor and smell. 

Extra Light or Light- This oil is highly processed and of the lowest quality. The name refers to the color and flavor not the calories. The flavor of this oil is subtle and it has a higher smoke rate.  It is best used for baking.

Thank you Swanson Health for making such beautiful infographics.

Nouveau Nutrition's Guide to Cooking Oils

Say "YES to some cooking oils...Say "NOOOOO" to others

How oils and fats affect your health

When practicing a healthy eating lifestyle this means you are getting much of your diet’s fat content from whole foods and oils. Salmon or other fatty fish, grass-fed animal products, nuts and seeds, avocado, and coconut oil are all healthy sources of fat. If we choose to consume poor quality oil we will start to damage our bodies. Adding heat to these poor quality oils can further increase this damage.

Say “No” to some oils

Oils such as canola and corn have been new additions to the U.S. over the past 100 years. We were told that they were “heart healthy” substitutions to saturated fats. What has transpired over the years is an increase in inflammation, free radical damage, and reduced cellular metabolism due to consumption of these oils. Vegetable oils are highly unstable, which means applying any heat or pressure to them will make them become rancid and oxidize.

AVOID: soybean, cottonseed, corn and canola oil
 
Let’s be stable: Saturated fats are more stable at higher temperatures

Cooking with clean oils is one of the best things you can do for your health. In general, oils with more saturated fat are more stable at higher temperatures. This includes coconut oil, grass-fed butter and ghee (clarified butter). Olive oil and avocado oil are also good options for lower temperature cooking.
  
Coconut oil is becoming a favorite of many people. It’s easy to find and stays stable at medium temperatures. It’s also antibacterial, promotes weight loss, rarely goes rancid and is loved by both vegans and omnivores. There is also some suggestion that coconut oil, over time, can displace the damage in our tissues from years of vegetable oil consumption.
Is Coconut oil too "coconutty" for you??? Coconut oil that is organic and extra virgin has a more subtle taste.
 
Out to dinner
Many restaurants cook with poor quality oils. You can avoid these oils by ordering salads with olive oil and getting steamed and baked foods. Another option is to simply ask for no added oil to your meals. Protect yourself by consuming a small amount of vitamin E (100-400 IU) on days when you are eating out. 
  
Some oil for thought

• Oils such as walnut, almond, pumpkin, and flax are best used in a raw and cold-pressed state. These oils are less saturated and more prone to oxidation and rancidity when heat is added.

• Is your oil smoking when you are cooking? This is a sign the oil is in the beginning stage of oxidation and degradation. YIKES! This degradation increases the production of free radicals; which cause inflammation in the body. Click here to see the smoke rates of some oils.