Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Pistachio Mozzarella Salad and the Health Benefits of Pistachios




Pistachios have long been one of my very favorite nuts. Ever. In the history of ever. So, when some friends of mine at Gourmet Nuts and Dried Fruit sent me this huge box of my favorite little nuggets of love and asked me to try them out, what was I to do? 




Seriously. Check them out. They showed up really fast and the quality is amazing!

I am not a fan of leaving my house in the summer to go shopping, so anytime I can order something this awesome online, I'm game. Plus, at the bakery, who has time to stop and shop? I can barely stand up after a long day of restaurant business and catering orders. 
So, I'm going to be baking with them a lot in the next few weeks, but I had to share some of the benefits of pistachios along with this incredibly easy recipe. 



Some of the health facts of pistachio:

·   1. According to Thomas and Gebhardt (2006), pistachios contain a lower calorie content of only 160 per one ounce in comparison to other nuts. 

2. Pistachios contain a higher amount of protein in comparison with other nuts such as almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, and walnuts. The amount of protein found is 6 g per 1 ounce, which is the highest in comparison to other nuts.

3. The fat content in pistachios is also the lowest compared to other nuts. Statistics collected by Thomas and Gebhardt (2006) show that the fat content is 13 g per 1 ounce.

4. Pistachios are also a very good source for mono-unsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid and antioxidants. Taking them on a regular basis is known to be effective in decreasing low-density lipoprotein (LDL), which is known as “bad” cholesterol and helps to increase the amount of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), commonly known as “good” cholesterol.

5. Trace elements or minerals found in pistachios include calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese, and selenium. It is important to note that they contain the highest amount of phosphorus, along with almonds and cashews. Furthermore, they also contain the highest amount of potassium with respect to all other nuts.

6. The amount of sodium found in pistachios is zero, which is different from other nuts like hazelnuts and pecans. This is good news for people suffering from hypertension because they constantly have to curb the intake of sodium in their diet.

The above nutritional details show that they are not just another nut, but actually a very good food to be consumed at any point throughout the day. In fact, it is a wholesome food all by itself.  (source here)

Look how amazing these are! Who's ready to make something awesome to eat?





So, here's my recipe for a pistachio mozzarella salad for the summer that will blow your ever-lovin-mind when it comes to healthy and fast! It's light. The whole recipe is less than 300 calories and 12 net carbs and it gives you 25% of your protein for the day. Win!


Pistachio Mozzarella 
on Beefsteak Tomatoes Salad
1 serving

1 Very Ripe Beefsteak Tomato
1 oz. Fresh Mozzarella, sliced
1 Tbsp fresh Chopped Basil
1 tsp. Chef Tess Romantic Italian Seasoning 
1 Tbsp Fresh chopped purple cabbage (for color, optional)
1/4 cup raw pistachios here
Salt and pepper to Taste
Balsamic Glaze or balsamic vinegar

Directions: Slice the tomato into 4 wedges. Slice the fresh mozzarella in 4 wedges. Season the tomatoes with Chef Tess seasoning and top with the mozzarella. Top with fresh chopped basil and one Tablespoon of pistachio per wedge. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve chilled.

My fitness Pal: Pistachio Mozzarella Salad Nutritional Data 


One of my other favorite Pistachio salad recipes:



There you go! An amazingly simple and healthy anytime salad to keep you going through this hot summer! More pistachio recipes to come this week as we explore this amazing nut!

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess



2 comments:

Charlotte Moore said...

I had no idea they had so many more nutrients than most other nuts.

Chef Tess said...

I was just as excited to learn about them being so amazing too!