THE BUTTERFLY WEED KITCHEN

21. NUTS!

Several years ago I replaced our grains with these 5 nuts and in a relatively short time lost 42 pounds. Happy and holding. Okay, a little up and down but still comfy in my 34s.

Seriously, I am grateful to a well known physician for pointing the way and to Costco for making them available and affordable. Absolutely and positively no peanuts or cashews – just these beauties.
https://www.costco.com
My gut loves them and a handful can keep me going for hours and even through the day. 
The list of things I used to crave (ravenously) is long, ugly and familiar to everyone with either weight or inflammation issues which includes just about everyone over the age of 18.
After acclimating myself to this blend of nuts my cravings plunged to but a single thing – nuts. I eat from my nut jar every single day and have never felt better. I think Juan Ponce de Leon was actually looking for nuts. Okay, enough. You get my drift.

Carol Ann and I prefer to re-roast both the walnuts and hazelnuts – it enhances texture and flavor.

I dump a three pound bag of walnuts along with a pound and a half of the hazels into a bowl and lightly coat with EVO plus a little kosher salt.

Mix them up so all gets coated in EVO (easy does it). Then they are strewn onto a large baking sheet.

It’s important that they are not crowded.

After eight (8) minutes, they’ll come out of a 300º oven looking like this – not much different from when they went in. I think it usually takes us four or five batches to finish the job.

As soon as the nuts are out they go onto a cooling sheet/tinfoil/etc., while the next batch is roasting.

I have large nut jars. I fill half of that jar with the walnut/hazelnut mix and fill the remainder with an equal measure of the Marcona, Macadamia and Pistachio.
I dump that into a large bowl and mix well and then return to the nut jar. This way I get a good mix and the measure is perfect – just right for a nut job.

MORE BUTTERFLY WEED KITCHEN ESSAYS

15. crispy eggs and beans
16. faux polenta
17. a very special chuck
18. a chuck reduction
19. goat cheese & arugula
20. everyday romaine & radicchio
21. nuts!
22. some dry pantry essentials

Thanks for visiting with me.

Paul V’Soske

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