October 22 is National Nut Day #NationalNutDay. I don’t know about you but I usually keep Nuts for my evening snack. I like to get Walnuts and Pecans for me. David and Charlie like Cashews more. What about you. Which Nuts do you like and why?
National Nut Day is celebrated annually on October 22nd. National Nut Day was created by Liberation Foods Company to encourage the public to choose healthier snack options. National Nut Day is your day for nutty fun!
National Nut Day was created by Liberation Foods Company as a way to do the right thing by the collectives of small nut farmers around the world. It was important to the company to stress to the public that their Nuts were not only sustainably-grown, but that the company was committed to giving their Nut farmers a fair minimum wage for their labor and their crops. Farmers growing Brazil Nuts, Peanuts and Cashews from Malawi, Brazil, India, El Salvador and other Third World Countries came together to form a Fair Trade collective under Liberation Foods’ umbrella.
National Nut Day appeared in 2015 on Liberation Foods website. Although the company is based in the United Kingdom, National Nut Day has spread far and wide, especially in the United States. National Nut Day is devoted to all things Nuts-related including recipes and cooking tips. Many African Countries infuse their daily meals with Peanuts on a regular basis in Stews and Soups.
According to the Nutcracker Museum, Nuts were a regular part of the human diet from as far back as almost 800,000 years ago! Early man used “nutting tools” to crack stones. Pecan remains from 6100 B.C. were discovered in a Texas cave. Early Europeans ate Pistachios while Greeks and Romans believed that Walnuts were a gift from the gods.
Eventually, the English sailed the Mediterranean with Walnuts onboard Ships. The Nuts were used for trading. By the 18th Century, Walnuts arrived in the New World, specifically, California, when the Franciscan Monks set foot on these new shores.
No matter what you eat today; include a healthy helping of Nuts. Nuts have lots of health benefits and Nuts make you happy. That’s important to remember on National Nut Day! If you will excuse me I think I will get me some Peanut M&Ms. Would you like some as well?
National Nut Day Activities
- Store bought Nut Butter is so 2000 and late. Grab your favorite Nut, toss them in a food processor, and add some sweetener (if desired) and voila! Grab a knife to spread the goodness, or eat it by the spoonful.
- If you want to brighten up someone’s day at work purchase a family-size container of mixed Nuts at your local Grocery Store and make snack-sized goodie bags for your coworkers. Which is an inexpensive treat many will go Nuts for. (Remember to make sure no one has Peanut allergies!)
- Try grabbing a handful of your favorite Nut and adding them to your breakfast Oatmeal, lunch Chicken Salad, or that Veggie Stir-Fry you’re making for dinner. The added protein will make your stomach (and muscles) happy.
Why People Love National Nut Day
- No matter what your preference is, there’s a vast variety of Nuts to suit your taste buds and Nuts also come in all shapes and sizes, from teardrop-shaped Almonds to the wrinkly Walnuts. The choice is yours depending on your taste your choice!
- Nuts are creamy and dreamy when consumed and Nuts also deliver a punch of nutrition. Almonds are rich in protein, calcium and vitamin E, while all Nuts provide large amounts of healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Giving us so much good stuff for our body!
- We all get hungry, but it isn’t always easy to make time for a full meal. What do we do in situations like these? Grab a handful of Nuts for a guiltless snack that keeps our tummies happy in the short-term.
Recipe for Chocolate Walnut Cookies
Prep: 5minutes mins Cook: 7minutes mins Total: 12minutes
Ingredients 1x2x3x
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup butter unsalted
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour all-purpose
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Cream butter, oil and sugars in stand mixer (or with hand mixer in a bowl). Add eggs and beat until fluffy.
- Add baking soda, salt, baking powder, vanilla and flour and mix until incorporated.
- Fold in chopped walnuts and chocolate chips and scoop with cookie scoop and roll into ball and place on a lightly greased baking sheet.
- Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
