For the love of omega-3's
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I post a picture and just a few words.
I was recently reading about how most of us get too many omega-6 fatty acids and not enough omega-3 fatty acids, and then I read that walnuts are a good source of the 3's.
Unfortunately, I don't really like walnuts.
(Why can't pecans be super duper nutritious??)
So, I've been trying some recipes that use walnuts (and dates and cocoa powder!). If I get a winning method worked out, I'll let you know.
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I tried out a Caprese-ish recipe...go check it out!
Joshua's 52 Project post: A Salvaged Picture
For an easy way to kick up omega 3s in your diet, try chia seeds. You can add them to just about anything - smoothies, brownies, veggies, salads... They don't really have a flavor. You can also make a chia pudding since they get gelatinous after sitting in liquid for a bit. Pumpkin chia pudding is great and wonderfully nutritious.
I've found walnuts are much better after soaking and dehydrating. It takes away the bitterness I dislike.
Ha! I don't like walnuts much either, never have. sometimes nutrition is tasty, but not always, I guess!
I like them raw or roasted in salads, in granola and in brownies and cookies.
Soaking them will reduce the bitterness. it also changes the texture a bit.
my mom used to take a date, pull it open, put a walnut in the middle, wrap the date back around the walnut and roll it in sugar. mmmmm. dates and walnuts, two of my favorite things!
These are really good. But, I like all the ingredients.
http://minimalistbaker.com/5-minute-espresso-walnut-brownies/
Alternatively, throw all those things in a blender with a banana, 1.5 cups of whatever milk/yogurt combo you like, toss in some cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, and ice. Blend like crazy and drink up. I also add chia seeds if I'm feeling extra go-get-er.
Walnuts are AWESOME in dips, kind of like this one - http://www.marthastewart.com/345554/roasted-red-pepper-and-walnut-dip.
An easy way to get them into dips is either the recipe above or what I'll do sometimes - put them in the food processor and just process them to smithereens. Then add them to whatever dip - super healthy and adds a rich nutty flavor.
I don't like walnuts either; my solution is salmon nigiri. Another source is egg yolks. Two notes: One, eggs from chickens that eat an outside diet (insects, seeds, grass seeds, etc.) are notably higher in nutrients than eggs from chickens that eat a CAFO diet (corn, soy). Two, that said, you can buy commercial eggs that have more omega fats; the chickens are fed a diet closer to an outside diet. BTW, grass-fed meat also has more nutrients, including omegas, than corn-fed meat. Also BTW, canola oil is a decent source of omega-3
Did you read the Wikipedia site on omega oils? It has all the hallmarks of a highly reliable entry: strong scientific langauge, heavily footnoted, references many different studies, the studies from reliable sources such as NIH and JAMA, and caveated to note uncertainties.
We use those exact ingredients (plus vanilla extract and dried cranberries or other add-in) to make homemade Lara Bars... Love 'em! (I got original recipe from the Happy Housewife : )
Ooh, I'd love the recipe! Larabars are my fave and the only granola bar-type thing I can handle.
Nevermind - a 5 second google search led me to them, should have tried that first :).
Glad you found it! We usually make the chocolate one and the whole family likes it. (I'm not gonna lie to you.. sometimes our "optional add-in" to this chocolate bar is chopped chocolate... What's not to like? : )
Walnuts, dates and cocoa powder, *swoon*
My feelings exactly!
There are a few more choices for omega-3s including fermented soy, chia seed, flaxseed, grass-fed beef and bison, sardines, wild salmon, tuna, and DHA-enriched eggs.
Read more: http://www.drsinatra.com/are-you-a-victim-of-these-omega-3-fatty-acids-robbers/#ixzz30x37JHzV
To get more Omega-3s, you might try adding some flax seed (either the seeds themselves or ground into meal) into your smoothies. Flax is a great source of Omega-3s and just blends right into the smoothie.
Hi Kristen.
My favorite recipe to make a homemade Larabar is this: http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2009/10/13/make-these-now/
I make them frequently in the summer and we love them! The recipe actually calls for walnuts. I usually use almonds though and they turn out great!
Oh, I am so with you on the pecans. I have never liked walnuts as much. DH is allergic to them, so that absolves any of my guilt for not having them in the house. I suspect that a lot of the nutritional information is studied and published by the co-operatives that promote the item in question (think milk-cheese-prunes-almonds), so perhaps pecans simply haven't been studied/promoted yet. I'm going to keep on eating them. I just know that one day they will be touted as the next "must-eat" thing!
Try Fudge Babies by Chocolate Covered Katie. The recipe uses the items pictured above, salt, & vanilla. MMMMMMM!!
All nuts are good for you. There are certain ones that boast higher nutritional value than others, but all plant foods that are minimally processed have beneficial nutrients. Pecans are a good source of protein, fiber and some very healthy fats. As a nutritionist, I often recommend to people that you not focus on individual nutrients. You will drive yourself crazy. Food science research often contradicts itself because it is so difficult to study nutrients. If scientists find that people who eat lots of tomatoes have a very low risk of heart disease, then they start looking for the key nutrient from the tomato. Someone discovers lycopene is in tomatoes and starts selling supplements. The supplement won't have the same effect as the whole food because the nutrient wasn't working alone in the tomato. It may have been the combination of lycopene with vitamin C or the fiber, or who knows. So my long way of getting to my point is, I wouldn't worry about the types of fat as long as you are eating a varied diet with lots of fruits and vegetables and other plant foods, like nuts, you will probably stay pretty healthy!
That picture is making me hungry. I'd just stick it all in the blender with some water and ice...healthy milkshake. Or skip the ice and then it's pudding!
Okay, you inspired me. But I was cold, so I made hot-chocolate instead of a milkshake. I put water, walnuts, dates, ground chia seed, and cocoa powder in the blender, then warmed up the final product. Viola! omega-3 hot chocolate! It will be fun to hear how the recipes you are trying turn out.
Yummy!! Dates are an Amazing food.. My husbands family actually owns a date farm, so I cook and bake with dates a lot. I add them in my crockpot pot roast just put some dates in with the veggies and meat (sounds weird but it so yummy). I also make chocolate covered dates, pit a date put a piece of walnut in it then dip it in melted Chocolate, this is the most common dessert in our house. I have a lot of date recipes LOL.
OMG if i lived on a date farm i would eat nothing but dates. date smoothies, date oatmeal, date bread, date pasta (is that possible?) i just love dates...
my favorite dates/walnut recipe is "Food for the gods":
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Food-for-the-Gods/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Thumb&e11=food%20of%20the%20gods&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page&soid=sr_results_p1i1
These are totally great and I don't like dates or walnuts, plus they keep forever and are super moist. I usually add some flax or wheat germ or whatever to them...so good!
I put either walnuts or almonds into the muffins I make for my kids ~ 1/2 cup, but I have to grind it up or they don't like the texture.
I now make chocolate syrup for milk using dates. I'm hoping it boosts the nutritional value - don't know what happens when you boil dates?
Anyway, I take #8 dates and blend with 1 cup water. Place in pan with 1/2 cup cocoa. Med high heat and stir until dissolved. Then I add 1 cup honey. Raise heat. Stir continuously. Bring to low boil. Simmer 3 minutes. Let cool. Add a dash of salt and splash of vanilla extract. I put in a Ball jar and place in fridge. Lasts a week. I started with 4 dates until my girls were used to the flavor then went to 6 and then 8. I tried 12, but it made the syrup way too thick.