Brazil Nuts are considered King of Selenium, an important mineral & antioxidant necessary for the production of thyroid hormones and also helps to lift mood and prevent depression. Brazil nuts are rich in healthy fat and fiber, and these large nuts help lower cholesterol, promote heart health and are a good source of other minerals, like magnesium and calcium.
Only 1-2 brazil nuts meets your daily recommendation for Selenium.
Brazil nuts are a delicious snack alone or as part of a trail mix. They can be chopped and used as a crunchy topping for grain bowls and salads. They can be cooked into stews, ground up and added to veggie patties or burgers, and blended with water then strained to make a milk or cream substitute.
My favorite way to include brazil nuts is in the form of a smooth, creamy butter. Brazil nut butter tastes great on apple slices, toast, and even ice cream.
Brazil Nut Bread with Honey Butter
Serves 10 Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
6 tbsp whole wheat flour + additional for dusting
1 tbsp orange zest
2 tsp unsweetened cacao powder
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp fine sea salt
3 large eggs
1 cup finely chopped pitted Deglet Noor dates
1 cup raw unsalted Brazil nuts, roughly chopped
2 tbsp whole milk
HONEY BUTTER
½ stick (1/4 cup) organic unsalted grass-fed butter, softened
2 tbsp raw honey
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 325oF. Butter a 9-inch cake pan or pie plate, then dust with flour (tap out excess) Or butter then line bottom with a circle of parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, zest, cacao, cinnamon, baking powder and salt.
3. Add eggs, dates, nuts and milk and mix well. (TIP: It’ll be thick and chunky, so you’ll need to use some elbow grease.) Pour into pan, leveling off with the back of a spoon. Place pan on a baking sheet and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until top is light to golden brown and the center springs back when pressed.
4. Meanwhile, prepare butter: In a small bowl, combine butter and honey. Serve with bread. Bread can be served warm or at room temperature.
Enjoy!
Kelly Harrington, MS, RDN
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Live Superfoods
Recipe courtesy of cleaneating.com
