Food of the Month: Pistachios
What Are They?
The Pistachio is a member of the cashew family. It’s a tree nut that originated in Central Asia and the Middle East, and is now largely produced in California and Mexico by over a dozen first, second, and third generation families. Pistachios provide health and wellness benefits that can be incorporated into meals and snacks. They can create a post-training snack with manganese for joint health and protein for muscle repair, boost potassium and are just plain delicious to eat as a snack! Each serving of pistachios (48 nuts) contains:
▪ Calories: 150
▪ Total Fat: 13g
▪ Monounsaturated Fat: 7g
▪ Polyunsaturated Fat: 3.5g
▪ Cholesterol: 0g
▪ Sodium: 0g
▪ Total Carbohydrates: 8g
▪ Fiber: 3g
▪ Natural Sugar: 2g
▪ Protein: 6g
▪ 10% or more of Thiamine, Vitamin B6, Phosphorus, Copper, and Manganese
Health Benefits
Pistachios contain:
B Vitamins to help convert food to fuel
Protein to support muscle repair
Iron for blood flow and oxygen delivery to muscles
Phosphorus for bone health
Manganese for joint support
How to Store
Since pistachios' split shells expose the nut meats, even those still in the shell should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, where they will keep for up to three months. Placed in heavy-duty freezer bags and frozen, pistachios will keep for up to six months.
Shelled pistachios can also be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, where they will keep for up to six weeks, or in the freezer, where they will keep for several months.
If stored pistachios lose their natural crunch, they can quickly be revitalized. Simply place them on a baking sheet and heat at 250 degrees F. for six to nine minutes.
How to Use
Add pistachios to a salad for a little crunch
Make a serving of pistachios and a piece of fruit a filling and well-rounded snack
Put them in recipes like the delicious energy bites below!
Pistachio Fuel Bites
Ingredients:
▪ 12 Medjool dates, pits removed (Must soak dried dates for 1 hr.
in a bowl of warm water; No need to soak fresh dates)
▪ 7oz almonds* (soak 3-4 hrs, or overnight)
▪ 2 Tbsp. fresh orange juice
▪ 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
▪ 1/4-1/2 cup shelled pistachios,** finely chopped
Instructions:
1. Place all the ingredients except pistachios in a food
processor.
2. Pulse on high-speed until the ingredients come together. It will
be a big sticky ball.
3. Form mixture into 1” balls and roll them in the chopped
pistachios.
4. Allow to rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Can be
stored in the freezer.
*Could use softer nuts w/o soaking (cashews, pecans, etc.)
**I used a coffee grinder to chop the pistachios. It makes a finer
chop than you can get by hand, but I left some chunks. (It’s a
good idea to have a designated nut/seed grinder, so that you
do not get any residual coffee flavor.) Using the grinder, I
only needed 1/4 cup nuts. If you chop by hand, you may
need the full 1/2 cup.
