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No More Blood Sugar Blues
Ah NUTS! Let’s Try Somethin’ Different!
by Alice Osborne
 I just found a little cookbook my Aunt Annie had hidden away inside a larger cookbook — My Macadamia Nut Recipes. I couldn’t resist. On the first page the author tells me I ought to try somethin’ different, especially if I want to become a super chef. Well I do! So I read on.
There are recipes in this neat book for appetizers, salads, soup, entrees, vegetables, garnishes, desserts, cookies, candies, snacks, breads, and breakfast ideas. And they all sound delicious. But before trying any out, I thought I’d check out the health benefits of this nut (hoping there would actually be some).
I wasn’t disappointed. Macadamias are considered the world’s finest nut, a delicious snack food that garners high marks for flavor and crunchy texture. The story doesn’t end there, however. Macadamias are full of goodness. Macadamia nuts provide a wide range of beneficial compounds. They are a high energy food, full of protein and fiber and loaded with other important nutrients that, in concert, impact favorably on human health. Look at all they contain:
Antioxidants
Fiber
Phytochemicals
Protein
Minerals
Monounsaturated fats
Vitamins
A trial to study serum lipid effects of a high monounsaturated fat diet based on macadamia nuts demonstrated that, as compared to the typical American diet, a diet that included macadamia nuts (37% energy derived from fat) rendered beneficial effects on cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels.
And get this, because macadamia nuts have no significant carb-content, they therefore have no effect on blood sugar levels. It has a glycemic load per food serving of 0. Nuts are "slow-burning" foods that provide sustained energy due to their good fats and protein content. Eating a handful of nuts can lower insulin resistance, according to Harvard researchers, who discovered that eating nuts can lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 20%. Besides macadamia nuts, other healthy nuts are are almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, peanuts, pecans, and walnuts. Nice!
Convinced? I am, so let’s try somethin’ different:
Spinach a la McNut
Serves 4
 2 lb fresh spinach or two (10 oz) pkgs frozen chopped spinach
2 pkg (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
½ C finely ground macadamia nuts
2 Tbsp butter
½ tsp salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste
If fresh spinach is used, trim off coarse stems and steam five minutes (cut one minute off package directions for frozen). Empty into colander lined with cheese cloth and squeeze as dry as possible. Chop fresh spinach coarsely. Saute over low flame in 2 Tbsp melted butter for 2 min. While spinach is cooking, whip ground macadamias into cream cheese. Add mixture to sauté pan and stir until spinach is thoroughly coated. Salt pepper to taste while on heat and serve immediately. This sounds divine!
 Download this recipe.
Blackberry Jam Cake
(This is NOT a blood sugar-friendly recipe, but I just couldn’t resist sharing this with you. It’s terrific.)
 4 C flour
2 tsp ground allspice
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 ½ C butter
2 C sugar
6 eggs
2 C blackberry jam
1 ½ C buttermilk, mixed with 2 tsp baking soda
Frosting:
2 C sugar
2 C brown sugar, firmly packed
1 ½ C light cream
½ C butter
2 egg yolks
1 C chopped macadamia nuts
½ tsp vanilla
Butter and flour three nine-inch round cake tins. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together dry ingredients. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light. Lightly beat eggs and beat into sugar mixture. Add jam. Fold in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk/soda mixture, ending with dry ingredients. Divide batter evenly between the three cake pans and bake for 35 min. or until cakes test done. Place cakes on racks to cool. Remove from pans when completely cool. Add frosting when cool.
Frosting:
In heavy saucepan, combine the sugars, cream, butter and egg yolks. Over medium heat cook the mixture, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved. If any sugar crystals collect around the side of the pan, wash them down with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. When the mixture comes to a boil, cook it for ten minutes, stirring constantly until it has thickened. Take the saucepan off the heat and stir in the macadamia nuts and vanilla. Cool until it is of frosting consistency. Assemble the cake, spreading the frosting between each layer and completely covering the top and sides of all three layers. This cake lasts beautifully stored in an airtight container.
Download this recipe.
Cream of Macadamia Soup
Serves 6-8
 2 carrots, chopped
1 leek, white only, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 C finely ground macadamia nuts
1 C butter
2 Tbsp flour
8 C chicken broth
1 C heavy cream
¾ C chopped macadamia nuts
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp parsley, minced
¼ C chopped macadamia nuts
In large sauce pan over medium heat, melt ½ C butter and sauté the carrots, celery, leek, garlic, and finely ground macadamia nuts until they are softened. Stir the vegetable mixture constantly. Add flour. Cook for 2 min., again stirring constantly. Add the chicken broth and bay leaves, and bring mixture to a boil, still stirring. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hr. Line a colander with cheesecloth and strain the soup into a saucepan. Add the cream and the second 1//2 C of butter, cut in pieces, ¾ C of chopped macadamias and salt and pepper to taste. Turn up the heat, but do not let soup boil. Garnish just before serving with remaining chopped nuts, minced parsley and a dash of pepper.
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