Food Wiki – Hazelnut, Nutritional Value & Best Recipes
Hazelnut, also known as filbert nut or cobnut, comes from a tree that is native to Europe and Western Asia. You can eat these nuts raw but you can also roast and grind them into a nut butter. The vastly popular Nutella contains both hazelnut butter and chocolate.
Nutrition Facts
Hazelnut is a good source of essential Vitamin E, which aids in the production of vital antioxidants that prevent cell oxidation. There are also medical claims saying that Vitamin E can prevent cancer and help in eliminating existing cancer cells. A typical one-ounce serving of hazelnuts can provide you with more than 20% of your recommended daily allowance of Vitamin E.
This nut is also rich in important minerals, namely copper and manganese. One serving (1 ounce) of hazelnuts can provide you with 86% and 24% recommended daily intake of manganese and copper, respectively. Manganese is important for the proper bone growth and development for children. It can also significantly improve the speed of healing wounds. On the other hand, copper is important for maintaining the health of you blood vessels and in boosting immunity.
Recipes
For you to start taking in all the possible benefits of hazelnut, here are two delicious recipes containing it.
Pasta with Creamy Pumpkin Sauce and Toasted Hazelnuts
Cook a pound of your preferred pasta according to package instruction. Drain and reserve a cup of the pasta water. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt four teaspoons of butter then sauté a medium red onion (finely diced), two cloves garlic (minced), and two teaspoons of fresh sage (chopped finely).
Once the onions are slightly caramelized, add the contents of a 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree and adjust the heat to low. Let it simmer for ten minutes. Using a stick blender, blend the contents until smooth. Mix a cup of Mascarpone cheese and a quarter cup of grated Parmesan, and season with salt and pepper.
Transfer the pasta into the saucepan and pour in the reserved pasta water. Toss until coated thoroughly. Serve with a generous sprinkling of roasted and chopped hazelnuts on top.
Black Quinoa, Avocado, and Hazelnut Salad
Cook one cup of black quinoa according to package instructions. Transfer the cooked quinoa on a baking tray. Fluff it using a fork, spread it out, and let it cool to room temperature.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together three tablespoons of lemon juice, half a teaspoon of coarse mustard, a teaspoon of honey, and a quarter cup of extra virgin olive oil. Reserve a tablespoon of this dressing in a separate mixing bowl. Transfer the quinoa into the bowl, and fold in the dressing.
In a separate bowl, toss in two cups of your preferred micro-greens. Season them with salt and pepper. To serve, place the quinoa on a plate. Arrange the meat of two avocados (halved and thinly sliced) over it. Top with the microgreen salad. After that, put one-third cup of roasted and cracked hazelnuts on top. Serve.
