Pine nuts are the good for you food of the week. Though you may think of them as merely decoration over the tops of certain dishes, they are packed with protein and other nutrients.
The seed of the pine cone, pine nuts are sometimes called pinons (pronounced pin-yons), especially in the Southwestern United States. European pine nuts are sometimes called pignoli (pronounced peen-yo-lee). The pinon is the more common variety found in the U.S. Dense in nutrients, pine nuts are an excellent source of vitamins B1 and B3, magnesium, manganese and copper. But that’s not all. You’ll also get protein, zinc, iron, potassium, and vitamins E and B2. A one ounce serving of pine nuts will set you back about 200 calories, but don’t let that discourage you. It’s not like you’re going to wolf down a whole bag. And with as many nutrients as pine nuts contain, they’re a good addition to diet when eaten in moderate quantities.
One drawback of pine nuts can be that they are costly. There are a number of reasons for their high price. For starters, pine nuts only come from fertilized female pine cones. (Did you know pine cones are either male or female? Yeah, neither did the Boise Healthy Living Examiner. Learn something new every day, huh?) Additionally, harvesting pine nuts from these cones is rather labor intensive, and involves heating the cones before the nuts can be dislodged and removed. And though there are hundreds of varieties of pine trees, only a few produce pine nuts. The good news is that one cone can produce 100 pine nuts. Look for pine nuts in WinCo’s bulk bins for $19.98 per pound. Yep, not cheap, but you’re not likely to need a whole pound for a recipe, so keep that in mind.
A few words of caution. People who are allergic to peanuts or other types of nuts are often allergic to pine nuts. So if you’re including them in your dinner party menu, be sure to ask about allergies first. Also, some people report having a bitter or metallic taste in their mouth for a few days after eating pine nuts. Like all nuts, pine nuts tend to go rancid very quickly if not stored properly. Buy a smaller quantity and keep them cold—in the refrigerator or freezer. Chances are that people who report a “taste disturbance” after eating pine nuts probably ate pine nuts that were spoiled. It will take a few days or even a week or two before the bitter taste goes away, but there don’t appear to be any serious health issues associated with it.
That said, adding pine nuts to recipes is not as difficult as you may think. Their sweet, mellow flavor actually complements a variety of dishes, from main courses to sides like pilaf and salads to dessert. A classic pine nut recipe is pesto. Add them to basil, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a food processor, blend it up and then stir in Pecorino or Parmesan cheese. You might want to throw a little spinach in there, too. You can also roast pine nuts for a crunchy snack. Or serve them over green beans, asparagus or spinach, with pasta, or in a rice dish. Try them in a dip made with white beans (cannellini or Great Northern varieties) for a different flavor. Try them with grilled seafood. Or just toss a handful over your green salad for an extra nutrition boost.
Talk it up:
Have you ever eaten pine nuts?
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