by Sheryl Borden IT’S PEANUT TIME!
When it’s Fall in Eastern New Mexico, many of us start thinking about that wonderful aroma in the air of roasted Valencia peanuts. That means the farmers are digging peanuts, the processing plants are drying and cleaning them and when the roasting starts, there is no better smell.
Whether you like peanuts raw, roasted or salted, Valencia peanuts are a very important commodity for this part of the country. I’ve been fortunate to have guests on “Creative Living with Sheryl Borden” representing the peanut industry, and I thought I would start this first column by sharing some of the information she shared with me and with our viewers. In this part of the country, we’re more familiar with Valencia peanuts, but there are also Virginia, Spanish and Runner peanuts, and for cooking purposes, you can interchange them in a recipe.
Peanuts have been referred to as “mother nature’s whole food.” They are a whole food that provide a lot of nutrition in just a small handful. Commonly considered a nut, peanuts are actually in the legume or dried bean family, and are a terrific protein source. But the story gets better and better when you consider the significant amounts of other nutrients found in a single ounce of peanuts.
Consider the following:
PROTEIN: Peanuts and peanut butter contain high quality plant protein. When comparing peanuts to similar foods, peanuts have more protein than any other legume or nut. This is especially important for children, vegetarians and people eating more meat-less meals.
UNSATURATED FAT: Peanuts and peanut butter contain mostly beneficial monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These fats, as compared to saturated fats, have been shown to help lower blood cholesterol levels, which may reduce your risk of coronary heart disease.
FIBER: One ounce of peanuts contains 2 grams of fiber. This is 8% of what you need in a day in only 15 whole peanuts!
VITAMIN E: One ounce of peanuts provides 25% of your daily need of Vitamin E. Vitamin E has been shown to act as an antioxidant, which may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
MINERALS: Peanuts are an important source of essential minerals, such as magnesium, copper, phosphorus, potassium and zinc, which may protect against coronary heart disease as well.
B VITAMINS: B Vitamins, such as folic acid, can help prevent birth defects. They also reduce amounts of homocysteine in the blood that may be a risk for heart disease. Peanuts are a good source of folic acid.
PHYTOCHEMICALS: These are natural substances in plants, which may provide a wide range of health benefits, such as reducing the risk of coronary heart disease. Peanuts contain resveratrol, which is one of the many phytochemicals found in plant foods.
So, in a nutshell, peanuts are really good for you! When you combine peanuts and chocolate, there’s just about nothing better, so I hope you enjoy the following recipe which includes both ingredients.
1 Package (21.5 oz.) brownie mix CHOCOLATE PEANUT VOLCANO CAKE
1 can (16 oz.) whole berry cranberry sauce
1/3 cup hot fudge topping
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup salted, roasted peanutsGrease and flour a 9 1/4-inch quiche pan and an 8-inch square pan.
Prepare brownie mix according to package directions. Spoon half the batter evenly in a quiche pan and the other half in a square pan.
Bake 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
Cut brownies in the square pan into 1/2-inch cubes. Set aside.
Place cranberry sauce in a small bowl; beat with a fork until smooth. Spread over brownie in quiche pan. Top with brownie cubes.
Warm fudge sauce slightly and add peanut butter. Blend until smooth. Drizzle peanut fudge sauce over brownie cubes and sprinkle with peanuts. Cut into wedges to serve. Yield: 10 to 12 servings.
Besides being “dang good and plumb crunchy,” peanuts are delicious, nutritious, and the Valencia peanuts are even locally grown and processed. I hope you’ll try some of this mouth-watering commodity – especially when the new crop comes in.
Sheryl Borden is the Producer and host of the PBS series, Creative Living with Sheryl Borden. Celebrating its 23rd year, the magazine-formatted "how-to" show is produced by KENW-TV in Portales, New Mexico and is carried in 40 states and 100 markets. It airs on KENW (Channel 3) on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12 noon, Tuesday evenings at 9:30 PM, and on Saturdays at 2 PM.
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