# Almond pesto



## TheLemonSong (Aug 8, 2005)

Try substiting almond for toasted pine nuts.  Its simply delicious, although the almonds must be chopped much longer than pine nuts.

Not to mention the Essential Fatty Acids make this pesto much healthier than standard pestos.


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## GB (Aug 8, 2005)

That sounds very tasty. I will try this next time I make pesto. Do you toast the almonds first? I am sure that is what I will do when I try this.


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## TheLemonSong (Aug 8, 2005)

GB said:
			
		

> That sounds very tasty. I will try this next time I make pesto. Do you toast the almonds first? I am sure that is what I will do when I try this.



The truth is that I don't, but only because the almonds I buy are smoked almonds and have been toasted before hand...I've found that the seasoned variety like I eat on occasion already have a relatively high salinity as well, so I don't suggest using the amount of salt you might w/ a pesto made with pine nuts.

I think the smokey flavour of the smoked almonds lends a really interesting complexity to the pesto.  Like I said though, you MUST chop them more finely or your pesto will be lumpy and not so smooth.  Also it may take a bit more oil than you're used to..just look and see, it might just be my smaller food processor.

Let me know what you think...I've heard that brazil nuts work well in pestos, and I'd really like to try spanish nuts as well because I think their flavour would blend nicely with basil.


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## kitchenelf (Aug 8, 2005)

I love almonds in pesto too - glad you mentioned it.  Almonds are up there in the "good for you" foods!!!!


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## TheLemonSong (Aug 8, 2005)

kitchenelf said:
			
		

> I love almonds in pesto too - glad you mentioned it. Almonds are up there in the "good for you" foods!!!!



Thats true.  While almonds are calorically dense, they contain essential fats in their oils.


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## ironchef (Aug 8, 2005)

So are Macadamia Nuts. They add a very nice flavor to pestos as well. 

I'm going to try and make a pesto using soy nuts when I get a chance. That's another nut that's good for you. Well, it's technically not a nut but that's ok.


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## kitchenelf (Aug 8, 2005)

I guess the soy nuts are more nut like the soy beans that come out of the actual edemame.  Might kind of be interesting to make a pesto out the edemame!  It might end up more like a pea spread - could incorporate that in between two large scallops wrapped in a piece of seaweed.  Or scallops not sliced all the way through and the "spread" the spread in each cut OR STILL YET make a lime juice, cilantro, fish sauce, soy sauce, garlic chili paste or sarachara - as a drizzle or coulis


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## ironchef (Aug 8, 2005)

The soybeans are actually roasted so they do have a nut-like texture. Unroasted soybeans would make a puree, however. I actually do a Edamame-Truffle Puree that I serve with pan-seared scallops or salmon.


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## TheLemonSong (Aug 9, 2005)

Soy nuts are not as good for you as you think.
They contain very little in terms of EFAs and the protien content while higher than other nuts isn't high in comparison to how calorically dense it is...they're OK, but not great.


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## ironchef (Aug 9, 2005)

I think the bottom line is that you need to eat a balance of different foods in order to reap the benefits of the nutrients that are found in different things. 

For those interested, here is some health and nutritional info on soy based foods:

Soy foods and Diabetes - May slow absorption of glucose into the bloodstream. May also protect against damaging effects of glucose-induced oxidation, common in people with diabetes.
Soy foods and Reduced Cancer Risk - Rich in phytochemicals (plant-chemicals). While not nutrients, may be important for overall health and in particular, for reducing risk of cancer.
Soy foods and Osteoporosis - Soy protein helps conserve body calcium better than that of animal protein. Compounds in soy called isoflavones may simultaneously increase bone formation while decreasing bone breakdown.
Soy foods and Heart Disease - Soybeans are extremely low in saturated fat and free of cholesterol. Consuming 25 grams of soy protein daily has shown to lower blood cholesterol. Beyond cholesterol reduction, soy foods may favorably affect other risk factors for heart disease (i.e, makes arteries more flexible). Therefore, soy may be helpful for everyone, not just those with high cholesterol.
Soy foods and Breast Cancer - Animal studies have found that adding soy to the diet reduces the number of breast tumors by 25 to 50 percent. Therefore, becoming a regular soy consumer early in life may be particularly important.
Soy foods Meet Protein Needs - Soy protein is a complete protein. It is equal in quality to animal proteins, such as that found in milk and meat. Soy has been recognized as such in the new USDA food guidelines.
Soy foods and Kidney Health - Evidence shows the type of protein in soy foods does not affect the kidneys in the same way animal proteins do. Soy protein does not cause the kidneys to work as hard as they must to break down animal protein. In susceptible individuals, substituting soy protein for animal protein may reduce the risk of developing kidney disease.
Soy foods and Prostate Cancer - Studies indicate soy components may delay onset of tumor growth and decrease size of tumors present. As little as one serving of soy foods a day (ex: one cup soy milk or 1/2 cup tofu) may be enough to reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer.
Soy foods as Part of a Healthy Diet - Making soy a part of the diet is one of the best defenses against disease.
*These facts were taken from information prepared by Mark Messina, Ph.D. , author of The Simple Soybean and Your Health.* 

*Nutritional Highlights*

Soy nuts (dry roasted), 1/2 cup (86g)
Calories: 387
Protein: 34g
Carbohydrate: 28g
Total Fat: 18.6g
Fiber: 7.0g
*Excellent source of: Folate (176mcg), Magnesium (196mg), Riboflavin (0.65mg), and Thiamine (0.37)

*Foods that are an “excellent source” of a particular nutrient provide 20% or more of the Recommended Daily Value, based upon United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines. Foods that are a “good source” of a particular nutrient provide between 10 and 20% of the USDA Recommended Daily Value. Nutritional information and daily nutritional guidelines may vary in different countries. Please consult the appropriate organization in your country for specific nutritional values and the recommended daily guidelines.

Health Benefits & Concerns for Soy Foods

Cholesterol

An analysis of many trials has proven that soy reduces both total and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. Trials showing significant reductions in cholesterol have generally used more than 30 grams per day of soy protein; if soy protein replaces animal protein in the diet, as little as 20 grams per day may reduce both total and LDL cholesterol. Isoflavones found in soybeans appear to be a key cholesterol-lowering ingredient. While the cholesterol-lowering effect of soy protein or soy isoflavones is inconsistent in people with normal cholesterol levels, the effect of soy protein in people with high cholesterol is consistently beneficial.

Menopause

Soybeans contain compounds called phytoestrogens, which are related in structure to estrogen; research has yet to determine the extent to which these or other compounds in soybeans are responsible for soy’s effect in both premenopausal and menopausal women. Soy is known to affect the menstrual cycle in premenopausal women, and societies with high consumption of soy products have been linked to a low incidence of hot flashes during menopause.

Doctors often recommend that women experiencing menopausal symptoms eat tofu, soy milk, tempeh, roasted soy nuts, and other soy-based sources of phytoestrogens. Soy sauce and many processed foods made from soybean concentrates have low levels of phytoestrogens.

Breast cancer

The commonly held belief that consuming soybeans or isoflavones such as genistein will protect against breast cancer is far from proven.

While Asian countries in which people consume high amounts of soy generally have a low incidence of breast cancer, the dietary habits in these countries are so different from diets in high-risk countries that attributing protection from breast cancer specifically to soy foods is premature. Similarly, women who frequently consume tofu have been reported to be at low risk of breast cancer. However researchers acknowledge that consumption of tofu might only be a marker for other dietary or lifestyle factors that are responsible for protection against breast cancer.

Some studies suggest that consuming soybeans in childhood—but not adulthood—may ultimately be proven to have a protective effect. Still other studies suggest that consuming soy might, under some circumstances, _increase_ the risk of breast cancer.

Scientists who remain hopeful about the potential for soy to protect against breast cancer under some circumstances recommend consumption of foods made from soy (such as tofu)—as opposed to taking isoflavone supplements. Several substances in soybeans other than isoflavones have shown anticancer activity in preliminary research.

Prostate cancer

Genistein is an isoflavone found in soybeans and many soy foods, such as tofu, soy milk, and some soy protein powders. Some research has shown that genistein inhibits growth of prostate cancer cells, helps kill these cells, and has other known anticancer actions.

Some researchers believe that genistein may eventually be a potential treatment for prostate cancer; others are more conservative, saying only that enough evidence exists to recommend that future genistein research be devoted to prostate cancer prevention. Doctors remain hopeful that soy-based foods containing genistein and related isoflavones may eventually be proven to help protect against prostate cancer.

Fibrocystic breast disease

Fibrocystic disease has been linked to excess estrogen. When people with fibrocystic disease are put on a low-fat diet, their estrogen levels decrease; after three to six months, the pain and lumpiness also decrease. The link between fat and symptoms appears to be most strongly related to saturated fat. Foods high in saturated fat include meat and dairy products; fish, nonfat dairy, and tofu are possible replacements.

*Osteoporosis*

Soy foods may be beneficial in preventing osteoporosis. Isoflavones from soy have protected against bone loss in animal studies. In one trial involving postmenopausal women, supplementation with 40 grams of soy protein powder (containing 90 mg of isoflavones) per day protected against bone mineral loss in the spine. And many trials show that a synthetic isoflavone, ipriflavone, reduces the incidence of osteoporotic bone fractures. Although the use of soy in the prevention of osteoporosis looks hopeful, no long-term human studies have examined the effects of soy or soy-derived isoflavones on bone density or fracture risk.


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## BubbaGourmet (Aug 9, 2005)

I use pistachios in my pesto instead of pine nuts. Toast them a little then grind them up. Absolutely killer!


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## TheLemonSong (Aug 9, 2005)

Iron Chef-
While that was an interesting post, in my opinion the source was biased and further more not enough time nor study has ever been put forth to show anything but a general trend that SUGGESTS that soy beans could be good for such illness.  Thats not to say they're not healthy, or to say that your post was inaccurate, rather it is to say that while soy nuts are good, lets not go overboard just yet...

My point that they weren't as good as you think was meant to characterize it nutritionally.  Soy nuts are all the rage right now, and in my opinion there are better nuts out there (walnuts and almonds being among the best).  This is not to say that soy nuts are bad for you, but rather to say that I would not choose them over almonds personally for this pesto recipe...

I began using this recipe in order to add essential fats to my diet, and as your nutritional data shows soy nuts are not as high in fat (and certainly no where near almonds in EFAs!) and contain a much larger amount of carbohydrates (which I'm already getting in the pasta I plan to put the pesto on).  I'm sure they might taste great in a pesto sauce, but nutritionally I'd say almonds are about the best you can get in place of the standard pine nut without sacrificing taste.


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## kitchenelf (Aug 9, 2005)

BubbaGourmet said:
			
		

> I use pistachios in my pesto instead of pine nuts. Toast them a little then grind them up. Absolutely killer!



Bubba - that sounds GREAT!!


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## Andy M. (Aug 9, 2005)

BubbaGourmet said:
			
		

> I use pistachios in my pesto instead of pine nuts. Toast them a little then grind them up. Absolutely killer!


 
I use pistachios as well.  They add a little something extra to the pesto.


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