Dry Roasted Peanuts

Be it in a movie hall, a zoo, while sitting in the park with your friends, or while trying to kill the tiny pangs of hunger in the middle of a boring class, you will always find people nibbling away on nutritious dry roasted peanuts. Nutrition facts being many, they also come at a very low price. So it does not pinch your pocket much. You get these nearly everywhere, on the roadsides, in family stores, in supermarkets, everywhere.

Nutritional Facts

One fistful of these nuts is rich in nutrients and they provide nearly over 30 essential nutrients and phytonutrients. A handful of peanuts are a rich source of niacin, folate, magnesium, fiber, magnesium, vitamin E, manganese and phosphorus. These peanuts are also free of trans-fats and sodium, and consist of about 25% higher protein than other nuts. For all those who think that eating these nuts will make them fat, they are wrong. Peanuts do contain high amount of fats, but they are unsaturated fats or commonly known as 'good' fats. One single serving consists of 11.5 gms of unsaturated fats and 2 gms of saturated fats. Peanuts also help us to maintain our cholesterol, as recognized by the Food and Drug Administration in the year 2003. According to them, 'scientific evidence suggests, but does not prove, that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, including peanuts, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease'. There are various peanuts health benefits, and eating roasted peanuts also keeps your brain healthy and improves blood circulation. They also act as good antioxidants, and also protect one against colon cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer and heart diseases.

Calorie Content in 1 Cup of Peanuts (plain or salted)

The main thing people are worried about while nibbling on a handful of dry roasted peanuts is the amount of calories that they are consuming. The calorie content in a peanut depends upon whether it's salted, unsalted, or plain peanuts/

The calories are:
1 cup of plain peanuts - 828 calories
1 cup of dry roasted salted peanuts - 854 calories (1 peanut = 6 calories)
1 cup of dry roasted unsalted peanuts - 854 calories (1 peanut = 6 calories)

Recipes to Prepare

These peanuts cannot only be nibbled upon, but they can also be used to make various other food items. You can use it to make varieties of chicken dishes, or you can even use it in cakes, or while making fried rice, or some sweet plates.

Nutty Chicken

Things Required:

• Finely chopped dry roasted peanuts, jackets removed (1 cup)
• Fine dry bread crumbs (½ cup)
• Salt (1¼ teaspoon)
• Poultry seasoning (½ teaspoon)
• Pepper (as per taste)
• Broiler drumsticks (4)
• Broiler wings (4)
• Broth (¼ cup)

Directions:

• In a bowl, mix together the peanuts, crumbs and the seasonings.
• Then dip the chicken pieces in the broth and coat it with the peanut mixture.
• Now place this on a foil lined pan, in a single layer.
• Put it in the oven and bake it at a temperature of 400 degrees F, for 40 minutes, till the chicken becomes tender.
• Be careful that you do not turn the chicken during baking.
• Serve and enjoy!

Thai Peanut Chicken

Things Required:

• Uncooked white rice (2 cups)
• Water (4 cups)
• Soy sauce (3 tablespoons)
• Creamy peanut butter (2 tablespoons)
• White wine vinegar (2 teaspoons)
• Cayenne pepper (¼ teaspoon)
• Olive oil (3 tablespoons)
• Boneless chicken breast halves, cut into thin strips (4)
• Chopped garlic (3 tablespoons)
• Chopped fresh ginger roots (1½ tablespoon)
• Green onions, chopped (¾ cup)
• Broccoli florets (2½ cups)
• Dry roasted peanuts - unsalted (⅓ cup)

Directions:

• Over a medium flame, boil the rice in a saucepan. Reduce the flame, cover the pan and let it simmer for the next 20 minutes till the rice becomes tender. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, peanut butter, vinegar and cayenne pepper, and keep it aside.
• Heat oil in a pan over a high flame. Add the chicken pieces, garlic and ginger, and keep stirring it until the chicken is golden brown from the outside. This will take about 5 minutes.
• Next, reduce the heat to medium and put in green onions, broccoli, peanuts and the peanut butter mixture. Keep stirring for 5 minutes or until the broccoli and the chicken are tender and cooked enough.
• Serve this with rice and enjoy!.

They make the best nuts you have ever tasted. All my friends there says so. These peanuts are baked in nothing, but you can sprinkle just anything on them, salt, chocolate, sugar crumbs, honey, anything. Just roast it and sprinkle your favorite toppings on it and enjoy.