It’s Almond Harvest Time!

It’s happy harvest season here at Maisie Jane’s orchards…and there’s a whole lot o’ shakin’ goin’ on. Check out these Instagram videos of what’s happening right now. No, that’s not a tornado…it’s a shaker! We use two kinds: one is a mono boom shaker, which shakes one tree at a time from the front, as […]

Posted on September 4th, 2020

Snack on Almonds to Relieve Stress

The results are in: replacing typical snacks with almonds can result in better overall heart function in times of stress. This is great news! With many of us working at home, and having kids at home all day while worrying about viruses, hurricanes and fires…we’re stressed and snacking more than ever! It’s so tempting to […]

Posted on August 31st, 2020

Arugula Salad with Quinoa, Almonds, Apricot & Avocado

The Love & Lemons website is one of my favorite go-to resources for plant-based recipes and food guidance. The recipes are so clearly written and accompanied by delectable photos. Bestselling authors Jeanine and Jack often include nuts in their innovative recipes. I suggest you subscribe to their site and buy their new cookbook too, which includes […]

Posted on August 27th, 2020

Farm to Table, Now More Than Ever

  Once upon a time, I was a youngster growing up in Brooklyn, New York, in a neighborhood dominated by apartment houses, asphalt and concrete. As such, I never thought about how we got food (other than going to the supermarket), or what food looked like in its natural state. As far as I knew, […]

Posted on August 6th, 2020

Certified Kosher? What’s That?

With summer coming to a close, it’s almost time for people around the world to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the first day of the Jewish new year. It’s a holiday marked by special prayers, family gatherings, festive meals and—yum!—sweet foods like eggy challah bread and apples dipped in honey. Nuts and fruits are nearly always present […]

Posted on August 4th, 2020

The Harvest Is Coming!

Look at these sweet little nut-buds. The openings, called hull splits, ensure that these will become actual edible almonds very soon. Hull splits are the opening of the almond husks that allow the nut meats to finish developing and dry. Specifically, for all you nut nerds (we resemble that remark): according to The Almond Doctor, […]

Posted on July 24th, 2020

We Scream for Pistachios!

Have you ever wondered why pistachio nuts are green inside? It’s because they contain chlorophyll, the same component found in leafy greens. Goodly green chlorophyll is what helps plants get energy from the sun, which in turn helps them grow and become yummy food for us. So when your family rebels against eating their veggies, […]

Posted on July 21st, 2020

Why Squirrels Are Nuts About Nuts…and Other Nutty Fun Facts

At my home, we have—well, I won’t call it an infestation of squirrels, but many uninvited furry guests. They’re cute and entertaining, but they don’t clean up after themselves, and my potted deck garden is where they like to live it up. Which got me wondering about why squirrels are as nutty for nuts as […]

Posted on July 14th, 2020

Where’s Walnut? In the Dan Dan Noodles

Walnuts don’t stick around long at our house. Sometimes I have to hide them from certain sneaky snackers in order to have enough on hand for a recipe. But as snacks go, walnuts are one of the healthiest choices; protein-rich and with the highest amount of Omega-3 fatty acids (plant-based, the kind that’s ready to […]

Posted on July 7th, 2020

This Independence Day, Celebrate Family Farms

Family farms are so important! In fact, according to the National Institute of Food and Agriculture of the USDA, more than 90% of farms in the U.S. are classified as small family farms. That’s a lot of family love grown into our food supply. But due to factors that include climate change, giant agribusiness and […]

Posted on July 2nd, 2020