We all know that getting enough protein and calcium is important. Many people get these vital dietary components from milk, cheese and yogurt, but what’s a non-dairy lover to do? Nut milk may be the answer!

Nut milk is a fantastic source of vitamins and nutrients for vegans, raw foodists and those who are lactose-intolerant. The beverage has a mild, slightly sweet flavor that won’t overpower dishes. Besides beneficial calcium and protein, nut milk also offers the same healthy fats, fiber and potassium as the nuts themselves. Best of all, nut milk is incredibly easy to make at home.

You can make nut milk from just about any raw nuts and seeds. Popular choices include almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds and sunflower seeds. Try different combinations of nuts and seeds until you find the one you like best!

Before transforming the nuts into milk, you’ll need to soak them overnight. Pour them into a bowl, add enough water to completely cover the whole batch and leave them in a cool spot for at least eight hours. Soaking the nuts activates the enzymes that allow them to sprout. These enzymes make digesting the milk easier on the body. The soaked nuts will also be softer and easier to blend.

Pour the nuts into a strainer and rinse them under cool water. Transfer them to a food processor and add 3 cups of water for every cup of nuts. This will produce a nut milk that has the about the same consistency of 2 percent milk. If you like it a bit thicker or thinner, adjust the amount of water accordingly.

Process the nut milk until the nuts are ground into a fine paste and the liquid is milky white. At this point, you can strain the milk if you desire. Strained nut milk has none of the pulp (or fiber) left in it, but it more closely resembles cow’s milk and is easier to substitute in recipes.  Unstrained nut milk is best used in smoothies.

To strain the nut milk, pour it through a fine mesh sieve positioned over a large bowl. The liquid will take some time to drain from the pulp, so you may want to leave it alone for an hour or so. Most people discard the pulp, but you can also use it to make nut flour, raw cookies, cereal or body scrub.

Nut milk is great as-is, but if you desire you can flavor or sweeten it. The best thing about making your own nut milk is that you can adjust it to your tastes! Try adding some vanilla or almond extract or some raw cacao powder to the milk. Whole cinnamon sticks or dried ginger root can be steeped in the milk while it chills in the fridge (about 12 hours) to give it a spicy taste. Sweeten the milk with real maple syrup, raw honey, agave syrup or liquid stevia extract.

Store homemade nut milk in a sealed glass jar or pitcher and refrigerate it for about three days. The milk’s shelf life varies, but if it begins to smell sour or unusual, discard it.

When looking to amp up your diet, it’s important to work in some variety. Have you ever considered persimmons? These quirky, sometimes slightly sour fruits offer quite a few of the vitamins and minerals needed to keep you going.

Fresh persimmons are bright, reddish-orange fruits that resemble tomatoes. These spherical treats are often eaten when slightly soft, and some varieties can be used in baking. Like most yellow and orange produce items, persimmons are valued for their ability to help maintain vision and heart health. They also promote a healthy immune system, offering a vitamin C boost that can’t be beat.

Persimmons are a fantastic source of vitamins A and C, and they also offer a solid dose of manganese. This mineral aids in maintaining normal blood sugar levels, helps the body process cholesterol and fatty acids, and strengthens bones. Persimmons also contain vitamin B6 and potassium.

Soluble fiber is also found in persimmons, which is great news for those looking to increase heart health. Consuming this type of fiber has been shown to lower blood sugar levels and ward off heart disease.

If you don’t live in a region where fresh persimmons are readily available, don’t fret. Dried persimmons offer most of the same health benefits, along with a buttery, smooth texture and rich flavor. These treats, which contain no additional sugar or other additives, can be nibbled as a nutritious snack or used to make persimmon tea.

Persimmon tea is a natural acid reflux remedy that is most prevalent in Asian herbal medicine. The brew, which is sometimes known as persimmon punch is a daily digestive aid, and making it from scratch is simple.

Combine 2 quarts of water, ½ cup of thinly sliced ginger and three cinnamon sticks in a saucepan and simmer the ingredients over medium heat for 30 minutes. Remove the tea from the heat and pour it through a fine mesh strainer to remove the ginger and cinnamon sticks. Add 1 cup of dried persimmons and 1-½ cups of white sugar to the mixture and allow it to cool. Put it in the refrigerator overnight, then serve it cold with a teaspoon of pine nuts floating on top of each cup if desired. If you don’t like to use white sugar in cooking, try substituting honey or another natural sweetener to taste.

Give persimmons a whirl, won’t you? Whether you’re using the fruit to treat an existing ailment like acid reflux or just looking to add some variety to your diet, persimmons offer solid nutrition and an addicting flavor that is truly unique.

The unique spice of ginger is something that’s often enjoyed in cookies, cakes and teas. But did you know that the knobby rhizome lends more than just a snappy kick to foods?

Ginger has long been touted as having medicinal benefits. Since ancient times, Asian, Indian, and Arabic herbal medicine has used it to treat a variety of ailments, including stomach upset, colic, heart conditions and arthritis. It turns out that in many cases science backs up those traditions.

Perhaps the most common modern medical use for ginger root is in the treatment of nausea and vomiting. Doctors often recommend that those who regularly experience mild motion sickness munch on ginger-laced items to quell the symptoms. Pregnant women with morning sickness can also get some relief by chewing on pieces of the rhizome or sipping ginger tea.

Ginger is also widely used as a natural remedy for hot flashes related to menopause and cancer treatments. Chewing on ginger or ginger-flavored items can calm the sudden-onset symptoms as they occur and prevent them from returning.

When it comes to viruses like the common cold, ginger can also be a helpful recovery aid. Ginger tea soothes sore throats, producing a numbing sensation. The spicy tea can also open up clogged nasal passages and relieve coughing.

Modern doctors aren’t entirely sure why ginger helps ease the symptoms of so many ailments. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that the volatile oils and pungent phenol compounds found in ginger root are thought to be the active components, but it hasn’t been studied thoroughly enough to make a definite conclusion. Regardless of the reason, many health professionals who ascribe to natural remedies can’t get enough of this wonder rhizome.

There are many different ways to work ginger into your diet. Adding fresh ginger to your food or boiling it in water to make a ginger herbal tea is always an option, of course. If you don’t have the fresh version on hand, you can also get that gingery goodness from other sources. Crystallized ginger is a spicy, sweet treat that’s very popular and great to take on the go. You can also steep a sugary slice in hot tea to give your drink some pep. Ground ginger can be added to soups, hot drinks or baked goods like breads, cookies and muffins. Candies containing ginger oil, such as Ginger Cuts, can soothe coughs. If you crave something a bit more luxurious, dark chocolate ginger slices may be right up your alley.

It’s important to check with your doctor if you’re taking prescription medications on a regular basis before beginning an herbal treatment plan that includes ginger. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, studies have shown that ginger can interact with blood-thinning medications. Once you get the go-ahead, dive right in! Even when you’re feeling top-notch, ginger can spice up your day and your diet.

See some NutsOnline customer testimonials on crystallized ginger here.

More and more people are choosing to go organic these days, citing environmental and health concerns. As the demand expands, so has the number of organic items available in stores and online. But if you’re contemplating switching to organic foods, you may be left with a simple question: What exactly does that organic label mean?

Organic foods are items that are grown or raised without unnatural pesticides, weed killers, chemical fertilizers or synthetic drugs. Organic farmers use natural substances to grow their crops and ward off insects. All foods that carry the organic label in the United States come from a farm that has been inspected by a government official. These farms must meet stringent standards and undergo rigorous (and expensive) licensing tests, so you can rest assured that they offer organics that are up to snuff.

Though fresh fruits and vegetables may be the most noticeable organic foods in stores these days, pretty much any edible item (including animal products) can be organic. Organic meat, eggs and dairy products come from animals that consume organic feed and are not treated with antibiotics or growth hormones.

Because organic food production does not leach chemicals into the soil, it is better for the planet than traditional farming. Organic items generally come from smaller farms because the process is so much more labor-intensive, a fact that helps conserve both land viability and water supplies.

Some people also believe that organic products are better for your health. It is true that even when they’re washed, non-organic produce items still contain trace amounts of pesticides. These pesticides can cause harm in large doses, but studies haven’t definitively shown whether the small amounts found in non-organic food items affect humans negatively. However, if you do decide that you’d like to reduce or eliminate those type of chemicals from your diet, going organic will certainly ensure that they won’t sneak in. Because organic items do not contain the same preservatives, they also tend to be fresher and may offer more nutrients in some cases.

It is true that organic food can be costly; this is because organics are more expensive to produce. Growing organics requires more manpower and attention. Because organic farms tend to be on the small side, they may not qualify for financial help from the government that helps larger, non-organic producers keep the prices down. You can stretch your organics budget by focusing your efforts on the fruits and vegetables that tend to have the highest pesticide levels: apples, bell peppers, peaches, celery, cherries, kale, nectarines, strawberries, lettuce, grapes, pears and carrots.

Want to make the switch? It’s OK to take it easy at first! If you’re concerned about quick-spoiling fresh produce, start off by trying out some organic dried fruit and organic nuts. Dried organic mango is a sweet treat with a mellow flavor, and organic mixed nuts offer variety. Organic trail mix is great for munchers on the go!

You can also mix up a batch of custom organic trail mix by combining your favorite varieties of dried fruit and nuts. A mixture of dried blueberries, dried cherries, banana chips and macadamia nuts offers a great combination of sweetness and crunch that can’t be beat!

When it comes to eating for your health, many people swear by a plant-based diet. This style of eating can take on many forms, from simply working more fruits and veggies into your day to transitioning to a full-on vegan regimen. Want to take things a step further? Focusing on raw foods is one way to bring a plant-based diet to a whole new level.

A raw food diet generally consists of uncooked, unaltered plant-based items. This can include fresh produce, whole grains, sprouted seeds, beans, some varieties of dried fruit and raw nuts. Alcohol, caffeine and processed sugars are generally prohibited, as are animal products (with the possible exception of unpasteurized milk and eggs). Strict raw programs usually consist of about 75 percent fruits and vegetables.

Those who follow a strict raw food diet will not eat food that’s been heated beyond 115 to 118 degrees Fahrenheit. This is because they believe that warming the items destroys enzymes and vitamins that are critical for proper digestion. Though this point is a matter of hot debate in the scientific community, some studies do suggest that raw items are slightly more nutrient-rich than their cooked counterparts.

If you’re considering transitioning to a full-on raw food diet, make sure to do your research first! Raw foodists must consume a delicately balanced selection of items each day to get all of the fuel their bodies need to function. It is also prudent to take a multi-vitamin to make sure you’re getting enough vitamin B12, calcium, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids.

If you’re interested in testing the waters but aren’t ready to jump in the pool, never fear! You don’t need to go all in to reap the benefits that a raw diet offers. Raw diets are naturally low in fat, sodium and sugar, as well as high in fiber. Simply incorporating more raw items into your daily diet (as opposed to processed items) can help you lose weight and gain energy.

Start out slow by snacking on raw almonds, fruits and veggies. You could give exotic Turkish figs a whirl, or nosh on Cacao Goji Energy Squares for a quick boost.

Work in more raw items as the mood strikes; for instance, you can make a filling and nutritious chia seed smoothie for breakfast. Pour 16 ounces of water into a blender. Turn the appliance onto the lowest speed and slowly add 2 to 3 tablespoons of ground chia seeds to the water. Finally, throw in a few handfuls of berries or sliced bananas, turn off the blender and let the smoothie sit for about five minutes. The chia seeds will thicken the smoothie and cause it to resemble a loose gel. Chill the smoothie if desired, then drink it down!

Granola is a sweet, satisfying way to start your day.  Store-bought granola is dandy, and we offer quite a few varieties that are sure to please. However, if you’re jonesing for something a bit different, why not try making you own?

A good homemade granola has several components: an oat mixture, a glaze and mix-ins. Once you get these areas down pat, it’s simple to build the cereal of your dreams

The Oat Mixture

The base of most granolas is a mixture of oats, coconut and other grains. One batch of granola requires about 5 cups of these ingredients, about 4 cups of which should be old-fashioned rolled oats. The remaining cup can be a mixture of shredded coconut and a finer grain, such as oat bran or toasted wheat germ. For best results, use an unsweetened shredded coconut. Stir the oat mixture together in a large bowl and set it aside while you prepare the glaze.

The Glaze

After mixing up the oat mixture, you’ll need to prepare a glaze for the granola. This sticky mixture lightly flavors the homemade granola while also allowing it to toast up to a nice, crunchy texture in the oven. The base of any glaze should be ¼ cup of light brown sugar and about 1 tsp. of good-quality ground cinnamon. This will give the glaze the rich, spicy flavor notes that go so well with dried fruit and nuts. Dump the sugar and cinnamon in a small saucepan and add ¼ cup of a neutral-tasting oil such as vegetable or canola. Stir in ¼ cup of real maple syrup or honey. Cook the glaze over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it boils and foams up in the saucepan. Remove it from the heat and add 1 to 2 tsp. of pure vanilla extract.

Pour the glaze over the oat mixture and stir until everything is evenly coated. Spread the granola in an even layer on a cookie sheet and bake it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes, stirring it every five minutes. The homemade granola will be golden brown, but still a bit soft when it’s finished baking. It will firm up as it cools. Transfer the granola to an open container and let it cool completely, stirring it occasionally to break up clumps.

The Mix-Ins

Once the granola has cooled, it’s time for the fun part! Customize your homemade granola by mixing about 2 cups of your favorite dried fruit and nuts into the cereal. For example, you could make a high-antioxidant cereal by adding walnuts and dried blueberries. Stir in sliced natural almonds and unsweetened dried banana chips to create a high-energy snack for after workouts. Freeze-dried fruit pairs well with the toasted oat mixture to make a delightfully crunchy, light treat that’s good on the go.

The most important rule about choosing granola mix-ins is that there are no rules! Experiment with different flavor combinations and chow down on that homemade healthy goodness.

Browse NutsOnline’s selection of nuts here and dried fruit here.

Are you ALIVE?  Well, you’d better be!!! We just added the entire sprouted nut product line from this great company called Living Intentions. Instead of roasting their nuts, they sprout them, which is a process that involves soaking the nuts in water and then seasoning and gently air-drying at low temperatures less than 115 degrees. Drying at low temperatures, instead of roasting, protects all of the live enzymes and nutrients. The end result is LIVE nuts! Check out the great flavor sprouted products below:

Acai Blueberry Superfood Cereal

Cacao Crunch Superfood Cereal

Chia Ginger Superfood Cereal

Cilantro Lime Pistachios & Pepitas

Hemp & Greens Superfood Cereal

Sprouted Super Flour

Sweet & Spicy Chipotle Pistachios

Wild Berry Sprouted Trail Mix

Rosemary Garlic Pistachios & Almonds

Sesame Teriyaki Almonds & Cashews

Sprouted Pumpkin Seeds

Mango Goji Fire Sprouted Trail Mix

Maple Mesquite Pod Walnuts

Raw Cacao Brazil Nuts & Mulberries

Sprouted Almonds

White Chocolate Chip Almonds, Cashews & Cacao Nibs

Raw Cacao Almonds & Raisins

Sun Dried Marinara Almonds & Pistachios

We received such a response from you all when we added fruit leather a couple of months ago that we had to go searching for more. And boy did we find a great new addition! Organic Noni Fruit Leather comes from Hawaii. Not only is it sweet tasting, but it is also the ultimate first-aid kit. It can be used as a bandage, paste, cream, lotion or antibiotic rinse, and, placed in the mouth or eaten. You can use it to help sore throats and colds, toothaches and gum problems, internal parasites and stomach disorders, as well as treat a wide variety of chronic diseases.  Wow.  Sure does a body good!

Gosh, it’s been a while since our last post, but that will surely change. I’ve been inspired to start posting again. This post will be a little long winded, but I am very excited and can’t help it!

These days I have been running a lot (have a half marathon in a few weeks). Unfortunately I have a tendency to run too hard, too fast, too long, too soon, and every year I end up hurting myself. This time around I want to do it right, so I started reading all kinds of running books. I hit upon a fantastic book called Born to Run. It is a wonderful tale covering all angles of running, but I don’t want to digress. Simply put, if you like running, read this book.

So, the narrator is on a mission to meet an amazing tribe in Mexico called the Tarahumara that run happily and super humanly their entire lives! He does indeed track them down and before going out for a run they give him a drink called iskiate. I won’t be able to do this justice, so please excuse me as I borrow a paragraph for ya:

Months later, I’d learn that iskiate is otherwise known as chia fresca – “chilly chia.” It’s brewed up by dissolving chia seeds in water with a little sugar and a squirt of lime. In terms of nutritional content, a tablespoon of chia is like a smoothie made from salmon, spinach, and human growth hormone. As tiny as those seeds are, they’re superpacked with omega-3s, omega-6s, protein, calcium, iron, zinc, fiber and antioxidants. If you had to pick just one desert-island food, you couldn’t do much better than chia, at least if you were interested in building muscle, lowering cholesterol, and reducing your risk of heart disease; after a few months on the chia diet, you could probably swim home. Chia was once so treasured, the Aztecs used to deliver it to their king in homage. Aztec runners used to chomp chia seeds as they went into battle, and the Hopis fueled themselves on chia during their epic runs from Arizona to the Pacific Ocean…

He then goes on to take a swig and writes: Maybe the excitement of the hunt had something to do with it, but within minutes, I felt fantastic. Even the low throbbing headache I’d had all morning from sleeping on a frosty dirt floor the night before had vanished.

Hehe…so guess what I put in my oatmeal every morning! Good thing we literally have tons in stock. Chia seeds, we all salute you!

That’s Jonathan (our summer intern) in the middle and me on left after a running race last summer.  Jonathan’s parents surround him (his dad is one of our computer whizzes) and my dad (Kenny) is proudly supporting NutsOnline on the right!

Ok, just kidding.� We love vacation, but when it comes to our customers we never stop trying to introduce new and exciting products to tickle the palate!� Here goes, with some exciting additions (for now)!
Organic Sesame Tahini

Organic Sunflower Butter

Dark Chocolate Covered Australian Licorice

Supreme Dark Chocolate Covered Blueberries

Mint Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans

Supreme Dark Chocolate Covered Cherries

Dark Chocolate Covered Kona Beans

Organic Maca Powder

Milk Chocolate Nonpareils (Rainbow)

Dark Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Cinnamon Imperials