Peanuts - Crunchy Earthy Goodness

There's nothing like a handful of fresh roasted peanuts. The taste is amazing with a combination of roasted , nutty and sweet. The peanut is also a good summer snack. It's perfect for the ball park or the beach. Even better - you can just sit out in your back yard on a summer night eating a whole bag.

Peanuts are American but originated in South America not North. Most likely they came from Brazil and Peru. We have the Spanish explorers to thank for bringing the seeds back to Europe. Traders then exported them to Asia and Africa. It was then brought over from Africa, sadly enough during the slave trade era. Its' nickname in the South 'goober comes straight from the African nguba. We have George Washington Carver to thank for the spread of peanuts during the late 1800s. He was promoted them while at the revered Tuskegee Institute. Peanut crops replaced cotton after a boll weevil epidemic decimated the crop. Carver developed recipes to serve peanuts in a variety of ways , from soups to desserts. Roasted peanuts came around at this time, thanks to Italian immigrants, Amedo Obici and Mario Peruzzi. They also put the nuts in air tight bags and sold them under the name Planters (and created that iconic figure "Mr Peanut"). Around this time peanut butter was invented by a St. Louis Missouri physician . It was given as a protein for people with poor teeth who could not chew the crunchy nuts. Modern peanut butter machines were built in 1922 and that when it was mass marketed.

Peanuts are good for you. Although they are high in calories they 're loaded with good stuff such as zinc, magnesium and potassium. They are high in unsaturated fats and have no cholesterol. Eating them may protect you against any heart disease. They are also high in much needed fiber. If you feel like they're too fattening , then limit your intake. Sometimes just a handful of nuts will be satisfying. Besides they're fun to shell anyway (and you can use the shells as mulch). You can also have a peanut butter sandwich every now and then. This is a quick lunch, uber nutritious with a glass of milk. This is perfect for busy days when a regular meal is impossible.

Peanuts are the perfect snack for any time. Spend a summer evening shelling them and enjoying their rich earthy taste.