Going nuts on Chestnuts

When aunty Farida asked me Did I enjoy chestnuts...my reaction was CHESTNUTS???

I thought that she meant water chestnuts!!!

I thought about these

Water chestnuts are not nuts at all, but a vegetable that grows in marshes. 

Then I realised I was missing the point....

SIMILAR NAMES BUT ONE IS A NUT & OTHER A VEGETABLE!!

Chest nuts are these

They are shiny brown nuts whose thick casing has long, sharp, needle-like spikes (burrs). There are usually two to four nuts per casing.

Unlike other nuts, chestnuts are 

↑ Starch

↑ Water

↓ Protein 

↓ Fat 

↓ Calories 

↑ Minerals, Vitamins & phyto nutrients (only nut with Vitamin C)

A simple way to roast chestnuts (courtesy Aunty Farida): To microwave your chestnuts, cut the shell of the nuts in an "X" pattern. If you forget to make the cuts then the steam captured in the shell will cause mini explosions in the microwave. Cook nuts on High setting for 30 seconds. Cool, peel, eat. Vary cooking time to suit, overcooking will dry the nut and make it rubbery.

My verdict: Nuts which taste less like other nuts but have a delicate sweet flavour. The texture is more like baked potato when cooked! 

1 kernel is around 20 calories and I would suggest eating 6 kernels in a serving. 

Good to know: Studies indicate that during the winter, people retain more insulin and gain weight. This is not just due to the holidays. As the days get shorter, the body starts craving carbohydrate rich snacks in order to maintain mood and build up calories for the cold.

Chestnuts thus can be a healthy snack on hand this winter!!