AAI Q and A: Granola, Persimmons, and Pesto Pizza

Dear AAI: I love adding granola to my yogurt in the morning, but have a tough time finding a healthy tasting brand. Can you offer any suggestions?  
Dear Reader: That is a complicated task! There is so many granolas out there, lots of them with too many calories and a lot of added sugars. Two kinds that are lower in calories, but still taste great include: Bear Naked Fit Triple Berry Crunch (120 calories per ¼ cup) and Bola Granola (140 calories per ¼ cup).

Dear AAI: Which is the healthiest when baking: butter, margarine, or spreads and sprays?
Dear Reader: Opt for the spreads and sprays. Spreads and sprays are usually made from vegetable oils, such as olive and canola, which are high in heart-healthy monosaturated fats. Some brands may still contain trans fast in the form of tropical oils, so make sure to read labels to look for partially hydrogenated oils.

Dear AAI: My friend at work keeps talking about persimmons, what are these and are there any health benefits?  
Dear Reader: Persimmons are a citrus fruit available during the winter months. There are two types of persimmons, Hahira (heart-shaped) and Faye (rounded). A Hatchie type tastes like a mango, and a Faye type tastes like an apricot. Persimmons contain 110 calories, 5 grams of fiber, 2,733 IU vitamin A, and 17-mg. vitamin C.

Dear AAI: I love snacking on nuts, but which nut variety offers me the most antioxidants?  
Dear Reader: Nuts are the perfect snack! But, they are not all created equally. The nut with the highest antioxidant levels is a pecan, which contain about 5,000 micromoles per gram. Walnuts come in second with almost 4,000, and hazelnuts are third with almost 3,000.

Dear AAI: I always get the pesto pizza at my neighborhood pizza parlor, but would love to recreate it at home. I cannot seem to find a good pesto recipe; do you have one?
Dear Reader: You’re in luck! In the new Cook This Not That by David Zinczenko, he offers a pesto recipe. It calls for 2 cloves garlic, 2 Tbsp pine nuts, 3 cups fresh basil leaves, ¼ cup grated Parmesan, ½ cup olive oil, and salt and black pepper to taste. Mix all the ingredients together in a food processor, and drizzle the olive oil. It makes about one cup. Enjoy!