See here for a bit about the term "pignolia" and the culinary uses for pine nuts. This is my first experience with them, so I can't compare this particular TJ's preparation with any other pine nuts. But I find that I like them as a salad topping. They taste much like peanuts, but somewhat sweeter. These have no salt (or sugar) added, but they don't seem to need it as badly as peanuts do.
Will I buy it again?
After finding that I liked them, I thought the answer to this would be a straightforward yes. They make for a cheap, easy, and tasty way to add some protein to a green salad. But then I looked more carefully at the nutrition information on the back. One 1/4-cup serving gives 4g of protein--but 20g of fat. Fat delivers 9 calories per gram; protein 4. So you're getting 11 calories from fat for every 1 calorie from protein here. This puts the brakes on my plans to have pine nuts be a regular staple of my salads. I think, then, that I'll put this item in my "occasional purchase" category.
TJs definitely has the best price for pine nuts, i buy them once in a while for pesto-be sure to keep in the fridge since they can spoil quickly once opened.
ReplyDeleteFor salads i often get the roasted sunflower seeds which compare at 6g protein, 16g fat and 4g fiber per 1/4c and they're really cheap
Ttrockwood