Who’s up for a tropical treat? Saturday is National Macadamia Nut Day, and we’re getting a jump on the celebration! We just love our crisp, rich macadamia nuts, and we think you will, too.

Macadamia nuts were first discovered by European explorers in southeast Queensland, Australia. They became a commercial crop in Hawaii in the 1920s. Today, those Hawaiian-grown macadamia nuts are sold all over the world!

We offer quite a few different items that’ll fit right in this Saturday. Of course, our classic roasted unsalted macadamia nuts and roasted salted macadamia nuts are both customer favorites. Our raw organic macadamia nuts really showcase the natural sweetness and tender texture of the nuts. Our macadamia nut pieces are amazing additions to cookies, candy, muffins and cakes.

If you crave something a bit more luscious, we definitely recommend our chocolate covered macadamia nuts and our dark chocolate covered macadamia nuts. These decadent, chocolate-drenched treats are addictively amazing. We also include macadamia nuts in our supreme roasted mixed nuts, which is a premium assortment of our best offerings, roasted and salted to perfection.

Even pets can get in on the party this Saturday! We sell in-shell macadamia nuts that are perfect for pet tropical birds looking for a treat. They can be tough to crack, though, and humans will have a tough time breaking into them without a special nut cracker.

What’s your favorite macadamia nut treat?

Ever since we took our company online, we’ve gotten to know hundreds of our customers from across the United States (and Canada, too)! Over the years, we’ve come to realize that you guys sure are an amazing bunch. In fact, many of our most enthusiastic customers feel like they’re part of the family.

We’ve decided to feature some of our best customers in an ongoing series of blog posts called “The Nuttiest Nuts.” A couple times a month, we’d like to introduce you to someone who’s just crazy for NutsOnline.

Do you know someone whose pantry is overflowing with those shiny blue bags? Are they ALWAYS expecting an order from NutsOnline? Do they give NutsOnline products as gifts for every occasion? Have people suggested that maybe, just maybe, this person has a hopeless addiction to our dried strawberries or roasted cashews?

Well, we just might feature them in an upcoming blog post!

To nominate the nuttiest nut you know, simply e-mail us at Kathleen [at] nutsonline [dot] com. Tell us the name and e-mail address of your loved one, along with why you feel they deserve to join the ranks of The Nuttiest Nuts. If selected, your nominee will receive a $10 gift certificate to NutsOnline. (And maybe they’ll share it with you!)

There’s no limit to the number of people we’ll feature, so get your nomination in. Who knows, you might just make your friend a star!

Ah, back-to-school time! It seems like summer began yesterday, and already it’s time to hit the books again. The past few months just flew!

Here at NutsOnline, we know that transitioning back to class can be difficult. We’d like to make the start of a fresh school year a bit sweeter for one lucky person, so we’re hosting a Back-To-School Giveaway!

Everyone, from preschoolers to college students, needs energy to keep moving throughout those long school days. We think a custom trail mix is just the thing to get your brain running at full speed. That’s why the winner of this very special giveaway will receive a custom trail mix of their choice, with up to four ingredients!

Know someone who’s headed back to school and deserves a treat? We’d love to hear about them! Leave a message on our Facebook wall or contact us via Twitter. Tell us who you would give the custom trail mix to, why they deserve it and what ingredients you’d include.

We’ll draw the name of the lucky winner on Aug. 31 at noon. The winner’s favorite scholar will receive a 5 lb. bag of the custom trail mix described in their entry, compliments of NutsOnline!

Our custom trail mix is a super-special treat, and the combinations seem endless. Choose from a wide selection of our premium nuts, dried fruit, chocolate, sweets, seeds and snacks to create the perfect mix that your loved one will adore!

Get your entries in for a chance to win! Please, to keep things fair, limit it to one entry per person. The contest is only open to residents of the United States and Canada.

Good luck everyone, and we hope that all the special students in your life have a fantastic school year!

The Celiac Diva reviewed NutsOnline’s gluten-free products and gave us her highest score: five hair tosses! Watch it for yourself below or at her website.

Welcome to The Nutty Scoop’s newest feature, the Nutty Business Spotlight! From time-to-time, we’d like to introduce you to a business that uses NutsOnline’s awesome products to make their creations. Humans aren’t the only creatures who enjoy NutsOnline’s premium products! Cat Jepsen uses our dried fruits to create a special treat for her equine friends.

Deco's Monster Mash is made with NutsOnline's premium dried fruit.

Cat started making her product, Deco’s Monster Mash, as a holiday gift for the horses in her barn, and the idea really took off. The mashes, which Cat describes as “super oatmeal for your horse,” contain a combination of nutritious grains and are topped with a sweet surprise: dried fruit from NutsOnline!

The gourmet bran mash comes in a variety of flavors, including Applepaloosa, Buckin’ Bananaberry, Tropical Trot and Peppermint Piaffe. Cat worked with a classically trained chef to develop the gourmet bran mash, which contains no preservatives, fillers or extra sugar. The product helps aid in hydration and can be used to get finicky eaters to take supplements or medications.

All of the ingredients in Deco’s Monster Mash are natural, for good reason: Customers want to make sure they’re giving their animals the best-quality food. “The equestrian set is very sensitive to natural and healthy products,” Cat said.

Cat said that a big part of the reason Deco’s Monster Mash is so appealing is the bright appearance that NutsOnline’s dried fruit gives the mixes. “I love the quality and color of your products,” she said. “That’s why my little product has flourished. Nothing sells if it is not also quite pretty and your fruits are beautiful!”

Cat’s horse Decoupage was the inspiration for Deco’s Monster Mash, and he serves as the product’s spokeshorse today. On her

Decoupage, the spokeshorse for Deco's Monster Mash.

website, Cat says: “As a high-performance dressage horse, he’s the kind of guy who must stay hydrated and could never be happy with those other ‘puny’ mashes that are on the market.” The hearty mash was created just for him, and it sure does keep his energy up!

Cat said that NutsOnline’s products have truly made a difference in Deco’s Monster Mash. “This started as a fun, nutritious holiday gift to the horses in our barn and has blossomed into a company all its own, and you have been there with me every step of the way.”

If you have an equine buddy in your life, Deco’s Monster Mash may be just the thing for him!

Though we offer quite a few mainstream snack options at NutsOnline, we’re always on the lookout for yummy treats that our raw foodies can enjoy. Well, we sure have found some! Our raw, sprouted nut and seed mixes are bursting with flavor that just about anyone can appreciate. And, for a limited time, these mixes are 15 percent off. It’s the perfect time to give ‘em a try!

Our raw, sprouted mixes start off as premium nuts and seeds. They’re germinated by soaking in water overnight. This process activates dormant enzymes and nutrients and transforms fats into healthful amino acids. The live enzymes help our bodies more easily digest the nuts and seeds, and reap the benefits of their spectacular nutrition.

After the germination process is complete, the mix is air-dried at low temperatures and seasoned. The resulting product is a delicious mix that can be enjoyed as a sweet or savory treat!

The savory varieties of this raw, sprouted snack are sure to make your taste buds tingle. Cilantro lime pistachios and pepitas are seasoned with just a hint of jalapeno spice. Rosemary garlic pistachios and almonds have the smooth, rich flavor of olive oil. Sesame teriyaki almonds and cashews are spicy and sweet, with hints of wheat-free tamari, ginger and maple. Sun-dried marinara almonds and pistachios offer a fantastic Italian flair that’s awesome on salads.

We also offer sweet blends that are perfect for dessert or a mid-afternoon snack attack. Our raw cacao almonds and raisins, as well as our raw cacao Brazil nuts and mulberries, have a smooth chocolate flavor. Maple mesquite pod walnuts are glazed with pure maple, Peruvian mesquite flour and warming spices. White chocolate chip almonds, cashews and cacao nibs are a truly decadent treat tossed with cacao butter and agave.

Have you tried the raw, spouted nuts mixes yet? What do you think? We’d love any feedback you’d like to offer about these awesome snacks!

Mad Maggie's, all decked out for the Fourth.

Welcome to The Nutty Scoop’s newest feature, the Nutty Business Spotlight! From time-to-time, we’d like to introduce you to a business that uses NutsOnline’s awesome products to make their creations. Today, let’s take a little trip to North Andover, MA, to visit a sweet ice cream shop called Mad Maggie’s.

This nutty business sells homemade ice cream, and owner Steve Reppucci says that they pride themselves on offering unique flavors that are made with the highest-quality ingredients. It’s this drive for quality that led Steve to NutsOnline in the first place. Unhappy with the nuts he was getting from his suppliers, Steve sought out a company that could keep him flush with fresh ice cream toppings and mix-ins.

“I use NutsOnline for a couple of reasons,” Steve said. “First, the nuts are fantastic, always fresh and crisp and customers notice the difference. Secondly, your shipping is so quick that I tell friends that you’re our ‘offsite warehouse’ — I can place an order Monday through Thursday and know that they’ll show up with the UPS delivery the following day, so I don’t need to order weeks ahead of time. “

A young customer enjoys her sweet treat.

Mad Maggie’s goes through a variety of NutsOnline nuts each week, including walnuts, pistachios, pecans and almonds. The ice cream artists at the shop are regularly mixing up specialty flavors and old favorites that require the nuts. They add about two quarts of lightly crushed nuts to each five-gallon container of rich homemade ice cream.

Steve said he also likes trying other products when he’s experimenting with new flavors. His Cappuccino Espresso Bean ice cream, which is a customer favorite, includes a generous sprinkling of NutsOnline’s dark chocolate-covered espresso beans.

However, some experiments work out better than others. “I tried using your buffalo peanuts awhile back, but just couldn’t come up with a flavor that worked for ice cream,” Steve admitted.

Though Mad Maggie’s offers a plethora of wacky flavors such as “Candy Store Floor” (a confection-laden creation invented by Steve’s 11-year-old son, David), it’s really the basic, pure flavors that make the shop’s offerings so sweet. In fact, Steve says that one of the most special varieties is their North Andover Maple Walnut, made with NutsOnline’s walnuts and locally harvested maple syrup.

North Andover Maple Walnut ice cream is a local favorite at Mad Maggie's.

“I humbly feel that we make the best Maple Walnut of anyone in the area (and we have a LOT of homemade ice cream makers here in Massachusetts),” Steve said.

Mmmm, we can just taste that sweet mapley goodness now!

The next time you’re near North Andover, we highly recommend that you take a little trip to Mad Maggie’s. This nutty business offers quality premium ice cream that’s sure to tickle your sweet tooth!

All photos courtesy of Mad Maggie’s Ice Cream. To see more, visit their Facebook page.

When the temperature heats up, we usually turn to the grill instead of heating up the house with the oven. However, outdoor cooking can be more elegant than simple hot dogs and hamburgers. Stuffed dates are a summer classic in our house. They’re easy to prepare and the perfect combination of sweet and salty! The best part is that they fit in just as well at a fancy summertime soiree as they do on your family’s dinner table.

We started making these delicious appetizers because we love NutsOnline’s moist, plump dates. You can really use any type of date for this project, but we suggest our pitted dates.They eliminate the extra work required to pop out the pits before stuffing the dates.

Slice each date along one side so that you can pry it open just a bit. Stuff the date with a bit of your favorite kind of cheese (we love cream cheese, gorgonzola and feta). Pop a roasted, salted nut into the center of the date. Roasted almonds and roasted pecans have a smoky flavor that pairs nicely with the fruit’s sweetness.

Close the date and wrap it in a thin slice of prosciutto or bacon. Thread it onto a thin metal skewer to keep the meat in place. Repeat the process until the rest of the dates have been stuffed and wrapped. You should be able to fit five to six dates on each skewer.

Heat the grill until you have a glowing, low fire. Place the skewers over fairly indirect heat and grill them on each side for two to three minutes. Remove them when the meat is crisp and the fruit is fragrant.

Serve the stuffed dates with fresh fruit, cheese and bread. Yummy!

We adore finding new recipes for crispy, crunchy snacks that are also good for us. We recently discovered another winner! Homemade roasted chickpeas are so simple it’s almost silly, but their rich flavor is so amazing that you won’t be able to stop yourself from munching down the whole bowl. The best thing? Chickpeas are rich in protein and iron, and are an especially perfect snack for vegetarians and vegans.

Start with about ½ lb of our dried organic chickpeas. Pour them into the bottom of a large pot, then add just enough cold water to cover them. Sprinkle in a few pinches of salt, bring the water to a boil and let the beans simmer until they’re tender. This should take anywhere from one to three hours, so be patient!

Drain the cooked chickpeas and pat them dry with a clean dishtowel. Pour them into a bowl and coat them with 1 to 2 tbsp. of olive oil. Season the peas with some salt, fresh-ground black pepper and the spices of your choice. Not sure what to choose? Some of our favorites include bbq seasoning, wasabi seasoning, curry powder and garlic and herb seasoning.

Pour the chickpeas into a single layer on a cookie sheet and slide them into a 350- to 375-degree oven. Bake them for about 45 minutes, pulling them out every 15 minutes to stir them. The chickpeas are ready when they’re evenly crunchy, without a trace of mealiness. Be sure to keep an eye on them while they’re cooking! This snack tends to burn quickly, especially toward the end.

Serve them warm or allow them to cool and store them in an airtight container. Scrumptious!

If you’re looking for something that’ll give you energy and nutrition, we’ve got just the thing. Our 100 percent raw, sprouted superfood cereals pack the good stuff into tasty, crunchy mouthfuls of deliciousness. The best part? All varieties are 15 percent off right now! You’ve got to snag ‘em soon, though. This limited-time offer will be up in just a few days!

Our four varieties of superfood cereal each have their own group of fans, and we can see why. They offer unique flavors and quality ingredients that are sure to please even the pickiest diner. The cereals are also certified gluten-free, making them friendly for those with gluten-sensitive digestive tracts

Acai blueberry superfood cereal is perfect for people who crave color in their diet. The grain-free cereal is packed with blueberries, elderberries, bilberries, camu camu and alma. It also contain acai for super antioxidant power.

Chia ginger superfood cereal is a supergrain-packed powerhouse, with chia seeds, quinoa and amaranth. Ginger lovers will adore the cereal’s spice, and its slightly sweet flavor from raw honey and hawthorn berries really makes it as delicious as it is healthful.

Hemp and greens superfood cereal is a newer addition to our product line, but it already has oodles of fans. The cereal pairs sprouted buckwheat with the protein of chlorella and spirulina, and spinach, dandelion, and alfalfa give it extra green goodness. The addition of bananas, raw honey and golden raisins makes this cereal slightly sweet without being overwhelming.

Cacao crunch superfood cereal may look like some of your childhood favorites, but don’t confuse it with sugary creations found in stores. This crunchy buckwheat cereal is coated with raw cacao, and is rich in the antioxidants and magnesium that can help strengthen your brain.

What’s your favorite superfood cereal?