The report from the British Food Standards Agency Committee on Toxicity says pregnant women with a family history of hay fever, eczema and food allergies can eat all the peanuts they want. Unless they're allergic themselves – of course. 

The new look at peanut allergies comes on the heels from a Harvard Medical School expert's statements that parents have been taken over by nut hysteria. According to the BBC report on the new advice, Harvard's Professor Nicholas Christakis apparently cited "a gross
over-reaction to the magnitude of the threat" posed by food allergies,
and particularly nut allergies."

Parents, overreact? Not us. Oh wait, is that a nut in my daughter's bowl of all natural, high fiber, whole grain, organic sticks and twigs? Shut down the area. We need a decontamination unit, stat. 

Oh, er, where was I? So Moms, lay back, take it easy. Eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich if you feel the need. Or maybe some Reese's Pieces . . . or how about some peanut brittle? What the heck, just go nuts. 

Image: BBC

Yeah, so the food processor's generally worked well enough up to this point when we need fresh peanut butter in a jiffy (sorry, couldn't resist), but c'mon: Just look at this Peanut Butter Machine from Vintage Electrics and tell me you wouldn't clear counter space for it.

The real reasons it's got us drooling, of course, aren't just aesthetic: Besides its potential to pay for itself after a few weeks' worth of DIY grinding, the machine — whose two-cup hopper also accepts macadamias, cashews, sunflowers and a handful of other nuts and seeds — pumps out warm, fresh nut butter in creamy or crunchy form. It doesn't start shipping until Sept. 29, though, so preorder now and start hoarding nuts in the meantime.

$US49.98 from The Lighter Side Co.