Don’t get me wrong. Open a bag of pistachios and I’m in heaven. Cashews are delicious, walnuts amazing. Even plain old peanuts are a treat. By themselves.
But put them in something and it’s ruined. Whether it’s ice cream, brownies, cookies or bars, putting nuts on it takes two awesome things and makes them one mediocre thing. So cut it out.
Would you make an exception to that (even a partial exception) in the case of pecan pie?
Nope.
Fine. That leaves all the more for me! I can appreciate that!
How do you feel about peanut butter (or any other nut butter, for that matter)?
I’m not talking Skippy of Jif; I mean nuts ground up into a paste with a bit of salt (or not, as your taste buds prefer).
Like I’d rather just have a handful of nuts.
This post came to me in the voice of Shaggy. 
Now that he mentioned it, I agree completely with the OP.
Plain nuts = goodness.
Nuts incorporated into other foods = badness.
I feel the same way about pickles.
You’re probably better off for that. As long as the nuts don’t have too much salt and you’re not eating too much of them, they’re good for you. Stuff with nuts in it isn’t always as healthy.
How do you feel about nuts in savory dishes? Like a Thai stir-fry or a curry with cashews? Kung Pao chicken? What about walnuts in a salad?
I mostly agree with the OP. I make exceptions for things like Pecan Pie or peanuts in Thai food. But for the most part, nuts are best on their own.
I like nuts, too. I try to eat a low-carb diet, and when that 3 p.m. craving for chips comes on, I instead have a small handful of cashews or hazelnuts. It satisfies the craving for something oily and salty, but it’s far healthier than Doritos. As long as one keeps it to a small handful.
But I like nuts in other things, too. Like walnuts in banana bread. Or pecans in chocolate chip cookies. Or pistachios in pistachio gelato. But since I try to avoid these sugary goodies, it’s a moot point.
You nuts belong in Cafe Society, not MPSIMS.
In a salad I can eat around the walnuts and still have a tasty salad. Asian food is generally so awesome on its own that even with the addition of nuts, it’s still great. (I will be the first to admit, I have an addiction to sweet and sour sauce. You could pour it over an old shoe and I’d think it’s delicious.)
I appreciate a good handful of nuts, too. Some people like to dip their nuts into things. I can’t really support that. I like nuts just as they are. And frankly, more than a handful is wasted.
I can get you a sack for those if you want, MsWhatsit.
Totally, enormously, emphatically disagree with the OP. Walnuts make brownies. Brownies without walnuts are OK, with are a delight. Walnuts kick chocolate chip cookies up a notch. Candied pecans in a salad? Yumminess! Peanuts or cashews in a stir-fry? Yes! Nuts are great by themselves, I’ll give you that, but they’re fantastic as ingredients in all kinds of foods.
To me, walnuts in any kind of cooked dish taste like chunks of wood.
Nuts on salad. Do it. Do it with the next salad you make. Also put dried cranberries on there and you’ll live a long and happy life.
And, while we’re at it, the obligatory clip from Best In Show