Show A Little Love for Almonds

National Almond Day may have been yesterday, February 16th, but you can still celebrate by enjoying this delicious food any day! Almonds are a type of tree nut that thrives in Mediterranean climates. Eaten alone, almonds have a dry, neutral flavor; they aren’t sweet or bitter tasting.

Almonds are a very nutritious food that can be a yummy addition to your meals. They come packed with fiber, plant protein, vitamin E, manganese, and magnesium. Including almonds into your day can help lower blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.

4 Types of Almonds

Like many other types of nuts, almonds can be processed in several different ways. Here are 4 of the types of almonds you might see:

Raw or natural almonds mean they are unprocessed. These almonds have not been roasted, salted, smoked, and so on. If you are looking to keep your sodium intake low, these may be your best choice.

Roasted almonds can be oil roasted or dry oven roasted. In either form of processing, the almonds are exposed to intense heat to give them a certain flavor. After roasting, sometimes salt or honey flavoring will be added.

Salted almonds are exactly what it sounds like: almonds with added salt. You can usually find these almonds roasted with salt or lightly salted.

Almond butter is similar to peanut butter, except it’s made with almonds. The nuts are crushed and processed until they form a spreadable product. You can use this in the same way you would peanut butter such as on a sandwich with jelly or in your morning oatmeal.

4 Tasty Ways to Enjoy Almonds

Once you’ve decided to add almonds to your diet, you might be wondering what recipes you can experiment with. Keep reading to hear some of my favorite suggestions!

Muffins – You can add sliced almonds into the batter for a nutty crunch or on top for an enticing finish.

Smoothies – You can add a handful of almonds to your smoothies for some extra nutrition.

Toast – Spread some almond butter on whole grain toast and top with sliced bananas for a quick, easy breakfast.

Salads or Coleslaw – Almonds make the perfect crunchy topping for any veggie-filled salad or tasty coleslaw.

If you’re looking for even more inspiration, check out some of the recipes in my cookbook, Enjoying Food Peace. You can find it on Amazon! Whichever way you choose to add almonds to your day, you can’t go wrong.

Your Turn to Take Action: How will you celebrate National Almond Day? Let me know in the comments below!