Almond Recipes

Almond Butter - Nut Butters here
Almond Flour Pancakes with Sunflower Seeds here.
Almond Flour Cake with Fruit here.
Angel Food Cake here.
Brown Butter Pecan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars here.
Brownies, gluten free and vegan here.
Chocolate Cake with almond flour here.
Chocolate Banana Skillet Cake here.
Chocolate Chip Tahini Cookies here.
Chocolate Covered Nut Butter Balls here.
Lemon Almond Polenta Cake here.
Molten Chocolate Cake here.
Pear Frangipane Tart here.
Pistachio and Nectarine Tart here. 
Pizza Crust, gluten free here.
Sesame Tahini Almond Flour Cookies here.

Nutritional Information for Almonds

The nutritional value of almonds was recognized long before individual nutrients were discovered. Texts from thousands of years ago show almond recipes for the infirmed and some texts referred to them for curing headaches, counteracting phlegm and relieving colds and dry coughs.

Almond skin contains more than 20 antioxidant flavonoids. 1 ounce of almonds contains 163 calories, 14g of fats and 4g of fibre. People often shy away from the fat content of nuts but the fat in nuts is the kind your body needs. They are essential to your brain's proper functioning, for healthy skin and a plethora of the body's functions. Having a high quality fat in your meal also discourages overeating as fat triggers satiety ( low fat foods do the opposite - you often still feel hungry). These high quality monounsaturated fats are also excellent for heart health and lowering LDL (bad cholesterol).

Almonds have more vitamin E than any other nut - a rich antioxidant that helps eliminate toxins from the body and boosts the body's defences against illness.

Being high in tryptophan, fatty acids, B vitamins and magnesium make them a great combination of nutrients in support of an anti-depressive diet. These same nutrients and l-carnitine have been shown to help prevent Alzheimer's and help kids with ADHD and other brain related health challenges.

Almonds' high fibre content is excellent for intestinal health - cleaning the colon as it passes through.

Almonds are a '0' on the glycemic index making them an excellent snack for those struggling with blood-sugar fluctuations and diabetes. In addition, their high potassium and low sodium combination is great for people struggling with high blood pressure.

Lastly, almonds are a great source of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium for strong bones and teeth! 3 oz of almonds have 210 mg of calcium (compared to 3 oz of cow's milk = 113 mg of calcium). These nutrients are known to be essential later in life but remember growing kids are developing their skeletal structure so its important to ensure they are getting what they need as well.

Traditional methodologies use almonds in the relief of stagnant qi energy, find them useful in building ojas and to alkalize the blood.

General and Historical Information About Almonds

Despite our common categorization of almonds as nuts, they are actually seeds. This is in part defined by the fact that the shell opens while on the tree whereas a "real" nut won't.

For those lucky enough to be able to grown almonds (Canadian climates have yet to support this, though let us know if you find a farmer who has succeeded!), the green fruit of an immature almond can be eaten - even the shell at this stage can be eaten!

In the middle ages almonds were a sign of wealth and were often quoted in value as part of ones coffers. During lent, almond milk was used to replace dairy. Famous cookbooks (like the earliest surviving medieval cookbook called the 'Little Book of Cookery') of the time featured almonds in many of the recipes.

References

Albala, Ken. Nuts a Global History. London: Reaktion Books, 2014. Print
Haas, Dr. Elson and Dr. Buck Levin. Staying Healthy with Nutrition.New York: Ten Speed Press, 2006. Print
Pitchford, Paul. Healing with Whole Foods. Berkeley: North Atlantic Books, 2002. Print
Tadayyon, Dr. Bahram. The Miracle of Nuts, Seeds and Grains. Xlibris, 2013. Print
WHFoods. "Almonds." http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=20