Almonds are healthy

Almonds are much more than a snack or a Christmas baking ingredient. Almonds have always been an important staple food in Ikaria and they are an essential part of a balanced Blue Zone diet, rich in vitamins (B and E), minerals (magnesium, calcium, copper) and unsaturated fats. Almonds are easy to store. According to current studies, just a handful a day protects against diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, high cholesterol levels and, I have read, even leads to an improvement in bone density.

My recipes

You don’t need any specific baking knowledge to make roasted sweet almonds or roasted salted almonds yourself. The small caramelized or salty kernels can be easily made using everyday kitchen utensils.

Homemade roasted salted almonds “Passatempo”

Spread the unpeeled almond kernels on a baking tray, mix with fresh lemon juice and a pinch of salt and place in the preheated oven (oven at 180 °C / gas mark 4) for ten minutes to a quarter of an hour, turning them a few times with a wooden spatula so that they roast evenly . Remove from the oven and let cool on the tray.

• 200 g unpeeled almond kernels
• Juice of one lemon
• 1 tsp salt

My tip: Roasted pumpkin seeds taste just as fantastic!

Roasted herb almonds

These almonds get their great flavor from roasting with garlic, rosemary, coarse salt and olive oil. A delicious snack that can be eaten warm or cold. Goes well with fresh olives and feta.

• 200 g unpeeled almond kernels
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 tsp coarse sea salt

Mix the unpeeled almond kernels with olive oil, garlic and rosemary in a bowl until they are completely coated with oil. Season with the salt. Then spread the mixture evenly on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven (as above) for 10 minutes.

Homemade sugar almonds

• 200 g unpeeled almond kernels
• 100 ml water
• 200g sugar
• 1 packet of vanilla sugar
• Cinnamon

Mix the water with the spices and sugar and bring the mixture to the boil briefly in a small non-stick pan. Then add the almonds and continue to simmer, stirring constantly. Allow the water to evaporate until all the almonds are coated with the sugar mixture. Continue stirring until the sugar is completely caramelized. Place the finished roasted almonds on baking paper and let them cool. Easy right?

My advice: Homemade roasted almonds are a great gift idea! Simply fill small portions into beautiful bags and you’re done.

Kali oreksi! – Bon appetit!

Questions?

Just write me your questions in contact. I’ll answer them as soon as I can :-)