Savory Spiced Almonds Quick Recipe
Spice Almonds Recipe & Equipment
Before making these savory and seasoned almonds, they need to be toasted first.
Pan toasted almonds: Yields 1 cup
- 1 cup organic raw almonds
- Mixing bowls/cups/spoons for mise en place ingredients
- Measuring cups/spoons
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Sauté pan
- Wooden spoon
- Pyrex container
Spiced toasted almonds: Yields 1 cup
- 1 cup organic toasted almonds
- 2 tablespoons organic extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- Mixing bowls/cups/spoons for mise en place ingredients
- Measuring cups/spoons
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Wooden spoon
- Pyrex container
Production Steps
Pan toasted almonds:
- Sanitize kitchen (sink, countertops, stovetop/oven, cupboard handles, phone, computer).
- Mise en place ingredients.
- Place the sauté pan in the freezer for 10 minutes.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Put the raw almonds in the cold sauté pan.
- Place the pan on a medium-high heat stovetop.
- Toss/mix the almonds.
- Toast the almonds until they are aromatic. Do not burn them.
- Place the toasted almonds on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Cool the nuts.
- The nuts will last for one month in an airtight container.
Spiced toasted almonds:
- Sanitize kitchen (sink, countertops, stovetop/oven, cupboard handles, phone, computer).
- Mise en place ingredients.
- Combine dry ingredients in a bowl.
- Place toasted almonds onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Pour olive oil onto the nuts and mix so that the oil is evenly coated onto the nuts.
- Evenly sprinkle the dry spiced powder onto the oiled nuts and mix so that all the nuts are coated.
- Store the seasoned nuts in an airtight container.
Are Raw Almonds Safe to Eat?
My journey in culinary school provided a wealth of knowledge. I’m not a huge tree nut and peanut fan, although I enjoy almond milk. Go figure! Anyway, I wasn’t aware of what raw nuts were until this recipe.
Levy (2019) explains that raw almonds have not been cooked, blanched, or pasteurized and still have their brown skins intact. Additionally, studies show that pasteurization doesn’t change the nutritional value of almonds. Raw almonds are quite tough to eat and have a stale-like mouthfeel. Toasting and seasoning them taste much better.
Inflammation, Vitamin E, & Getting Older
There’s a correlation between inflammation and aging. As a clinician working with seniors, many have spoken about their experience of chronic pain. My clients have shared how it affects and disrupts their lives, leaving them helpless and hopeless. What if consuming more vitamin E can optimize a senior’s quality of life?
Did you know almonds are high in vitamin E (Levy, 2019)? That’s great news because Capuron et al. (2009) indicate that studies conclude a relationship between levels of vitamin E and inflammation in older people, which proposes that this may affect their quality of life in reducing pain. Yay!
You know what that means! Let’s get nuts and consume more vitamin E foods, including almonds!
FS x
“Chronic pain is not all about the body, and it’s not all about the brain – it’s everything. Target everything. Take back your life.”
~ Sean Mackey, M.D., Ph.D.
Lecture: “Pain and the Brain.”
References
Capuron, L., Morains, A. Combe, N., Cousson-Gélie, F., Fuchs, D., De Smedt-Peurusse, V., Barberger-Gateau, P., & Layé, S. (2009). Vitamin E status and quality of life in the elderly: Influence of inflammatory processes. British Journal of Nutrition 102, p. 1390-1394. https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/0B84B7B103A4B19364B9340D4C49A80C/S0007114509990493a.pdf/div-class-title-vitamin-e-status-and-quality-of-life-in-the-elderly-influence-of-inflammatory-processes-div.pdf
Levy, J. (2019). Almonds nutrition: Heart-healthy brain booster or fat trap? Retrieved: https://draxe.com/nutrition/almonds-nutrition/
Mackey, S. (2016). Stanford’s Sean Mackey, MD, PhD on “Pain and the brain” [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otUVzK4hToM
