Almonds are the world’s second most popular nut and come to no small surprise because they taste good and are full of protein, vitamins, and minerals. But did you know these minute nuts are also great for various foods, including coffee, ice cream, granola bars, pesto dip, and more? You’ll find out about 10 creative uses for almonds that will blow your mind.
10 Creative Uses for Almonds
Almonds are a great source of protein, fiber, and antioxidants. Here are some creative uses for almonds that will blow your mind.
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Almond milk: Add almonds to your regular milk to make delicious and healthy almond milk.
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Almond butter: Spread almond butter on toast or use it as a sauce for fruits or vegetables.
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Almond cake: Combine ground almonds with all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract in a bowl to create an easy almond cake that is sure to please guests.
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Almond ice cream: Enjoy almond ice cream any time of year! Mix 1 cup of raw almonds with 1 cup of heavy cream in a blender until smooth. Serve in bowls and top with your favorite ingredients, such as fresh fruit or chocolate chips.
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Almond paste: Combine ground almonds, sugar, egg whites, and lemon juice in a food processor to form an almond paste that can be used for baking or sweetening up sauces or desserts.
Health Benefits of Almonds
Almonds are a great source of healthy nutrients such as protein, fiber, and vitamin E. They can also help lower bad cholesterol levels, promote heart health, and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Here are some other health benefits of almonds you may not have heard of:
Almonds can help lower harmful cholesterol levels.
One study found that participants who ate a moderate amount of almonds every day had a statistically significant decrease in harmful LDL cholesterol levels compared to those who didn’t eat almonds. Almonds are high in fiber, which helps slow down digestion and keep cholesterol from being absorbed into the bloodstream.
Almonds can promote heart health.
Almonds contain monounsaturated fats, which are essential in promoting heart health. Studies have also shown that people who consume large amounts of monounsaturated fats have a decreased risk of developing heart disease compared to those who don’t drink them or consume only saturated fats.
Almonds can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Consuming nuts helps prevent type 2 diabetes, especially with exercise and a healthy diet. One study showed that people who ate nuts were 25 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who didn’t eat nuts. The reason for this is still unknown, but it is thought that nuts contain fatty acids and antioxidants which protect against the development of diabetes symptoms, such as
10 Ways to Prepare Almonds
There are many creative ways to use almonds that will blow your mind. Here are a few:
Almond milk: Add 1 cup of raw, unsalted almonds to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the almond milk into a glass and enjoy!
Almond flour:
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Grind 2 cups of raw, unsalted almonds into flour in a food processor.
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Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
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Use in place of any other type of flour in recipes, such as breading or cake batters.
Almond paste:
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In a bowl, combine 2 cups of ground almonds with four tablespoons of honey and 6 tablespoons of cornstarch.
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Mix well and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the ingredients to combine.
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Use the almond paste as a filling for pastries or doughnuts or as an all-purpose spread on toast, crackers, or fruit slices.
Almond extract: In a small saucepan over low heat, simmer 2 cups of water with 1/4 cup of almond extract until boiling. Remove from heat and let cool slightly before using in recipe instructions. This almond extract can use like any other type of extract in baking recipes – either subbing it out for regular quotes or mixing it with them to create unique flavors (e.g., strawberry almond extract).
One Amazing Thing You Can Do With Almonds
There are so many amazing things you can do with almonds that it’s hard to know where to start. Here are just a few of the coolest:
Make almond milk. It is a great way to get your daily dose of protein and healthy fats without resorting to dairy products. Just blend up some almonds with water, and voila! You have a nutritious beverage that can be enjoyed on its own or used in recipes.
Use almond flour in place of wheat flour in baking recipes. Not only is this swap good for your gluten-free diet, but almond flour is also high in antioxidants and vitamins like vitamin E, which makes it a great choice when baking treats that contain sugar or other unhealthy ingredients.
Assemble almond tart shells using puff pastry dough instead of pastry cream or egg whites. This substitution saves you time and energy and yields tart shells that are lighter and flakier than their traditional counterparts.
Serve almond butter as a dip for fruits, vegetables, or even whole-grain toast. Not only is this vegan-friendly spread delicious and healthy, but it’s also versatile enough to be used in various recipes.
Recipe: Salted Caramel Pecan Pie
This salted caramel pecan pie recipe is the perfect way to use up those extra almonds. The chocolate and salt combination is a killer combo, and the caramel sauce makes it all come together.
Ingredients:
For the crust:
1/2 cup (120 ml) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups (300 grams) sugar
3/4 cup (180 ml) all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
For the filling:
2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream
1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
3/4 cup (180 grams) granulated sugar
Six large egg yolks, beaten until thick and lemon colored
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For the topping:
Conclusion
Almonds are a classic ingredient in many recipe books, but there are plenty of other ways to use them that you may have yet to consider. From using them as a base for healthy desserts and snacks to adding them to savory dishes for extra flavor, almond have plenty of potential in the kitchen. If you’re looking for new ideas on using almonds, be sure to check out our list below.
