Photo: Courtesy Of Brooke McLay, Franklin Bennett, and Melanie North.
We'll admit it: We're pretty almond-crazy here at R29. But, really, can you blame us? These nuts are packed with all sorts of nutrients, including vitamin E, copper, protein, and fiber. And, they're full of omega-3 fatty acids (a.k.a. healthy fats), which are proven to help keep you full longer. Almonds are great for reducing bloating and inflammation, fighting the effects of aging on your skin — even combatting allergy symptoms. With stats like these, it's a wonder people don't eat these little guys for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
How do you get more of these nuts into your tummy? Good question, readers. We have officially got you covered in the almond department. We picked some of our very favorite almond-centric recipes from Brooke McLay's new cookbook, appropriately titled Almonds Every Which Way. Click through for five ultra-simple, healthy, delicious almond DIYs. The best part? These are not your mom's almond butter recipes.
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Photo: Courtesy Of Brooke McLay, Franklin Bennett, and Melanie North.
Almond Butter Hummus
Hummus has grown in popularity over the years, and for good reason; it’s delicious. This version adds creamy almond butter for a touch of natural sweetness and tons of flavor. Raw or roasted almond butter works equally well in this hummus. The recipe also calls for roasted garlic, which you can usually find in the olive bar, near the deli section of most grocery stores. If you can’t find it, feel free to omit it. Note: This hummus is dairy-free, gluten-free, grain-free, and vegan.
Ingredients
Makes eight servings.
2 cloves roasted garlic
1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
¼ cup + 2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp almond butter
3 tbsp lemon juice
¼ tsp salt
1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
¼ tsp smoked paprika
Directions
Place the garlic, garbanzo beans, ¼ cup of the oil, the almond butter, lemon juice, and salt in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse to desired consistency. Add more salt if desired. Garnish with a sprinkling of fresh, chopped parsley and paprika.
Photo: Courtesy Of Brooke McLay, Franklin Bennett, and Melanie North.
Almond Crunch Crackers
Making crackers at home is surprisingly easy — and these, with just four ingredients, are the simplest almond crackers you can make. They bake up thin and crispy and pair beautifully with savory dips and spreads. Note: This recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free, grain-free, paleo, and vegan.
Ingredients
Makes about 48 crackers.
2 cups blanched almond flour
1 ½ tbsp avocado or olive oil
1 ½ tbsp water
1 tsp coarsely ground sea salt
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Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, stir together the almond flour, oil, water, and ½ the teaspoon of salt until a thick dough forms. Press the dough into a ball and place it between two large pieces of parchment paper. Roll the dough with a rolling pin until ¹/₁₆ inch thick. Use a pizza cutter or pastry cutter to slice the dough into squares.
Carefully transfer the parchment with the cut crackers to a baking sheet. Sprinkle with the remaining sea salt. Bake for 6-9 minutes, or just until the crackers are light-golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool completely before serving.
Photo: Courtesy Of Brooke McLay, Franklin Bennett, and Melanie North.
Almond Milk Alfredo
Pasta lovers, unite: This simple alfredo sauce takes the cream and cheese out of the classic version but retains so much flavor, you won’t miss all the fat. Gluten-free eaters can enjoy this as well (over g-free pasta, that is). If you’re watching your carb content, or just want to boost the veggies in your life, try spooning this sauce over spaghetti squash or zucchini ribbons. Note: This recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free, grain-free, paleo, and vegan.
Ingredients
Makes six servings.
4 tbsp butter or Earth Balance
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 ½ tbsp arrowroot powder or cornstarch
1 cup vegetable stock
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
16 oz fettuccine, cooked
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
Directions
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter and shallots together until the shallots are softened and aromatic, about 2 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together the arrowroot powder and vegetable stock, then pour it into the skillet. Whisk in the almond milk and nutritional yeast. Cook it just until the sauce thickens and is steamy. If you're using cornstarch, whisk just until the sauce begins to boil and thicken.
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Remove from heat and serve over the fettuccine. Sprinkle with nutmeg, salt, and freshly ground pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped parsley.
Photo: Courtesy Of Brooke McLay, Franklin Bennett, and Melanie North.
Korean Lettuce Wraps
Korean red pepper flakes can be found in Asian grocery stores and are great to have around. The bright-red flakes add a bit of heat, but not as much as you might expect. Typically, the flakes comes in bulk, so if you’re new to this recipe (or unsure about Korean food or kimchi spices), feel free to omit them and instead add 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, and 1/2 teaspoon regular-ol' red pepper flakes, instead. Vegan and vegetarian eaters can swap the steak for black beans or vegan crumbles.
Ingredients
Makes six servings.
3 tbsp white vinegar
3 tbsp honey or sugar
¼ tsp salt
½ cucumber, peeled and finely sliced
¼ red onion, finely sliced
2 tbsp avocado or coconut oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
1 pound flank steak, sliced thin, or 1 ½ cups meatless crumbles
½ cup soy sauce
2 tbsp creamy almond butter
2 tbsp Korean red pepper flakes
1 tbsp sesame oil
6 Bibb lettuce leaves
1 tbsp sliced scallions
Directions
In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, 1 tablespoon of the honey, and the salt. Add the cucumber and onion slices to the bowl. Set aside.
In a large skillet, heat the avocado oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and ginger. Cook them until softened, about 1 minute. Add the steak and cook until browned, about 3–4 minutes. Add the soy sauce, almond butter, pepper flakes, remaining honey, and sesame oil to the skillet. Stir until the steak (or meat-free substitute) is coated, then immediately remove from heat.
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Serve the steak in the Bibb lettuce leaves topped with the cucumber mixture. Garnish with sliced scallions, if desired.
Photo: Courtesy Of Brooke McLay, Franklin Bennett, and Melanie North.
Chocolate Almond Butter
Delicious spread on toast or as a surprising fruit/cookie dip, this Chocolate Almond Butter is a perfect pantry item, making on-the-go snacks easy, healthy, and yummy. Note: This recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free, paleo, and vegetarian.
Ingredients
Makes 16 servings.
2 cups raw almonds
3 tbsp raw honey
¹⁄³ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp sea salt
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the almonds on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast in the oven for 10–12 minutes, turning the sheet once in the middle of the baking time.
Allow the almonds to cool before placing them in a large food processor. Pulse until the almonds begin to look sandy (1–2 minutes), then let the food processor run for 10–15 minutes, scraping down the sides as necessary. As the almonds process, the oils will release and create a creamy butter.
Once the preferred consistency is reached, add the honey, cocoa powder, and sea salt. Pulse until all the ingredients are well mixed.
