Amazing Almond Recipes For The Health Conscious!



“To keep the body in good health is a duty otherwise we shall not be able to keep the mind strong and clear.” – Buddha

Choosing a healthy lifestyle is of supreme importance and sooner or later we all come to terms with it. The sooner you realize it, the more beneficial it is for the body. With increased awareness about the benefits of healthful living, there has been a major shift towards making healthier food choices and cooking healthy recipes. There are many healthy foods in the market that you can try to include in your diet and make the most out of their wonderful properties. 

One such category is dry fruits and nuts. We at Himalayan Natives offer you 100% natural nuts that are farmed and harvested with the highest quality control standards to ensure purity & consistent quality. Nuts are easy to incorporate into your diet and also your meals. One of these commonly used nuts is Almonds. Almonds are a rich source of essential nutrients like Vitamin E, zinc, selenium, magnesium calcium, copper, and iron. These play a vital role in decreasing inflammation, reducing oxidative damage, and maintaining the overall functioning of the body. Almonds are known to nourish your skin and hair. They are a good source of plant-based protein and fiber and may aid in weight loss too.

We have all snacked on almonds multiple times. Eating soaked almonds first thing in the morning is a favorite amongst the wellness community. Almond milk and almond butter are also very popular amongst the health-conscious. We mostly buy them from the market without understanding that they can be easily made at home. We have come up with two very simple almond butter and almond milk recipes that can be conveniently made at home. They are both vegan-friendly and you can enjoy them guilt-free.  We also have a cheat day special lip-smacking almond recipe for you that will undoubtedly find a place in your recipe book.

Rich Almond Butter

Almond butter as the name suggests is a nut butter made with almonds. It is a rich and nutty butter that offers some fantastic health benefits. It is a go-to for people following a health regime especially when someone is on a keto diet since it is very high in healthy fats. These healthy fats look after your body’s energy and metabolism keeping you active all day long. Here’s a simple and easy almond butter recipe that is way healthier, fresher, and cheaper as compared to the store-bought almond butter. Make it super creamy or leave it a little crunchy, add a little bit of salt or drizzle some honey, the choice is yours.

Ingredients:

• Almonds 

Surprised? Yes, that's it! This is all you need to make almond butter. You can add a little bit of salt and honey as per your taste but it is completely optional. Making your almond butter without adding these ingredients won’t make it taste any less.

Instructions:

• For a toasty nutty flavor in your almond butter, roast the almonds in a pan on medium-high flame until they turn golden brown. Raw almonds can also be used.
• Blend the almonds gradually in a food processor in short bursts occasionally scraping the sides.
• The almonds will gradually turn into a clumpy paste, then a thick nut butter, and finally into a smooth and creamy butter. This is when you can add the optional ingredients.
• Fill this almond butter in a sealed jar.
• The almond butter is ready! It can be used for up to 2 weeks at room temperature and several weeks if refrigerated.

Relish this super delicious, healthy, and easy recipe with your fitness partners. You can spread it over toast, pancakes, or waffles, add it to your smoothies or even better eat a spoonful straight out of the jar like me ;).

Nutty Almond Milk

Almond milk is a plant-based healthier milk alternative to cow milk. It is lactose-free, soy-free, and vegan-friendly. It is nutty in flavor and has a creamy texture. It has been around for several years but has gained a lot of popularity in recent years. It has a more agreeable taste as compared to other plant-based milk. This almond milk recipe can help you make tastier and healthier almond milk easily at home without compromising on its freshness. You can make smaller batches as per your daily consumption or make a big batch since it can be stored for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup overnight soaked raw almonds(keep them in the fridge)
• 1 pinch salt
• Honey(optional)
• Water according to the consistency required
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions:

• Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend it until it looks smooth and creamy. 
• Strain this mix. This almond pulp can be used in almond cookie recipes.
• Transfer the almond milk to a bottle and refrigerate.

It tastes best when consumed fresh. So if it suits you prepare a fresh batch for every use. You can customize the taste of this almond milk by adding berries or replacing honey with dates or jaggery powder. You can also add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder for making yummy chocolate milk.

These two simple almond recipes can be used in a variety of ways. They can be customized according to your taste and the availability of ingredients. But before we come to an end as promised we want to talk about one last recipe here that is perfect for any celebration. Make this indulgent cake using our very own almond cake recipe. It is perfect for a party, a formal dinner, a family get-together, or a casual lunch. This cake is sure to impress everyone!

Buttercream Almond Cake

The cake is a part of many important celebrations, especially birthdays. Cutting birthday cakes makes everyone feel special on their day. I cannot imagine not cutting a cake for my birthday. The year pandemic hit and we were all under a lockdown, many of us wore our aprons and got into baking mode. I was no different. It was my husband’s birthday and since I could not order a cake from outside I had to bake one(I strongly believe that no birthday is complete without cutting a cake, though my husband begs to differ). I found an almond cake recipe online and tried my hands on it. Everybody loved this cake, especially my husband who was literally licking his fingers and couldn’t thank me enough.

Ingredients:

For the batter:

• 1 cup water
• ½ cup powdered brown sugar or a sweetener of your choice
• ½ cup cow ghee
• 1 cup almonds
• ½ cup flour(wheat or refined)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp grated orange zest

For almond cream cheese:

• 1 cup unsalted butter.
• 2 teaspoons almond or vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 cups of sweetener
• 2 cups of full-fat cream cheese

Instructions

For the cake:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C.
• Grind the almonds using a blender or a food processor.
• Mix water, ghee, and sweetener in a bowl. I use ghee in all my recipes. It adds healthiness to all the dishes and a nice nutty flavor too.
• Add flour, baking powder, ground almonds(keep a little aside to layer the cake pan) and the orange zest and mix well.
• Grease and flour a 7 inch round pan and line it with parchment paper. 
• Sprinkle the ground almonds over the parchment paper and add the cake batter.
• You can optionally prepare three of these cakes which I did to make an exquisite cream layered cake.
• Bake the cake for about 45 minutes.

While the cake is getting ready prepare the almond cream cheese frosting.

For the almond cream cheese frosting:

• Beat the butter using a fork until nice and soft.
• Add softened cream cheese to the butter and beat well. You can use a hand blender to do the job.
• Add the vanilla extract and the sweetener and blend further until fluffy. 
• Refrigerate it for some time if it becomes too soft.
• This frosting is enough for a three-layered 7- 8 inch cake. If you are making a single-layer cake use the ingredients accordingly

Once the cakes are ready you can start layering them with the cream cheese frosting. If it gets too soft you might need to refrigerate it in between. Once all the cakes are layered, place them one on top of another and do a final coat of frosting to cover the entire cake. You can try adding some texture using a spatula. 

Voila! Your cake is ready!

Almonds are known for their incredible health benefits and their use in our kitchens. But many of us do not know that almonds have a history of their own. In fact, they have a mention in the Bible too. There are some amusing  facts, depictions, and benefits of almonds.

Read our blog about The Hidden Facts And Benefits Of Almonds! to learn about these fascinating facts and depictions of almonds.

Stay tuned for more informational articles and mouth-watering healthy recipes.