Kristin from "IowaGirlEats" Shares Her Favorite Spiced Almond Recipe

Hi everyone! My name is Kristin, and I write a blog called Iowa Girl Eats that chronicles my life of eating, running, eating, traveling…and well, eating! I have a passion for healthy, whole nutritious food with one stipulation – it’s got to taste great! If it doesn’t, I’m not going to eat it. When Swanson Vitamins gave me a chance to try their organically grown, whole almonds, I was so excited because not only does Swanson have a similar stance towards food…but these almonds were amazing!

We’ve all had almonds, right? They’re crunchy, tasty and super versatile to boot. Now when I tried Swanson’s almonds…I was impressed. But let’s back up for a second, shall we?

Here’s the 411 on almonds:

• Almonds grow on trees and are actually the seeds of the drupe fruit.
• Almonds are low in fat and are cholesterol-free.
• A one ounce, 160 calorie serving of almonds is a great source of fiber, protein and monounsaturated fat, which can help keep bad cholesterol levels in check and support overall cardiovascular health.
• Almonds make fabulous on-the-go portable snacks.
• Almonds can be used in a variety of ways in both cooking & baking, and in both sweet & savory dishes.
   

I like to eat almonds for pretty much all the reasons listed above (although the drupe fruit thing isn’t a huge factor for me…). But let’s be honest – I eat ‘em because they’re delicious! Isn’t that the main reason we eat anything that we eat? 
 

Now, I like a good handful of almonds as much as the next guy, but there are so many other great ways to enjoy them than straight out of the bag. Such as:
 

• Sliced and mixed-in with yogurt
• Toasted as a topper on my morning oatmeal
• Sprinkled over ice cream (hello!)
• Mixed with dried fruit, oat clusters and chocolate chips as a quick trail mix
• Chopped and added into brownies
• Seasoned & roasted with spices

 
With the last option in mind, I want to share with you my favorite almond recipe:

Soy Glazed Spiced Almonds!

Ok – seriously, this recipe could not be any easier or more delicious. I take a cup of Swanson’s whole, natural and organically grown almonds, and put them in a small saucepan with the following ingredients:

 

• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• Dash of cayenne pepper, garlic powder and ground ginger
• About a Tablespoon or so of oil

I cook the mixture on med-high until all the liquid has been absorbed, about 2-3 minutes.Then I spread these babies out on a foil lined baking sheet and pop them in a 250 degree oven for 8-10 minutes, stirring half way through.

Voila – in no time flat you’ve got yourself some custom, sweet & spicy almonds my friends! These are awesome as salad toppers, chopped up and sprinkled over an Asian noodle dish, or to put out at your next get-together as a snack!

Now I’m digging these Swanson’s almonds because they’re fresh, whole (no broken nuts in my bag!) and organically grown without the use of chemical pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers. So not only are my taste buds happy eating these, but my head is too.

So now that you know how I like enjoying my Swanson almonds, tell me how you like yours!

Kristin @ Iowa Girl Eats (http://iowagirleats.wordpress.com)

Iowa Girl Eats lives in her second favorite state: Iowa, dreams about her first: California, eats as well as she can with a massive sweet tooth, runs as often as she can despite the finnicky Midwestern weather, and is more often than not, thinking about the insanely cool places she wants to travel to!