almonds Archives • New Nostalgia

GF, Vegan & Raw/ Healthy Eating/ RECIPES/ Sides

Sauteed Green Beans With Honey Almonds

Anytime I can get all 3 of my girls to happily eat a green vegetable is a very exciting time for me. I know you Moms know what I mean. Just getting them to eat vegetables is hard, but GREEN vegetables? AND a green vegetable they all 3 like? Impossible.

Until…

I discovered their love of fresh green beans. They don’t like soggy canned beans…and I don’t blame them! They are ok with frozen. But they all LOVE fresh and eat them like a snack.

This recipe is very simple. It just uses beans, garlic, butter (I use Earth Balance), salt, pepper & sliced honey roasted almonds from Trader Joes. These almonds are a dream in this recipe and add just a hint of sweetness. I’ve even cooked up a batch and put a big bowl out on the table as an after school snack.

Enjoy!

Sauteed Green Beans With Honey Almonds

1 lb. fresh green beans, ends popped or sliced off

2 tsp butter (or olive oil, or Earth Balance for vegans)

1-2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup sliced almonds, honey roasted preferably

salt and pepper to taste

Heat a sauce pan or skillet on medium heat with olive oil or butter. Add garlic and cook for 60 seconds. Add green beans and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until crisp tender. Do not overcook! Add almonds. Season with salt & pepper.

Health benefits of Green beans (source)

Fresh green beans are very low in calories (31 kcal per 100 g of raw beans) and contain no saturated fat. Nevertheless, the lean vegetables are a very good source of vitamins, minerals, and plant derived micronutrients.
They are very rich source of dietary fiber (9% per100g RDA) which acts as a bulk laxative that helps to protect the mucous membrane of the colon by decreasing its exposure time to toxic substances as well as by binding to cancer-causing chemicals in the colon. Adequate amount of fiber has also been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels by decreasing reabsorption of cholesterol-binding bile acids in the colon.
Green beans contain excellent levels of vitamin A, and health promoting flavonoid poly phenolic antioxidants such as lutein, zea-xanthin and ß-carotene in good amounts. These compounds help act as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in aging and various disease processes.
Zea-xanthin, an important dietary carotenoid in the beans, selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea in the eyes where it thought to provide antioxidant and protective UV light filtering functions. It is, therefore, green beans offer some protection in preventing age-related macular disease (ARMD) in the elderly.
Snap beans are a good source of folates. 100 g fresh beans provide 37 µg or 9% of folates. Folate along with vitamin B-12 is one of the essential components of DNA synthesis and cell division. Good folate diet when given during preconception periods and during pregnancy helps prevent neural-tube defects among the offspring.
They also contain good amounts of vitamin-B6 (pyridoxine), thiamin (vitamin B-1), and vitamin-C. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen-free radicals.
In addition, beans contain healthy amounts of minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, and potassium, which are very essential for body metabolism. Manganese is a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase, which is a very powerful free radical scavenger. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure.

Brunch/ RECIPES

Chocolate Almond Chia Oats

This Chocolate Almond Chia Oat pudding is served cold. It is a wonderful breakfast and makes a very healthy and filling snack.

My 8 year old lives for this stuff and has become the official ‘chia oat maker’ in our home. She is so cute measuring, mashing and stirring. She keeps the recipe on the refrigerator and knows that I am ok with her making them whenever she wants, due to how healthy they are!

This nutritional information below includes:

1/3 cup oats, 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk, 2 tablespoons chia seeds, and 1 small banana.

{my girls use the Chocolate Peanut Butter version as a super healthy apple dip!}

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A little bit about:

Chia Seeds

Chia seeds and I are becoming fast friends. Why?

~the are jammed packed with protein and minerals and healthy fats and fiber

~they provide more plant-based Omega 3’s than any other food, even FLAX

~they have 5 GRAMS of fiber PER TABLESPOON!

~they are flavorless and dissolve in juice, soups, stews, shakes etc..

~they are FILLING!

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Chocolate Almond Chia Oats

1 banana, mashed

1/3 cup regular oats

3/4 cup chocolate almond milk (or chocolate regular, soy or coconut milk)

2 Tbsp chia seeds

1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

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1 spoonful almond butter (can use peanut butter)

a squirt of agave nectar (or honey or maple syrup)

Mix all but almond butter and agave in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15-30 minutes (up to overnight, if desired). Uncover and stir, then top with almond butter and sweetener of choice.

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For regular Chia Oat Breakfast Pudding, click here.

Drinks/ Frugal/ HOME/ RECIPES

Easy 3 Ingredient Chocolate Almond Iced Latte

I posted “Perfect Iced Coffee” a few months ago, and though it still remains my favorite, this is a very close runner up! The process of making this is so very easy. It may be a bit more familiar to you than the cold brew process, and familiar is nice sometimes– plus, I love how drip brewing process makes my house smell in the morning!

Starbucks Iced Coffee blend is new, and GOOD! It is “roasted to accentuate its full-flavored taste when chilled. It is medium bodied , well-balanced and caramelly smooth.”

You brew it just like regular coffee, but make it double strength and serve it over ice. Here are the directions from the package:

1. Brew as if you’re making a full pot, but use half the water.
2. Slowly fill remaining pot with ice, or add same amount to a pitcher.
3. Serve fresh, over ice.
*By double strength, we mean: 4 TBS GROUND COFFEE to 6 OZ. WATER.
(I do not make mine that strong)

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HERE IS HOW I MAKE MY CREAMY, DREAMY, EASY..
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..CHOCOLATE ALMOND ICED LATTE: (V-Vegan; ND-Non-Dairy)

~8 HEAPING TBS Starbucks Iced Coffee Blend coffee
~16 OZ Water (this is my Mr. Coffee pot filled to the 4 line)
~Chocolate Almond Milk (I use Silk brand, Dark Chocolate, found at Walmart)
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Brew coffee and water. This is your coffee concentrate.

Fill a mason jar (or glass of choice) with:

1/2 coffee concentrate & 1/2 Chocolate Almond Milk (or 2/3 coffee concentrate and 1/3 almond milk, according to personal taste)

Add Ice.

Add sweetener if desired. I do not think this is necessary as the Chocolate Almond Milk is sweetened.

Pop in a straw and enjoy!!

Store leftover concentrate in a jar in the refrigerator, for up to 2 days.
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This particular brand of almond milk has 120 calories per cup (2% chocolate dairy milk has 190), no saturated fat, no cholesterol, 45% DV of Calcium (milk has 25%) and added Vit C and Vit E. They use pure cane sugar to sweeten instead of high fructose corn syrup, and it uses Non GMO (non-genetically modified) almonds. I do wish it were organic and a little less sugar, but all- in- all not too bad, especially compared to syrup sweetened, high calorie, budget- breaking drinks available to buy!

Let me know if you try this! Enjoy.

GF, Vegan & Raw/ RECIPES/ Sweets

Orange-Almond Polenta Cake With Strawberries

This cake is moist, filling, not-too-sweet and delish! It is perfect for summer. The citrus flavor is really light and refreshing, although the cake is filling and hearty thanks to the almonds, cornmeal and chia seeds. I will definitely be making it again!

Orange-Almond Polenta Cake With Strawberries
{Vegan Version Included}
{adapted from The Moosewood Restaurant Cookbook}

1/3 cup cornmeal
2/3 cup unbleached white flour {next time I will try wheat}
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
11/2 cups almonds
1/2 cup sugar {or sucanat}
1 orange
1/2 cup vegetable oil {I used coconut oil}
2 eggs {I used “chia egg substitute”–1 Tablespoon chia seed to 3 Tablespoons water for each egg. Stir and let set until gel-like. About 10 minutes}
1 cup of berries {I used strawberries}

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil and flour a 9 inch cake pan.

Sift the cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. In a blender or food processor, whirl the almonds and sugar until the almonds are finely ground. Add to the flour mixture.

Grate the orange peel and juice the orange (about 1/3 cup). Add the orange juice, orange zest, oil eggs (or chia substitute), and 1/3 cup of water to the blender or food processor and whirl for about 15 seconds. Add the dry ingredients and blend until well mixed, using a spatula to scrape down the sides if necessary. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then carefully remove the cake from the pan.
Serve with your choice of berries. {I used Strawberries that were mashed and heated, then cooled}