Superfood of the week....ALMONDS! *and how to make Garlic Parmesan Almonds

This week marks the start of a new weekly blog series....superfoods! What exactly is a 'superfood'? It's a nutrient rich whole food that is close to its original source, that hasn't been processed, refined or preserved. Each week I'll tell you about a 'superfood' of the week, why it's so great, and throughout the week share recipe ideas for how you can cook with it! Stay tuned for the upcoming weeks. But for now.....

ALMONDS!!!!
While nuts are relatively high in calories, they are also nutrient dense and contain heart-healthy monosaturated fat, fibre and protein which help to satiate your hunger and keep you full longer. Other health benefits of almonds include vitamin E and aiding in weight loss (suspected to be due to the fat burning effect of monosaturated fats and a reduced desire to overeat because of their help in keeping you full). As long as you watch your portion size, almonds are a great bet! When you buy them, go for the dry roasted or raw almonds - avoid the ones that have been roasted in oil.

How to enjoy almonds:

on their own as a snack

in yogurt/cottage cheese

almond butter in smoothies, oatmeal or sliced apple

part of homemade trailmix

as croutons (croutons? yes...croutons....see recipe below)

1 oz of almonds = approximately 22 almonds
calories 162, fat 15g, carbohydrates 5g, protein 6g

For those of us who are gluten-free or just want to try something new, how about switching up regular bread croutons for almonds in salads? Try this recipe out!

Garlic Parmesan Almonds

Ingredients:

- 1 cup slivered almonds

- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

- 1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

- 1 tsp garlic salt

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) Toss almonds in olive oil and spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet.

3) Sprinkle parmesan and garlic salt over top.

4) Bake for 5-10 minutes (or until browned) stirring once. 

Top on salads, steamed veggies and soups. Delicious!