Almonds: The Secret to Healthy and Delicious Desserts

In our series exploring healthy afternoon snacks featuring nuts and fruits, I originally planned to focus on homemade fruit ice cream.
However, the BBC released a study about the 100 healthiest natural foods.
And who took the top spot? The almond.
Almonds boast a commendable amount of protein, are rich in monounsaturated fat (Omega 9), incredibly high in fiber for digestive health, and packed with powerful antioxidant vitamin E.
They also provide calcium, potassium, and magnesium.
Unsurprisingly, I wasn't shocked.
I called my favorite nutrition instructor, Noa Uliel, to get her take on the article.
We had a lengthy chat about the piece and the rankings.
We agreed on some points, disagreed on others, but one thing was certain: almonds deserved their number one spot.
Noa shared that when her little ones transitioned from breastfeeding to formula, she'd occasionally mix in a spoonful of almond butter (a natural almond spread) into their bottle along with infant formula.
It's likely that the kids received a wealth of nutrients from the almond spread addition, perhaps even more than the white powdered formula concocted in a lab.
You can add almond butter to formula after six months of age, and it's a welcomed caloric addition.
I, too, enjoy incorporating almonds into my family's daily diet.
For my husband, for instance, I pack a snack bag alongside his lunch that includes an organic apple, dried plums, dates, walnuts—and of course, almonds.
Eight almonds are the recommended daily serving for adults, according to studies.
It's important to note these should be raw almonds, not roasted or salted.

So, I changed course. Instead of writing about ice cream, this week's article is all about almonds.

As many of us know, almonds are used to make marzipan:
Blend 1/2 cup of almonds with 1/2 cup of pitted dates.
Roll into a log shape, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate.
Marzipan can be molded into various shapes just like playdough—Shabbat challah, flowers, hearts, you name it.
Keep this recipe on hand. With Hashem's help, I'll dedicate a future article to making natural food colorings so we can embellish our marzipan.

Often, when people make a 'crust' for cheesecakes and other desserts, they use cookies.
I opt for almonds—tastier and certainly healthier.

One of my favorite recipes using an almond 'crust' is for a vegan/pareve fruit cheesecake dessert.

pareve dessert

This impressive dessert isn't just a hit as a delightful afternoon snack; it can also serve as a light and fun treat after a heavy meat meal.

So, roll up your sleeves and let's get started:

Step 1:

Line muffin tins with paper cups.
The muffin tin cups will support the vegan cream you're about to make.

Step 2:

In a food processor, combine:
1/2 cup of almonds
2 tablespoons of liquid coconut oil.
Blend thoroughly.

Step 3:

Press the mixture into the bottoms of the paper-lined cups, making sure to compact it down to form the base of your dessert.
Freeze for 15 minutes.

Step 4:

In a blender, mix:
1 cup of roasted cashews—it's best to soak them for a few hours and then drain.
1/3 cup of coconut milk
6 tablespoons of honey
A handful of frozen fruit of your choice (strawberries, papaya, pineapple, blueberries, etc.).

You can also add cocoa powder for a chocolate cream.

Step 5:

Take the muffin tin with the almond base from the freezer and pour the fruit/nut cream on top.
Freeze for at least two more hours.

Step 6:

Remove from the freezer.
You can garnish with lemon/orange zest, coconut flakes, or even a drizzle of melted chocolate.
Serve and watch everyone savor each bite.

The photos showcase individual desserts I made with my daughters:
Featuring chocolate, strawberries, papaya, and, for a change, cherimoya—since it ranked second place in that aforementioned list..
There are countless more fantastic almond snack recipes, but this should suffice for now.

With Hashem's help, our next article will return to the original plan and teach you how to make delicious homemade fruit ice cream.
Even though it's winter and chilly outside, it's never actually too cold to say no to ice cream, right?
So until then, lots of health,
Chen Tovi