almonds | My Foodie Call

Tag: almonds
- Cheesy Spinach-Stuffed Phyllo Pockets
  
  Posted at 8:00 pm by myfoodiecall
  
  Apr 2nd
  Do you know phyllo?
  
  Or phyllo pockets? I love little “pocket” meals. Just more fun to use your hands. Remember this spinach and sausage pizza pocket?
  
  Phyllo is both fun and a big pain to work with.
  
  This is the stuff. Have you ever played with it? “Play” is the operative word here, because it’s super flaky and can leave a super flaky mess if you aren’t careful.
  
  Still, phyllo produces some pretty yummy results so don’t be afraid, just allow some patience and forgiveness if your pockets aren’t beautiful.
  
  Mine never are. Beautiful, that is. My kids tell me so. Hey, as long as they taste good.
  
  Here is how this recipe goes down.
  
  Let’s do our filling, shall we?
  
  Start with this stuff.
  
  Process until creamy. You may need to stop and scrape the bowl down (depending on the size of your work bowl.)
  
  Add your spinach, almonds, and basil. Process again. Process as much as you would like until you gain the consistency you want..
  
  Should wind up looking like this.
  
  Next, lay out a few sheets of your phyllo. Cut in half, or triangles. Your pick.
  
  Add cheddar cheese, then a generous amount of filling.
  
  Fold sides in and make a cute little pocket. Bake and serve. Careful, they are hot!
  
  Cheesy Spinach-Stuffed Phyllo Pockets
  
  Ingredients:
  - 1 tbsp lemon juice
  - 1 tbsp tamari (or soy sauce)
  - 3 cloves garlic, minced
  - 1/2 tsp salt
  - 3 cups baby spinach leaves
  - 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
  - 1/2 cup almonds
  - 1 can Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
  - Shredded cheddar cheese
  - Olive Oil or butter for brushing
  - 1 package phyllo dough
  Directions:
  
  1) Combine lemon juice, tamari, garlic and salt in your food processor bowl. Process.
  
  2) Add spinach, basil, and almonds. Process again, stopping to scrape the bowl when necessary.
  
  3) Lay out 3-4 sheets of phyllo. Cut in desired shape.
  
  4) Spread cheddar cheese on one end.
  
  5) Add a generous amount of filling.
  
  6) Fold signs in and shape your pocket.
  
  7) Brush the top with olive oil or butter. Pinch in sides to hold the pocket together.
  
  8) Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
  
  Cheesy and crunchy. All in one neat little pocket.
  
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  Posted in Meatless mealtime | Tagged almonds, beans, spinach
- Fast Farro with Cranberries and Almonds
  
  Posted at 8:00 pm by myfoodiecall
  
  Mar 10th
  Farro, cranberries and almonds
  
  Do you get sick of rice?
  
  Yah, me too.
  
  Try me. Check out that price.
  
  Try Farro. It’s a type of wheat, so it’s most definitely a whole grain (which we all know are important,) but that’s not what makes Farro super cool.
  
  Farro is nutty, chewy and satisfying in a way that ho-hum Plain Jane rice is not. Try it. You’ll see.
  
  And to make things even easier, you can find it in a quick-cook form like the package pictured above.
  
  Hooray for grains that do not take an hour!
  
  Check it out
  
  Cook your farro. 10 minutes. Done.
  
  Make your sauce.
  
  Add your sauce. Mix, mix.
  
  Add this stuff…
  
  Voila.
  
  The family got chicken on theirs, if you are down with that sort of thing. None for me. Doesn’t need it.
  
  Fast Farro with Cranberries and Almonds
  
  Ingredients
  - 1 1/2 cups uncooked “10 Minute Farro” (you could use regular farro if you have extra time, but this is supposed to feel effortless, so quit feeling guilty and go the fast route!)
  - 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  - 3 tablespoons honey
  - 1 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  - black pepper (to taste)
  - 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  - 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  - 1/2 cup sliced almonds
  - 1 tablespoon fine-chopped fresh mint
  Directions
  1. Cook farro according to package directions.
  2. Drain and set aside.
  3. Whisk together balsamic vinegar, honey, salt and the pepper in a medium bowl. Slowly added olive oil and whisk until well combined.
  4. Pour over the farro.
  5. Stir in cranberries, almonds, and mint.
  6. Can be served right away, but the flavors really come through if you let it sit for a couple of hours.
  Posted in Salads, Soups, and Sides | Tagged almonds, farro
- Make friends with…Medjool dates (and Cocoa Cookie Dough Balls)
  
  Posted at 8:00 pm by myfoodiecall
  
  Mar 6th
  
  There is a reason they are called nature’s candy. If you have a sweet tooth, make these your
  new BFF.
  
  What’s up with dates? Are they healthy? Isn’t there too much sugar?
  
  Yes, there is a decent amount of sugar, but don’t fear, it is naturally occuring. Nothing added. Worth noting: The high fiber content will help slow the bodies blood sugar response. Score.
  
  Speaking of naturally occuring sugars, same goes for bananas and carrots. I can’t stand when people are afraid of their high sugar content. Yes, bananas are high in fruit sugar, but let’s just stop it.
  
  Seriously. Let’s just stop.
  
  Bananas, Carrots and DATES are fruits and vegetables, not a can of Coke.
  
  Bakc to my Medjools. In addition to the fiber, they also have B Vitamins, Copper, and Potassium.
  
  Why Medjool Dates VS. other dates?
  
  Medjools, are the largest, sweetest, and softest of all dates. Because of these traits, they make a great addition to many desserts and raw foods’ recipes. I make many raw dessert balls, but the ones pictured below were one of the first dessert balls that I have ever made and still make time and time again.
  
  Here is a good recipe to get you started on your Medjool Date journey.
  
  From Dreena Burton’s Let Them Eat Vegan!
  
  My crew loves these.
  
  Cocoa Cookie Dough Balls
  
  Makes 18 to 20 dough balls
  
  Ingredients:
  1 cup raw almonds (see note for nut-free option)
  1 cup + 4 TBS rolled oats
  1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  2 cup pitted medjool dates
  1/2 cup raisins
  1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  4 TBS dark chocolate chips
  
  In a food processor, process the almonds until fine and crumbly. Then add remaining ingredients (except the optional chocolate chips) and process. Once the mixture starts to become crumbly, process fully for a minute or two. It will appear as if nothing is happening at first, that the mixture is just whirring around in crumbs, but soon it will start to become sticky. When you see it start to become a little sticky, add the chocolate chips and process again. Continue to process until it forms a ball on the blade. Stop the machine and remove the dough.
  
  Take small coops of the dough (1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons in size) and roll in your hand. Repeat until you have rolled all of the dough.
  
  I usually keep some in the fridge and some in the freezer, but they do not last too long in either. :/.
  
  Posted in Desserts, Make friends with..., Snacks | Tagged almonds, dates, oats
- Thoughts on Granola… (and an Almond Chia Granola recipe)
  
  Posted at 8:00 pm by myfoodiecall
  
  Mar 4th
  Granola done light.
  
  Recently I was asked if I had a good granola recipe to use as a yogurt topper. Hmm, this takes some thought. For myself, this can sort of turn into a lengthy conversation because honestly??
  
  I am not the biggest advocate for granola.
  
  I used to make granola all of the time, but now kind of steer clear of it. Why?
  
  Gobs of sugar.
  
  While there are plenty of low-fat options out there, most of these have too much sugar and hardly make the benefits of granola worth it. Why do people feel like granola is healthy? Well, look at the nickname that earthy-type eaters are given: “Granola”.
  
  “Oh, she’s so Granola….”
  
  This nickname implies to a person that lives off the land, wears Birkenstocks and is the picture of health, right?
  
  But in reality, granola is just not that good for you. Too much sugar. The health benes from granola are really in the oats and nuts, so why not just eat those? It is in fact these same oats and nuts that provide the fiber that consumers are searching for.
  
  Fiber= good. Loads of sugar=bad.
  
  Again, not worth it.
  
  It is for this reason that I tend to lean towards straight up “cereal” as a topping for yogurts. For example, good old-fashioned Cheerios, has 3 grams fiber and only 1 gram of sugar for a whole cup (and 100 calories). Yes, Cheerios can be a tad boring,but still, you get a whole cup of it.
  
  If you do want to go the granola route, this is what I sometimes will buy.
  
  Yes it is low in sugar, but here is the deal.
  
  4 grams of sugar, 120 calories for ONLY 1/4 cup.
  
  Translation. BARELY ANY. So it is up to you which you would prefer. 8 oz of Cheerios (1 gram sugar) on top of your yogurt or 2 oz of Bare Naked Granola (4 grams sugar).
  
  For me? I am all about quantity. I’d rather eat more.
  
  This granola question did get me motivated to make granola again. I did sliced almonds, sunflower seeds, and CHIA (of course). And I think it turned out pretty good, if you want to give it a shot too.
  
  Check it out.
  
  Here is my dry ingredients.
  
  And the wet.
  
  Mix the two.
  
  Spread on a prepared baking sheet. Bake. Make your house smell crazy good.
  
  Top it. A low-sugar granola.
  
  Low-Sugar Almond Chia Granola
  - 3 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
  - 1 cups of sliced almonds
  - 1/2 cup shelled sunflower seeds (optional: food processor them for less crunch)
  - 2 Tablespoons chia seeds
  - 2 Tablespoons of cinnamon
  - 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
  - 1 1/2 tablespoons pure vanilla
  - 3/4 cups of no-sugar-added applesauce
  - 2 tablespoons honey
  Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
  2. Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
  3. Mix the wet ingredients in a separate bowl.
  4. Add wet ingredients to the dry and blend.
  5. Add a teaspoon or two of coconut oil if it seems a bit too dry.
  6. Spread the granola on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper
  7. Bake the granola in the oven for 45 minutes, mixing up the granola blend every ten minutes.
  8. Taking baking sheet out, lower heat to 200.
  9. Drizzle 1 tablespoon honey over the top and stir.
  10. Bake for another 25 minutes, stirring midway.
  11. When you’re done, let the granola cool before storing.
  12. You could add raisins or cranberries to the mixture when cooled, but if you are truly trying to follow a low-sugar diet, you should skip it because it is good stuff that way it is!
  Granola done light.
  Posted in Breakfast, Desserts, Random stuff, Snacks | Tagged almonds, chia, oats, sunflower seeds
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