Blanching almonds removes their skins.
A handful of almonds is a healthy snack. According to NutritionData.com, 95 g of almonds contains 20 g of protein. Almonds also contain essential fatty acids, iron and selenium. Roasting blanched almonds helps to enhance their flavor. The World's Healthiest Foods warns against roasting almonds at a high temperature. High temperatures can cause a breakdown of the natural fats in the nuts, which leads to free radical production. For optimum health benefits, roast your almonds at a lower temperature. After roasting, add your desired seasonings.
Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 160 degrees.
2. Spread the blanched almonds out on a cookie sheet. Roll them out with your hand to ensure they are in a single layer.
3. Place the cookie sheet in the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes. When finished, they should appear golden.
4. Pour the roasted almonds into a bowl and add seasonings, if desired. Martha Stewart Living recommends tossing the almonds with sea salt and olive oil. Use 1 tsp. salt and 1 ½ tbsp. olive oil for every 2 cups of almonds.
Tags: blanched almonds, cookie sheet