Nuts, almonds

Almonds are eaten raw as a snack, roasted and salted, sliced or slivered over salads and green beans, ground into almond flour for baking, or blended into almond milk and almond butter. Their firm, slightly sweet crunch holds up well in both savory and sweet dishes, toasted almonds add texture to trail mix, granola, and pesto, while whole blanched almonds are a classic garnish for trout amandine or a base for marzipan. Because they are dense and calorie-rich, a small handful goes a long way in a recipe, whether scattered over roasted vegetables or crushed into a coating for chicken or fish.

Store almonds in a sealed container in a cool, dark pantry for a few months, or refrigerate or freeze them for longer keeping, since their fat content can turn rancid over time in warm storage. A cup of whole almonds (143 g) has 579 calories, 49.9 g of fat, and 21.2 g of protein, and stands out for vitamin E at 171% of the daily value along with 64% for magnesium and 45% for fiber (12.5 g). Given the calorie density, almonds work best measured by the small handful, added for crunch and fiber to oatmeal, yogurt, or a salad rather than eaten by the cupful.