Spicy Roasted Almonds as the perfect travel companion.

*This post is sponsored by California Almonds.

I just returned from my trip to Bali, so this is my first blog post after my long-anticipated vacation. My trip to Bali was a dream come true. We stayed in the most magical AirBnB and yoga hotels (which I will tell you all about in my Bali blog posts), and simply enjoyed some relaxing days in the jungle – a first for me, because while my boyfriend and I had a long-distance relationship for over five years, we spent every Penny to visit each other. Now we finally saved up some money to start exploring Asia. Always behind the time, Lynn, but that’s ok. Like I mentioned in my previous post, I am currently running a small series about my favorite natural and healthy snacks. „Embracing Nature’s Goodness“ is what I like to call it. In my first post with California Almonds* I talked all about the health benefits of almonds, and this post will be all about why almonds are my preferred travel snack, and how I like to make almonds a little bit more fun.

Since I love travelling just as much as I love to cook healthy food, it’s a no-brainer that I also try to stay healthy while touring the world. Interestingly, my mother recently told me about a conversation she had with her yoga group about the topic of healthy eating while traveling. Apparently, it is a lot easier for her and her friends to stay healthy at home, but it seems nearly impossible to eat and stay healthy while on vacation.

This is exactly the reason why I – whether I am going on a day trip or a longer journey – do my research online to find healthy restaurants or cafés in advance. I also always take some healthy snacks with me – preferably a bag of almonds. Eating about a handful of almonds a day gives me the nutrients I need to make it to the next larger meal. Packing almonds in your purse while on-the-go, will save you from those instant sugar cravings, and are a lot healthier than convenient products that only consist of empty carbs.

The protein in almonds keeps us satisfied longer:

The great thing about almonds is that they are bursting with nutrients as I previously mentioned in this post. They also consist of valuable fiber and healthy fatty acids, as well as protein, made up of amino acids. The body can use those amino acids to build and maintain a healthy muscle mass or even to fill up our reserves.

A handful of almonds (about 23) contain 6 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber and 9 grams of unsaturated fatty acids, all the nutrients we need to survive the (hopefully positive) travel stress. The proteins in the almonds really help fight energy lows, and the fiber helps us to stay satisfied longer – preventing us from buying the first convenience food that we come across.

Another plus is that almonds are available in every city, (almost) every country on the planet and are even sold in smaller stores in the countryside. They are also known everywhere, and you do not even need to find special health stores to purchase them in.

So, now that you are an expert when it comes to almonds, I quickly want to add that almonds are of course not the only healthy snack out there. But they are my number one choice for quick and easy snacks. If you pair them with fresh fruits or vegetables that you cut at home, you have yourself a complete snack with everything that you need.

To spice things up a little, I’ve come up with a fun way to roast your almonds, inspired by my recent trip to Bali: Spicy Roasted Almonds. Bali is an amazing destination if you love food and spices – cinnamon, cardamom, pepper, cacao, ginger, turmeric – all these spices can be found growing in the Balinese plantations and forests. As much as I would have loved to add turmeric to this mix, I decided against it, because it will definitely turn your hands yellow. And that’s not exactly something that you want while traveling. If you love turmeric a lot though, then go for it – but don’t blame me for yellow hands ;-).

The mix can be easily carried in a reusable box or paper bag, and it definitely is the perfect travel companion. Feel free to play around with the spices that you like – I really like mine a bit spicier, but if you like it sweet, you could easily sub the coconut oil with maple syrup. The almonds keep for at least a week, so they are perfect for a weekend-trip or whatever plans you have this summer.

Enjoy!

Before I end this post, I quickly want to mention that it is not always allowed to transport food from one country into the other (especially with air travel), so be sure to eat your snacks on the plane before entering another country to prevent being called out by customs. (Happened to me when I forgot I still had a banana in my bag from when I left the Dominican Republic.)

What are your preferred snacks while traveling? Let me know in the comments below.

*Sponsored Post. This post is supported by California Almonds. Thank you for supporting the brands that make hour-long recipe testings in my kitchen possible. All opinions are my own. Always.

Merken

Merken

The post Spicy Roasted Almonds – the perfect snack for traveling appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

I’ve finally uploaded a new video for home made almond butter, which is my favorite thing in the world. I know I’m really bad at uploading regular YouTube videos, but I’m just not a pro at shooting and editing videos. Please stay with me while my videos are making progress. However, I think that the video clearly shows how easy it is to make your own almond butter, and that it doesn’t take long or costs a fortune. 

Home made almond butter is one of the staples that I always have in stock. It’s one of my best protein sources, and I eat it with literally anything. I spread it on rye bread, apple slices, add it to my baked goods as a substitute for butter, or even to stir-frys for an extra-touch of plant-based protein.

Making almond butter only requires one ingredient so you couldn’t even call it cooking really. Unfortunately you will need a high quality and powerful food processor to get the perfect texture. I am really sorry, but I have tried it with my 20 Euro blender – without success. It doesn’t need to be a very expensive machine, but it needs to have power to break down the almonds completely.
Since almond butter consists of only one ingredient, it is a very clean food, and totally healthy as well. Nut butter, in general, is a great way to add some healthy protein and unsaturated fats to your diet. The healthy fatty acids protect our heart and lower the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Almonds are also an amazing super- and beauty food because of their high vitamin E content. Vitamin E is especially important for healthy nails, hair and glowing skin.

Enjoy!

Did you make this recipe or have any suggestions, questions or comments?

Feel free to leave a comment below, and don’t forget to tag your creations on social media using #heavenlynnhealthy.

I’d love for this blog to be a dialogue.

The post Video: Home made almond butter appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

I normally don’t post on Mondays, but today is different because tomorrow is the first December, and I wanted you to have a healthy Christmas cookie recipe in case you wanted to bake some this week. In Germany we have a wonderful Christmas tradition called “Christmas calendars” where you open a door every day from December 1st until December 24th. Christmas calendars are traditionally filled with chocolate, but over time, people have made a very big deal out of them, so now they are usually stuffed with little gifts, baked goods, pictures or whatever else comes to your mind. It’s a wonderful tradition and I wanted to share a nice Christmas calendar filling idea for the very late ones of you: Healthy Almond and Cinnamon Christmas Stars. These traditional German Christmas cookies not only make your kitchen smell incredibly Christmassy, they are also really good for you! I’ve conducted my usual healthy kitchen swaps: I used coconut sugar for normal, white sugar, chia eggs instead of eggs, and powdered them with a little xylit instead of powdered sugar.

Coconut sugar has gotten a lot of attention lately, and I have become more and more of a fan. Coconut sugar is proven to be a lot healthier than white sugar, because it has a very low glycemic index, which prevents the blood sugar level from spiking. Thus, its energy is released slowly and steadily into our blood, allowing us to feel satisfied and energized for a longer period of time. Therefore coconut sugar is a great sugar alternative especially for diabetics, because it prevents sugar spikes and lows. Coconut sugar is are also filled with many minerals such as potassium, iron, magnesium or zinc, that you won’t find in normal white sugar.

The combination of freshly ground almonds, Chia seeds, coconut sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon and vanilla is simply divine! Your going to love these cookies this Christmas, I promise!

Enjoy!

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These superfood energy balls are absolutely amazing! Honestly, I’ve never made such a delicious yet healthy treat before and everybody, especially my boyfriend, loves them. They are super easy to make and only require a few basic ingredients that you are more than welcome to play around with depending on any food allergies or intolerances you might have.
The main ingredient in these energy balls is medjool dates, which are probably my favorite natural sweet in the world. I love how they melt in your mouth and how they satisfy any sugar cravings I usually get in the afternoon.
Medjool dates are also packed with goodness such as iron and potassium. Iron is especially important for oxygen transportation through the body and potassium helps maintain a healthy heart and a normal blood pressure. They are also one of the best energy foods because its sugar is easily broken down in the body, providing instant energy boosters. More goodness comes from the nuts, which are one of the best plant-based sources of protein out there. Almonds contain lots of vitamin E, the beauty vitamin that is important for healthy nails and hair and lets our skin glow from the inside out. Besides almonds, pistachios are one of the healthiest nuts, containing the most amount of monounsaturated fats that keep our heart healthy. To top it all, the chia seeds in these energy balls provide a healthy amount of omega-3-fatty acids, which also help to protect our heart. They are also bursting with fiber, which keeps us satisfied for hours and prevents our blood sugar level from increasing rapidly.

INGREDIENTS:

– 1 cup medjool dates (150g, about 10)
– 1/4 cup (25g) almonds
– 1/4 cup (30g) pistachios
– 1/4 cup (30g) pecans or walnuts
– 1 tbsp chia seeds
– 1 tbsp hemp seeds (optional)
– 1 tbsp shredded coconut

NOTES:

Healthy side note: These superfood energy balls are not a low-calorie food, in fact they are calorie bombs. Just because they are healthy and packed with healthy nutrients, does not mean I recommend over-indulging in them. I usually eat one or two a day as a healthy on-the-go snack or brain food when I’m doing office work all day. They are also a great energy boost before a workout or refuel after a workout. My boyfriend loves them before a soccer game to give him some extra energy. Just use common sense and treat them like sweets.
– To make the balls nut-free, simply substitute the nuts for sunflower and/or pumpkin seeds or flax seeds. You will probably need a food processor then.

METHOD:

With a food processor:
Place the almonds into the food processor and grind them to a flour. This should take about 30 seconds depending on the strength of your food processor.
Transfer the almonds into a bowl and set aside.
Now place the pistachios and pecans or walnuts into the food processor and pulse for a few seconds until they are crushed, but still remain some texture (you should still identify them as nuts).
Then remove the stones from the medjool dates and put them into the food processor along with the ground almonds.
Mix them until a sticky dough forms (about 30 seconds). Then add the chia seeds, hemp seeds if you are using them. To form the balls, read below.

Without a food processor:
If you don’t have a food processor it’s a little bit more messy work.
First of all, you need to buy almond meal if you cannot make your own. Almond meal can be found in the baking isle of any grocery store.
Then start by placing the pistachios and pecans or walnuts into a kitchen towel. Make sure you wrap them in the towel completely. Using a hammer or any other hard device, crush the nuts until they are broken down into pieces. Open the towel and place the crushed nuts into a bowl.
Add the almond meal, chia seeds and hemp seeds if you are using them.

Now pit the dates. This is where it gets messy. Squeeze the dates between your hands and form them into a sticky dough. Once you have one sticky big ball of mashed dates, place the ball into the bowl of nuts and chia seeds. Combine everything using your hands, this should get easier because the almond meal serves as a flour, making the dough less sticky.Now pour the shredded coconut flakes in a small bowl or plate.
Now form the balls using your hands. I use about one teaspoon for each energy ball.
Place the balls into the bowl of shredded coconut and cover them completely, rolling the balls around.
Place the covered balls on a small plate and put them in the fridge to set for a couple of hours.

Enjoy!

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Let me introduce you to my newest addiction: almond butter. Ever since I made our first batch, I have been constantly buying almonds to keep up with our high demand for this delicious nut butter. Since I am technically American at heart, I am of course a big fan of peanut butter, but ever since I tried almond butter I don’t think I will ever go back. Almond butter is the perfect addition to any meal. I eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner sometimes. It’s also a great healthy snack if you combine it with sliced apples or pears. I love it with my morning bowl of oatmeal, in breakfast smoothies, on toast topped with banana slices or homemade jam. It’s also a great substitution for cream in sauces or soups. You can see, I am pretty obsessed with it.

Making almond butter only requires one ingredient so you couldn’t even call it cooking really. Unfortunately you will need a high quality and powerful food processor to get the perfect texture. I am really sorry, but I have tried it with my 20 Euro blender – without success. It doesn’t need to be a very expensive machine, but it needs to have power to break down the almonds completely.
Since almond butter consists of only one ingredient, it is a very clean food, and totally healthy as well. Nut butter in general is a great way to add some healthy protein and unsaturated fats to your diet. The healthy fatty acids protect our heart and lower the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Almonds are also an amazing super- and beauty food because of it’s high vitamin E content. Vitamin E is especially important for healthy nails, hair and glowing skin.

Health benefits:
– copper (important for strong tissue, maintaining blood volume, and producing energy in your cells)
– mono-unsaturated fats (decreases risks for breast cancer, important for heart health)
– biotin (important for blood sugar balance and skin health; building healthy fats for soft skin)
– manganese (for nerve health)
– protein (important for a healthy metabolism, immune systems, production of enzymes)
– vitamin E (antioxidant against free radicals, prevents skin aging)

Enjoy!

The post The best almond butter appeared first on Heavenlynn Healthy.

Ever since I had my first sip of almond milk I have been in love. I discovered nut milk during my time in Texas, when I still thought that I was lactose intolerant. A friendly person at Whole Foods recommended almond milk instead of the very sweet lactose free milk, and fortunately I gave it a try. I admit that switching completely from cows milk to almond milk took me some time. First, I mixed it with cows milk and then I gradually increased the amount of almond milk in my cereal bowl. It takes some time getting used to the taste, but once you learn about all the health benefits of almond milk, you will want to try it with everything. At least that’s how I feel about it.
Almond milk is full of healthy vitamins and minerals, and thus really deserves the title super-milk in my opinion. The amount of vitamin E in one cup of almond milk already covers 50% of the recommended daily intake of the beautity vitamin. It is a natural health booster, which makes your skin, nails and hair glow – at least that’s what I tell myself. Rumor has it though, that almond milk also has a higher calcium content than cows milk, but I have to tell you that this is unfortunately not true. If you are switching to almond milk, then you need to receive your daily dose of calcium from somewhere else such as from green vegetables like broccoli, rucola or algea (sushi!).
The Glycemic Index (the index which shows the effect of a certain food on our blood sugar levels) of unsweetened almond milk is also very low, which means that almond milk does not significantly raise our blood sugar levels, thus it does not increase our risk of getting diabetes type 2. It also means that the little amount of carbohydrates present in almond milk is turned into energy and not into fat. If you’re watching your weight, then almond milk is great for you because it contains almost three times less calories than cows or soy milk. The latter also often contains many nasty additives and preservatives, which is why almond milk is definitely a better milk substitute than soy milk.
Unfortunately almond milk can be quite expensive which is why homemade almond milk is not only a healthier but also a cheaper alternative to store-bought nut milk. With only one cup of almonds you can get almost a liter of almond milk, which is defintely cheaper than buying it from the store.

Health benefits in this homemade almond milk:
– biotin (important for blood sugar balance and skin health, necessary to build healthy fats that keep the skin moist and soft)
– magnesium (important for a healthy nerve system, muscle health, energy production)
– manganese (for nerve health)
– vitamin B (lowers blood pressure, important for healthy nerves, and energy production)
– vitamin E (antioxidant against free radicals, prevents skin ageing
  
  

Ingredients:
– 1 cup (150g) of blanched almonds
– 3 cups (750ml) of water
– 1 tsp agave (optional)
– ½ tsp cinnamon (optional)
– a jelly bag or a thin towel like this one*

The day before you want to make your almond milk, you need to soak your almonds for at least 8 hours in order for this recipe to work. Be sure to cover every nut with water and let it soak preferably over night.
The next day, drain your almonds and put them into a blender. Add the 3 cups of water and blend everything for at least 1 minute until you have a nicely smooth milk.
Now place your jelly bag over a large bowl and pour the almond milk through the bag. Finally drain the rest of the water with your hands. Almond milk can taste a bit strange in the beginning, so you might want to add some sweetener such as agave and maybe even some cinnamon to make it more tasty.

Store the milk in an airtight bottle in the fridge and it should last for about a week or so.

If you do not know where to get a jelly bag from, this one* works perfectly.

Enjoy!

*Affiliate-Link – if you buy this product through this link I will get a little bonus which will help me cover the costs of keeping my blog alive.

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