While
Christmas is exciting for a number of reasons – snowflakes, presents and caroling
– but the variety of scrumptious and delicious food that’s yet to come our way,
is what most of us look forward to. With almonds, you can enjoy a merry and yet
healthy Christmas this year, by having made more conscious and informed food
choices.
Almonds
are indeed a gift of good health which you can give yourself this Christmas.
Known to be a rich source of a host of essential nutrients including vitamin E,
protein, iron, riboflavin, manganese and folate amongst others, almonds are a
nutritious and healthy snack
Leading Bollywood actress Soha Ali Khan
said, “My family, particularly my
daughter, loves Christmas simply because it gives her an opportunity to indulge
in sweet delicacies. To avoid overindulgence, I keep a box of flavoured or
coated almonds handy around the house, so all of us munch on healthier snacks
during the season.”
According
to Fitness enthusiast and Supermodel,
Milind Soman, “Christmas is a great
time to exchange gifts with the people we love. I personally believe in sharing
gifts which will help in adding to their health. That’s why I prefer gifting
almonds to my friends and family. They are a good source of several important
nutrients like vitamin E, B12, iron etc and are a versatile ingredient which
can be used for many food preparations – especially Christmas inspired recipes.
Added to that, global research also suggests that daily consumption of almonds may
have a positive impact on type 2 diabetes, heart health and weight management.
They truly are a gift of good health.”
During
Christmas time, the never-ending potlucks with friends and family make us indulge
in rich, and calorie laden food, which can take a toll on our health and
fitness. A healthy substitute is what we need at this time. Research studies
also suggest, that nuts like almonds not only offer goodness in every bite, but
can also help manage your heart’s health and weight better.
Regional Head-Dietetics, Max Healthcare –
Delhi, Ritika Samaddar added, “Come
Christmas time and year end, a lot of us tend to freely consume sweets, without
thinking of the repercussions it might have on our health. Opting for dishes
that include nuts like almonds will ensure you add a dose of good health to
your meals, even during the celebrations. This will also have a beneficial
impact in the long term. A recent study highlighted that in addition to
significantly improving LDL cholesterol, snacking on 42 grams of almonds
everyday also reduced central adiposity (belly fat) and waist circumference,
all well-established heart disease risk factors[1].”
Adding
to this, Nutrition and Wellness Consultant, Sheela Krishnaswamy said, “Festivals in general area time for merriment
and parties. It is also a time when many of us tend to neglect our diet and
fitness schedule. An easy way to counter this, is to opt for healthier snacks
like roasted or flavoured almonds, fresh fruit or oatmeal which will help keep
you satiated without adding empty calories.”
Nutritional
benefits aside, almonds are crunchy nuts which can be paired with almost any
food item. Christmas offers the opportunity to refresh your cooking style and
try out newer recipes that are delicious and healthy.
Pilates Expert and Diet & Nutrition
Consultant, Madhuri Ruia said, “Almonds are a versatile ingredient that can
easily be added to any sweet or savory Christmas recipe. You could add them to
your gluten free cakes, or biscuits – or even create party snacks like
barbeque, or cinnamon glazed almonds to spice up your festive spread.”
Almonds can make it a gratifying time for you and
your loved ones during Christmas. Here’s a recipe of Spice Almond Banana
Jaggery Cake to add to the Christmas cheer!
Spiced
Almond Banana Jaggery Cake
Ingredients
Quantity
Butter, unsalted 1/2 cup
Jaggery powder 1/2 cup cinnamon
Ground 1 ½ tsp
Nutmeg, ground 1/4 tsp
Almonds, sliced 1/2 cup
Sugar 3/4 cup
Eggs, large 3 no
Orange zest 2 tsp
Banana, ripped & mashed 1 1/4 cups
All-purpose flour 3 cups
Baking powder 1 1/2 tsp
Baking soda 1 tsp
Salt 1/2 tsp
Buttermilk 2/3 cup
Method:
·
Melt 1/4 cup of the butter. Pour 2 tablespoons
of the melted butter into an 8-cup pan; brush the butter over pan sides and
bottom. Mix together the jaggery, cinnamon, nutmeg, and almonds. Sprinkle
bottom of pan with half the jaggery mixture; combine the remaining mixture with
the remaining melted butter; set aside.
•
In a large bowl, beat remaining 1/4 cup butter
with granulated sugar until blended. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until blended.
Beat in mashed banana.
•
Mix all-purpose, baking powder, soda, and salt.
Add to banana mixture along with the buttermilk; stir until well blended.
•
Pour half the batter into prepared pan. Spoon
remaining jaggery sugar mixture evenly over top; cover with remaining batter.
•
Bake in a 180° oven until a long wood skewer
inserted into the thickest part of the cake comes out clean, about 50 minutes.
Cool the cake on a rack about 5 minutes, then invert cake onto a serving plate.
Serve the cake warm or cool.
Nutritional Analysis
|
Calories
|
3967
|
Protein
g
|
75.4
|
|
Total
fat g
|
126.1
|
Saturated
g
|
60.8
|
|
Monounsaturated
g
|
41.2
|
Polyunsaturated
g
|
12.1
|
|
Carbohydrates
g
|
613.3
|
Fiber
g
|
23.5
|
|
Cholesterol
mg
|
778
|
Sodium
mg
|
3344.2
|
|
Calcium mg
|
1306
|
Magnesium
mg
|
678.2
|
|
Potassium
mg
|
3392.2
|
Vitamin
E IU
|
16.8
|
###
Almonds from California are a natural, wholesome and
quality food. The Almond Board of California promotes almonds through its
research-based approach to all aspects of marketing, farming and production on
behalf of the more than 6,800 almond growers and processors in California, many
of which are multi-generational family operations. Established in 1950 and
based in Modesto, California, the Almond Board of California is a non-profit
organization that administers a grower-enacted Federal Marketing Order under
the supervision of the United States Department of Agriculture. For more
information on the Almond Board of California or almonds, visit www.almonds.in
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