As I mentioned in my “Why Vegan?” post I was diagnosed with an autonomic disorder in October of last year. I have post orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). One of the lifestyle modifications I have to make for this form of dysautonomia is to increase the amount of salt in my diet. Eating more salt helps increase my blood volume, which is typically low. I love salty snacks like chips, pretzels and pickles, but obviously they are not very nutrient dense. I came across Tamari Almonds in Whole Foods and thought they would be a nice salty snack for when I am out and about. Unfortunately they cost a fortune! I did some research and developed my own Tamari Almond recipe that I love, and that is much more affordable.
This recipe starts with a 12 oz package of raw almonds. I typically buy my almonds at Whole Foods or the Farmer’s Market. You begin by toasting the raw almonds for 10 minutes at 300 degrees F.
Then take the warm almonds from the oven and add them to a heat proof bowl. Stir in 1/4 cup of Tamari and stir until the almonds and Tamari are well combined. The almonds soak in the Tamari for 20 minutes. I usually stir the almonds 2-3 times while they are soaking. After 20 minutes the almonds will have soaked up most of the Tamari.
The final step is to pour the soaked almonds back onto the parchment lined baking sheet. Put them back into the 300 degree F oven for 20 minutes. At this point the almonds will have a dark brown coloring. They will seem a little soft, but they crisp up as they cool down. If you find that the almonds are not crisp enough after they cool down just pop them back in the oven for another 5 minutes.
I love these almonds and so does everyone in my family. I brought them to several holiday gatherings and received many requests for the recipe. I try to always have them on hand for snacking or to top salads.
Please give them a try and let me know what you think.
- 16 oz Raw Almonds
- ¼ cup Tamari
- Preheat oven for 300 degrees F
- Place raw almonds on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Cook the almonds for 10 minutes in the preheated oven.
- Remove almonds from the oven and pour into a large bowl. Pour tamari over the warm almonds. Stir completely and soak in tamari for 20 min. Stir 1-2 times over the 20 minutes.
- Place soaked almonds back on parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake soaked almonds for 20 minutes.
- When the almonds come out of the oven they will still be a bit soft. Almonds will firm up as they cool.