Having an email conversation about almonds got me to thinking that I would like to hear how you and your families are dealing with the current raw-almonds-are-illegal dilemma.

Briefly, here’s the current legal situation: As of August 2008, The USDA requires raw almonds to be sanitized through pasteurization — either with a toxic fumigant or treatment with high-temperature heat. Conventional almonds are treated with the fumigant, while organic almonds receive a very brief H2O steaming on the outside (of the almond, not the shell).

For more on the almond issue, please read The Authentic Almond Project at the Cornucopia Institute.

My source for almonds — Hummingbird Wholesale in Eugene, OR — was offering truly raw almonds from Italy and Uzbekistan up until a few months ago. They also carry the H2O pasteurized almonds from California.

But recently, they decided to stop importing almonds, and instead, to only offer the California almonds. They do this in order to support California growers, who have no alternative but to comply with the (ridiculous) law. I cannot find fault with this decision. In fact, I respect it. So I’ve been buying the California almonds instead.

Hummingbird Wholesale has tested the H2O pasteurized almonds — to see how “alive” they are — by sprouting them. They report that the almonds sprout very well. So I do feel like these almonds are a good alternative (though of course I would prefer totally raw).

Hopefully one day we will be able to buy truly raw almonds again. In the meantime, we none of us have too many choices.

What are you choosing to do? Have you stockpiled truly raw almonds? Do you have your own almond tree? Are you okay with the organic H2O pasteurized almonds? Have you just quit eating almonds altogether? Please share what you’re doing!

Also, if you have any tips for storage, or sources of high-quality almonds, please share things like that as well.

Many other foods can be stored this way in the freezer –> ground flax seed meal, ground sesame seeds, sesame tahini, almond butter, excess jam, extra ice cream sauce, lemon juice, etc…

(choose organic ingredients)

• about 4 apples, sweet variety such as Fuji
• handful of raw almonds
• handful of raisins
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch nutmeg
• 1 cup pure water

Wash, quarter and core the apples. Place in the Vita-Mix wet container, along with all other ingredients. Put on lid with tamper.

While using tamper, turn on to variable speed #1, increase to #10, then flip to HIGH. Run only as much as needed to chop all ingredients into a thick sauce. Do not puree.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

Sweet Chocolate Hazelnut (or Almond) Spread

makes about 1 cup

• 1 cup hazelnut butter or almond butter, salted (or add 1/4 teaspoon sea salt to this recipe)
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons raw agave syrup
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup mild oil, or nut oil, adjust for consistency*

In a food processor, blend all ingredients until smooth. Scrape down sides as necessary. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

*Don’t choose an oil that is solid at room temperature, or the spread will be very hard when chilled.

© Copyright 2008 by Wardeh Harmon

• 2 cups whole, raw almonds, with skins
• 1 tablespoon xylitol (optional)
• 1 tablespoon cumin (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons raw honey
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 teaspoons coconut oil (or other cooking oil)

Spread the almonds in a baking pan, in a single layer. Bake at 300 degrees, stirring every 2 or 3 minutes, until beginning to smell fragrant and a darker brown, about 8 to 12 minutes. Don’t let them burn! Remove from oven and set aside.

In a saucepot, bring the honey, water and oil to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add the almonds. Stir in the almonds. Keep stirring until the almonds absorb all the liquid, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat. Transfer almonds back to the baking sheet. Sprinkle the almonds with sea salt, xylitol (if using), and cumin (if using). Toss to coat well.

Allow almonds to cool. Store in an airtight container.

© Copyright 2007 by Wardeh Harmon.

Tofu Dressing with Almond and Mustard 

• 1/2 package soft tofu
• 1 tablespoon almond butter
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons natural sweetener such as agave or xylitol
• 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (could increase to 1 teaspoon depending on your preference)
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Combine all ingredients in blender container. Blend until smooth. Refrigerate unused portion. Mix well before serving.

© Copyright 2007 by Wardeh Harmon

I questioned the wholesaler from whom we buy almonds. According to them, the government’s claim is that the flash pasteurization doesn’t alter the viability of the raw almonds because it is done so quickly and only to the outside. Perhaps. We will see. I would prefer to have truly raw almonds.

Here’s another thing I learned — to be sold here, only US almonds are required to be flash pasteurized, while imported raw almonds won’t have to be processed at all. So we might be able to buy truly raw almonds from Italy, but at what cost? They’re bound to be more expense because of the cost of importing them, and they’re not local (or at least fairly local).

Being new to the world of food processing (see how God gave me a food processor), I was unsure how to make almond butter in it. I have found it difficult, but not impossible, to make almond butter in the Vita-Mix. I have a friend who makes it all the time in her food processor, so when she was visiting this Saturday, I asked her to make some with me.

First, what I have already known, one must start 2 cups of with a fattier variety of raw almonds, such as carmel or mission almonds. If you are using non-pariel (sp) almonds, you may have to add oil to achieve a smooth, fluid consistency.

Second, the secret to success that I was missing — one must give the food processor TIME. This is very important.

Also, I don’t believe a regular, run of the mill food processor will work. I recommend a Cuisinart with at least an 8-cup capacity. Reduce the amount of almonds for a smaller work bowl and increase the amount of almonds for a larger work bowl.

Update 12/1/09: Since raw nuts contain enzyme inhibitors, it is best to soak nuts overnight. This starts the germination process, by which the enzyme inhibitors are neutralized. So I’ve updated the recipe to include a soaking-dehydrating step, to make sure this almond butter is as healthy as possible.

Here’s how to do it:

Soak 2 cups of almonds overnight in water (enough to cover and then some) and 1/2 tablespoon sea salt. After the soaking time, drain and rinse the almonds. Spread in a single layer on a dehydrator tray and dry at about 95 degrees until crispy. This takes about 24 hours, give or take, depending on temperature and/or dehydrator.

Put the 2 cups of almonds in the food processor bowl. You’ll be using the regular blade. Add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt (optional). Put the lid on and turn on the food processor.

Let the machine run. The almonds will get ground into a meal. Then you’ll begin to see almond butter as a bottom layer. Let it run longer, like even 5 minutes, until a ball of beginning-to-turn-into-butter almonds is bouncing around on the blade. If necessary, stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Then turn it on again. The ball will slowly reduce in size until it is circulating freely in the bottom of the work bowl. When the ball is completely gone and the butter is circulating freely, the almond butter is done.

If after several minutes of processing, you find that you still have crumbs (meal) but not butter, add 1 tablespoon at a time of a mild flavored oil, such as expeller-pressed grapeseed oil, or mild olive oil (or even an expeller-pressed sesame oil for a sesame taste), and process until you have almond butter circulating freely.

Refrigerate in a glass jar. Enjoy!

Follow a similar procedure to make peanut butter, hazelnut butter or cashew butter.

Chocolate Almond Joy Ice Cream
non-dairy, naturally sweetened

makes 2 quarts

• (2) 15- or 16-ounce cans unsweetened coconut milk (not light)
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup raw local honey or 3/4 cup Rapadura or 3/4 cup Sucanat
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
• 1/3 cup whole raw almonds, chopped finely in food processor
• 2/3 cup acceptable chocolate chips, frozen and then chopped finely in food processor
• 1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Combine all ingredients (except almonds, chocolate chips and coconut) in blender. Blend thoroughly. Chill in the refrigerator or freezer to make sure it is all quite cold.

Add to ice cream maker, following manufacturer’s directions for churning. Add the add-ins during the last few minutes of churning.

For soft serve ice cream, eat immediately. For harder ice cream, transfer to an airtight container and freeze for several hours to a day, depending on degree of hardness desired. If frozen, let sit out for 5 to 10 minutes to soften up sufficiently for scooping.

© Copyright 2007-2009 by Wardeh Harmon