Almond Butter Cookies

[msmini14]

Ok, I made almond butter cookies on Satruday and they turned out a lot better than I expected. I bought gluten-free/df choco chips and a no stir almond butter at Henrys. I dont do well with peanut butter anymore but I can do almonds so I thought I would give it a try. I only made half a batch, but this is what I did.

1/2 cup of almond butter

little over a 1/4 c of white sugar

choco chips

1 egg

Beat the egg and sugar in one bowl. Put almond butter in another bowl and mix the 2 together. Sprinkle in some choco chips, mix some more. I just put spoonfulls on the baking sheet, cooked at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes

Worth a try and very easy. Gulten and Dairy free! yay =)

[sickchick]

I have almond butter in my fridge! I ordered soy-free dairy-free choco chips and they should be here this week! mmmm...

thanks these look yum

[msmini14]

hehehe you are welcome, I hope you enjoy them. I know I did and it didnt cost a ton of money nor take up half my day lol. Wish I had someone to bake for, then I think I would be doing all the fun stuff I used to enjoy. lol but I cant have all that sweet good gluten-free food in the house, need someone to eat it up right away lol.

[ShayFL]

Those sound good. Wish I could have eggs and white sugar.

But I did find a Teff/Peanut butter recipe on Bob's Red Mill site and I replaced the PB with Almond Butter. Everyone who has tried them, loves them.

Shay

[sickchick]

I haven't tried teff flour yet do you like it Shay?

msmini, I am single too so I get to eat every last cookie myself! hehehe

[RiceGuy]

Those sound good. Wish I could have eggs and white sugar.

I also don't do eggs or sugar, so I think I'd try altering the recipe as follows:

1/2 cup of almond butter

1/4 cup gluten-free flour

1 Tbsp carob powder (or choco chips if you can/want)

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1/2 to 3/4 tsp pure Stevia powder

For the flour, my first thought would be teff, though sorghum or various others should work pretty well too.

[ShayFL]

Teff has a unique flavor, but in cookies with maple syrup and almond butter....it is just yummy!! I want to try tortillas with it, but have not gotten around to it. Ingeri I think it is called in ethiopia. They use a lot of teff.

[Ridgewalker]

Aside from allergy and intolerance issues, is almond butter better for you than peanut butter? Don't almonds have healthier fats or something? I'm having a brain fog.

[msmini14]

Peanuts:

Nutritional value

Peanut, valencia, raw

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)

Energy 570 kcal 2390 kJ

Carbohydrates 21 g

- Sugars 0.0 g

- Dietary fiber 9 g

Fat 48 g

- saturated 7 g

- monounsaturated 24 g

- polyunsaturated 16 g

Protein 25 g

Thiamin (Vit. B1) 0.6 mg 46%

Riboflavin (Vit. B2) 0.3 mg 20%

Niacin (Vit. B3) 12.9 mg 86%

Pantothenic acid (B5) 1.8 mg 36%

Vitamin B6 0.3 mg 23%

Folate (Vit. B9) 246 μg 62%

Vitamin C 0.0 mg 0%

Calcium 62 mg 6%

Iron 2 mg 16%

Magnesium 184 mg 50%

Phosphorus 336 mg 48%

Potassium 332 mg 7%

Zinc 3.3 mg 33%

Percentages are relative to US

recommendations for adults.

Source: USDA Nutrient database

[edit] Health benefits

Peanuts are a rich source of protein (roughly 30 grams per cup after roasting). Prior to 1990 the PER method of protein evaluation considered peanut protein along with soy protein an incomplete protein, containing relatively low amounts of the essential amino acids, cystine, and methionine (but high in lysine), and it was advised to be sure that a diet or meal with peanuts as a staple also include complementary foods such as whole grains like corn and wheat, which are adequate in methionine but limited by lysine. Protein combining has been largely discredited. Since 1990 the gold standard for measuring protein quality is the Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) and by this criterion peanut protein and other legume proteins such as soy protein is the nutritional equivalent of meat and eggs for human growth and health.[8]. An example of an extremely nutritious peanut-based food to restore health in starving-malnourished children is Plumpy'nut.

Peanut oil is a mainly monounsaturated fat, much of which is oleic acid, the healthful type of fat that has been implicated for skin health. Some say peanuts are an unbalanced source of fat because they have only trace amounts of required Omega-3 fats.[9] Some brands of peanut butter are fortified with Omega-3 in the form of flaxseed oil to balance the ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6.

[edit] Niacin

Peanuts are a good source of niacin and thus contribute to brain health, brain circulation and blood flow.[10]

[edit] Peanuts and antioxidants

Recent research on peanuts and nuts in general has found antioxidants and other chemicals that may provide health benefits.[11] New research shows peanuts rival the antioxidant content of many fruits. Roasted peanuts rival the antioxidant content of blackberries and strawberries, and are far richer in antioxidants than apples, carrots or beets. Research conducted by a team of University of Florida scientists, published in the journal Food Chemistry, shows that peanuts contain high concentrations of antioxidant polyphenols, primarily a compound called p-coumaric acid, and that roasting can increase peanuts' p-coumaric acid levels, boosting their overall antioxidant content by as much as 22%.[12]

[edit] Peanuts as a source of resveratrol

Peanuts are a significant source of resveratrol, a chemical studied for potential anti-aging effects and also associated with reduced cardiovascular disease and reduced cancer risk. A new [date?] study by French researchers, Dr. Johan Auwerx and colleagues from the Institute of Genetics and Molecular and Cellular Biology in Illkirch, France, recently conducted an animal study to test the effects of high doses of resveratrol on exercise endurance in mice. The results showed that the mice treated with resveratrol were found to have energy-charged muscles and a lower heart rate, much like trained athletes--they could run twice as far as the mice that were not supplemented. The conductor of the research, Dr. Johan Auwerx has said that "Resveratrol makes you look like a trained athlete without the training".[13]

It has recently [date?] been found that the average amount of resveratrol in one ounce of commonly eaten peanuts without the skin (15 whole peanut kernels) is 73 μg 4,5. This means that ounce for ounce, peanuts contain almost 30 times as much resveratrol as grapes, which often are touted as being one of the few good sources of the antioxidant.[14]

[edit] Peanuts and coenzyme Q10

Peanuts are a source of Coenzyme Q10 along with oily fish, beef, soybeans and spinach.[15] Peanuts also help to accelerate the growth of male and female hormones.

Almonds

Almond, nut, raw

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)

Energy 580 kcal 2420 kJ

Carbohydrates 20 g

- Sugars 5 g

- Dietary fibre 12 g

Fat 51 g

- saturated 4 g

- monounsaturated 32 g

- polyunsaturated 12 g

Protein 22 g

Thiamin (Vit. B1) 0.24 mg 18%

Riboflavin (Vit. B2) 0.8 mg 53%

Niacin (Vit. B3) 4 mg 27%

Pantothenic acid (B5) 0.3 mg 6%

Vitamin B6 0.13 mg 10%

Folate (Vit. B9) 29 μg 7%

Vitamin C 0.0 mg 0%

Calcium 248 mg 25%

Iron 4 mg 32%

Magnesium 275 mg 74%

Phosphorus 474 mg 68%

Potassium 728 mg 15%

Zinc 3 mg 30%

[edit] Possible health benefits

Edgar Cayce, a man regarded as the father of American holistic medicine, also highly favoured the almond. In his readings, Cayce often recommended that almonds be included in the diet. Claimed health benefits include improved complexion, improved movement of food through the colon and the prevention of cancer.[16] Recent research associates the inclusion of almonds in the diet with elevating the blood levels of high density lipoproteins and of lowering the levels of low density lipoproteins.[17][18]

A controlled trial showed that 73g of almonds in the daily diet reduced LDL cholesterol by as much as 9.4%, reduced the LDL:HDL ratio by 12.0%, and increased HDL-cholesterol (i.e., the good cholesterol) by 4.6%.[19][20]

In Ayurveda, an ancient system of health care that is native to the Indian subcontinent, almond is considered a nutritive for brain and nervous system. It is said to induce high intellectual level and longevity. Almond oil is called Roghan Badam in both Ayurveda and Unani Tibb (the Greco-Persian System of Medicine). It is extracted by cold process and is considered a nutritive aphrodisiac both for massage and internal consumption. Recent studies have shown that the constituents of almond have anti-inflammatory, immunity boosting, and anti-hepatotoxicity effects.[21]

[larry mac]

Peanuts:

Nutritional value.....

Almonds

Nutritional value.....

So the main difference between the two is there's a lot more said concerning the health benifits of peanuts.

best regards, lm

[sickchick]

Wahoo! my chips came last night...