[caption id="attachment_2667" align="aligncenter" width="300"]Delicious almonds! Delicious almonds![/caption] TODAY IS ALMOND DAY!! Have you had your helping of almonds today?? If not, here’s why you should have a good helping of almonds every day! All the vitamins and minerals found in almonds are very beneficial to one’s body, mind, and weight. Eating just 23 raw almonds each day can make a significant improvement in one’s life. Studies have shown that an almond-rich diet can help with memory improvement, which can also reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Almonds can strengthen one’s heart, teeth, and bones. Using the oil from almonds is also very useful in nourishing one’s skin and hair. For example, using almond oil will help reduce acne and scaring of the skin. The antioxidants found in almonds can help reduce dandruff when rubbed onto the scalp. With so many positive things about almonds, it’s definitely worth including them in one’s food storage. For those days when you need a sweet treat, try this recipe for Cinnamon Sugar Almonds cooked in the crock pot. Start by spraying the inside of your crock pot generously with cooking spray. Stir together 1 ¼ cup of white sugar, 1 ¼ cup of brown sugar, and 3 tablespoons of cinnamon. In a separate bowl, whip together one egg yolk and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. Whisk by hand until it becomes frothy. Dump 3 cups of almonds—1 cup at a time—into the egg/vanilla liquid. [caption id="attachment_2668" align="aligncenter" width="300"]almonds and cinnamon sugar mixture almonds and cinnamon sugar mixture[/caption] Scoop the almonds into the cinnamon/sugar powder. Stir thoroughly until all the almonds are nicely coated. Pour that bowl into the crock pot and let it cook on low heat. Stir every half hour for 2 hours or until the almonds are soft. Pour ¼ cup of water into the crock pot and stir well. Cook for another hour, then dump the almonds onto some wax paper to dry. For a little extra zing, mix together ¼ cup white sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar, and ½ a tablespoon of cinnamon, then sprinkle on top of the almonds after they are first placed onto the wax paper. This delicious, but rich treat will satisfy all your taste buds while providing some of the benefits that almonds have to offer. [caption id="attachment_2669" align="aligncenter" width="240"]A delicious treat!! A delicious treat!![/caption] http://www.healthbeckon.com/benefits-and-uses-of-almonds/ Contributed by Angelia Kunz Share