Specifically, an addiction to almonds. I want to eat all. the. almonds. Salty, spicy, sweet, savory -- give me all the almonds! (It's even in my tea.) It's gotten to the point where I've been wondering if I have some sort of dietary deficiency because I'm craving them so much.
And then comes along a culinary innovation: almond crust. It seems obvious in hindsight. I mean, if you want something to have some crunch, why not some almonds? The key is crushing the almonds just right -- enough to coat, but not enough for them to turn into a powdery flour.
Here's a creative pairing for you, perfect as a dinner party pleaser -- great with, say, some citrus chicken or crock pot beef. Try it and let us know what you think!
Almond-Crusted Sweet Potato Fries
Ingredients:
For the fries:
- 1 large sweet potato
- 1/2 cup Wasabi & Soy Sauce Blue Diamond Almonds
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup flour (I use whole wheat)
- 1 egg
- 1 egg white
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup fat free plain Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons mayo or additional Greek yogurt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/2 teaspoon honey
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 teaspoons sriracha sauce or more to taste
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Peel potato (if preferred) and cut into matchsticks (about 1/4 inch thick).
Add almonds to a food processor and pulse until they are very finely ground, but not yet of flour consistency (about 30 seconds).
Place almonds in a shallow bowl and add panko breadcrumbs and salt. Stir until well combined.
Place flour in a second shallow bowl.
Add the egg and egg white to a third shallow bowl and beat until well combined.
Dip the sweet potatoes in the flour, then the eggs, and last the almond mixture, making sure they are well coated on all sides.
For best results, place the potatoes on a wire rack that is placed on a baking sheet. Alternatively, sweet potatoes can be cooked directly on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake for 20 minutes.
While sweet potatoes are cooking, stir together all ingredients for the creamy sriracha sauce in a small bowl.
Serve and enjoy hot and fresh!
Recipe reprinted with permission from Kim's Cravings and Blue Diamond Almonds.
