Although I eat meat now, I was a vegetarian for many years, beginning my freshman year of college. I began eating meat again because of bodybuilding, but there are lots of things I miss about eating a plant-based diet. For one, I was more creative with my meals and tried new produce regularly, whereas now it’s easy to kind of just throw together some meat, a basic vegetable, and a carb and call it a day.
I’m not a super enthusiastic meat eater (probably got this from my mom because she’s the same way), so two or three of my six meals daily are plant-based if I can help it. #fairweatheromnivore
One thing that was a staple when I ate mostly plant-based foods and still is today is almonds. They’re one of my favorite snack foods as they’re delicious, portable, and they stick to your ribs, nawmean?
I’ve partnered with California Almonds on this post! All opinions are my own.
You can eat almonds raw or roasted, and as almond butter (my personal favorite), almond milk, almond meal, and almond flour. And have you tried the ones coated in cocoa powder? You should. The options are endless and you can feel good about including almonds in your diet because California almonds are sustainably grown (gotta save that water) and eating natural foods reduces packaging waste. More on all that here.
As I’m dieting for a competition, I don’t get to eat almonds as much as I normally would. When I worked in an office, I’d just bring a whole bag of raw almonds and keep it in my desk for when hunger would inevitably strike in the afternoons. While I don’t have the luxury of always having them at my fingertips during competition prep, when I do get to incorporate them in my diet for the week I’m a very happy girl.
Here’s an example of something almond-y I had for breakfast this weekend: a batch of warm apple cinnamon protein muffins with a smudge of almond butter on them. This felt extremely decadent (to me, who’s dieting) and had the perfect balance of carbs from the apples and oats, protein from both the egg whites and almond butter, and of course, healthy fats. I always think of almonds as just a source of fats, but I found out that there are 6 grams of protein in just one ounce of almonds (about 23 almonds).
Apple cinnamon protein muffins with almond butter. Let me know if you want me to post the recipe!
One of my personal fave ways to eat almond butter is on a rice cake with some blackberry jam. While backstage waiting to go on stage at a bodybuilding competition, most people munch on snacks like this because the carbs keep your muscles looking full, so eating this treat reminds me of those times.
Chocolate rice cakes with jelly and almond butter. I’m sad I already ate these. *sigh*
You can learn more about sustainable almond-growing practices and find tons of free recipes at Almonds.com!
Cassandra says
I find that I eat more meat when I’m home compared to when I’m away for university. I’ve definitely cut down my meat eating a lot. Sadly I can’t try almond butter as I have a nut allergy 🙁
Jessica Simms says
I want to try that muffin with the almond butter! I love Almond milk and try it daily, I really don’t miss regular milk anymore.
CourtneyLynne says
Not going to lie, I do love my meat! Almonds are definitely a favorite of mine though. Almond butter is one of my favorite things to snack on!
WhatLauraLoves says
I’m actually trying to eat more of a plant based diet. I love my meat but I really need to get more vegetables and less dairy into my meals! xxx
Alona Y says
I try to only eat meat a few times a week and have been doing pretty well with focusing on a plant-based diet! I love almond butter on whole grain english muffins topped with bananas.
Erin Kennedy says
Lol! I love this. I go through the same thing. I love this idea with the almond butter.
Kristen Dann says
I’m also not an enthusiastic meat eater. Almonds aren’t my favorite but I’ve heard how great Almond Butter is. I might have to give it a try here soon.
Natasha Mairs says
I have just bought some almond butter but not tried it yet, so will be having some later maybe with some rice crackers
edye says
I’ve been vegetarian for almost a year, so my diet is 100% plant based 🙂 I really enjoyed reading this post <3
Blessings,
Edye // Gracefulcoffee
Yolo Spinks says
I love almonds. My favorite way to eat almonds are seasoned with wasabi. Ooooooooo, just the right amount of salt and sweet. I have an insulin resistance so I have to watch my carbs. I’ll have to try the rice cake with almond butter on one of my cheat days though.
Chanelle says
Oh those wasabi almonds are awesome!
ricci says
I love almonds but I never though tot use almond flour or almond butter in any of my recipes. I need to!! And those rice cakes with almond butter and jelly look AMAZE!
Christie says
I wish that I liked nuts more. I love the source of protein and how easy it is to take on the go. My daughter and husband love them
Tracy @ Ascending Butterfly says
I love almonds! (Pretty much most nuts, Cashews too!)
I believe everything in moderation is the way to go. I have known Vegans who were constantly sick and meat eaters who are perfectly healthy – Eating is just one part of what comprises a healthy lifestyle. 🙂
Chanelle says
I agree! It’s important to listen to your body.
tiffany says
Haha! Love the title! I love almonds and find they are the perfect snack when my energy levels are low after a busy Mom day!
Tanya says
Unfortunately due to a nut allergy I can’t eat almonds but I do love a good protein muffin. I love the range of food you are able to make with protein
Laura H says
I love almonds but unfortunately I’m allergic to them when they’re raw 🙁 Almond butter is great though!
Ashley says
Oh yum! Love almonds. I’ve never tried almond butter – I’ll have to change that soon! I try to eat a mostly plant-based diet as I was a vegetarian for awhile, too. For health purposes, I needed to add meat back into my diet but I do it sparingly!
Melanie Edjourian says
I need to try almond butter, bet it’s amazing!!!!!
The London Mum says
I live almonds- I’d love to know your recipe for the muffins!
Stephanie of The TipToe Fairy says
My daughter loves to eat raw almonds She takes a bag to school and leaves it in her locker.
Toughcookiemommy says
I’ve heard that almond butter is delicious but I have yet to try it for myself. Maybe it is time for a change in our home too.
Beeb Ashcroft says
I’m not going to lie, I am not a big fan of meat either and I have to say that now my mouth is watering over the apple cinnamon muffins!
Seattle Travel Blogger says
I think hummus is a good treat.
My husband is more of the meat-eater type for his diet.
Michele says
It really depends on my mood whether I eat plant based or meat. My body seems to let me know when I need a steak-which is not all that often—-I have been using almond milk ever since I was diagnosed as diabetic.
Chanelle says
I know what you mean. My body asks for red meat sometimes too!
Lori Felix says
I love almonds and I eat them straight out the bag. I also like sliced almonds mixed in with my cereal.
Melissa Bernardo says
I am a huge almond fan! Always have been, always will!
Ron Leyba says
Oh my, I love ALMONDS too! That almond butter made me really crave. Drooling over your pics right now.
Marcie W. says
I love almonds since they are considered to have healthy fat and offer a substantial crunch. As a peanut butter addict, I really need to explore the world of almond butter more.
Censie Sawyer says
Almond butter is my favorite! I love it with apples and bananas. Yummy!
Alissa Apel says
We love almonds. I sometimes make a natural peanut butter spread, spread it on toast thin, and put almonds on top. The boys and I love to eat them that way.
I also make protein bites with them.
Rosey says
I think I was born a vegetarian, lol. My mom used to fight and fight to get me to eat meat when I was a child. Today I don’t eat any, haven’t for years!! I do love almonds. A lot!
Stacy Kripas says
Love this post! Makes me crave. Thanks for sharing!
Jocelyn Brown says
Almonds are such a healthy addition to our diet and are really addictive. It’s a good thing that they are good for us 🙂
Brandy says
I admit not much of my diet is plant-based, but I Do love almonds. Usually I just like them anyway – but with chocolate on them is my preferred choice!
Toni | BoulderLocavore says
I love almonds in all forms. We tend to have raw almond around for snacking and I personally love unsweetened almond milk too.
Chanelle says
Me too! That’s what I like in my cereal.
Nikki says
I am an almond lover! Great post! Thanks for sharing.
Nicole Escat says
I want the almonds. I’m so addicted to it. I’m craving for some right now.
Carrie says
We could definitely eat a more plant based diet here. I love almonds and so do our kids. I dont cook with them much but I should try to incorporate those more into our meals. I just love to snack on them raw.
valmg @ Mom Knows It All says
I could stand some more plant-based food in my diet in all likelihood. Hubby loves almonds, he’s happy if I buy them for him.
Cynthia says
I love to eat almonds! Snacking on them is a great way to get full and feel satisfied without feeling guilty. I used to make my own almond milk, but now I purchase it! Your rice cake snack looks so yummy!
Toughcookiemommy says
I’ve never been a big meat eater so I wonder how I would fare as a vegetarian. I think my husband’s love of steak would make it difficult to convert everyone in our home.
A Geek Daddy says
I love almonds!!! Unfortunately haven’t had them in a long time because my kids are allergic to them and can’t have them around the house. I want to pick up an Almond Joy tomorrow while they are at school now after reading this post. I like that the industry is making an effort to promote environmentally friendly sustainable growth practices.
Miles L. says
I haven’t tried to have that chocolate rice cake! Sounds like a great idea. I enjoy Almonds too.
Erin @ Stay At Home Yogi says
I do love almonds and actually snack on them almost every day …. BUT chocolate rice cakes??!! Where do I get those? Yum! 🙂
Chanelle says
They are AWESOME! I can usually find them with the rest of the rice cakes, but they are less common than the other flavors.
Elizabeth O. says
I don’t eat meat, and you’re right, you do get creative with the things you eat once you eliminate meat and it’s really fun. I would love to try that chocolate rice cake with almond butter and blueberry jam. It sounds and looks amazing!
Maureen says
I never thought of all these options with almonds, they really are delicious. Thanks for sharing some new ideas on how to eat up some almonds!
Heather D. (@GirlGoneMom) says
I love almonds and veggies. I’ve been especially enjoying spiralized veggies lately.
Crystal says
I always have a stock of nuts in the house. They’re good to have in case of zombie apocalypse, right? I need to try some of your almond suggestions. Even without zombies, I’d love them I’m sure.
Kita says
Almonds are so good. Do you make your own almond butter? I love the almond butter from Trader Joe’s but it’s so far.
Fashion and Style Police says
Lovely post. Your pictures are always so good xo
Nayna Kanabar says
i love almonds in any form or shape. i especially love them roasted in the oven with seasalt nad black pepper.
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy says
I love almonds too. In fact my post this week included almond milk.
Jenn @ EngineerMommy says
I love almond butter! I’ve never had it on a rice cake, but now I really want to try that. I’ve had peanut butter on rice cakes before, so I’m sure I’d love the almond butter variety!
Debra says
We just started using almond butter and everyone in the family seems to like it. I like keeping a bag of nuts in my desk drawer here at work. They’re great for a pick me up in late afternoon when my tummy starts to rumble.
William Sweeney says
I am very much a meat eater!! I have been doing more veggies this year and will have to put in more almonds in my diet, I didn’t think of the benefits of them before.
William Sweeney says
I am very much a meat eater!! I have been doing more veggies this year and will have to put in more almonds in my diet, I didn’t think of the benefits of them before.
Kira C says
I’m a big meat eater but I’d love to try more plant-based meals! I’ve never tried almond butter but those protein muffins look delicious! Please post the recipe!
Lynette says
Those Apple cinnamon protein muffins look absolutely delicious. Definitely interested in the recipe.
Akhil Sharma says
I am still a vegetarian and I’ll remain as well (Hope so), but I definitely understand you point about meat for bodybuilding. Almonds are my favorite due to the taste and the health benefits. Almonds incorporate calcium, they are good for heart, people with hypertension can eat almonds, they are high in protein, and so on.
MJ.L says
I love almonds! Whenever I am on a high protein diet I always have them as a snack. I really should try Almond butter!
Sam Jeffery says
I absolutely love almonds, they are, like you said, perfect for a snack in the office!
Chantal says
I could eat almonds all day if I could. I have done a bit of baking with almond flour and really like how it turned out.
Jessica McDonnell says
I love almonds and almond butter and those protein muffins look so yummy. I’ve been vegetarian for 11 years now.
Elizabeth says
I’m currently strength training so I’m eating a lot of meat right now too, but come the summer time when our veg boxes are bursting we’re primarily vegetarian. So much variety in the summer!
Elizabeth says
oh and my favourite way to eat almonds are whole, raw, on top of my natural yogurt and sliced banana in the morning. 🙂
Cindy Ingalls says
I do eat a more plant based diet than I used to, and I really enjoy it. Though it does take more effort to prepare meals. I’m not a big nut person, but I do love the taste of almond butter.
Lisa Joy Thompson says
I absolutely LOVE almond butter! I don’t know why, but it tastes soooo much better than peanut butter! I also like eating almonds raw. One of my other faves is to mix almonds, frozen berries and cream cheese. It’s a delicious creamy dessert!
Harriet from Toby & Roo says
I am definitely not an almond fan… potentially in a florentine but other than that, nope. I do eat an awful lot of veggies though, mainly because I try to avoid starchy carbs as they pack the pounds on me! H x
Betsy Segars says
Most of my diet is plant based. I’m not a huge meat eater. Something about chewing and thinking about animals at the same time freaks me out. (I will eat a steak or cheeseburger every once in awhile though!)
Jeanine says
I hate to admit but like none of my diet is plant based. I need to change that I think. I’m a meat and pasta kinda gal. Always have been but more so now that I’m pregnant I really eat what I can stomach!
Jeanette says
Almonds are probably my favorite nut! I’m trying to eat better in on that list of things to get our almonds I just cannot eat that many of them because I have issues with my stomach.
Catherine S says
I should probably add more plants to my diet. I will have to try the almond butter in place of peanut butter.
Pam says
Almonds are probably my favorite nuts. I have been known to pick them out of mixed nuts or trail mix when no one is looking!
Sarah Bailey says
I do eat meat but I’m not a huge lover of it – I can have it or leave it really. x
maria @closeothome says
I need to focus more of the side aisles of the grocery store and less on the packaged goods side. Great tips here.
Rhian Westbury says
I try to eat a vegan diet as much as possible so much of my eating is plant based. I’m not a huge fan of almonds, peanut butter is more my thing x
Shirley Wood says
We enjoy almonds for snacking also. I put them into a small container for my hubby to keep in his desk for that 3 pm snack attack. Now I’m craving almond butter!
Pam says
I want some almond butter now too! It’s so good on toast, or muffins, or just about anything.
Erin says
I eat so much plant! I’ve recently started eating more meats as I was a pescetarian before. I still prefer plants but my iron levels drop so easily that my dr recommended a bit more red meat.
Amanda says
We most definitely are meat eaters in our house, but my boys are constantly asking for fruits and veggies so that makes me very happy. We love to make trail mixes using almonds, but the tricky thing is to only eat them at home since I know that so many people are stricken with nut allergies.
Chanelle says
That’s a good point! I always worry about bringing nut butters with me on planes.
Mimi Green says
I don’t think I could survive on a plant based diet. I love the meats, so much so my meals don’t feel complete without it. Even if I have salad I have meat in it or with it.
I’m particular about my veggies and I don’t know if I love enough of them to not die from starvation. lol I eat an insane amount of broccoli because it is my favorite. I don’t disrespect it or anything with cheese. Just steamed broccoli.
I can’t recall the last time I had an almond. I don’t eat them much.
Patrice M Foster says
I am on a Journey to eat more healthy so far its working, Sweets has always been my downfall. Almond butter look so tempting . Almond my favorite.
Rebecca Bryant says
I am trying harder to eat clean. I am a huge almond fan but admit never tried almond butter. I am still a peanut butter girl. I can a bag of almonds by myself they are very good.
Alli says
I eat a plant based diet most of the time. I do eat seafood occasionally, but mostly I stick to veggies, fruits and beans. Almonds play an important role in my diet and Almond Milk is a staple and is always in my fridge. I love all nuts, especially almonds.
Life as Mum says
Ah those muffins look delicious! Wouldn’t mind a bite , yum! Good luck with the weight loss
Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle says
I would say that probably half of our diet is plant based. Whenever we have a meal half the plate is some sort of starch and then some veggies.
Monica says
Your muffins look amazing! I second the request that you post the recipe. Almond butter is my favorite – I prefer the taste to peanut butter. I use almonds all the time, my favorite is the crunch they give to salads.
Daphne Turner says
Please DO post the recipe for the Apple Cinnamon Protein Muffins AND for the Almond Butter!
Melinda Babiak says
Almonds are the best. We buy them from Traders Joes and we can eat a bag in a weeks time. Oh yeah we also love Almond butter.