Help with Almond Flour

[LittleFeat]

I have visited numerous grocery stores and can not find Almond Flour.

Can I make my own by grinding up almonds? I have tried this and they seem to get kinda stuck together. Nothing powdery.

Suggestions?

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LittleFeat

[wangeci]

Sounds like you are over grinding them, which releases the oils so it ends up like peanut butter. I throw mine in a food processor and it works fine, it never really turns to flower, it is fine crumbs of almonds. Seems to work fine in any of my baking needs. So try it again but do not over grind.
Good luck
Cindy

[LittleFeat]

I may be using the "wrong" type of almonds. I, for reasons that I can not remember, have a hugh bag of sliced almonds. These almonds still have a slight skin on them.

Should I be using whole almonds to make the flour? Or blanched almonds (no skin)?

If I understand your response, crumbs of almonds, is useful as a "flour"? It will not get the consistency of white flour. Right?

Thanks for your help.

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LittleFeat

[Rosebud]

Hi Littlefeat,
Almond flour is also known as almond meal. Maybe if you look for that?

:rose:Rosebud:rose:

[LittleFeat]

Hi Rosebud and thank you for your posting.

I suspect that Almond Meal or Almond Flour would be on the same aisle and unfortunately, I have not found either.

I think I will try and make my own flour. We shall see how it turns out. Wish me luck.

Thanks again.

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LittleFeat

[wangeci]

I use Raw almonds with the skin, throw them in the food processor. Yes they are fine crumbs but not the consistancy of "white flour". I have used this in recipes that call for almond flour and it works. Also, what I do, is I grind up a bunch and what I don't use, I store in a quart jar in the fridge, so I don't have to grind again. They are also unsalted, not salted.

Cindy

[LittleFeat]

Thanks Cindy.

I will try it and see how it goes. I was thinking no one else had this question or no one knew the answer. I truly want this WOE to work and am willing to make my own flour if I have to.

Just tonight went to store and bought Atkins Blueberry Muffin Mix. WOW the price of out of this world! So I need to figure other ways to make foods.

For instance, what is "HI-Maize cornstarch" I was going to buy some Xanthan Gum, but Kroger wanted $10.00 for a small bag!
Any suggestions?


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LittleFeat

[wangeci]

The Xanthan Gum goes a long way is what I have heard, but I am not sure how you can store it to keep it fresh. I for one do not worry too much about thickening for gravies. As 1 tsp of flour can to wonders thickening, and also then I look at how much of the gravy I will eat per serving. To me that is not many carbs so I do not worry too much about it. I am not sure about the brand of cornstarch that is listed, but look in the health food department of your grocery store and you may find it.

I also make my own oat flour, which you will find as an ingredient in many low carb recipes. Just buy the raw oats at your healthfood store area and grind them also in the food processor or blender. I do not bake too much as I never have this stuff on hand that much unless I go buy a bit for a recipe. good luck on your recipes though. There are many very good ones. I have made several from Protein Power, and Atkins and Carbohydrate Adicts books, as well as from
http://www.lowcarbluxury.com/lowcarb-recipes.html

There are several.

Hope all goes well.
Cindy

[Niky Brady]

I find the almond flour in my local grocery store on one of the special displays on the end of an unrelated aisle. It is found with a bunch of other spices and dried foods that come in cellophane bags like candy. I think the brand name is DELISH. I 'm not sure about that though. I haven't been able to find it on the baking aise shelves. [The price is about $3 for 6oz. Steep but it tastes good.

[alto]

Glad you found some! For the next time, this may help (sorry I hadn't seen your post earlier). I bought some online from www.eatalmonds.com I can't remember how much it was, but it was much cheaper than any other place I'd found. They were very nice, too. Actually sent me an email asking me how I'd liked it!

I use it all the time, mostly as breading. I'll dip eggplant, or chicken, or whatever in egg, then in the almond flour. I haven't tried it for baking.

[LittleFeat]

Thanks for the suggestions Wangci, Niky Brady & Alto.

I was told to grind up the almonds until they began to be pasty. This I did and last night followed a recipe called Choc. Brownies. Ya'll it was as close to dirt clods as you can get. My husband, being a great sport, ate some of it but, it was awful.

The recipe called for 2/3 cup Almond flour and 1/3 whey protein or 1/3 Almond flour, 1/3 Whey Protein & 1/3 soy flour, etc... The idea being that one cup of "flour" was to be used. I went with my ground up almonds of 1/2 cup and 1/2 cup Whey Protein. It called for baking soda, eggs, vanilla, unsweetened cocoa powder, etc....I substituted cream cheese for sour cream (didn't have any). Otherwise kept to recipe. Also, it called for 10 drops of liquid sweetener. I had just bought Sweet-n-low liquid sweetener and added it along with Spenda (as recipe called for). The frosting was unsweetened choc. and peanut butter and something else (can't remember). Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

It barely rose. The liquid sweetener had an awful taste to it. It was FAR from sweet. The texture was gritty, I suspect from the "flour". The frosting was just as bad and not sweet or edible if you ask me.

I can not grind the almonds anymore without them being reduce to almond oil. The research I have done for "Atkins" baking mix, includes Almond Flour, Whey Protein & Soy Protein Isolate. But, folks, either I can not cook (which is a distinct possibility!) because this stuff tastes awful and doesn't act like "flour". The Atkins muffin mix was delicious. So something is very very wrong.

Help! So many things call for breading and we do want this to be our WOE for life, so I have got to find a way to cook food that is good and tasty. I think I will buy some of the flour on-line like ya'll suggested. Until then, what am I doing wrong????

[Soteria]

As to finding almond flour, the cheapest I've found so far is at www.almondsonline.com

They even have low cost fresh raw almonds too!

[LittleFeat]

Soteria, thanks for writing back.

I got the same information on the almond flour from another and ordered some. It is great!

Made almond muffins and they turned out wonderful. Next time will use some nuts in the mix to make an even better batch.

Haven't had time lately to use the flour for other receipes. If you use it often, what do you make with it?

Blessings,

[Soteria]

I just bought the flour about a month ago (just re-ordered a 25 pound bag of it this morning!).

So far, I've made pancakes, muffins and bread. I found a site with tons of recipes using almond flour. Nice to have 'bread' items again, although the flour doesn't have gluten so it's not as sticky and therefore not as binding. Here's one bread recipe we all scarfed up quickly:

Almond Flour Bread Recipe
· 3 1/2 cups almond flour
· 3 eggs
· 1/4 cup melted butter
· 1 tsp. baking soda
· 1 cup yogurt
· 1/4 tsp. salt
Usual directions - mix together in food processor, bake at 350 (180 C) for about 45 minutes. You’ll have to test to see when it’s done. I let it cool for quite a long time before removing from pan so it doesn’t flop.

You can make a variety of recipes using this basic one. I did one with added cinnammon and splenda. You could add chopped nuts too. This is the best bread recipe I've found so far.

Here's the best cracker recipes I've found so far:

Goldfish Crackers
Someone on this list posted this recipe some time ago. They are very good. I call them Goldfish Crackers, because that what my daughter thinks they taste like.
· 1/4 lb cheddar cheese grated
· 1 cup almond flour
· 1/2 teas. salt
· 1/4 teas. sage
· 1/4 teas. thyme
· 1/8 teas. cayanne pepper
· 1/4 cup oil
· 3 tbsp cold water
· coarse salt, sesame seeds or poppy seeds
Mix ingredients except coarse salt.
Form into a ball and refrigerate until firm. About 15 minutes.
Roll, sprinkle with coarse salt and lightly press in. Cut into squares. Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees F (180 C). Cool.

Guess this is too long and on the wrong thread! Sorry, I'm very new at this!

Blessings to you!

Soteria

"I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me." Phil. 4:13

[LittleFeat]

Soteria: "I found a site with tons of recipes using almond flour."

Where is the site???

I can't wait to make the bread and crackers! Thanks so much. You are doing great on the diet I see. That is fantastic. I have lots to lose but, I am committed to this WOE. I did falter yesterday, and ate some chicken on a stick that had been deep fried with a breading. But, we were at a outdoor sale and there just wasn't anything there to pick from. This was the lessor of many evils. Sure hope it doesn't hurt me to bad.

Take care and I look forward to your reply.
Blessings,

[Soteria]

Yikes, now where did I find that site? This site has more low carb info that you'd use in a lifetime:

http://lowcarb4life.sugarbane.com/lowcarb.htm

I'll keep looking for the almond flour recipe sight and let you know!

Don't feel bad, I had a bowl of cereal this morning with milk! All we can do is keep plugging along. I know without a doubt that low carbin is the healthiest, safest, best WOE!

Blessings....

Soteria

[smore]

I buy my gound almonds in the bulk food section of my store and I find it cheeper than in PrePKG..
whats the carb count for ground almonds say..per cup??

[Rosebud]

Hello Smore,
I think the only way to work out carb counts for ground almonds is to weigh them.
According to FitDay, almonds have 6g carbs per oz, with 3g fibre, giving an effective carb count of 3 per oz.

:rose:Rosebud:rose:

[NCLC]

I was also looking for some almond meal and stopped at several healthfood grocery stores and no one carried any. After speaking with some of the managers it sounds like the main reason no one carries it is that it tends to go rancid rather fast.

I've been making my own in the food processor. Sometimes throwing in a little roasted almond too.

I am curious what the best way to store this might be if it prone to go rancid.

[Karen]

I am curious what the best way to store this might be if it prone to go rancid.
In an airtight container in the fridge.

Karen

[Sojourner]

I found a large bag of almonds in the Indian Foods section of my big HEB......the same thing in the bulk foods section was twice as much.....
Apparantly, any local ethnic store is a good place to look, also

-Sojo :)

[vaporgirl]

Trader Joes has Trader Joes almond meal - comes in 1lb bags. Don't have the price with me but it was't too expensive - $4 or $5 as I recall.

Would loved to hear a waffle recipie for it!

cb

[Raelaine]

I have found the best way to make almond flour is in a coffee grinder. I have one where you can adjust the settings. I toast the almonds, let them cool and then use the espresso setting. I actually get a much finer texture. Sort of between meal and flour. It takes a little longer since it is not a large grinder, but I really like the texture more and I don't have to pay the premium price for the prefab. :p

[PJ in Miam]

I've gotten almond flour at netrition.com I think, and at Bob's Red Mill. I believe The Ingredient Store also has it (all these online). One dealer, the flour is white and powdery and suggests refrigeration. The other, the flour is light brown speckled, clearly made with the skins on, and asks only for the 'cool, dry' place any flour needs to be kept in.

Soteria: I'm in the cheering section, WHERE is that website with almond flour recipes?--if you can find it, please do post it!

PJ

[kenisswell]

I just got some from Trader Joes today. 16oz $2.59
San Diego CA


Originally posted by vaporgirl
Trader Joes has Trader Joes almond meal - comes in 1lb bags. Don't have the price with me but it was't too expensive - $4 or $5 as I recall.

Would loved to hear a waffle recipie for it!

cb

[kenisswell]

Ive been using the Almond flour mixed with some spices and parmesan for breading on fried meats, ground turkey, chicken, etc.
Its been really yummy!

[leborland]

If you live near TraderJoes market, they have almond flour and hazelnut flour. If you make it yourself, just do a little at a time. 1/2 cup can be ground without getting too hot and turning into nut butter. Dont overdo it!

I've used almond flour to bread fish and chicken too. Use lower heat when you fry it, and once it's browned, I cover the pan and continue cooking on low heat to finish cooking the meat without overbrowning the breading.

[sakura58]

I have been using the TJ's Almond Meal to bread pork chops for frying and found that the almond burns and blackens pretty quickly. I just wanted to warn people to get thinner cuts of meat that will cook quicker so that the almond can remain golden brown. I love this dish it's so tasty! I haven't baked with it yet, but I want to try and make a baked "fried" chicken. Has anyone tried this yet?

[LadyBelle]

My safeway had some, but of course they stopped carrying it as soon as I wanted it. I took a trip to CO and found some though. the whole reason I got it was some recipes in the Protien Power Comfort Foods book called for them.