Quick Bites: Smokehouse Almonds

As everyone already knows, this average gal has a serious almond infatuation. Currently, I have about five varieties in the pantry and I wrote a few months back about Emerald's Cocoa Roast almonds that provide a chocolatey goodness to one of the best nuts out there.

Now, I must share with you smokehouse almonds by Blue Diamond. If you have an addictive personality, best to stay away. It's pretty much impossible for me to eat just two or three and I'm probably not the only one... they're the most popular brand by Blue Diamond. They have a strong, slightly salty and almost-tangy flavor that makes you want to keep popping them in your mouth.

What's nice is that you can eat 28 of these yummy puppies for 170 calories, 16 grams of fat, 3 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein. I know you're slightly alarmed by the fat content, however it's only 1 gram saturated; it's the good-for-you kind. Everyone needs a little fat in their diet and best to get it from a nutritional source like almonds instead of fatty ice cream. And, once you taste these, you might actually be reaching for these instead of something less healthy. Plus, you don't need to have 28 just because that's a serving. Often I'll take out about 10 and be happy with that. With that strong flavor on your tongue, it really satisfies a craving.

You can find these just about everywhere; even in many drugstores. Are you a fan?

Quick Bites: Emerald's cocoa roast almonds

Simply said, almonds are just plain good for you. They're heart healthy, can help lower cholesterol and are beneficial in the prevention of cancer. We here at TAGG love to pop them in our mouths all day, sprinkle toasted sliced almonds on our salads, and add them to recipes. Yet, we understand some don't have the same passion we do.

Enter Emerald's cocoa roasted almonds. If you like chocolate, the lightly dusted cocoa on the almonds are practically sinful. You can enjoy them as a snack, after dinner for a healthy slightly sweet treat, crushed and sprinkled atop ice cream or even mixed in oatmeal for breakfast. The chocolate -- in this case, dark -- is not at all overpowering; just a light dusting (that doesn't come off on your hands) to add something special to our beloved almond. Perk: they have the same amount of calories as traditional almonds!

Beware: these almonds are good! If you're not one to have portion control (what average girl does?!), separate them into individual servings when you buy the package or you can buy them in 100 calorie packs. A little hard to find still, so check Amazon if you want to purchase. Happy eating.