Blue Diamond Almonds (Garden Herb) Review

I love how Blue Diamond took nuts to another level by adding spices - the Blue Diamond Almonds (Lime 'n Chili) and the Vanilla Bean Natural Roasted Almonds are ridiculously good, so when I saw Blue Diamond Almonds (Garden Herb) on sale, I decided to try it.

I didn't like this one (the Garden Herb) as much as the other two, but flavor-wise it was spot on - a little salt combined with a herb mix (and it's a wee bit garlicky too). I think not everyone will appreciate this flavor, but I liked it. The problem is that some of this powdery mix would come off on my fingers, and when it's combined with moisture after eating a few nuts, it gets "tacky" or sticky (like glue) and comes off on any surface touched.

Now, as usual with nuts - you have to be really careful about portion control, because natural or not, they are high in fat for just a small amount. A 28 gram serving of Blue Diamond Almonds (Garden Herb) (about 28 nuts) provides 170 calories, 15 grams of total fat (24% of the daily value), only 1 gram of which is saturated (6% of the DV). There is 125 mg sodium (5% of the DV), 3 grams of fiber (11% of the DV), 1 gram of sugars and 6 grams of protein.

Blue Diamond Almonds (Lime 'n Chili) Review

When I'm in the mood for a snack, I like to reach for nutritious foods that will keep me full for awhile. I have found that protein-packed foods like Nuts are great for this purpose. I am a huge fan of Almonds - salted, unsalted, roasted, raw, you name it. So during a stop at a convenience store during a long car ride, I was excited to find Blue Diamond Bold Lime 'n Chili Almonds amongst the potato chips and donuts, providing me with a healthy snack that would not leave me hungrier a short time after. And for only 99 cents for a 1.5 ounce pack.

I don't know who the product development people are over at Blue Diamond, but I hope they won some kind of award for this flavor. These almonds are absolutely amazing . The tangy lime flavor complements the spiciness of the chili flavor perfectly. The salty and sweet combination is to die for. I would highly recommend these for anyone looking for a nutritious and delicious snack.

Blue Diamond Natural Roasted Almonds (Vanilla Bean) Review

Blue Diamond is responsible for bringing us one of out favorite non-dairy milk products, Almond Breeze Unsweetened Chocolate Almond Milk. And they are at it again with another great product, Blue Diamond Natural Roasted Almonds (my favorite nut). The only question here is why has it taken me so long to give these guys a try? The bright blue container caught my eye (along with the 'on sale' sign) and I quickly scooped up a container. I chose the Vanilla Bean Flavor, which coincidentally is on Health.com's list of America's Healthiest Food Buys 2008: Snacks.

The easy to use, "smart eating", flip top containers has a clear strip running down the side of the plastic container, allowing you to see your almonds inside and letting you know when you have consumed a 1 ounce serving - how clever! Now you have no excuse for eating too many - unless you just can't stop popping these tasty little vanilla creations, which is unwise but understandable. The addition of vanilla does NOT create a crunchy, sugary coating (like my former favorite Honey Roasted Almonds, which is left crying like a baby compared to these delicious morsels), though it may appear to. Instead, the texture and wholesome nature of the almond remains intact and is simply enhanced by the subtly sweet vanilla bean flavor. If you like almonds (or even think you might) you absolutely must try these.