Editor's Choice: Almondina Toastees

Now that Halloween is over, retailers have shelf space for more healthy and delicious snacks such as Almondina Toastees.

These crisps come in four delectable flavors; Cranberry Almond, Sesame Almond, Lemon Poppy Almond and Coconut Orange Almond.

Here at the office, we tried the Sesame Almond. They are thin and crunchy, and are bite-size with the perfect consistency which keeps them from crumbling and making a mess. They can be prepared with both strong and mild cheeses. I recommend serving them with goat cheese and preserves or with creamy havarti. They would also be appetizing paired with fresh mozzarella, tomato, basil and a balsamic glaze for a twist on a traditional caprice salad. Almondina Toastees can also be paired with coffee or used as a garnish for frozen yogurt.

Almondina Toastees are a lighter version of founder Yuval Zaliouk’s grandmother Dina’s Petit Gateau Sec cookie recipe. These Toastees are great by themselves as a snack or light dessert and remind me of a cross between a cracker and my own grandmother’s Norwegian Christmas cookies.

Unlike my grandmother’s Norwegian cookies, they are a lot healthier. Almondina Toastees boast no added fat or salt, don’t have preservatives and are dairy free.

Almondina Toastees make a great snack or dessert alternative to Halloween candy. I would recommend them for their versatility, easy preparation and consumption, and most importantly, their delicious flavor.

-Claire

Editor's Choice: Almondina/YZ Enterprises, Inc.

I blame it on my family. Growing up, a meal didn’t seem complete unless it ended with something sweet. I call it my dessert gene. Over the years, of course, I’ve tried to limit the cakes, cupcakes and other sweets of my youth. There’s still that wish, however, for a little something.

About two years ago, I discovered Almondina from YZ Enterprises, Inc. (almondina.com), a crisp little cookie with roasted almonds and sweet raisins. A couple of these cookies make a great ending to a meal.

Now the company has moved to the next level. A package arrived recently containing boxes of cookies with several new flavors. One of them is Dark Chocolate Dipped Almondina, cookies dipped in chocolate on one side — making them even more of a treat. That’s the one I chose to sample first. I was rewarded with smooth rich flavor of fine chocolate melding with that same crisp cookie — a perfect blend of textures and tastes.

The cookies are also available dipped in milk chocolate. They were another office hit and disappeared quickly. I also sampled the Yogurt Dipped Almondina Bran Treats with Cinnamon. The yogurt provides a creamy, lighter taste in contrast to the rich taste of the cookie. These crisps are also cholesterol free. Besides dessert, I could see them as a breakfast treat.

For retailers, I can see the 4.75-ounce boxes also included in gift baskets. For me, they are fine ways to serve my dessert gene.

Barbara