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

I often feel that come 3 p.m., everyone needs a cookie or two to get through the rest of the work day. After a little sugar rush, that mounting to-do list doesn't seem quite as long, and deadlines seem just a bit more manageable than before. Today's 3 p.m. snack came in the form of chocolate-dipped Almondina biscuits, a thin hybrid of cookie and biscotti that contains a variety of nuts and raisins and comes dipped in rich dark chocolate. Not too sweet, Almondina biscuits provide just the right amount of chewiness and a little bit of crunch to make for a satisfying snack.

Based on his grandmother's storied recipe for petit gateau sec, owner Yuval Zaliouk began manufacturing the biscuits under his grandmother's name, Almondina. The product appeals to both snackers and the health-conscious; Almondina contains no preservatives, cholesterol, added fat or salt. And with only 30 calories per biscuit, I know I'll be having one more than mid-day cookie.

— Melody