Dishes with these nifty nuts? They're almond joys

My daughter informed me word had spread on the team that almonds are a far better source of energy for athletes than salt- or sugar-loaded snacks, including those billed as "energy bars."

You know something's hot when a teenager eats it instead of potato chips or chocolate.

The current allure of almonds - in 2008 they hopped over peanuts to steal the number-one spot as an ingredient for new-product launches - has much to do with publicized research about their health benefits, including studies showing that they can be a natural way to reduce blood-cholesterol levels and body weight. They're a good source of protein, riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin E, calcium, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus. Ninety percent of their fat content is unsaturated.

I've long thought of almonds as magic, but not for those reasons.

To me, they are similar to a certain scarf I own that has enough gold thread shot through it to transform humdrum clothing into party wear. Almonds give a cook the same sort of sleight of hand, elevating, say, a bowl of salad greens to company fare.

This is not to say that almonds have been ignored until lately.

They are among the earliest cultivated foods, thought to have their origins in the Middle East. They appear in the Bible. The roots of the tradition of giving candy-coated Jordan almonds as favors at weddings rises from the ancient Roman practice of showering them on newlyweds as a fertility blessing. Merchants traveling the ancient Silk Road between the Mediterranean and China snacked on almonds, thus beginning their spread throughout the world.

Although Franciscan priests brought Prunus dulcis, the almond tree, to California in the 1700s, it took another century for successful orchards to develop.

Even then they weren't plentiful. In 1789, Thomas Jefferson included almonds on a list of foods that he had sent to him from Paris.

Now, California's Central Valley, which includes Sacramento and San Joaquin, produces 100 percent of the U.S. demand and 80 percent of the world's, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The approximately 700,000 bearing acres of almond trees in California cause a massive "migration" of beehives to the area every winter. These rented bees are trucked into the area to pollinate the trees so that they bear fruit.

The operation is the largest pollination management program in the world, with an estimated million beehives buzzing into the area every year from 38 states, as far away as Florida.

Priscilla Martel, a former chef and restaurant owner, now a consultant to food manufacturers and restaurants, is passionate about all things almond.

"Almonds are the best plant source of Vitamin E. They make you feel satiated, and they have an interesting flavor profile," she says.

"The roasted almond flavor can go from a gently toasted flavor right up to a solid, rich, and smoky one," Martel says.

This enables almonds to work well in almost any type of dish, even though many cultures consider them mostly an ingredient for desserts and other sweets.

I most often prefer to use almonds to boost the flavor, texture, and nutrient content of main and side dishes, where they work their charms on everything from salad and sauces to hearty curries and rice dishes as well as vegetables.

In the shrimp curry below, almonds both flavor the sauce and, as in the Wild Rice With Bacon and Mushrooms side dish, provide a crunchy topping.

As in those recipes, most recipes call for almonds to be lightly toasted to bring out their flavor. This is easy, but it requires care. Almonds that are nearly browned will very suddenly burn if you look away even for a minute.

I like the variegated look of almonds toasted in a skillet. Put them in a small skillet with a splash of oil and heat, watching and stirring constantly, until parts of them turn golden brown. Remove them from the skillet to cook or they may burn even after they are off the stove.

Toasting in a conventional oven or microwave yields nuts that are uniformly colored. To toast them in an oven, place in a single layer on a rimmed, ungreased cookie sheet, heat the oven to 350 degrees, and bake for about 10 minutes.

To microwave, place about ½ cup slivered almonds in a microwave-safe pie plate and microwave on high, pausing every 45 to 60 seconds, until brown. This should take about 5 minutes.

Add the almonds to sauteed kale, steamed green beans, roasted winter squash or sweet potatoes, chicken salad, rice, and couscous.

Mash steamed cauliflower, top it with toasted almonds and, abracadabra, it seems as though you've labored all day. A pasta sauce with parsley, almonds, oil, and garlic seems gourmet. Homemade chicken nuggets get flavor and nutrition when coated with bread and almond crumbs.