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  I love raw almonds.  They are a staple for me; they taste great and are one of the most nutritious things I can eat according to my research (I love to research nutrition).

*Warning, very rare rant ahead* Although, I can’t really buy them anymore.  The almonds I usually buy at Trader Joes say raw on them, but like virtually all almonds sold in the U.S. they are grown in California.  As of September 1, it is illegal for growers in California to sell unpasturized almonds (except for small scale growers selling at a roadside stand- road trip anyone?). They are pasturized with chemicals and heat; the companies can still sell them as “raw” and they don’t have to include the chemicals on the label.  I eat almonds to be healthy, now the government tells me I have to eat chemicals if I want to eat my almonds. (If I buy organic, they won’t have the chemical, but the heat kills many of the benefits.)  I’m sure with the date getting closer, the almonds now in the stores are “treated.”  I guess I’ll have to buy them in the shell and crack them myself, but first I’ll have to research if those will still be truly “raw.”  I can’t trust the label anymore- they are allowed to lie, with the blessing of the government.  What ever happened to choice?  This is supposed to be for safety?  For THREE cases of salmonella in the past 6 years?  Time to outlaw cars, there’s been a whole lot more than 3 cases of vehicle injury in the past 6 years.  Something’s not right somewhere.

I wonder if I can grow an almond tree here.