Nuts are the quintessential portable snack with plenty of nutrients, good fats, fiber and staying power to hold you over ’til that next meal. When I’m in training mode they’re a great option for keeping my energy up between workouts, but now that I’m training for two, so to speak, they’re a full-blown necessity for those moments when that panicked I-NEED-TO-EAT-NOW feeling hits.
Sometimes they need a little spicing up, though — particularly when we’re on the cusp of fall, and my thoughts are drifting toward cooler days filled with cider, pumpkins, apples and all kinds of comfort food. So after I devoured a packaged of the store-bought variety, I figured it was time to take matters into my own hands and make an all-natural version at home.
And bonus: It makes your entire house smell delicious!
Cinnamon Roasted Almonds
(adapted from Taste of Home)
Ingredients:
- 1 egg white
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups unblanched almonds
- 1/6 cup sugar
- 1/6 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions:
- In large bowl, beat egg white until frothy; beat in vanilla. Fold in almonds; stir to coat.
- Combine sugars, salt and cinnamon in separate bowl; add to nut mixture and stir to coat.
- Spread evenly into a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 300° for 25-30 minutes or until almonds are crisp, stirring once.
- Cool, and store in an airtight container. Yields about 2 cups.
Kinetic Fix 