How could I be blogging about healthy snacks for over a year and not have a post about my childhood favorite? Perhaps I didn’t think it was fancy enough. But today I have the clarity of mind to know that the simple snacks are often the best. Not only because they are easy for mommy to make, but because they are darn tasty! Thanks for making me these when I was little Mom! And I’ll call you soon!
2 pieces toast, preferably raisin and/or whole grain
2 tablespoons nut butter (such as peanut or almond)
One small banana, sliced
Honey
Spread nut butter on toast. Top with banana slices and a drizzle of honey. Serve warm!
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Not too long ago, Serious Eats was kind enough to share a recipe from Thomas Keller’s cookbook Ad Hoc at Home. I have been looking at roasted nuts recipes for a while now and was feeling a little overwhelmed. But Keller’s recipe for Candied Pecans is everything I was looking for. The honey is roasted along with the nuts so it is hardened; my husband does not enjoy nuts that get his hand all greasy. In addition, the amount of honey is small. Therefore, the nuts aren’t converted into sugar bombs. Lastly, and most importantly in my book, the nuts are roasted a long time at a low temperature. From what I gather, this makes for a crispier nut.
Keller’s recipe calls for pecans only. While I used a mix of cashews and pecans just for kicks, I’m planning on going with only pecans next time. They are utterly flakey and smooth. If I close my eyes, it feels like I’m eating a croissant.
1 1/2 cup raw pecans
1-1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1/8 teaspoon salt, plus more to finish
Preheat oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
Spread nuts out on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 5-7 minutes. Transfer warm nuts to a medium bowl. Quickly drizzle the honey and salt over the nuts and stir until they are well coated.
Return the coated nuts to the parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, rotating once. I took them out of the oven when it smelled like the honey was starting to caramelize – a tiny bit smokey.
Remove the nuts from the oven, sprinkle on a pinch of salt, and quickly separate any clumps as the honey will harden as the nuts cool. Allow to cool completely and serve. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
Yield: 1 1/2 cups nuts (easily doubled)
Prep time: 5 minutes
Bake time: 1 1/2 hours
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Recently, my three-year-old grew tired of clementines (gasp!). She is a great lover of novelty. Here are a few ways I’ve found to rekindle the magic:
1. Drizzle with pomegranate molasses.
2. Drizzle with warmed (or not) honey. Warm 1 tablespoon of honey in a very small dish in the microwave for 5 – 10 seconds. This is enough honey for two whole peeled and segmented clementines (not just two segments as pictured above).
3. Drizzle with chocolate sauce or chocolate syrup.
4. Serve with Honey Vanilla Yogurt.
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 teaspoons agave nectar or honey
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
Tiny dash of cardamom (optional)
Mix yogurt, agave, vanilla, and cardamom (if desired) in a small bowl. Serve topped with chopped clementine.
Yield: 1/2 cup
Prep time: 5 minutes
You are more than welcome to add your suggestions in the comments. Thanks!
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