Spanish Spiced Nut Mix

Serving this simple and nutritious nut nosh at a holiday party is a great alternative to setting out greasy chips and pretzels bowls, packed with protein, fiber and healthy fat. Sweet, salty and smoky, this nut mix really hits the spot when you’re experiencing a crunch craving, and you can kick up the heat factor if you’ve got a rowdier romp planned.

This addictive party appetizer pairs great with a fruit and cheese platter. It could also be presented as a thoughtful host/hostess gift in a ribbon wrapped glass jar, or sprinkled over beautiful dinner party salads as an exotic salad topper.

Ingredients:

1 cup raw whole almonds

1 cup raw whole pecans

1 cup raw whole walnuts

1 teaspoon hot paprika

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon celtic sea salt

1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

¼ cup brown sugar

1 egg white

1 tablespoon water

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Grease a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, mix the paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt, pepper and sugar. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white and water until foamy.
3. Dump the nuts into the egg white bowl, stirring to coat well. Then pour the nuts into a strainer to drain off the excess egg. Transfer the nuts into the spice mix bowl, tossing them well to completely coat them. Lay the nuts out in a single layer on the greased baking sheet.
4. Bake the nuts for about 30 minutes. Remove them from the oven to stir, reduce the heat to 200 degrees F, and then place the nuts back into the oven for about 30 more minutes, or until they are dry and golden. Allow them to cool, and then serve.

Note:

Serves 5