When offering a holiday display of snacks and appetizers this season, do not forget to add healthy snacks. While raw almonds and nuts can be delicious to pop in your mouth, you may want to kick up the fanfare by offering roasted nuts with your holiday spread. A bowl of warm mixed nuts next to your Christmas tree cake and egg nogs will be just the right touch to complete your holiday table.
It’s easy to roast nuts yourself! You will need:
- Nuts of your choice, or a mix
- Large cookie sheet
- Preheated oven at 175 degrees
Spread the nuts of your choice evenly over the cookie sheet, making sure they all can lay flat for even roasting. Because ovens can have hot spots, you should take a spatula and mix around the nuts every 2-3 minutes.
Keep the lighter nuts together, such as pecans, walnuts, and cashews, as they take 7-9 minutes to roast. Dense nuts, including almonds, hazelnuts, and macadamia nuts, can take 9-11 minutes.
The best way to know if the nuts are done roasting is to use your nose! When they smell warm and delicious, remove them from the oven and switch to a dish or new baking sheet to allow them to cool slightly before serving.
You can serve warm, mixed nuts with your holiday spread in a bowl. Or you can add herbs and spices and add them atop your salad. You can also add them to granola or oatmeal. Adding chewy, crumbled nuts are just the addition your breakfast needs to add protein and keep you feeling full.
Healthy Food During the Holiday Season
We know how hard it is to include healthy foods in your daily life during the holidays. At Nature’s Garden, we want to make it easier for you. We offer dried fruits and organic nuts in delicious mixes or by themselves.
Our products are packaged for convenience in a grab-and-go format so that you don’t have to work hard to be healthy when life is busy enough. Our snacks are high in omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants that you can feel proud to add to your nutrition each day.