Rosemary + Thyme Spiced Nuts

As the holiday season approaches and the pressure to find the perfect gifts are everywhere, I thought I would share one of my favorite gifts ideas….

I remember back when I was a kid my mom mom used to bring homemade treats from her kitchen to doctors’ offices, appointments, my teachers…and naturally I find myself doing the same. 

I love the idea of gifting something homemade – something you created that’s thoughtful and easy to share. And I find that most of the time people are so impressed with homemade items because they themselves never step foot in their kitchen!

This recipe is a twist on a recipe my mom makes all the time – spiced nuts. It’s perfect to serve if you’re having guests over and it’s a lot cleaner than store-bought spiced nuts because the recipe has no added sugars or thickeners. It is super easy to make large batches of these nuts. I love gifting them in a mason jar with a ribbon and an attached a card with the recipe. The only thing better than sharing homemade treats is sharing them with the recipe. Nothing gives me more pleasure than seeing others make my recipes!

I used NOW Foods roasted nuts to make this recipe. Since you are only toasting the nuts at 300 for 15 minutes you will want to get roasted nuts for that rich flavor. I love using NOW Foods pantry staples because they are organic and affordable. Nuts, seeds and oils can be super expensive especially when youre looking to buy high quality. You can find Now Foods nuts and other pantry staples on their website and on Amazon.

These nuts have been a staple in my familly for years so I am excited to share them with you.  Gift them, snack on them, or enjoy them with company. (My mom even gave them as party favors after thanksgiving dinner to our guests). And an added bonus if you are like me and trying to live a more sustainable lifestyle – this is a great way of gifting with no wasted wrapping paper!  

Recipe

• 3 cups whole nuts roasted + unsalted- I used a mix of brazil nuts, almonds, cashews + pecans 
• 3 tablespoons olive oil 
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped rosemary leaves
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped thyme leaves
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 2 tablespoons date sugar (you can omit or use any sugar you like- coconut sugar etc.)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper 

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and place nuts in a large mixing bowl
2. Pour oil into a medium size sauce pan over medium heat. Do not let it get too hot or it will burn. Add in rosemary, thyme and paprika stir for about 1 minute 
3. Place oil mixture over nuts and mix until it is coated evenly
4. Once nuts are mixed place them on a prepared baking tray with parchment paper.
5. Sprinkle salt, date sugar and fresh ground pepper on nuts
6. Place in the oven for 15 minutes
7. Once cooled place in an air tight container and store in the refrigerator or freezer for up to one month