Adding just a little texture to your meals can make all the difference, especially when the texture adds flavor and a little excitement to an ordinary salad, grain bowl or snack.
Nuts and seeds are a great for this purpose. They add a bit of protein and are packed with nutrients — and with just a few minutes of active preparation, you can make them extra special. You’ll end up with a salty, spicy, crunchy boost of flavor.
We used curry powder and cayenne pepper to add a little bit of spicy kick to the nut and seed mixture here, but you can experiment with any spices on hand. Once you’ve nailed down the easy technique, give other favorite nuts and seeds a try!
Spicy Pumpkin Seed + Cashew Crunch
Ingredients
- Coconut oil spray
- 2 large egg whites
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 1/2 cup (75g) raw cashews
- 1/2 cup (60g) raw shelled sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup (60g) raw shelled pumpkin seeds
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (180ºC). Spray a baking sheet with coconut oil and set aside. Next, in a medium bowl, whisk together the egg white and maple syrup. Add the spices and salt, then stir in the nuts and seeds with a rubber spatula, being sure to coat them completely. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the nut mixture to the prepared baking pan, allowing the extra egg white to drip off.
Bake until the nuts and seeds are golden and fragrant, stirring once to be sure the nuts are baking evenly, roughly 20–25 minutes. Allow to cool on the baking sheet, then store in an airtight container for up to 10 days. Recipe makes 2 cups.
Serving Size: 3 tablespoons
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 92; Total Fat: 7g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Monounsaturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 186mg; Carbohydrate: 4g; Dietary Fiber: 1g; Sugar: 1g; Protein: 4g
Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 35mg; Iron: 9%; Vitamin A: 2%; Vitamin C: 0%; Calcium: 1%
