Tags
Dairy Free, Easy, Fast, Homemade, Roasted Nuts, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian
As the weather turns colder I am missing home more. Not because I miss the miserable winters of the Northeast, but I miss what I used to do back home around this time. For some reason Anthony and I always visited New York City and Boston in the winter. It makes no sense because that is the worst time of the year to visit either of those cities. It was always so cold, with the wind whipping between the buildings, and the sidewalks covered in a sloppy, snowy mess. But every year that’s when we would choose to visit.
Although we live near two major cities, Washington, DC and Baltimore (ok one major city and one less major city); neither of them comes close to being like NYC or Boston. Sure they have the traffic, the hustle and bustle, the good shopping opportunities but they lack that big city feel. I think the most notable thing they’re missing, other than the amazing skyscrapers, are street venders. To me a city just isn’t a city without street venders! Without them how would I be able to get lunch and a Gucci bag on the same block for 20 bucks? So it is in the spirit of street venders that I bring you this week’s Sunday snack: maple roasted nuts.
Without a doubt “Hot Nuts” are on the list of the top 5 best street venders. You can smell those delicious roasting nuts a block away and I dare anyone to say they don’t taste as good as they smell. I love the wax paper bag they come in and how on a cold winder day they warm your hand up. I have been missing those delicious “Hot Nuts” so I decided to make them myself. Turns out they aren’t very difficult to make and they taste almost exactly like the big city variety. This is a great snack for a crowd because everyone likes roasted nuts, they’re fast and easy, and most pantries are stocked with the needed ingredients. So make up some homemade “Hot Nuts”, watch some football and you’ll be in a New York state of mind in no time. Enjoy!
Maple Roasted Nuts (Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan)
- 1 cup of raw nuts, I used walnuts but you can use any type or combo you want
- 2 tablespoons of maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
- A pinch of sea salt
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
Place the nuts in a bowl and add the maple syrup, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir until well coated. Pour onto a well greased cookie sheet.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until maple mixture has hardened on the nuts. Be sure to turn the nuts at least once while baking. As soon as you pull the nuts from the oven and the coating is still sticky, sprinkle on some freshly ground sea salt. Allow to cool before eating.
Makes 1 cup