Cinnamon Spiced Roasted Nuts (Paleo/Vegan)

Happy Monday, lovely! My last post about graduating was a long one, so I thought I’d pop in with a quick and easy recipe (if you can even call it that) to even things out. It’s my first week as a college graduate, and I’m seriously on Cloud 9. Part of me has no idea what to do with myself. I’m taking this week “off” for spring break, and then heading to work full-time starting next week! Although, let’s be honest… do I ever really take a week “off”?! (Laughable.)

Since it’s Monday, you know what that means… a new episode of Actually Adultish is out! This week’s episode is an interview with fitness influencer Katie Austin, who is quite the inspiration. She’s super real, down-to-earth, positive, and just a breath of fresh air. I love her energy. On the podcast episode, we chatted a little bit about healthy eats (of course), and I mentioned one of my favorite “snacks”… cinnamon roasted nuts! It honestly never even crossed my mind to post this because it’s so simple, but mentioning it to Katie made me realize that I might as well. Sometimes the simple things in life are the best things, right?

Candied pecans are one of my absolute favorite treats to make during the holidays, and they’re always a crowd-pleaser. About two years ago I used that as inspo to come up with a “candied” nut recipe without the sugar. You know, something for an everyday snack. Something quick and easy.

People always ask me for snack suggestions. I’m not really a snacker, TBH, but I always keep things on hand in case I get in a bind. Those tend to be avocados, canned fish, and nuts. I always have a bag of nuts with me. I prefer organic, raw nuts – usually walnuts, pecans, and almonds, but I know some people want something a little… extra.

If you don’t like raw nuts, then definitely try this out! Cinnamon-spiced nuts have a warm, candy-like flavor without the sugar, and the nutmeg gives it a little somethin’ extra. Roasting, in general, deepens any nuts’ flavor, but adding spices makes it ten times better. Super easy, simple, and quick! Plus, you know exactly what the nuts are being roasted in, unlike those sketchy pre-roasted nuts you can pick up at the store. This doesn’t take much prep, and these are the perfect snack to throw in a baggy and carry around. They’re also the perfect treat to put in a little dish tray in your living room so you look fancy.

My one roommate said, “It tastes like Disneyland!” after she tried these. I mean, if they taste like Disneyland… how could you say no?! Feel free to adjust the recipe to your liking. I like to use pecans and walnuts, but feel free to try another combination if you like. You could also use just pecans or just walnuts. Sometimes I also like to add shredded coconut into the mix, which tastes amazing! If you have some on hand, then I’d highly recommend trying that, too.

Cinnamon Spiced Roasted Nuts (Paleo/Vegan)

Total Time: 20 minutes

Yields: 4 cups nuts

Ingredients:

• 2 cups organic, raw walnuts
• 2 cups organic, raw pecans
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil 
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1.5 tsp Himalayan pink salt 

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 325*.
2. Toss all of the ingredients together thoroughly. Make sure all of the nuts are evenly coated.
3. Place the nuts in an even layer on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Try to leave space between the nuts so they roast evenly.
4. Roast the nuts in the oven for about 10 minutes. Flip them over and roast for another 3-5 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool for about 10 minutes.
6. Enjoy!