Just Go Nuts!

Today I am making some things for our party next week - I like to be a little organized, but it is also so much fun to be busy in the kitchen cooking, creating the foods we love. Even though I am fasting for my Master Cleanse and I can't taste these treats, my sense of smell is very keen, so I have a very good idea when they turn out well.

I decided to go through my list of requests for our feast and see which items I could make this week and store, as well, many things taste a little better after a few days or need the time to 'mature'. Homemade foods also taste a little better then shop bought mostly because they are made using fresher ingredients.

Starting with cashews I thought to try two different ways to make them. The first one is to soak the cashews over a day in a light brine solution of sea salt and water, then at the end of the day to roast them in a hot oven for about 20 minutes, adding more salt if needed and cooling. So far, this batch is still soaking, so I will let you know how they turn out tomorrow.

Cashews soaking in a light brine coating

With some other cashew pieces I wanted to just throw them into the oven with a tiny bit of oil (I used sunflower oil) and sea salt and see how they turn out. I have done this many times before to good results, however, we would still go out and buy ready salted cashews! I know, doesn't make any sense at all.

Oil, sea salt, brush for coating the cashews

Next,  I used a Christmas recipe for honey cinnamon roasted almonds, I have been making these for a few years now and they always taste lovely. For the almonds, I roast them first in the oven, while I make a syrup from water, honey, oil, cinnamon, sea salt and a pinch of pepper.

Once these are out of the oven I simply coat the hot almonds with the hot syrup, stir and turn a few times and then allow to cool on a piece of parchment paper. Often they stick together, but that is usually no problem as they are gobbled up so quickly!

Honey cinnamon roasted almonds cooling on parchment 

For a feast, I like to have snacks, treats and things in the house ready for any impromptu gourmet needs and roasted nuts are so easily made at home in a few minutes. One thing that I will note - the smell is delightful as they come out of the oven, nothing like anything from a package - it is deep, rich and full as if the nut itself is bursting open. 

Homemade food just doesn't compare to anything else! 

Have a healthy day,

April

Lightly salted roasted cashews