Hey! Here is a quick spiced roasted almonds post, and a whole 30 update. The Fam and I are on Day 16 of the whole 30 journey, and going strong.( I talked about this a bit in my last post.) The kids chose to go along with the plan, and I honestly was bracing myself for a lot of whining along the way. They have been such team players though, and I could not be more proud of the way they have taken to the changes. Other than a couple of ” I miss bread” moments, they have truly been excited about the meals. Breakfast was a struggle, to begin with, but sweet potatoes with almond butter and sausage and egg muffins have become the new staple. What I love about a plan like whole 30 is that it breaks the dependence on certain foods, and forces you to get creative. I quickly realized how lazy I had gotten about reading my labels when shopping, which allowed a lot of extra sugar and additives in our diet. The whole 30 has also made us rediscover healthy ingredients that we love, but don’t eat as much of when there are other less healthy options. We are trying more varieties of fruits and veggies, as well as nuts.
We are eating a whole lot more nuts now, and our favorites are these spiced almonds, and pistachios. A lot of roasted almonds are made with canola oil which is not whole 30 compliant, so I resorted to spicing them myself to stay on track. So yummy! They came in super handy last week when I had to go to a book club with lots of desserts and chips. I took these nuts to share, and that way I knew there was a healthy snack I could eat.
This is a great base recipe that can be tweaked to suit your taste when it comes to what spices to use. Just toss with some oil and roast on low heat. Enjoy.
- 3 cups raw almonds
- 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Toss all the ingredients in a bowl, and transfer to a flat cookie sheet. Roast in 250 degrees F oven for 1 hr, turning occasionally.
- Allow to cool on the pan, then store in an airtight container.
Weekly reflection:
We are still in the middle of 21 days of Prayer and Fasting with our church, and this year more than ever, I come into this season so expectant! I know there are so many things on my list that I am trusting God for, but this year what I want more than anything is a hunger for Him. That this hunger would drive every move I make, and every decision that I make. More of Him, and Less of me!
- Psalm 25:4-5: Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.