The perfect bite delights and satisfies all your tastebuds! These sweet and spicy roasted almonds are pretty irresistible and just may become your new favorite way to eat almonds.  Perfectly crunchy and coated in a mixture of chili powder, cinnamon, cayenne, salt, stevia and a bit of sugar, there is a great balance of sweet and savory.

For years I didn’t eat almonds because I thought they were pretty bland and boring.  But this recipe changed my mind. After playing around with the spice blend, I eventually found a flavorful and satisfying blend of warm spices with just the right contrast of sweet.  

The recipe is simple and you can also follow the exact same directions to roast pecans, walnuts or cashews.  The last few years, we have made these Sweet & Spicy Roasted Almonds for coworkers over the holidays, filling up small bags or mason jars with them and tying them up with a ribbon.  It is a great gift that people can munch on for an afternoon snack, add to a charcuterie board at a party they are hosting or throw on top of some greens to jazz up a salad.

To keep the sugar lower, I used granulated baking stevia along with a tablespoon of sugar (coconut sugar or regular granulated sugar both work fine).  But, you can use what you have in your pantry and what you prefer using.

Instead of using oil to get the sugar and spices to stick, this recipe uses an egg white.  Although it might sound odd, this method works perfectly and keeps the calories lower per serving.  Simply separate the egg white from the yolk and whisk the white for about 30 seconds or until it becomes frothy.  The goal is NOT to make meringue but instead to break up the white so it coats all of the nuts well.

Let’s get rid of this idea that yummy food is ‘naughty’ and healthful food is ‘blah.’  That is entirely untrue and this is one recipe that boasts some great nutritional value along with irresistible flavor.

Almonds and all types of nuts are known to be energy dense foods.  That means that per serving, they have a higher number of calories due to the amount of fat in them.  But, these are mostly good fats called monounsaturated fats, known to be beneficial for weight loss and management, heart health, and reducing inflammation.  A 1-ounce serving- 23 almonds to be precise- also contains 6 grams plant protein and 3 grams of fiber, along with a nice boost of vitamin E, biotin and phytonutrients.

When it comes to making healthful food choices, it’s important to choose nourishing foods that are completely satisfying.  When we don’t get satisfied, we often go looking for something else in hopes that will ‘hit the spot.’ But this isn’t a train you want to ride.  

If you are bored with the handful of almonds you eat every afternoon OR need an easy gift for some people in your life OR are looking for an alternative to some of your favorite packaged spiced nuts, I hope you will give these a try!