Easy Healthy Sugar-free Spiced Nuts
Looking for a healthy easy snack that even your picky kids will like? These Sugar-free Spiced Nuts are the perfect easy snack for every day, but they're delicious enough for parties too.
AND since they're sugar-free, they're a much healthier option than traditional spiced nuts.
My oldest isn't typically that picky, but he refuses to eat seeds like pumpkin and sunflower seeds.
I know this sound like nothing, I mean, he doesn't like pumpkin seeds, so what, right? But he has life-threatening food allergies to almost all nuts, with the exception of almonds and macadamias, so my options for getting good nutrition into him via nuts and seeds are quite limited.
I grind my own nut and seed butters using our Vitamix, so I've been able to make treats for our family using sunflower seed butter and pumpkin seed butter, but I always love having new options for snacks, especially ones that are easy to make and easy to take.
This recipe nails both easy and healthy.
AND our son will eat them--including the pumpkin seeds (if I include them), which is basically a miracle.
My whole family loves the flavor, and it's an easy snack to take along when you're on the go. If you're going on a car trip, plane ride, or even on a cruise, this is a great packable snack to bring with.
How to Store
Store this mix in an airtight container.
We store this mix in small plastic bags from Country Life Natural Foods and secure them with Twixit Clips from Amazon. (By the way, code WHOLENEWMOM gets a discount on your Country Life order.)
For longer shelf life you can use a food storage system and use oxygen absorbers.
Substitutions
Spiciness: You can opt for a spicy version with the cayenne added as written; for a non-spicy version, just omit the cayenne.
Sweeteners: You can use any sweetener you like. Low carb or traditional. Of course if you opt for traditional, it won't be sugar-free anymore, but that's OK. I haven't tried it with other sweeteners, so I'm not sure how it will behave, but it should taste great either way.
No matter which way you make this recipe, it's yummy.
Recipe
Sugar-free Spiced Nuts
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups almonds, walnuts, and pecans (or any combination of nuts)
- 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds (optional--or add another 1/4 cup of nuts)
- 2 tablespoons low carb sweetener (if using liquid sweetener, reduce water accordingly--use coconut sugar for paleo)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon coriander
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Toast nuts and seeds in a dry pan (optional; if you prefer your nuts raw, omit this step).
- Mix all spices in a bowl.
- Boil water, coconut oil, and sweetener over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.
- Pour over nuts and seeds, stirring continually until almost all liquid has evaporated.
- Sprinkle spice mixture over nut mixture and stir to coat.
- Spread out to cool on cookie sheet or other large surface.
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is merely an approximation. Optional ingredients are not included and when there is an alternative, the primary ingredient is typically used. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts since they have been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Hi Adrienne,
Thanks so much for getting back to me. I appreciate the link to the post. I did find it before and it certainly looks enticing. Ever since we tried kabocha, it has become our favorite winter squash.
Anyway, your idea of soaking them with salt is interesting. Do you think that might soften them more?
When you prepared your Seasoned Nuts and Seeds (sounds delicious, by the way), were you using shelled pumpkin seeds like pepitas, or raw pumpkin seeds in their shells?
You're welcome! I suppose that the salt might help. I have never tried it any other way. It for sure makes them taste great! I used shelled seeds. They're great. Hope to have more options in the future!
I was glad to find your blog today when I was looking for information on storing and toasting nuts and seeds.
Have you ever roasted kabocha squash seeds? Mine come out too hard and I've tried several different oven temperatures. Some say use a very slow oven (like your recipe for almonds above), others use medium or even high (400F).
I've even tried soaking the seeds for a full day first.
P.S. I don't have a dehydrator so reference to once won't help me.
Hello Faye - I haven't ever tried it. I did find this post on it today, however - is this any different than you have seen? Have you soaked them w/ salt as well as with water?
Yes, I always soak my almonds, even if I am going to toast my nuts and seeds, since it enhances the flavor. I would toast them in the oven on low (around 200 degrees) or in a pan until they start having that "toasted nut" smell. You'll have to watch them more in the oven, of course. I have burned many nuts (and other things) in the past.
Let me know how they turn out!
Do you still soak these prior to toasting? Also at what temp & how long would you toast?
This sounds yummy and I look forward to trying it.
Thanks!!!
Shelley~