Recipe for Curried Christmas Nuts for Gifting or Snacking

Christmas is a tough time to be trying to stick to a meal plan! Your schedule is all off-kilter, there are rouge Advent candies tempting you, and let’s not even THINK about those cookie exchanges and dessert buffets. But don’t despair – I have a solution for us! Our Curried Christmas Nuts Recipe is perfect for gifting or keeping.

RELATED: Try this tasty Maple Molasses Candied Nut Recipe from New Brunswick’s Own Crosby’s Molasses

I was trying to come up with a strategy as to how I was going to stick to my commitment to eat healthy this holiday season (I generally chug eggnog and insist my stocking be full of chocolate) when I recalled a scrumptious spiced nut mixture a friend brought to a house party decades ago. I remember thinking these nuts were warm, fragrant little bursts of happiness and coziness. A perfect Christmas treat!

The best part: nuts are TOTALLY a healthy snack! They’re a great choice for healthy fats, protein, and fiber. (My go-to snack when I’m feeling hungry these days is one-third of a cup of cashews and pecans.) Just be sure not to over-indulge; I try to stick to one serving a day, two tops; it IS the holidays, after all!

I dug out my cook books and miraculously, there it was. A sheet of loose leaf with the recipe! Well, almost.

There were actually three spiced nuts recipes scribbled out. I wasn’t sure which was the one I was looking for, so I played around with them and put together my own version. Given the fact I’ve had to hide these away from my husband, I’d say the recipe is a hit!

I was lucky to have all the ingredients on hand, making this a relatively cost-effective treat as well. Nuts are expensive, but you can make this as a small batch to test it out. Three cups of nuts is all you need, less than two teaspoons of curry, and less than a teaspoon each of cumin, rosemary, all spice, and kosher salt.

If you don’t have the ingredients on hand or aren’t sure they’re things you want in your cupboard, I’d suggest picking things up from the bulk bins. Those small quantities shouldn’t be too hard on the pocket book! The other ingredient you’ll need is maple syrup; this recipe calls for less than two tablespoons, so if you don’t have it on hand, maybe go ask your neighbour before buying a huge container (unless you have some serious pancake plans in your future!).

Are you ready? This is THE recipe that will help you through the holiday cravings – and it’s perfect for gifting to friends and family who also enjoy nuts!

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