Roasted Walnuts with Vanilla
I'm slightly addicted to these Vanilla Roasted Walnuts and so is my husband. They have a hint of sweetness and a nice burst of vanilla goodness. On top of that, Walnuts are a great source of Omega-3's, have a high antioxidant count and are also beneficial for cardiovascular health. So I'm on the walnut bandwagon. Here's the recipe for another gluten free, tasty, higher protein holiday snack with nuts. Perfect (last minute) homemade present when pkgd in a lovely (reusable) holiday gift jar.
2 cups walnuts, raw
1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. agave nectar or honey
ΒΌ tsp. celtic sea salt
1-2 vanilla beans
dash ground cinnamon
Place walnuts and oil in a large cast iron skillet (that's what I used, you can experiment) and turn heat to high.
As soon as you hear the slightest sizzle, turn heat down to medium or low.
Toast walnuts a few minutes until they smell nice and nutty.
Add agave and distribute around pan stirring, cook for a minute or two, then add salt.
Scrape the beans out of the vanilla pod and stir into walnuts.
Remove walnuts from pan and add just a dash of cinnamon if you like.