Almonds (as well as coconut) seem to be a major player in a clean eating low carb lifestyle. The more research I do, the more I realize that, apart from meats, healthy fats and low-starch veggies, almonds are a great way to supplement your eating plan. In fact, unless you have a nut allergy, they are pretty much one of the very few ways you can still eat breads of any kind while eating low carb. And if you count net carbs, you’re in even better shape because nearly half of the carbs go away thanks to the fiber!
But when you aren’t baking them into a bread or tortilla, you can enjoy them as a snack as well. In small amounts, almonds are a perfectly acceptable snack for low carb eaters of any kind. The only thing is that almonds, as great as they are, can get a little boring if you eat them regularly.
So I decided to spice things up a little with this spicy roasted version! And it occurred to me while I was making these that regardless of their low carb status, most adults who enjoy spicy foods will probably enjoy these. So while I only made a single batch for myself, you may want to consider making a double batch to share. Because those around you are sure to want a few of these as well.
YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY THESE CLEAN EATING RECIPES:
These delicious almonds make a handy grab-n-go snack any time of day!
- 1 cup raw almonds
- 1 1/2 tsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 1/2 tsp. cayenne
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. salt or to taste after cooking
Preheat oven to 325 F.
Stir all ingredients together in a bowl until the almonds are well coated. Spread the nuts out over a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until golden brown. Stir half way through the baking time.
Note: Keep an eye on these in the last 5 minutes of baking as they can go from baked to burnt pretty quickly.
RLD says
Made these for hubby tonight and they were a huge hit!
The Gracious Pantry says
RLD – Fantastic! 😀
Stefanie says
Super yummy! I love how it is a savory almond recipe versus sweet.
The Gracious Pantry says
Stefanie – Awesome!! I’m so happy you enjoyed it! 😀
Carol Humbert says
Tried this with one exception, I added walnuts, pistachios and unsalted peanuts to the almonds. It was delicious on all four types of nuts.
The Gracious Pantry says
Carol – Oh yay!!! That’s awesome! Thanks for the feedback! 😀
Lety says
Made these and the spice mix was delicious. The only problem is that the spices didn’t stay stuck to the almonds for long. I stored them in a small plastic storage container, and took them to a picnic. When I opened them to serve almost all the spice mix was sitting at the bottom of the container, with naked almonds sitting on top. I’m guessing the bouncing around in the container knocked the seasonings off.
So, I’m not sure how often I’ll make this again. If it’s a party and I’m going to serve them all right away, and don’t expect to store any after, OK. But as it didn’t stand up as a take-away snack, portability is an issue.
The Gracious Pantry says
Lety- Good to know! Thanks for the feedback! I did eat these right away, so that is an element I would not really have noticed. However, a quick spray with an oil sprayer and a quick toss in a zipper-top bag would easily coat them again.
elaine hopkins says
How long will these keep for?
The Gracious Pantry says
Elaine – About 1 week in the fridge. Maybe 2. Longer in the freezer.
Leo Martin says
Isn’t that raw almond has to be soak in water overnight before cooking?
The Gracious Pantry says
Leo – Some people soak nuts overnight to aid in digestion, from what I’ve read. But I’ve never done it myself except for with walnuts. It’s up to you. 🙂
Elizabeth says
Spicy but delicious! So healthy and so quick and easy to make!
The Gracious Pantry says
Elizabeth – So happy you enjoyed them! They are definitely for spice lovers. But you can easily cut back or leave out the spice if it’s too much. Enjoy! 🙂