When I was traveling a while ago, I was out on Lake Nicaragua boating with some friends and when someone commented they were hungry I got out a bag of trail mix I’d made before I left the States.

My friends were all surprised/ impressed/ baffled by the concept of me making my own trail mix. “How do you do it?” they all asked. It amazed me because it is probably one of the simplest things to make and having healthy snacks with you is by far one of the easiest ways to stick to a healthy diet or eating plan.

If you let yourself get too hungry and don’t have something wholesome to snack on, that’s when you reach for the chips. This is an old Weight Watchers trick my mom taught me years ago.

Just throw a bag of nuts or trail mix in your purse or backpack when you leave the house in the morning and when those between-meal cravings kick in you’ll be all set!

I literally never leave home without nuts and that is probably the top reason I’ve been able to stick to such a clean diet over the years: I never let myself get so hungry that I make a bad decision out of desperation.

If you buy raw nuts and dried fruits in bulk, you will save a TON of money over purchasing pre-made mixes or pre-roasted and salted nuts in the store. I suggest making a trip to store with a bulk section or Country Life Natural Foods where you will save, save, save.

If you buy in bulk then you can mix and match the different nuts and dried fruits or even roast and season your own nuts just like you would squash seeds.

I think the part that impressed my friends on Lake Nicaragua the most was not the actual trail mix, which basically just consists of throwing various dried fruits and nuts in a bowl, combining, and then portioning into travel packs.

Rather, I think the fact that I roast and season my own raw nuts was what really blew their minds. This, however, is one of those kitchen wonders that is much, much simpler than it seems or sounds. The key is to stay close to your oven so you don’t burn the nuts!

These salted almonds are delicious, nutritious, and literally take less than 10 minutes to make. Enjoy!

 

Oven-roasted Salted Almonds

Yield: 2 cups roasted almonds

Ingredients:

2 cups raw almonds

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon Batti Becco Seasoning Salt (or other seasoning salt, Batti is available at Caffe Tosi in St. Joseph)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Place almonds in a small mixing bowl, add the EVOO and salt then mix well.

3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the almonds out evenly.

4. Place on center rack of oven for 5-8 minutes, stirring once to ensure even browning.

5. Once they are golden brown, remove and let cool then bag in snack packs or store in a mason jar for quick hands-free snacking at the desk or in the car.

 

Kat Barry, a St. Joseph, Michigan native, is owner of Kat’s Hot Cakes vegan catering, and co author of “The New Chicago Diner Cookbook: Meat Free Recipes from America’s Veggie Diner.” She also develops recipes for eHow.com, where you can find over 30 of her vegan instructional cooking videos. She is also a certified yoga instructor. Kat currently resides in Chicago, and in her free time she enjoys practicing yoga, sampling local spirits, listening to live music, and getting outdoors. Follow @katshotcakes on twitter. Kat can be reached via email at: kat@katshotcakes.com.