Paleo Honey Mustard Roasted Nuts

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I don't know about you, but "Pub Mix" holds a very solid place in my memory. Not just any Pub Mix--what I'm thinking of is the kind with those crunchy honey mustard pretzel bites. When I was younger, I would pick my favorite bites out of those types of mixes, and leave the less tasty bits for everyone else. ...I would *never* do that these days. Never. ;)

These Honey Mustard Roasted Nuts are more like trail mix than pub mix, but their savory, toasty flavor hits the spot. They're tossed in a spicy mix and a bit of real honey and then roasted until they're perfect crunchy and addicting. 

You could throw them on a salad, and them to an antipasti board, or toss a container of them into your bag for a snack on the go. Or, you know, eat them with your fingers directly from the pan they cooked on. They'll still be warm, and they'll fill the kitchen with a rich, nutty scent. I'd be a liar if I told you I didn't eat at least a handful of these that way. 

I'd also be a liar if I told you I didn't pick out my favorite bites from this mix (cashews!!), and leave the rest for everyone else to eat. But that's besides the point. The point is, these nuts are totally the replacement you need for any pub mix, or savory snack-like item. 

Paleo Honey Mustard Roasted Nuts

Published June 3, 2015 by

Serves: 8   |    Active Time: 35 minutes


Ingredients:

  • 2/3 cup cashews
  • 2/3 cup almonds
  • 2/3 cup pecans
  • 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
  • 1 teaspoon coconut oil
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 2 teaspoons mustard
  • 1/8 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • Optional: dash cayenne
  • Optional: dash of Worcestershire Sauce

    • Directions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
    2. Melt the coconut oil and honey in the bottom of a medium mixing bowl. Stir in the mustard and the spices (and the cayenne/Worcestershire sauce, if using). Add the nuts and seeds to the bowl, and toss to coat.
    3. Spread the nuts out on a baking sheet in a single layer. Place them in the oven, and bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Nuts should be golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before eating. Allow to cool completely before storing in airtight container.

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    Caitlin S

    Cilantro Lime Sweet Potatoes

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    Sweet potatoes. There are so many ways to make them delicious -- close to a blank canvas, but so much better, due to their naturally sweet earth flavor. Puréed, waffled, caramelized or as a hash... it's all amazing.

    Ever since I went to a potluck and someone brought a southwestern roasted potato salad from a local deli, I've been a bit obsessed with adding chili, paprika, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime to my sweet potatoes. It's good warm or cold, which means I can eat RIGHT NOW if I'm starving, or as a cool side dish the next day. The southwestern flavors also scream summer to me, and even though sweet potatoes aren't necessarily a summer crop, the added peppers and cilantro are.

    Between this and my recent paleo ice cream experiments, I'm set for hot days. It's supposed to be close to 90°F here for Independence Day, so you can bet I'll be eating ample amount of both of those things to cool off! I'll actually be spending the long weekend rock climbing in northern Wyoming, so in order to do that I need to spend the next few hours figuring out how to make both of those items out of our tent... (Mission Accepted!). 

    Wishing everyone a happy 4th of July (if you celebrate it)! 

    Cilantro Lime Sweet Potatoes (Paleo & Vegan)

    Cilantro Lime Sweet Potatoes

    Published May 17, 2018 by

    Serves: 4   |    Total Time:


    Ingredients:

    • 1 teaspoon coconut oil
    • 1 medium sweet potatoe
    • 1 red bell peppers
    • 1/2 red onion
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • Juice from 1/2 a lime
    • 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, minced
    • 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
    • 1/8 teaspoon ground paprika
    • 1/4 teaspoon ground chile powder
    • Dash of ground cayenne
    • Salt & pepper to taste
    • Optional, for serving: avocado and a fried egg

    Directions:

    1. Mince the garlic and slice the onion and wash and cube the potato. Dice the bell peppers and remove seeds.
    2. In a 10-inch skillet, heat coconut oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic, onions, pepper and sweet potatoes. Stir and cover pan, reducing heat to medium-low.
    3. After 5 minutes, stir the potatoes again. Add the spices and salt. Allow to cook for 10-12 more minutes, until sweet potatoes are cooked through and browned on the outside. Squeeze the lime juice into the pan. Toss the potatoes to coat. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro leaves.
    4. Serve how with a fried egg and avocado or as a dinner side.

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    Caitlin S

    Paleo Vanilla Bean Mexican Wedding Cookies

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    Two desserts in one week! You can forgive me, right? It is Friday after all, and I'm sure we could all go for a cookie. 

    I adore this recipe. The cookies aren't very sweet, but they melt away in your mouth. Is it weird that eating these cookies reminds me of butter pecan ice cream? I guess you'll have to try them to find out! Even though these aren't a frozen treat, there's something in their flavor that screams butter pecan (Maybe it's the pecans. Or the coconut oil. ...Or just a guess, both!).

    You're probably going to want to double this recipe. I often opt for small-batches of desserts but trust me--you're going to be sad when these are gone. A single batch of eight cookies doesn't survive much longer than a day around here. Maybe less than that, but you'll give me the benefit of the doubt, right? Besides, these little bombs of delicious are juuuuust healthy enough that eating them with every single meal doesn't actually feel that guilty. Contrary to what one might guess about cookies, these are not packed with sugar. Like many of my dessert recipes, they're only subtly sweet. With only 1 tablespoon of honey, the true joy is in the melt-away factor. 

    Since going Paleo, traditionally sweet cookies actually make me cringe a little bit. One bite over whelms my mouth with glucose and makes my teeth hurt. I find that I am just as happy--maybe more happy- with cookies like these! 

    Speaking of too sweet, Mexican Wedding Cookies are known for their coating of white powdered sugar. It's pretty, making each cookie look like a little snowball. Personally I didn't want to dip my cookies in sugar, but if you are determined to make a classic Mexican Wedding Cookie without using white sugar, you can dip them in powdered coconut sugar instead. To make powdered coconut sugar, place 1 cup regular coconut palm sugar in a high powdered blender. Make sure the blender is very dry before getting started--a small amount of water will cause clumping. Turn the blender to medium-high and scrape the sides occasionally (if your blender came with a tamper or a twister-lid, use that at this time). After several minutes you should have powdered coconut sugar! 

    Alternatively, just sprinkle each cookie with a touch of extra vanilla bean. I thought it turned out quite pretty! 

    Paleo Mexican Wedding Cookies

    Paleo, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegan   |       

    Paleo Mexican Wedding Cookies melt away in your mouth— perfect for enjoying with a cup of tea or coffee!

    Serves: 8   |    Total Time:


    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup almond flour
    • 2 tablespoons arrowroot flour
    • 1/16 teaspoon salt
    • 1/16 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1/6 teaspoon vanilla
    • 2 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil or butter
    • 1 tablespoon honey
    • 1/4 scant cup toasted pecan pieces
    • Optional: additional ground vanilla bean for sprinkling

    Directions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the pecans out on a baking sheet, and toast for 5-10 minutes, until golden and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
    2. In a medium mixing bowl, cream together the coconut oil, honey and vanilla until smooth (use an electric mixer or a fork).
    3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond flour, arrowroot flour, salt, and baking soda until fully incorporated.
    4. Use a fork or an electric mixer to add the dry mixture to the coconut oil mixture, working until a course crumb forms. Incorporate the pecans. Dough should be sticky enough to press into balls.
    5. Using your hands, form the dough into evenly sized balls, about 1 to 1 1/2 inch in diameter. I made about 8. Place 1 inch apart on a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper or a baking mat. Bake for 14-18 minutes, until golden brown on the edges. Remove from oven and allow to cool 10 minutes.
    6. Optional: Sprinkle with additional ground vanilla bean.

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    Caitlin S