At our farm there are two times during the day that are sacrosanct, coffee hour and cocktail hour.  The latter gets me thinking of a little something besides cheese and crackers.   I came up with the perfect solution:  Moroccan Almonds.  Years ago I made my own Ras el Hanout (a North African spice mix) and have been using it on everything from cauliflower to lamb.  I though why not use it with almonds?  Almonds contain healthy fats, fiber, protein, magnesium and vitamin E.  They can lower blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol; not to mention reduce hunger and promote weight loss.  So if you stick to one serving which is 23 almonds or less, you’re in business!

MOROCCAN ALMONDS

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons Ras el Hanout (recipe follows)
• 1 tablespoon Maldon salt (or other flake salt), plus more to sprinkle on top of almonds
• 1 egg white
• 1 pound (about 3 cups) whole raw almonds

RAS EL HANOUT:

• 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 3 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cane sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (add a bit more if you want more heat)
• 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Make 1/2 cup

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, Ras el Hanout and Maldon salt.
3. In a medium size bowl, add the egg white.  Whisk briskly until frothy, about 30 seconds.  Add the almonds and toss with a wooden spoon until coated.  Add the spices and toss until well coated.  Spread evenly on the baking sheet, and then sprinkle some additional Maldon salt over the top.
4. Place in oven and bake, stirring once, until fragrant and toasted, about 45 minutes.  Let cool completely and serve.  Nuts will keep well at room temperature in a sealed bag or jar for several days.

“Food–I love nuts.  I eat them all the time, they’re easy to carry around, and I’m never hungry all day long.”    –Mehmet Oz