Baking with Basil

Since I am vegetarian, I get asked a lot “where I get my protein from?”   There are so many different types of foods that you can receive protein, but my go-to are almonds or almond butter.  Lately I’ve been hooked on  almonds and dried blueberries.  You can’t beat the combination of sweet and salty.  One of my favorite flavored almonds are Wasabi & Soy Sauce from Blue Diamond.  They have just enough wasabi kick without being overbearing!!  Definitely check them out if you like wasabi!

These almonds reminded me of the glazed kind you find in the mall or at a fair.  They made my house smell amazing!!  The cayenne pepper gives them a little spicy flair, which you know I love.  I liked the glazed almond mixture by itself, so I only dusted 1/2 with cocoa powder, but feel free to dust as much or as little as you want.  Make sure to keep a close eye on them in the oven because the maple syrup can burn easily if left unattended.  When the glaze on the almonds starts to turn a darker shade of brown, they are done.

Cocoa-dusted Glazed Almonds

Recipe from vegetariantimes.com

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp maple syrup (I substituted agave nectar)
• 2 tbsp light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 cups raw almonds (I used 1 cup almonds + 1 cup cashews)
• 1 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder

1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.  Combine maple syrup, brown sugar, salt, cayenne, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.

3.  Add nuts, and cook for 3 minutes stirring constantly.  Pour almonds onto prepared baking sheet in a single layer.

4.  Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until almonds are toasted and syrup has become dark brown.  Stir occasionally to prevent burning.  Remove from oven to cool and stir to separate.

5.  Place nuts in resealable plastic bag.  Sprinkle with cocoa powder and shake to coat.  (I recommend adding cocoa powder in shifts in case you don’t want to add it all)