Tamari-roasted Nuts

By Cynthia Lair

Tamari-roasted nuts make a crunchy addition to a lunch box. Sprinkle a few on salads or grains to liven up flavor and texture. A jar of these nuts makes a welcome Christmas gift as well. Tamari and shoyu are naturally brewed soy sauces that contain no chemicals, preservatives, sugar, or MSG.

• 1 cup almonds
• 1 cup cashews
• 1/2 tablespoons tamari or shoyu
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• pinch cayenne (optional)

Preheat oven to 300 F. Place nuts on cookie sheet. Toast nuts in oven until they begin to turn golden and give off a nutty aroma (10-12 minutes). Mix tamari and spices together and sprinkle over toasted nuts. Stir and return nuts to oven to dry out (2-3 minutes). For a more even coating, put tamari in a spray bottle and mist roasted nuts, then stir in spices and dry in oven. Cool and store in a sealed jar.

Preparation: 15 minutes
Makes 2 cups

Cynthia Lair has been part of the nutrition faculty at Bastyr University since 1994. Recipe reprinted from Cynthia Lair's Feeding the Whole Family: Whole Foods Recipes for Babies, Young Children and Their Parents (Moon Smile Press, 1998); and Feeding the Young Athlete: Sports Nutrition Made Easy for Players and Parents, with Scott Murdoch, PhD, RD (Moon Smile Press, 2002). Both are available from www.feedingfamily.com.