Candied Rosemary Nuts - A slightly healthier version and what you need to know about coconut oil!

I eat a lot of nuts...almonds, walnuts, cashews, pecans, Brazil nuts...

Usually I eat roasted unsalted nuts as a healthy snack.  I sprinkle them on oatmeal, eat them by the handful, or have a few with some fruit.  As a treat or a hidden gem in a salad, I occasionally eat candied nuts.  Sometimes even I have a sweet tooth!  I had never tried to candy nuts on my own, but I found a recipe in a cookbook that I received as a gift and decided to give it a try.  I doctored it up a bit (aka lessened the sugar and substituted coconut oil for the butter) and came up with this awesome recipe.

Nuts, by the way, are a great source of healthy fats and minerals such as iron and magnesium.  They are also a decent source of protein and fiber.  Best of all there is an association with nut consumption and decreased rates of heart disease and diabetes.  This blog is supposed to be more about the food than the science, but for those of you who are interested here is the science: Nuts may help prevent death

Check out what we are making:

I used coconut oil as the fat source in this recipe. People often ask me, "What is the deal with coconut oil?"  "Is it a health food? or does it clog arteries?".  The answer is that coconut oil is not a health food and it does clog arteries, BUT less so than butter.  Coconut oil is high in saturated fat which in turn increases LDL (bad) cholesterol.  Though it does not seem to cause spikes in inflammation like saturated fats from animal sources.  Again, if you want more of the science check out this video: Does coconut oil clog arteries?  FYI the first minute or so is about Alzheimer's but then gets into the cholesterol and weight gain data.

So, basically, I made this recipe a little healthier with coconut oil in place of butter, but still not healthy.  These nuts are super delicious though, that counts for something, right?

Candied Rosemary Nuts

Here is what you need:

1 pound of unsalted raw nuts (walnuts, pecans, cashews, and almonds used here)

1/3 cup brown sugar 

3 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped

2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

pinch of salt to taste

Spread the nuts out on a baking sheet and pop them into a 350 degree F oven for about 10 minutes.

While the nuts are in the oven mix the sugar, oil, and rosemary together in a large bowl.

When the nuts are lightly roasted, remove them from the oven and pour them into the bowl with the sugar, oil, and rosemary.  Toss the nuts in the mixture until they are evenly coated.  

Spread the nuts back onto the baking sheet, sprinkle with salt, and set them aside to cool.  

Once cooled, enjoy...but in moderation.  Though nuts are a healthy food, they are high in fat and calories aaaannnnnnddddd we coated these nuts with sugar and oil increasing the calorie count even more.  

Happy eating and best health,

Dr. G