If you are bored of chewing on plain raw nuts, try roasted nuts dressed in either savoury or sweet flavour. I’ve made vanilla and cinnamon roasted nuts earlier. This time it is salty and spicy savoury nuts 🙂 I used a coconut amino sauce, which is gluten-free and soy-free sauce containing 17 amino acids. If you don’t have it, don’t worry! You can replace with tamari or sodium reduced soy sauce. It is great on its own as a snack, but I also use as salad toppings (as below in chickpea salad) and a sprinkle on soup for extra flavour and crunch. Enjoy x
Savoury Roasted Nuts
100g raw almonds
100g raw pepitas
100g raw sunflower seeds
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp coconut amino sauce
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp Himalayan salt
Soak all nuts in water overnight. Drain and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Melt coconut oil for 30 seconds in microwave. Then combine with coconut amino sauce, cayenne pepper and salt in a large bowl. Pour the nuts into a bowl and mix well with a spatula making sure all nuts are coated with the sauce. Transfer the nuts onto a baking tray and spread evenly in a single layer. Place in the preheated (170) oven for 20-30 minutes or more until nuts are fragrant and crispy, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool completely before storing in an air-tight container. Store in the fridge or freezer.
So this is the salad I made after roasting some nuts. Chickpeas are a great base for salads and also add the buttery texture and hearty element. Sweet caramelised onion, rich blue cheese, salty roasted nuts and bitter greens are a match made in heaven. Delicious! It can be a complete dish on its own as well as a great accompaniment to any protein of your choice.
Chickpea Salad with Caramelised Balsamic Onion and Blue Cheese (serves 2)
100g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
1 cup of salad leaves
1 white onion
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp honey
50g blue cheese
2 tbsp savoury roasted nuts
1 tbsp e.v.o.o
salt and pepper to taste
Put soaked chickpeas in a pot and cover with water. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes or until cooked. Drain and set aside. In the meantime, thinly slice onion and cook in a pan with coconut oil, balsamic vinegar and honey until caramelised. Season with salt and pepper. To assemble the salad, put cooked chickpeas, salad leaves, caramelised onion and crumbled blue cheese in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle olive oil and extra balsamic vinegar into a bowl. Gently toss to combine. Transfer to a serving plate and sprinkle savoury roasted nuts on top.