Sweet ‘n’ Salty ‘n’ Spicy Tamari Cashews [Gluten Free & Vegan]

I really am trying very hard to eat healthier. Not that I was eating all junk food all the time before… but what I’m learning about myself is that I need to plan my week better, and basically make it stupid easy for me to make good choices when it comes to food.

If I’m hungry, then I’m hungry, and I don’t usually want to spend a ton of time making a healthy meal. I want a peanut butter sandwich to shove in my pie-hole. Now.

My main concern, when I’m really hungry, is protein, and I tend to forget about fruits and vegetables.

What I’ve been doing lately is creating big batch lunches on the weekend, and then I can quickly microwave something when I’m hangry hungry. Last week I stir-fried vegetables and tofu, and that was lunch for the week.

When it comes to snacking, I’m also trying to be better prepared. These glazed, tasty, tamari cashews are a great way to snack.

I love choosing nuts for a snack–they are packed with protein and have that satisfying crunch. You don’t need to eat too many of them to be satisfied.

These are a little like all-dressed chips. They have a little sweet, a little salty, a little smoke and a little spice. I keep them in small ziploc bags in purse when I go out, or grab a soy-sauce bowl sized portion (from my sushi set) to eat at my desk.

Happy snacking! These are the cure for hangry.

Sweet ‘n’ Salty ‘n’ Spicy Tamari Cashews

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw, unsalted cashews (you could also use Almonds)
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp tamari
• a few drops of liquid smoke or a dusting of smoked sea salt
• 1/4 tsp (or more if you like it hotter) chipotle powder

Method:

1. Heat the oven to 325, and lay your nuts in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.
2. In the mean time, mix together the glaze ingredients in a bowl large enough to accommodate the cashews.
3. After 10 minutes, take the cashews out of the oven and dump them into the bowl and coat well with the glaze. Throw them back on the baking sheet, and put them back in the oven.
4. Bake the cashews for about 30-40 minutes, making sure to stir them every 10 minutes. You will know they are done when you see the glaze really sticking to the cashews.
5. Turn the cashews out onto a piece of wax paper or foil to cool. The glaze will harden as they cool, and you may need to bash them a little to separate them. Once cool, store in a tightly-closed mason jar or tupperware container.