Let's Get Roasting - It's Snack Time

Tonight, I decided to experiment with some homemade roasted nut/bean snacks. Have you ever noticed the markup between raw bulk nuts and the fancier spiced ones at the market? Well I'm here to tell you that it's easier, fresher and healthier to take the bulk and make your own mixes! Controlling what goes in to these snacks should not be under rated. You can control the salt and the spices to your liking...yahoo! I find Indian snacks from the market like roasted chickpeas and curry nuts too spicy and here I have control.

Let's for a moment talk about nuts - They are calorie dense so tread carefully. They are an excellent source of protein and unsaturated fats like omega-3, which can reduce the bad cholesterol in your system. So stick to 1-2 oz per day and you're on your way - heart healthy snacks, here we are!

Curried Cashews - Combine 0.5 tbsp of olive oil, 1.5 cups of raw cashews, 1/2 tsp of tumeric, salt, coriander, cumin (each), 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper. Roast in oven at 350 for 12 minutes (stirring once at 6mins). Cool and serve. Spicy and delicious. Refer down to the benefits of curry spices. You'll be surprised!

Rosemary Garlic Almonds - Melt 1/2 tbsp margarine in a skillet, add 1 tbsp fresh minced rosemary and 1 minced clove of garlic. Heat until aromatic. Add 1.5 cups raw almonds and 1/2 tsp of salt. Stir and mix well for 1 minute over heat. Add 2 tsp worcestire sauce and mix well. Place on cookie sheet in single layer. Roast at 350 for 8 minutes. Cool and serve. Amazing savory mix, these are my favourite.

Spicy Roasted Chickpeas - 1 15 oz can of chickpeas, drain, rinse and pat dry. Mix with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper and 1/2 tsp of garlic salt. Mix well and put in single layer on cookie sheet. Roast at 350 for 20 minutes. Flip the chickpeas. Crank heat up to 450 and roast for an additional 15 minutes. This will dry them out and make them a crispy spicy snack! Remember to cool before you eat or your tongue will be in for a rude awakening!

Greek Yogurt Unveiled

There's almost no doubt in my mind that you have recently been in the supermarket and noticed a change in the yogurt section of the dairy aisle. Like there wasn't enough yogurt choice already, now there's this whole other area of a special yogurt, Greek yogurt. This yogurt is creamier and richer and more dessert like - uh, yum! It appeals to a different palate than those regular yogurt lovers out there. Overall it's probably not that different from regular yogurt but nutritionists like to praise it's lower sugar (aka carb) content and higher protein content. Not only is this what someone with PCOS is looking for but it's also something that makes you feel fuller. I say, bring it on!


I like to round out my Greek yogurt snack with a bunch of roasted, unsalted almonds. Research has shown that almonds can be beneficial for lowering LDL cholesterol and risk for heart disease. They also are said to prevent after meal sugar spikes which protects a body against diabetes and cardiovascular disease. There is so much literature out their that you can read about almonds, so if you are interested in learning more, I send you out to Google land! I can't confirm the research but I've got nothing better to go on right now and I like the taste so I tend to take the almond plunge! Be sure to count those almonds though, because as healthy as they are with their good fats...even a handful could skyrocket your calorie intake for the day! What's that? aAbout 13g of protein and 15g of carbs, how WONDERFUL!