No Sugar Glazed Pecans

I had to delete the maple syrup due to the high fructose content, so I increased the cinnamon and used some English Toffee flavored liquid stevia for the sweetener. I overdosed on the cinnamon... I think less than half would have been plenty! BUT they are tasty, and sugar free, so I am happy!

1 lb. pecans

3 T. coconut oil

2 to 3 tsp. cinnamon (I used two TABLEspoons! wow, that was a lot of cinnamon!)

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. vanilla

about 1 full dropper of English Toffee stevia (or to taste)

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, stirring 1/2 way through to prevent burning, and to coat the nuts again. While they are cooling, continue to stir it occasionally to keep the "glaze" on the nuts.

Coconut Treat

These are a great sweet treat for programs that limit sugar intake.

1 T Coconut oil

2 t ground flax seeds

1 T finely chopped walnuts

1 T finely shredded unsweetened coconut

2-3 drops liquid stevia (any flavor)

1/4 t vanilla

1/8 t cinnamon

dash sea salt

dash nutmeg

Mix all ingredients together and chill till coconut oil hardens. You can shape into a flat "cookie" or just eat like dry cereal. Makes one serving.

Maple Pecans

Whole Paycheck sells the most delicious maple pecans in their bulk section. I love the taste but not the price. So, I decided to try my own. For inspiration, I used this recipe.

16 oz. shelled pecan halves

3 T. coconut oil, melted

1 T. vanilla extract

3 T. maple syrup

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. sea salt.

Toss all ingredients together in a bowl and spread out on baking stone. Bake for about 25 minutes in 300 degree convection oven (or 30 minutes at 325 degrees in a regular oven), stirring often to prevent burning. They will be slightly brown. Watch closely so they don't burn!

I used a stoneware bar pan and sprayed it with coconut oil to prevent sticking. The glaze was fairly liquid, even when the pecans were browned, but once they cooled, they were only slightly sticky--they sort of dried out once they cooled. The flavor reminds me a lot of the Valdosta Pecans I have bought in the past--only without the pepper flavor and cranberries. :) They are very tasty--not too sweet.

Trail Mix a la Ornery

I don't really measure the amounts for this so amounts vary from batch to batch--here are the ingredients of the trail mix Ornery packs in his lunch every day. I admit, I like this too. :)

Walnuts

Raw Cashews

Roasted/salted Pumpkin seeds

coconut flakes (large flakes)

raisins

dried papaya

chocolate chips

Maple Walnut Granola

Maple-Walnut Granola

4 cups rolled oats
1 cup rice bran
1 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup dried currants
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup organic grapeseed or walnut oil
3/4 cup maple syrup

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, rice bran, seeds, dried fruit, nuts and vanilla. Add the oil and maple syrup and mix well until mixture is evenly moistened. Mixture should be crumbly and sticky. Spread mixture on a lightly oiled cookie tray and bake for 90 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes for even toasting. Mixture should be golden brown and dry. Cool thoroughly and store in an airtight glass container.

Whole Lotta Nuts Granola

Whole Lotta Nuts Granola

3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup slivered almonds (I use whole almonds chopped because they are cheaper and fresher)
1 cup unsweetened large flaked or ribbon coconut
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/4 cup almond oil (or other oil of your choice)
1/4 cup agave syrup
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup dried fruit such as cranberries, raisins, blueberries or a combination

Preheat oven to 300 F.
In a large bowl stir together the oats, nuts, seeds, and coconut. In a small bowl combine the oil, agave, and vanilla. Pour over dry ingredients and mix well.

Spread the granola evenly onto a large baking sheet, like a jelly roll pan with an edge, sprayed with non stick spray if you wish. Bake, stirring every 5 minutes to keep from sticking or burning, until golden brown and crisp, about 15-20 minutes. Because ovens vary, the first time you make this stay close by. I set a timer for five minutes each time because it can over bake quickly. Do not over bake, the granola will crisp more when cooled. Cool on the pan stirring occasionally. Stir in dried fruit and then transfer to an airtight glass container. Keep at room temp for up to a week. (I actually keep my longer and it is not a problem.)

It is good just to smack on, to top yogurt, but also with fresh fruit and some kind of milk over the top.

Trail Mix

Trail Mix
1 cup raw almonds
1 cup raw walnuts
1 cup raw cashews
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 cup organic raisins

Mix all in a large, sealed glass container and store.

Other nuts and seeds, as well as cocoa nibs, can be added or substituted. The original recipe calls for dried (unsweetened) blueberries instead of the raisins, but they are VERY expensive ($26.99/lb) where I shop, so I substituted the raisins. I found some sprouted pumpkin seeds that had been seasoned with sea salt and they really added some flavor, but they are QUITE expensive ($16.99 bag)! This jar-full doesn't last long around here as it is the main mid-morning snack food! (Click on the image and see it up close!)