Sweet and Savory Herb Roasted Pecans

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Almonds are so last year! Sweet and Savory Herb Roasted Pecans are the new go to work snack! They go toe to toe against almonds. I’ve paired some savory rosemary and thyme with orange zest and sugar coating to highlight the maple flavor in these pecans.

You’ve had lunch.  It’s not time to head home yet, but you have that …. Feeling in your stomach.  It wants to growl or it just wants something in it.  Nothing huge like another meal, but something.  You have chips.  You have cookies.  There’s chocolate.  And there’s left over nibbles from the holiday party in your drawer.

Oh.  Come on.  You know you have one.  Admit it.  A snack drawer in your desk where you stash nibbles for the morning or afternoon.  It’s not full of healthy foods, I’m sure.  If it’s anything like mine, it’s bits and pieces of cookies, chips, maybe a nut bar or something.  Nothing that is really healthy lives in that drawer.

That is, until now.

Make a batch of these herb roasted pecans and you’ll wind up throwing all that other stuff out.  Trust me on this one!  Just look at those nuts right there!!  You can’t resist them.  They’re staring at you.  They’re screaming, “EAT ME!”  Please, oblige them.  And take a bite.  If you’re not a huge fan of pecans, you can make some roasted cashews to snack on!

Since we’re in the season of the constant food coma, these pecans are a healthy and welcome change from all the fats, sweets, and just downright unhealthy foods we have all been eating.  Unless you’re like that ONE person that just doesn’t eat.  Sorry.  So not me.  Forgetting to eat is not something that will EVER come out of my mouth.

That’s why I try to stick to healthier snacks like pecans.  Did you know that pecans have 19 vitamins and minerals?  They’re rich in oleic acids – ya know, the good fat?  And they have antioxidants to prevent plaque buildup on arteries.  And, here’s the kicker for me, pecans are rich in B3 which is the fatigue fighting vitamin.  So, they’re perfect in the afternoon for a quick little pick me up after lunch and before you head home for dinner.

And with a healthy snack like this in your drawer, you know it’s just going to have amazing flavor to wake up your taste buds and that B3 to wake the rest of you up.  Seriously.  See those flecks of herbs right there?  Ya know, those little green pieces?  Those are flecks of fantastic flavor.  They’re F cubed!!  

These herb roasted pecans aren’t all savory.

If you’re like me, you want something just a little sweet in the afternoons.  That’s why I candy coated these a little bit.  It’s just a simple sugar and water candy coating that is simple to make, but does make a world of difference with these little gems. 

Since I’m one of those mindless nibblers, I have to put mine in a container.  There’s almost always a plastic cup or a mug in my drawer.  I fill that up with a handful and then I have automatic portion control. 

Not that these are THAT bad, but, ya know, everything in moderation.  Including these nuts!  Cause I could seriously pound the whole bag of these things! 

What’s your favorite healthy snack?