I’m not usually one for snacks, but my son is wild for them. He wakes up in the morning and rushes me downstairs because he’s hungry. Before I can even get the jelly out of the refrigerator, he’s fishing through the pantry for his first snack of the day. From then on it’s a constant stream of snacks. Basically once an hour between meals he’s whining for more snacks, and the other kids are happy to join the clamor.

So I try to have snacks available that are healthy and more satisfying than your average goldfish cracker. Since I spend a lot of energy on meals already, the snacks I make can’t require much effort. These nuts are my absolute favorite snack for kids and adults alike. We enjoy them on their own regularly, but the toasty, salty little things are so addictive, they’ll be the star of your cheese board or salad anytime. You can mix and match the nuts with various flavored olive oils as well. I love to make almonds with rosemary infused olive oil, pecans with regular olive oil, and pepitas with blood orange infused olive oil. The nuts keep well on the counter, so any leftovers can be enjoyed at the behest of famished snackers.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole raw almonds (or any other nut)

• 1 TBS olive oil (or flavored olive oil)

• 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

Method:

1. Put the nuts in a medium sized skillet. The nuts should have enough room to sit in a single layer on the bottom of the pan.

2. Heat the pan over medium low heat. Shake the nuts frequently and watch them closely. They only take a few minutes to toast. Make sure to get both sides and remove them from the heat before they’re charred.

3. Pour the nuts into a bowl and add the olive oil and kosher salt. Toss or stir the nuts so the seasoning is evenly distributed. Taste and adjust the salt as desired. Enjoy hot or room temperature.