Sometimes I think that if we could get cars to run off almonds, you wouldn’t need more than a handful to go from San Francisco to L.A. Yeah, they have that much energy—twenty nuts are more than enough to get most people I know through a hunger rush—and they’re nutrient dense, so the body can put every calorie to work. It’s really easy to prep up a whole bunch of these; all it takes is a little olive oil, some seasoning, and a few minutes in the oven and they’re ready to rock. I often tell my clients to leave little bowls of these around the house so they’re constantly tempted to grab a healthy nibble.

　　

Ingredients

makes 2 cups

　　2 cups raw almonds

　　1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

　　1/2 teaspoon maple syrup

　　1/4 teaspoon sea salt

　　1 teaspoon cinnamon

　　1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

　　

Step 2

Toss the almonds with the olive oil, maple syrup, salt, cinnamon, and ginger until evenly coated, then spread them evenly on a sheet pan. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes, until aromatic and slightly browned. You know they’re done when you can smell them. The almonds will become crispy as they cool.

　　

variation

Step 3

While I was scuttling around the Commonweal Retreat Center’s kitchen, I came up with the following mix of tasty morsels that everyone seemed to love. To 2 cups of toasted almonds, add 1 tablespoon of dark chocolate chips, 1/4 cup of dried cherries, and 1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds.

　　

Step 4

If you’re looking for a more savory flavor, swap out the cinnamon and ginger for 1/4 teaspoon each of dried rosemary, sage, and thyme.

　　

rebecca’s notes

Step 5

When in doubt, take them out! Nuts will continue to cook after they have been removed from the oven.

　　

storage

Step 6

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 weeks or in

　　

Step 7

the freezer for 2 months.

　　

nutrition information

Step 8

(per serving)

　　

Step 9

Calories: 105

　　

Step 10

Total Fat: 9.1g (0.7g saturated, 5.7g monounsaturated)

　　

Step 11

Carbohydrates: 4g

　　

Step 12

Protein: 4g

　　

Step 13

Fiber: 2g

　　

Step 14

Sodium: 40mg

　　Excerpted from The Cancer Fighting Kitchen, copyright 2017 by Rebecca Katz and Met Edelson. Published with permission by Ten Speed Press.