Healthy Snacking Made Easy
The very first thing that you’ll notice about this recipe is how simple it is to prepare. You literally only need three simple ingredients (four, if you’re counting the pinch of salt for flavoring) and between 10-20 minutes of time. Anyone who knows me knows how much I adore easy to make recipes like this one, especially when they deliver big time like these walnuts do.
While I tend to enjoy pretty much all types of nuts, I do have to admit that walnuts are probably my favorite choice when it comes to snacking. That’s pretty much the main reason why they were chosen for this snack recipe. Perhaps more importantly though, walnuts are actually an incredibly healthy option to use for a variety of different reasons.
Walnuts are an excellent source of both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. Both of these types of fatty acids are extremely beneficial when it comes to your heart health, as they’re known to reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease by lowering your blood pressure, total blood triglycerides, and even relieving inflammation within the body. (1)
Even though walnuts are an amazing snack when enjoyed on their own, once you add the cinnamon and honey into the mix, you end up with a healthy paleo-friendly snack option that’s totally out of this world. Not only do both ingredients add a ton of flavor to the walnuts, but they also manage to further increase the health benefits offered by this recipe in a few fantastic ways.
Pro Tip: Add Cinnamon for More Flavor
The cinnamon adds a delightfully spicy hint to your walnuts while also adding in even more beneficial antioxidants and other anti-inflammatory compounds. In fact, numerous studies have been done that have found that cinnamon is quite a potent medicinal spice indeed. (2)
There’s also evidence that cinnamon could perhaps help to lower your risk of heart disease, while also improving insulin sensitivity levels.
Raw Honey, A Nutrient-Dense Natural Sweetener
Along with the cinnamon, the recipe also calls for a whopping three tablespoons of paleo approved raw honey (make sure that you use raw honey in order to get the most nutrient-dense honey possible).
The honey adds a delicious blend of naturally sweet flavor to the walnuts that meshes perfectly with the ever so slightly spicy taste offered by the cinnamon. On top of that, using raw honey ensures that you’re getting even more of those disease-fighting antioxidants. (3)
Studies have actually found that the types of antioxidants and other phenolic compounds found in raw honey are effective at reducing your risk of developing cardiovascular disease by helping to lower blood pressure levels and even improving overall blood cholesterol levels. (4)
In the event that you’re not particularly fond of either cinnamon or honey, but you still enjoy walnuts, we’ve got you covered as well. Here are just a few of my favorite walnut recipes from around the web. Each one of them comes highly recommended. I’m certain you’ll find something to enjoy:
- Easy Maple Glazed Walnuts (Paleo) (Wonky Wonderful)
- 5 Minute Candied Walnuts (Natasha’s Kitchen)
- Peanut Butter Walnut Cookies (No Thyme to Waste)
- Easy Brown Sugar Walnut Bars (The Spruce Eats)
- Chewy Walnut Pan Bars (Taste of Home)
- Spiced Roasted Walnuts (Vegan & Gluten Free) (Street Smart Kitchen)
- Moroccan Spiced Walnuts (Mom’s Kitchen Handbook)
- Sweet and Spicy Sesame Walnuts (Air Fry With Me)
Between this recipe and the eight listed above, you’re sure to find at least one way to enjoy a delicious and nutritious walnut snack.
Before we wrap things up though, I usually like to go over a few of the most frequently asked questions that usually pop up in regards to a specific recipe. This cinnamon and honey roasted walnut recipe is no exception, so without further ado:
Are Roasted Walnuts Really Good For You?
Even with all of the information that’s available out there, it’s still unfortunate how many people out there still think that all sources of dietary fat are bad for you. As I mentioned earlier, walnuts are a terrific source of heart healthy fatty acids (along with providing plenty of other essential nutrients).
With that in mind though, there are still a couple of things that you should be aware of. Roasting your walnuts has no detrimental effects as far as the monounsaturated fatty acid content goes, but the same can’t be said for polyunsaturated fatty acids.
The reason for this is that polyunsaturated fats are much more vulnerable to the effects of oxidation than monounsaturated fats. The process of roasting the walnuts could perhaps alter and damage the polyunsaturated fatty acids, causing the walnuts to turn rancid.
Oxidized fatty acids are exactly why some types of nuts go bad, giving off a foul odor and “off” taste. This is an issue as far as your health goes because rancid fatty oils are both pro-inflammatory and carcinogenic.
However, even with all of that being said, just roasting your walnuts alone isn’t enough to automatically make them go bad. I just wanted you to be aware of the possibility. So long as you follow the recipe directions properly, you shouldn’t run into any issues.
Should I Soak My Walnuts Before Making This Recipe?
While the exact ingredient list for this recipe only calls for the use of raw walnut halves, I would definitely recommend taking the time to soak your walnuts before making the recipe.
The reason why I recommend soaking them is because doing so offers up numerous great benefits, including:
- Reducing and removing phytic acid and tannins
- Neutralizing enzyme inhibitors while encouraging the production of beneficial enzymes
- Making digestion easier by breaking down gluten and improving the absorption of protein
- Increases vitamin concentrations (especially B-complex vitamins)
In addition to the above health benefits, soaking your walnuts will also increase absorption of the spices and even give them a crunchier texture that’s easier to chew.
How Long Do Roasted Walnuts Stay Good For?
Unfortunately, roasted walnuts have a shorter shelf life than they would otherwise if left raw. The reason for this is exactly the same as I mentioned earlier – roasting walnuts can cause the polyunsaturated fatty acids to turn rancid much quicker than they usually would.
Once again, it’s worth pointing out that merely roasting your walnuts doesn’t automatically mean they’re going to turn rancid. And since it’s possible for walnuts to stay fresh in the pantry for up to 12 months, the only real way to tell if your walnuts have gone bad is by inspecting them.
If they’re still in the shell, check for any signs of the shell being dried out or shrunk. If it doesn’t look normal, you can safely throw it out immediately. For walnuts that have already been shelled, you’ll have to take a closer look.
Check the walnut for any signs of mold or any foul odors – if you notice either, you can safely discard them.
Finally, sometimes the only way to tell if a walnut has gone bad is by doing a taste test. Even though the walnut might look perfectly fine, there’s a chance that it could end up tasting slightly bitter.
Is This Roasted Walnut Recipe Keto Friendly?
Normally, walnuts make for a fantastic keto friendly snack. However, for this particular recipe, I would definitely be a little bit wary if I was following the keto diet.
The reason being is that a single tablespoon of raw honey can still contain as much as 16 grams of sugar, and this recipe uses three tablespoons. Depending on how many walnuts you plan on eating at once, you can very quickly end up knocking yourself out of ketosis.
So technically, no, this recipe is not 100% keto friendly. However, as long as you’re diligent about tracking your macros, you should still be able to enjoy these cinnamon and honey roasted walnuts in moderation.
(Make this next: Spicy Roasted Cashews)
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