Sweet Nut Things

By CYNTHIA COWAN

Do not read any further if moderation is something you continually struggle with. If too much of a good thing is not a concept that you are familiar with, turn back now. The following recipe yields a nut that will bring you to your knees and have you praying to a higher power. They are that good.

If you do overindulge, it’s not like you ate a whole bag of chips though. At least there is some nutritional value to nuts. A lot, in fact. Take walnuts for example. A 200-calorie, quarter-cup serving is high in protein and contains significant amounts of vitamins, minerals, folic acid and Omega-3 fatty acids. True, they are also high in fat, but it’s of the unsaturated variety, i.e. no cholesterol.

These sweet nut things will be indispensable during the upcoming holiday season. They may even be capable of redeeming the brussel sprouts. Sprinkle these irresistible morsels on the sweet potato casserole or roasted vegetables, toss them in a green salad with pears and Roquefort, stir them into muffin batter. Every holiday dish will become just another vehicle upon which to heap these addictive nuts.

You can’t go wrong with an inviting dish on the coffee table, a snack bag on the long holiday car rides, a pick-me-up at work. If you can bear to part with a batch, festive jars chock-full make lovely gifts, as well.

Spiced Nuts

2 egg whites

3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons melted butter

1 pound whole walnut meats (or pecans)

Beat egg whites with a fork until frothy in a medium sized bowl. Add remaining ingredients except nuts, mixing until well-combined. Add nuts, tossing and folding until thoroughly coated. Spread in a single layer on foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 275º for 45 to 50 minutes. Allow to cool before peeling away foil and breaking up nuts. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. Recrisp in oven if necessary, for about 5 minutes at350º. Indulge!