[Craving a crunchy, sweet-and-spicy, healthy snack? Carob Spice Almonds are vegan, sugar-free, gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, egg free, soy-free, yeast-free, and low glycemic. Suitable for all stages of an anti-candida diet.]
It took me a while to jump on the carob train, but once I did, I was a passenger for life. In case you’re not really familiar with my good friend Carob, let me share some key characteristics:
Carob is not chocolate. Okay, we got that out of the way.
Unlike chocolate, carob grows in pods (so not that dissimilar to beans). You can actually chew on the carob pods themselves when they’re soft (as I recall, they are quite delicious that way!). The pods are usually dried and ground into powder, which is what most people think of when they think of “carob.”
It’s also lower in fat than cocoa, and high in calciuim and potassium, with a good amount of fiber. Plus, it’s lower in oxalates than chocolate, and has no caffeine.
So even if you’ve never tried carob, I’m going to suggest you give these yummy almonds a try. You might also fall for the nutty, sweet and slightly smoky taste of carob like I did.
Carob Spice Almonds These delicious treats make a great, healthy snack or appetizer for a party. See if people can guess what’s in the coating! 2 cups (480 ml) raw almonds 1/4 cup (60 ml) carob powder 1/4 cup (60 ml)) water 2 Tbsp (30 ml) oil (I used olive oil) 1/2-1 tsp (2.5-5 ml) cinnamon, cardamom or a combination, to taste (I used cardamom) Pinch fine sea salt 10-15 drops stevia or 1/3 cup (80 ml) Lakanto, xylitol or other dry sweetener, or to taste Preheat oven to 300F (150 C). Spread the almonds out in a single layer on a rimmed cookie sheet or in a large pan and bake 8-10 minutes, just until they begin to turn golden inside (I take one out and bite into it to see if it’s still white inside; if it’s just beginning to darken, they’re ready). While they bake, take a large glass or metal bowl (it must be heatproof) and whisk the rest of the ingredients together to make a thick brown liquid (it should be pourable). If using dry sweetener, make sure it’s dissolved. As soon as the almonds are ready, dump them into the bowl. It will sizzle! Stir the almonds repeatedly, turning them to coat in the liquid, until they are all coated and most of the liquid has evaporated. I use a silicone spatula for this. Return the almonds to the pan. Decrease the oven temperature to 250F (120 C) and bake another 8-10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the coating is dark and glossy and the almonds are dry. If you have extra coating in the bowl, you can dump them a second time at the 5 minute mark and stir to coat again. You should use up most of the liquid. If the almonds aren’t quite ready after 10 minutes, keep baking them, checking every 5 minutes, until done (important: they can burn if left too long!). Once they’re done, turn off the heat and let them cool in the oven. They will become more crunchy as they cool. Makes 2 cups (480 ml). Store in an airtight container for up to one week. Not suitable for freezing. Suitable for: ACD All stages; refined sugar-free, gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, egg free, soy-free, yeast-free, vegan, low glycemic.
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