Easy Caramelized Nuts, an alternative to unhealthy snacks: How to make them

 Homemade caramelized nuts :)

Have you ever crave for nuts during traveling just to find those nuts were outrageously priced? Especially when you bought them in petrol station haha.

It happens to me alot. As well as my hubby.

We are the type of couple who travels around with a basketful of goodies. On the day of traveling, I will always wake up early to cook food. A one main meal dish, some finger food like nuggets and sausages, or even onigiri, and of course, 1 bottle of drinking bottle with a thermos of green or oolong tea. We truly dig in. While  acting as a co-pilot when he's driving, I will talk (a lot) to my love, feed him food, and sing together.

What I always fail to anticipate is in preparing crackers and nuts of the like. He truly loves them..just name it! macadamia, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, almonds and those lots.

It's so dem expensive..(sigh)

So then, this is how to save some cash while having it good!

Servings : err..not sure..yields 1 big bottle (we ate with my family..still got alot..already 2 months now)

Ingredients
Whatever seeds and nuts you have (I bought mine from the bakery)
This is what I used;
   - Pumpkin seeds
   - Sunflower seeds
   - Almonds
3 tbs butter/margarine (dollopful)
1 c sugar
1/4 c refined sugar (you can use castor sugar or simply blend normal sugar to fine bits)
a pinch of salt

Methodology

1. Dry fry each seeds/nut separately at low fire with a skillet (Do not put oil). Keep on stirring to homogenize the heat to the seeds/nut. An indication when the seeds are done is when they starts to pop (I think after 10 mins or so of stirring). You just have to stir about 5 mins more and test the texture. It should be crunchy. For the almond nuts, silvered them first to make them thin so that they will be easier to cook. Use similar method for the seeds although they won't pop this time. You just have to taste them to make sure.

2. Remove all seeds/nut out before adding the butter into the same skillet. At medium low fire, melt the butter before adding the sugar. Keep cooking and stirring until the sugar dissolve and turns golden brown. Do let it brown too much.

3. Add a hint of the sugar browning, reduce heat and add all the seeds/nut mixture in the liquid solution and keep of stirring to coat as much as possible.

4. Immediately spread the seeds/nut mixture on a wax paper or parchment paper in a flat tray. Try to separate them as much as possible before the mixture cools down. Spread some honey on top during cooling.

5. When thoroughly cooled, they will turn hard. Use the back of a spoon or ladle to knock and separate them. At this moment, use a sieve and add in the refine sugar and salt. Coat well and mix.

6. Keep in an air tight container lined with wax paper!

Easy!

Well, although I said it is an alternative to unhealthy snacks, you'll think this is a no-good diabetic proned junkfood. Haha. Sure is, if you put in so much sugar. The trick to it is to adjust the sugar to your liking. You can actually use other less process sugar..you can try..

My hubby ate so much until he got sorethroat =________=||| That's not good also..

aiyaa.