When you have kids at home, one of the biggest dilemmas is giving them something healthy to snack on. There is such a huge array of biscuits and instant foods out there that it’s hard to keep kids away from them. And the targeted advertising doesn’t help either!
So today, I’ve got a healthy snack idea – Caramelized Nuts, that are so yummy, your kids will forget all about those biscuits! I got this idea during a cookery shown on the channel ‘Living Foodz‘. I decided to make them for my son’s lunchbox as he always craves something sweet after his meal.
Nutritional Benefits of Almonds
- They help in brain development.
- They are rich in phosphorous, vitamins and minerals and help in bone growth and development.
- They help improve the immune system. (Check out these Immune boosting Foods for Children)
- They enrich the skin resulting in a glowing skin.
- They act as effective anti inflammatory agents.
Nutritional Benefits of Walnuts
- Source of high energy for a longer time
- High in minerals that encourage bone development, prevent anemia and helps cell repair
- Excellent for brain development due to the presence of healthy fats including Omega 3 fatty acids
- Contains melatonin which helps in inducing sleep
Learn more about when to give your child nuts and about nut-related allergies.
Caramelized Nuts Snack
Ingredients:
- 1 cup walnut halves and almonds
- 1/2 cup white powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup water
Method:
1. Heat a nonstick pan. Add dry fruits, butter and sugar into the pan along with the water.
2. Heat this mixture over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently so it doesn’t burn.
3. When the sugar mixture starts melting, stir constantly till all the sugar has melted and the nuts are completely coated. Turn off the gas.
4. Transfer immediately onto a dry plate and separate the nuts right away. Using two spoons will make the task easier. This needs to be done immediately or it will turn into an inseparable chunk of dry fruits.
5. Once the coating on the nuts hardens, transfer them into air tight containers.
These caramelized nuts are quite a treat. Besides having them as a snack, you can also add them to your salad, oatmeal or popcorn. Since the method involves just tossing the nuts in a mixture, it’s a really quick and easy to make when the kids start announcing that they’re hungry!
Author
Kanika has a Masters in computer science and is now a stay at home mom to a cute little boy, Onish. She loves to cook and tries new and yummy recipes to get her fussy toddler to eat healthy.
- 1 cup walnut halves and almonds
- ½ cup white powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- ¼ cup water
- Heat a nonstick pan. Add dry fruits, butter and sugar into the pan along with the water.
- Heat this mixture over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently so it doesn’t burn.
- When the sugar mixture starts melting, stir constantly till all the sugar has melted and the nuts are completely coated. Turn off the gas.
- Transfer immediately onto a dry plate and separate the nuts right away. Using two spoons will make the task easier. This needs to be done immediately or it will turn into an inseparable chunk of dry fruits.
- Once the coating on the nuts hardens, transfer them into air tight containers.