This recipe produces a nut-and-seed-laden snack that is fairly simple to make. It bears the colors of fall, with green pumpkin seeds, red cranberries and golden toasted nuts. Consider offering it as an adult treat for Halloween that swaps the holiday’s usual chocolate and sugar with healthful nuts and seeds.
The sweet substance that holds it together is rice syrup, used for centuries in Asian cuisines and considered healthier than sugar. Rice syrup can be found in Korean grocery stores or at Down to Earth.
It makes sense to buy raw, unsalted nuts. Toast them by spreading them out on a sheet pan and leaving them in a 350-degree oven until fragrant, about 10-15 minutes. The pumpkin seeds toast at 300 degrees for 6-10 minutes. Both nuts and seeds need to be turned once. Sesame seeds are toasted in a saucepan on the stove top. Cool all nuts and seeds before adding to the rice syrup.
The only downside to using rice syrup is that your fingers will get slightly sticky from eating these tidbits.
Nut Bars or Bites
Ingredients:
• 1 cup toasted almonds
• 1 cup toasted walnuts
• 1 cup shelled toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
• 1 cup shelled roasted edamame
• 1 cup dried cranberries, halved
• 1 cup sesame seeds, dry roasted with sea salt
• 1 1/2 cups rice syrup
Directions:
Shake nuts in a colander to remove dust. Pour rice syrup into a large saucepan and turn heat to medium-high. As syrup heats, bubbles will appear and get larger. Reduce heat to medium-low, stirring occasionally. When one or two very large bubbles nearly fill the pan, turn heat off. This takes 7-9 minutes.
Add nuts, pumpkin seeds, edamame and cranberries, stirring quickly to mix completely. Turn mixture onto parchment paper, then flatten into a square or rectangle by pressing and shaping with your hands. The mixture will be warm. Next, sprinkle sesame seeds across the top. Cover with another sheet of parchment and press firmly so nuts adhere. Use a rolling pin to compress the slab, making sure to keep the same dimensions, so the slab retains its thickness.
Let rest 10-20 minutes to cool and firm up. Cut the slab into four pieces. Cut each slab into desired size and shape.
Makes 32-40 3-by-1-inch bites.
Approximate nutrient analysis per serving (based on 32 servings): 160 calories, 8 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 50 mg sodium, 21 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 12 g sugar, 4 g protein. Approximate nutrient analysis per serving (based on 40 servings): 130 calories, 6 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 40 mg sodium, 17 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 10 g sugar, 3 g protein. Nutritional analysis provided by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.
The Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation is an international nonprofit with a local office in Kaimuki. Its mission of community service includes the promotion of a healthy vegetarian lifestyle. To learn more, visit facebook.com/hawaiitzuchi or call 808-737-8885.
