Salted Vanilla Maple Nut and Seed Clusters

This post for Salted Vanilla Maple Nut and Seed Clusters is sponsored on behalf of Fisher Nuts. All opinions are my own.

Earlier this year I shared our family’s 15 Things in 2015 list. I made a list of a few things for myself separate from that. Not really resolutions, just things I wanted to be more mindful about for 2015. One of the things that I want to be more mindful about is my health. I’m not unhealthy. I just know there are areas I could do better with.

One area I wanted to be more mindful about is my heart health. The truth is, my blood pressure has gone up a little higher over the last few years and I’m not in as good of cardio shape as I’d like to be in since I haven’t been as dedicated to running over the last year as I used to be.

So, I joined a gym in January like thousands of other people. And I’m actually really enjoying it. I love the group fitness classes and look forward to going a few times every week.

Another area is snacking smarter – sometimes I get so busy during the day that I forget to make time for a few healthy snacks here and there. Nuts are a great heart healthy snack and they’re pretty easy for this busy mom because they don’t take a lot of preparation or trips to the grocery store for extra ingredients. Gotta love Snacks that Take 5 Minutes or Less!

I love to snack on nuts so I have been making a point to keep some in my gym bag and in the pantry at home. Last week, however, I decided I wanted to make a little healthy nut treat for myself. Something a little sweet when I’m craving that but also not something that is bad for me – so I made these Salted Vanilla Maple Nut and Seed Clusters

You can mix up these Salted Vanilla Maple Nut and Seed Clusters however you like. Try using different Fisher Nuts, or different combos of seeds and dried fruit. The possibilities are endless. For a hint of spice, you might even try adding some cayenne pepper.

Some other great sweet, but heart healthy snacks are these easy Chocolate Dipped Nuts or these Cinnamon Vanilla Glazed Walnuts. If you’re craving a savory heart healthy snack, you might give try these  Spicy Rosemary Bar Nuts.

Salted Vanilla Maple Nut and Seed Clusters

Yield: 36 clusters

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

These crunchy, naturally sweetened snack bites are made with maple syrup, toasted nuts, seeds, and a touch of orange zest for brightness.

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Ingredients

• 2 cups unsalted nuts (combo of sliced almonds, pecan halves, walnuts)
• 1 cup mixed seeds (chia, raw sunflower seeds, raw pumpkin seeds)
• ½ cup unsweetened coconut chips
• ½ cup pure maple syrup
• 1 large egg white
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp salt
• Zest of ½ orange
• ½ tsp cinnamon (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line mini muffin tins with foil liners (not paper).
2. Roughly chop any large nuts (like pecans or walnuts) into ~½-inch pieces for even baking and bite-size consistency.. Combine nuts, seeds, coconut in a bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk maple syrup, egg white, vanilla, salt, zest, and cinnamon.
4. Pour over nut mixture and stir well to coat.
5. Spoon mixture into muffin cups, pressing firmly with the back of a spoon to compact.
6. Bake 12–16 minutes, or until golden and fragrant. Cool completely in pan before removing.
7. Store at room temp up to 1 week. To restore crispness, reheat in a 300°F oven for 4–5 minutes if needed.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Cutting Boards
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  Vanilla Extract
• 
  Maple Syrup
• 
  Mixing Spoon
• 
  Mixing Bowls
• 
  Glass Prep Bowl Set

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 370Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 765mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 10gSugar: 10gProtein: 11g

GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.

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