Smokey-Spicy-Matcha and Cocoa Almonds Recipe
I love chocolate, so I was thrilled to get a large jar of cocoa-coated almonds for my birthday from my Dad. These treats are pretty guilt-free, since the cocoa adds very little sugar or additional fats, and even adds some healthy antioxidants. As I crunched a few of these savory-sweet treats, I immediately thought of a way to make them EVEN BETTER! Who doesn’t love the surprising and addictive combination of sweet, salty, and smokey? As I’ve said before, Pimenton, or Spanish smoked paprika, is my secret weapon to create healthy foods that are irresistable. Pimenton comes in three versions: Dulce (literally ‘sweet,’ but it doesn’t taste sweet to me, just not at all spicy), Agridulce (mildly spicy) and Picante (spicy). Our family likes spicy foods, so we always go with Picante! Adding premium matcha to the mix is a favorite way to add healthy antioxidants and an umami boost (which means you can go a little lighter on the salt), and sometimes I include a little cumin for a Mexican hot chocolate vibe. A little experimentation, and this decadent-but-very-healthful snack was born.
Smokey-Spicy-Matcha and Cocoa Almonds
Elevate your snack game with Smokey-Spicy Matcha and Cocoa Almonds, a delightful blend of roasted almonds, matcha, Spanish smoked paprika, and cocoa almonds. Perfect for pairing with cocktails, these almonds offer a unique combination of smoky heat and sweet cocoa
- Author
- Kiyomi Koike
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 10 minutes
- Servings
- 8
- Category
Snack
- Cuisine
Fusion
Ingredients
- 2 c Raw Almonds
- ½ - 1 tsp Yu Matcha
- 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ - 1 tsp Spanish Smoked Paprika, choose the heat to taste
- 1 c Cocoa Almonds
Directions
- Pre heat oven to 325° F.
- Spread 2 c of raw almonds on a cookie sheet, and bake for 8 – 11 minutes, until the nuts are well-toasted.
- Immediately put the nuts into a bowl, and drizzle the oil over the hot nuts.
- While roasting nuts, combine salt, matcha, paprika.
- Sift the spice/matcha/salt mixture over the roasted nuts and toss to coat evenly.
- Return the nuts to the cookie sheet to cool thoroughly.
- When cool, mix in the cocoa almonds, and store in an airtight container.
- Perfect with cocktails and soft cocktails!