The Wins:
3 ingredients
GF, DF, Vegan option
Full Macro-balanced snack
Botanical name: Anacardium occidentale. Seed of the Anacardium occidentale fruit. Ayurvedic principles: nut and seed milks and butters provide grounding, warm, nourishing energy. Health benefits: body energy/fuel, brain health.
[3 minute read]
The weekend of the Super Bowl, our family spent it cheering our faces off for the Indiana High School Girls State Swim Meet. It’s a two day event in which there is a LOT that happens and very little time to plan for anything outside of the meet. Like snacks for game day. Maybe you’re in a similar situation, maybe you really don’t care about football, maybe you just need a super fast snack to bring along to a pitch-in party in which you probably won’t even watch the game but instead just sit and talk with other friends who also don’t care about the game. (I’m looking at myself in that statement.)
Anyway, this snack comes together in about 5 minutes, packs up great for travel, is the perfect accompaniment to other items like a charcuterie set up, and is great to keep on hand for a GF, DF option when you may get caught without an option. Plus, chop some of these up and sprinkle on top of your Curried Carrot Ginger Bisque and mmmm, yup.
The amount of herbs in this recipe is not substantial to do any sort of medicinal anything. However! Herb de Provence blends are packed with natural flavor that is clean, organic and a significant alternative to powdered ‘cheese’, dyes, and chemical flavors. The healthy fats in cashews plus the organic fat of your choice to roast them in, is a great alternative to cheap corn or soy oils found in packaged snacks that have been show to substantially increase inflammation throughout the body and brain.
Additionally, cashews are a great, well-rounded macro-balanced food that has about 56 grams of healthy fat, about 39 carbs and 24 grams of protein in 1 cup. Now, 1 cup is a LOT to eat in one sitting but either way, a nice handful is a good balance that can help sustain you for awhile. Herb de Provence is a blend of herbs, often slightly different per brand, but mostly containing Organic Basil, Organic Thyme, Organic Rosemary, Organic Lavender, Organic Marjoram, Organic Fennel Seed, Organic Parsley, Organic Anise Seed. All big flavors that will satisfy.
Herb de Provence Cashews
- 2-3 cups raw, plain, organic cashews
- 1/4 cup organic unsalted butter, coconut oil or 1/8 cup organic olive oil
- 2-3 tablespoons organic Herb de Provence blend (blend recipe below or we love Thrive Market for ease)
- Salt and Black Pepper to taste
In a steel or cast iron skillet, place your fat of choice (organic butter, coconut or olive) and melt if needed over a medium-high setting. Watch to ensure it does not burn. When oil is hot, add in your cashews and toss to coat. Reduce heat to medium, add in your Herb de Provence blend and salt to taste, generally around 1/2-1 tsp of fine ground sea salt. Salt may be omitted completely, if desired, the herbs will be just as flavorful! Add in freshly ground black pepper to taste. Toss all ingredients continuously for 3-5 minutes, until cashews begin to look slightly golden brown. Remove from heat and spread on a baking sheet to cool. Package and keep covered in storage to preserve freshness.
Looking to make your own Herb de Provence blend?
I often make up a large batch when I have harvested all of my herbs at their peak flavor. Dry the herbs in a food dehydrator, or air dry on a sheet tray for several days, ensuring they are well spaced for proper air circulation. Try this blend below, store in a lidded glass jar and use throughout the year.
- 1/4 cup each of the following herbs, dried and sifted of stems: Basil, Thyme, Rosemary, Lavender, Marjoram, Parsley.
- 1/8 cup of the fennel or anise seed – we don’t love a heavy licorice or anise flavor but this amount of fennel is perfect
- For a easy savory blend, add an additional 1/4 finely ground sea salt and mix well for pre-blended instant flavor any time
Mix all ingredients until thoroughly combined. You can double the amounts to increase as needed. Store in a lidded glass jar to preserve freshness and flavor.
Feeling under the weather?
Additionally, if you do not add the sea salt, make a gentle tea from this blend any time you’re feeling under the weather, have congestion in the sinuses or lungs, or an upset stomach. 2 tsps of dried Herb de Provence blend + 8oz freshly boiled water. Let steep for 10 minutes, add honey and lemon if desired, sip warm.
EoErica 