Nuts are one of the most nutritional and beneficial foods for your body. The 50+ types are all so delicious! This week, I decided to make homemade KIND bars because they are a great snack packed with nuts.

Nuts’ general health benefits are their abundant protein, fiber, and healthy fats that lower cholesterol. However, each nut has its own unique benefits. Almonds nourish the nervous system, substantially reduce chances of heart attack, and are rich in phosphorus, which strengthens bones and teeth. Another component of this recipe, walnuts, contains melatonin, which helps you sleep, and the nuts’ healthy fats have been shown to reduce blood pressure and stress. Peanuts, popularly mistaken as nuts, are actually legumes, a plant with seeds grown inside pods.  Their vitamin B3 aids in memory strengthening; their tryptophan, a vital amino acid for your body that contains serotonin, helps fight depression; and they are known to protect against cancer!

Since the Brazil nuts required in the recipe are very expensive, I substituted in macadamia nuts. These deliciously buttery-tasting nuts are rich with antioxidants that prevent various types of cancers and copper that supports your nervous system. This recipe took work, but it paid off in the end for the bars’ delicious taste. Pay attention to the details in this recipe because there is a lot of quick transferring and specific time frames to follow. Be sure to pour the syrup over the bowl of nuts and stir before transferring to a pan, because if you pour it over the nuts in the pan, the bars will not set and you will not be able to cut them.

Even though this recipe was meant to be made into bars, you can crumble some of the honey-coated nuts into Greek yogurt for a yummy and healthy breakfast, or add it to trail mix or granola. For extra flavor, if you want, you could add dried fruit like cranberries, apricots, and cherries to the mixture of nuts before pouring on the syrup. Enjoy!

Homemade Nut Delight KIND Bars

Ingredients:

For nut mixture –

1 1/2 cups of whole roasted unsalted almonds

3/4 cups of whole roasted unsalted peanuts

3/4 cup of roasted walnuts, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup of roasted Brazil nuts, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup of puffed millet or rice

1 tablespoon of flaxseed meal

For syrup –

1/2 cup of honey

1/3 cup of brown rice syrup or light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of vanilla

Directions:

1. If the nuts are not already roasted, preheat the oven to 350˚, spread the nuts on a large baking sheet, and bake for 10 minutes, until they become fragrant.
2. Put the toasted nuts, puffed millet or rice, and flaxseed meal in a large bowl. Stir to combine and set aside.
3. In a small saucepan, combine the honey, syrup, salt, and vanilla over medium-high heat. Cook the syrup, stirring frequently, until the mixture reaches 260˚ on a candy thermometer, about 2-4 minutes.
4. Immediately pour the syrup over the nut mixture and stir until evenly coated. Quickly transfer the mixture to a greased 9×13 inch pan, and use your hands to spread it evenly – make sure to press the mixture to close holes.
5. Let cool for about 20 minutes. (The pan should still be slightly warm.) Flip the pan upside down on a cutting board, tapping lightly until the mixture falls out. Cut the mixture into 20 bars. If the bars cool too much and become hard and brittle, put the pan in a warm oven for 1-2 minutes.
6. Once the bars are cooled completely, transfer them to an airtight container with parchment paper between layers. The bars will remain fresh at room temperature for 1 week.

Yield: 20 bars