Rosemary Olive Oil Roasted Almonds

As part of my holiday gift giving, I noticed an alarming trend among my friends: They had terrible snacking habits. They considered lunch eating three 100-calorie packs of Oreos, or skipping breakfast altogether. They would inhale a half bowl of fiber cereal but later gorge a 1200 calorie dinner as a reward.

Me, being the perpetual meddler and know-it-all, will scold and admonish for poor dietary practices, but regardless of my well-intentioned advice, it ceased to impact the metabolisms or waistlines of my amigos. So the best way to a man's heart (and waistline) is through his stomach, so Suli Snack Packs were born! Basically, healthy snacks make 200-250 calorie packs to tide my buddies to dinner or a quick breakfast substitute for those days you can't help but rush. They aren't a permanent solution, but hopefully one that encourages better habits and tastes better than vending machine food. I'm making the packs in several flavors, which I'll post as I continue to experiment.

Rosemary Olive Oil Roasted Almonds
Makes 30 snack packs (1/4 cup nuts each)
adapted from gourmande in the kitchen who has absolutely stunning photography!

6 cups raw almonds
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup dried rosemary, finely chopped (Prep note: to avoid it bouncing everywhere, mix in a tablespoon of olive oil, then use a mortar & pestle or bowl and a scraper to pulverize. Spice grinder would be fab too.)
3 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
2. In a large pot, heat the olive oil, rosemary, cayenne, paprika, and garlic powder. When fragrant, add the almonds an stir to coat.
3. Place nuts on a parchment lined baking sheet. Spread out nuts in a single layer on the baking sheet.
4. Bake until nuts are lightly browned and toasted, stirring occasionally, about 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Let cool on the baking sheet.
6. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 months.