Cocoa Toasted Almonds

I love almonds...in fact I love them so much that now I can hardly eat them. Plain old, whole natural almonds. They are good...but they just don't have that pizazz. Then I was in the store and say Cocoa Roasted Almonds. And it is a healthy snack...then I saw the price tag and backtracked.

So I found this recipe for Cocoa Roasted Almonds to make at home. Here it is...they are pretty good. I am going to post another recipe underneath that isn't as healthy but they are so good.

Enjoy!

Cocoa Roasted Almonds

Pour one pound of raw or pasteurized almonds in a large bowl. Spray lightly with cooking spray. Stir with a large spoon, spray again, and toss with a large spoon. Almonds should be lightly, but thoroughly, coated.

In a small bowl, mix:
2 teaspoons corn starch
1/4 cup good cocoa powder
8 little envelopes Stevia sweetenter
1/4 teaspoon plain popcorn salt

Pour onto a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper. Bake at 250 degrees for about 25 minutes, stirring every 7 or 8 minutes. Remove from oven and place roasted cocoa almonds on paper towels. Cool thoroughly, then place in little 100 calorie bags. Since each almond has about 7 calories, put 14 or 15 almonds in each bag.

Spicy Cocoa Roasted Almonds
by my kitchen addiction

3 cups whole almonds
1 egg white
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
Few drops of water
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 – 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (depending on your taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 275°F. Line a baking sheet with a silicon baking mat or with parchment paper. Set aside.

Whisk together the egg white, vanilla bean paste, and a few drops of water in a mixing bowl. Beat mixture until it is light and frothy. Add the almonds and toss to evenly coat with the egg white mixture.
In a separate bowl, combine the sugars, cocoa powder, cinnamon, cayenne, and salt. Whisk together to remove any lumps. Add the almonds, and toss to coat. Spread the coated almonds out on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 30 – 40 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes. Keep a close watch on the almonds because they will burn quickly.
Once the almonds are done, spread them out on a large piece of parchment or waxed paper until they have cooled completely (it’s OK to snack on a few while they cool… That’s what I did!). Store in an airtight container.

-Kelli