I absolutely love sweet and salty nut clusters. The problem with the store bought, highly processed kind is just that – too processed! Too much refined sugar and too much bad salt! My idea of delicious clusters are just a little pink Himalayan or Celtic Sea salt to enhance the flavors of the other ingredients, and organic maple or raw agave for the sticky sweet. I use only raw nuts, no roasted, and combine them with delicious seeds sesame seeds. Be sure to enjoy these as a snack, and not as a meal or an all-day grazer. You’re still consuming a high-sugar, high-caloric food, just a much healthier version of one. Here are four yummy sweet nutty cluster snacks I’m sure you will enjoy.
Almond-Sesame Maple Clusters
Ingredients:
4 cups raw almonds
4 T raw sesame seeds
1 T organic non-alcoholic vanilla extract
½ cup grade B maple syrup
few drops clear SweetLeaf SweetDrops liquid stevia
(Preparation instructions at the end of the post)
Walnut-Hemp Maple Clusters
Ingredients:
3 cups walnut pieces
4 T hemp seeds
1 tsp pink Himalayan salt
¼ cup raw agave nectar
½ cup grade B maple syrup
few drops clear SweetLeaf SweetDrops liquid stevia
(Preparation instructions at the end of the post)
Toffee-Mocha Walnut-Pecan Hemp Clusters
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups pecan pieces
1 ½ cups walnut pieces
3 T hemp seeds
3 T cacao nibs
1 tsp pink Himalayan salt
1 tsp coffee extract
¼ cup raw agave nectar
¼ cup grade B maple syrup
few drops toffee flavored SweetLeaf SweetDrops liquid stevia
(Preparation instructions at the end of the post)
Almond-Hazelnut Sweet Sesame Clusters
Ingredients:
2 ½ cups raw almonds
1 ½ cups raw DuChilly Hazelnuts
3 T raw sesame seeds
3 T raw black sesame seeds
1 T organic non-alcoholic vanilla extract
¼ cup raw agave nectar
¼ cup grade B maple syrup
few drops clear SweetLeaf SweetDrops liquid stevia
(Preparation instructions at the end of the post)
Preparation:
Pick your ingredient combo. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir well. Adjust stickiness by adding more or less of the liquid sweetener (i.e. maple or agave). Spread mixture evenly over dehydrator non-stick sheets and place on trays towards the middle of the dehydrator. Dry for 14 to 24 hours on 114 F degrees. Scoop off and break a part. Store clusters in air-tight containers, preferably in the refrigerator for several weeks. Use on salads, chocolates, ice cream, or just enjoy by the handful!
Vega-Riffic Recipes 