My friend Lisette is someone you want in your circle. She’s funny, charming, has impeccable taste and a generous laugh. And she always carries snacks—good snacks. Her stash includes granola bars, homemade energy bites and her signature Slow-Roasted Rosemary Garlic Almonds.

On field trips my kids gravitate toward Mrs. Heckathorn with pleading “I’m starving!” faces, hoping she’ll offer her almonds. It’s not that I don’t pack food or they dislike what I bring. They simply adore Mrs. Heckathorn—and those nuts. Big time.

Lisette slow-roasts raw whole almonds overnight at a very low oven temperature, coating them lightly with garlic, rosemary and salt. The fragrant piney rosemary heightens the almonds’ natural sweetness, while roasted garlic mellows into a gentle, savory note. A touch of salt finishes the flavor—because a little salt makes everything better.

These almonds are not just delicious; they’re incredibly simple. Aside from peeling and mincing a garlic clove, the hands-on work is minimal. Toss everything together, spread the nuts on a pan and let them slow-roast to golden, savory perfection while you sleep.

If you’re uneasy about leaving your oven on overnight at a low temperature, you can use a dehydrator with an adjustable thermostat. Set it to about 170°F and let the almonds dry slowly overnight.

Beyond their crave-worthy flavor and ease, almonds are nutritious. A one-ounce serving delivers roughly 12% of the USRDA for protein with no cholesterol, about 35% of the daily value for vitamin E, and close to the calcium found in a quarter cup of milk.

Make yourself nuts today—in the best possible way.

Cook’s Notes

1. Begin with raw, unsalted almonds out of the shell.
2. Use a good-quality extra virgin olive oil—one you’d happily drizzle on bread or a salad. If you enjoy its flavor there, you’ll like it concentrated on the almonds.
3. Coarse salt provides a satisfying texture, but if you prefer a more even coating, use a finer popcorn salt and consider reducing the amount to 3/4 teaspoon. Adjust to taste if you like things saltier.
4. If you prefer not to run the oven overnight, a dehydrator set to about 170°F will achieve the same slow-dried result.

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Rosemary and Garlic Slow-Roasted Almonds

Rebecca Lindamood

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These fragrant, toasty rosemary garlic almonds slow-roast in an ultra-low oven overnight so the healthy fats remain intact. When you wake, you’ll have a sustaining, habit-forming snack.

Ingredients

• 4 cups whole raw, out of the shell
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic peeled and minced or pressed
• 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
• 3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary crumbled between the fingers

Instructions

• In a mixing bowl, toss the almonds with olive oil, minced garlic, salt and crumbled rosemary until evenly coated. Spread the nuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Place the sheet in a cold oven and set the temperature to about 170°F. Roast overnight (about 8 hours) or until the oil is absorbed and the nuts look matte. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Transfer the nuts and any loose seasoning to an airtight jar or container.
• Store at room temperature in a tightly sealed container for up to a month, though they rarely last that long.

Nutritional information is an estimate provided as a courtesy. Calculate values based on the actual ingredients you use if needed.

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This post was originally published on May 31, 2012.