Dietitian-n-da-Kitchen: PUB FARE! SNN: No-Chub Pub Mix

This week`s theme is a trademark cuisine that we associate with the British Isles...PUB FARE! I have been to many a pub because this is my super-petite-skinny-sister`s favorite type of food. She loves the fish-n-chips, the shepherd`s pie, etc. I`ll reveal the other meal components later on this week in my Wednesday and Friday posts. But for the Sunday Night Nosh (SNN), I put a spin on the ever-so-popular "pub mix". This is sometimes replaced with beer nuts. I don`t really know what beer nuts are, but they don`t sound too good. My "No-Chub Pub Mix" is different from the typical you find at bars...less "added fat" (see olive oil below) and lots of good protein and healthy fats from the types of nuts it contains. You also get the added benefit of iron from the raisins. The original recipe is from the magazine Cooking Light and is called "Honey Roasted Nuts and Fruit". Here is the link: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/honey-roasted-nuts-fruit-10000000671001/

I took their recipe and added some things, took away others. Mine is listed below. See whatcha think...

No-Chub Pub Mix

1 teaspoon olive oil
1/8 cup honey
1/8 agave nectar
1/4 c chopped macadamia nuts
1/4 c chopped hazelnuts
1/4 c pecan halves
1/2 c sunflower seeds (shelled and unsalted)
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon (or more to taste)
pinch of nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a jellyroll pan with aluminum foil and spray it liberally with PAM.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over low-medium heat (at about 4 or 5 on my stove).

Stir in honey and agave nectar. Mixture will begin to bubble quickly.

Add all nuts/seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and vanilla.

Continue to cook in bubbling sugar mixture while stirring to coat every minute or so. Make sure mixture is coated completely. Cook for 6-8 minutes, but be careful not to overcook.