I love giving gifts. That fuzzy feeling you get when someone opens a gift you have thoughtfully picked and then truly loves it? Nothing compares. I am addicted to that feeling.
Gift giving, however, is not my forte. While I like to believe that I’m generally a nice person who is considerate of peoples’ likes and passions, I can honestly say that I almost always come up short on the gift giving front. Nothing ever seems good enough of creative enough. The struggle is real.
There is, however, just one person in my life to whom I gift the best presents every.dang.time we exchange them. My brother is on the receiving end of this unusual bout of success, and, not to toot my own horn, but, like…toot toot.
One year, I ended up getting him tickets to a Black Keys concert. I put the tickets in a box, then placed a black sheet of construction paper on top. I taped keys to the black paper, and boom…it was a corny, albeit amusing, gift perfect for his music-loving self.
Another year, I got him an espresso machine. He and I both had the pleasure of working as baristas throughout high school, so anytime we both got to show off our mad coffee skills was a good time. Yes, I guess this machine was a bit of a gift for myself as well, but he ended up loving it. And the luxury of having a freshly steamed cappuccino in the comforts of our own home? Caffeine-induced perfection.
Most recently, however, I hit the jackpot. My brother is a bit of a hipster. I love him to pieces, but he definitely has some hipster tendencies in him. That being said, I bought him a record player for Christmas. After he opened it, his eyes lit up as if he was experiencing cold brew coffee for the first time. It was magical.
Now, I love to boast about these few successes because I am just so gosh-darn horrible at coming up with gifts for other people. With my, and subsequently my friends’, graduation looming, I am in serious need of some gifts. Please. For the love of all things…leave some suggestions below. I need your assistance.
If I don’t have any better ideas, I may just settle on these Nuts in Honey. Which, honestly, wouldn’t be settling at all. Any person I know would be lucky to get a mason jar filled with these toasty Nuts in Honey. Never has a simple recipe had so many wonderful uses. These Nuts in Honey can be stirred into oatmeal, swirled into yogurt, poured onto pancakes, draped over grilled fruit, spooned over ice cream, or even eaten straight from the jar. A quick and simple gift that tastes great too? Nuts in Honey is your answer!
As the name implies, there are but two ingredients in this entire recipe: nuts and honey. For the nut portion of this Nuts in Honey recipe, I relied on my two all-time favorite varieties: cashews and almonds. I adore the butteriness that is characteristic to the cashew. I love cashews so much that one of my friends actually bought me an “Alexa Stash” to keep at their apartment. #foodbloggerproblems. There is nothing better than a cashew. Except for many an almond. So many health benefits are nestled into the almond’s very being, and I love the crisp crunch they add to any dish. Feel free to choose your favorite nut, or be nutty (ha) and choose all the nuts. We’re going to toast them up on a skillet just to bring out a little more flavor in our final product.
And yes, honey is our second ingredient in this Nuts in Honey extravaganza. I used raw honey because I love its thickness and added nutritional benefits, but I’m almost positive that regular honey would work. Honey is my favorite unrefined sweetener for its unique flavor and undeniable sweetness. Honestly, you would probably substitute maple syrup for a vegan treat if you are so inclined. While the end result may be a little runny, could you imagine how stupid delicious a Nuts in Maple Syrup-drenched waffle would be?! Oh, have mercy.
In mere minutes, you could have a stellar, delicious, and whole food-based gift by way of these Nuts in Honey. Your giftee will find so many uses for this simple recipe, so there is absolutely no excuse not to whip up a double, triple, or quadruple batch at a time! Garnished with a cute saying or a decorative cloth square, these Nuts in Honey are a beautiful and delectable present fit for any occasion!
Nuts in Honey
https://www.fooduzzi.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/nuts3.jpg
| Cook: | Yield: 8 oz. | Total: |
Nuts in Honey make a perfect whole food, gluten free, and vegetarian gift for any occasion!
You'll Need...
- 1/3 cup nuts
- 3 heaping Tbsp. raw honey*
- pinch salt, optional
Directions
- Add nuts to a small skillet and toast over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until toasted and fragrant.
- Add honey to the nuts and stir to combine. Allow honey to melt and coat the nuts. Add salt if using. Once the honey is melted, pour mixture into an 8-oz. mason jar. Allow mixture to cool slightly before closing the jar. Add a label or a fancy cloth square to dress up jar for a gift.**
Additional Notes
*Regular honey should work. While I haven't given it a try (yet), you could probably substitute maple syrup in this recipe to make it vegan!
**This recipe yields 1 8-oz. jar worth of Nuts in Honey. Feel free to double, triple, quadruple, etc. based on your Nuts in Honey needs.
Stay classy, Internet friends!
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Mmm…love nuts in honey and spiced nuts, this looks heavenly :) Haven’t tried making it at home before, but I’ll definitely give this a go! Thanks for the recipe xx Love your gifting ideas too lol
I know! These Nuts in Honey are completely addicting – the nuts get all chewy and soft while the honey is totally gooey! I can’t get enough :)
Hi! This sounds awesome. Do you know what shelf life to expect?
Ahh I have no idea. It doesn’t last long in my kitchen :) I adore this simple recipe just as a snack!
Anything preserved in honey will theoretically last forever.