Za’atar Spiced Pecans
Have you ever made your own spiced nuts? Not only are they far more delicious than the store-bought kind, home-roasted nuts have tremendous brain health benefits. And, you get to choose whatever combination of herbs and spices you like. Za’atar—a blend of sesame seeds, oregano, and sumac—is my current favorite way to spice up nuts, especially pecans. The za’atar settles into the nooks and crannies so you get a salty, spicy zing of flavor with each bite.
Za’atar: A 12th century brain food
Za’atar, a staple of the Mediterranean diet, has been referred to as a brain-boosting food as far back as the 12th century. The classic combination calls for sesame seeds, sumac, and oregano, but some za’atar includes thyme, mint, and sage. My favorite za’atar blend is heavy on sumac—the powdered form of sumac berries rich in antioxidants, especially flavonols. Oregano has long been studied for its enhancement of cognitive function. And sesame seeds provide sesamol, a compound found to reduce amyloid plaque in the brains of animals.
Buying raw nuts
Nuts grown in the U.S. are not truly “raw”; they are pasteurized for health safety reasons. Nuts imported from Italy and Spain are often unpasteurized, but be careful—they may be stale or fraudulently labeled. Regulations allow small-scale farmers in the U.S. to sell raw (unpasteurized) nuts at farmers markets. Rest assured that raw nuts you find at the grocery store are fine to use unless you want to sprout them (pasteurized nuts won’t sprout). And pasteurization does not damage their fats or affect the taste in any way. Find the freshest nuts in the bulk bin of a busy supermarket, or online at trusted purveyors (I like Thrive Market).
Why to avoid commercially roasted nuts
When you buy nuts raw and roast them yourself, you get to decide what kind of oil (if any) to use, and how much salt. Most commercial brands roast nuts in highly processed oils that are high in the more inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids: soybean, safflower, canola, sunflower, and rice brain oil, to name a few. And, they can be excessively high in salt.
You control the heat, too. Industrial processing of nuts damages their delicate mono- and polyunsaturated fats. High heat commercial roasting also creates byproducts called AGEs (advanced glycation end products) known to be harmful to brain cells. In fact, researchers find more AGEs in the brains of Alzheimer’s victims than those with normal brains. AGEs cause oxidative stress and may contribute to the underlying chronic inflammation of Alzheimer’s.
Read more about why AGEs are harmful here, and find a list of the most AGE-ful foods in this article.
Toss nuts with a brain-friendly oil
I prefer roasting nuts in avocado oil, extra-virgin olive oil, or a blend of both. Spice combinations like rosemary and orange, cumin and cayenne, and our Mediterranean staple za’atar, are a perfect match for extra virgin olive oil. For a more neutral flavor, avocado oil is a good choice. It’s high in monounsaturated fats and low in the saturated ones and goes well with curry spices, such as turmeric and cumin seed. Use the minimal amount of oil needed to coat the nuts with the spices to avoid adding excess calories.
Cooking School Tip: Line a rimmed half-sheet pan with parchment paper to roast nuts. The white background will help you see when the nuts are perfectly toasted.
Snacking on nuts enhances cognition
Eating nuts has long been associated a healthier weight and disease-free longevity. But now we are seeing associations between eating nuts and better cognitive function. A new study looked at the cognitive health of more than 4,000 people over the age of 55. They found that those who consume a diet rich in nuts, the equivalent of 9 almonds each day, had better mental functioning, including memory.
Once you make a batch of these Za’atar Spiced Pecans, you’ll be sure to dream up other spice + nut blends for customized snacking. Be aware—these nuts are so good they can be kind of addictive (and high in calories.) Try to keep your nut snacking to a small handful (about 1/4 cup) each day.
Prep Time | 10 minutes |
Cook Time | 15 minutes |
Servings |
servings
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- ¼ cup white sesame seeds
- ¼ cup oregano
- 2 tablespoons sumac
- 2 cups raw pecans
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil avocado oil, or a blend
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt or flaky sea salt, like Maldon
Ingredients
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- Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
- Make the za'atar: In a small bowl, stir together the sesame seeds, sumac, and oregano. You will have more za'atar than needed for this recipe. (See notes for other ways to use it.)
- In a small bowl, toss pecans with 2 tablespoons oil, 1 tablespoon za'atar, and the salt.
- Pour the pecans onto a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread out so they are all in a single layer.
- Roast in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes until toasty and brown. (In case your oven runs hot, check for doneness starting at 10 minutes and watch closely to make sure they don't burn.)
- Serve warm or at room temperature as a snack. To store, cool completely in the pan before transferring to a container with a tight-fitting lid. Store at room temperature for up to 1 month or freeze for up to 6 months. Sprinkle chopped Za'atar Spiced Pecans atop salads, grain bowls, hummus, or roasted sweet potatoes.
What to do with leftover za'atar:
- Sprinkle on roasted vegetables — asparagus, butternut squash, eggplant, and Brussels sprouts.
- Press into salmon or halibut fillets before roasting.
- Spoon atop hummus and baba ganoush.
- Add a few spoonfuls to avocado toast.
- For an easy dip for bread or veggies, sprinkle za'atar over a small bowl of extra virgin olive oil.
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