Lavender Orange Glazed Cashews

Lately, I’ve been working on my relationship with nuts.

I never met a nut I didn’t like. Almond, macadamia, raw, roasted, whatever. You grab them and go.

But, I worry. I worry that they have no idea how much I love them. So, I’ve been making an effort to dress my nuts up on occasion and take them out for a night on the town. They respond really really well to this added attention. We both do. It’s a win/win.

Apparently, Nut Date Night is no secret because my Hot Candied Walnuts post is my most popular so far. If you didn’t catch it, here’s a snippet:

These nuts are Debbie Harry in walnut form. They croon to you sweetly in the dulcet tones of honey and then grab you by the collar and scream punky paprika epithets in your face. In the best possible way. [Read the rest here.]

With Spring (sort of) on its way, I’ve been seeing a lot of recipes for all kinds of mouthwatering lavender and citrus cakes. They look so delicious. But, ohmygod, I can not eat all of those things. The warm(er) weather is also a reminder that bathingsuitseasoniscomiiiiing. So, I decided to see if this delectable flavor combo could work with a nut. Less sugar. More protein. Rocking-er bathing suit.

And so we have the newest nominee for the Noteworthy Nuts Hall of Fame. Lavender orange glazed cashews.

A little sticky, a little chewy. Sweet, buttery, with floral and citrus high notes. They’re on the delicate side. I advise against taking too many in one mouthful. Savour their individuality.

They are the candied walnut’s quieter, brainier, probably French cousin. The perfect companion for those moments in which you’re contemplating your existence on this planet and the feasibility of being true to yourself in a society that demands conformity.

If the walnuts are punk rock, these cashews are philosophical literature.

The walnuts belong center stage at CBGB‘s. The cashews can be found dreamily wandering the aisles at Shakespeare and Co.

Debbie Harry Walnut meet Simone De Beauvoir Cashew.

In the real world, unlikely friends. But in the nut world…c’est la vie, n’est-ce pas?

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup of raw unsalted cashews
• 2 Tbs butter
• 1 Tbs honey (I used raw.)
• juice of half a navel orange
• 2 Tbs dried lavender
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp orange zest

DIRECTIONS

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and spread your raw cashews on it. Keep them close together in a single layer.
• In a small saucepan, melt butter and honey over low heat.
• Add the juice, lavender, salt and orange zest.
• Simmer and stir for a few minutes, letting the flavors combine.
• Pour liquid through a sieve onto the cashews. Set those lavender and zest bits aside, we use them in a few minutes.
• Mix cashews and liquid to coat.
• Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
• Remove from oven, stir and sprinkle about 1/2 Tbs of the lavender bits on the cashews.
• Bake for 5 to 7 more minutes. Don’t let them get too brown.
• Let cool and enjoy or store in airtight container.

Note: The liquid is pretty thin but I was able to arrange the parchment paper so it mostly pooled in the center around the cashews and didn’t run toward the sides.