Light Candied Walnuts

These are not the super sweet, heavily coated nuts you get from street vendors. Oh, those are delicious and Brian and I sometimes buy a small bag when we're out walking by the park. But we find that our mouths quickly get tired of that sticky sweetness and sharing a small bag is just fine.

To create a candy coating like that will probably require egg whites but I think those nuts are better suited for snacking. This version, although a tasty snack as well, is better as an addition to salads. The sweetness is more subtle and the coating is light. I've chosen walnuts because they're my favorite salad nut and I always have some in the pantry but pecans work equally well. I've also lightened up these nuts a bit by using light butter and the taste is still great. This very easy recipe means you can whip up some candied nuts in the time it takes to dress the salad.

Ingredients
1 Tablespoon light butter
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/4 Cup plain walnuts
Pinch of salt

Melt the butter and sugar together in a skillet until the sugar has dissolved. Add the nuts and stir, on low heat, until fully coated and the liquid in the pan has evaporated. Place the nuts on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, sprinkle with salt and place in a preheated 400 degree oven for 10 minutes. Toss the nuts and return to the oven for another 5 - 10 minutes. Sprinkle the nuts on your salad and save any remaining nuts in an air-tight container.