Family Recipes: Maple Walnut Crunch

Walnuts serious brain food, especially for children, and they taste good enough on their own. Packed with omega-3s, walnuts keep the neurons in kids' brains firing, protects the heart, lowers cholesterol, and may even help ward off certain types of cancers.

But sometimes we don't want to eat a handful of walnuts all the time. Walnuts are versatile enough to fit in many different recipes, so try the following maple walnut crunch.

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw walnut pieces
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• pinch of salt

Method

1. Preheat over to 325°F (160°C).
2. Combine all ingredients in a large bow and mixing gently. Make sure all ingredients are evenly distributed and all walnut pieces are coated with the syrup.
3. Spread walnuts evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, turn, and bake for 10 minutes longer.
4. Let cool before serving.

Make sure you use real maple syrup, not the fake stuff. You'll also want the sweetest nuts possible, so buy smaller walnuts that are lighter in color. Purchase them in small amounts and keep them in the fridge or even the freezer to keep them as fresh as possible.