Try this delicious recipe for spiced fruits, nuts and seeds

This mildly spiced mix of crunchy nuts, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, tangy dried cranberries and sweet raisins is great for nibbling as a healthy snack or with drinks. Children love it, too!

• Preparation and cooking time: about 1 1/4 hours.
• Serves 16 (makes 1 kg/2 lb)

Ingredients:

• 5m l (1 tsp) cardamom pods
• 1 (2.5 cm/1 in) piece cinnamon stick
• 2 whole cloves
• 5 ml (1 tsp) black peppercorns
• 5 ml (1 tsp) cumin seeds
• 5 ml (1 tsp) coriander seeds
• 10 ml (2 tsp) finely chopped fresh root ginger
• 1 large egg white
• 50 g (1/4 c) fine or medium oatmeal
• 125 g (1/2 c) blanched almonds
• 125 g (1/2 c) pecan nut halves
• 125 g (1/2 c) Brazil nuts
• 50 g (1/4 c) pumpkin seeds
• 50 g (1/4 c) sunflower seeds
• 125 g (1/2 c) raisins
• 125 g (1/2 c) dried cranberries

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 120°C (250°F). Lightly crush the cardamom pods with a pestle and mortar, or the side of a large knife, and discard the husks.
2. Place the tiny seeds in a spice mill or a pestle and mortar, together with the cinnamon stick, cloves, peppercorns and cumin and coriander seeds, and grind to a fairly fine powder.
3. Mix the ground spices with the ginger, egg white and oatmeal in a large bowl. Add the almonds, pecan halves, Brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds, and toss well to coat them all evenly with the spice mixture.
4. Spread the nuts and seeds onto a large baking sheet and spread out evenly in a single layer. Bake, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and crisp, for about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on the baking sheet.
5. Put the nuts and seeds in a bowl. Add the raisins and cranberries, mixing well. The mixture is ready to serve, or it can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

• Almonds are a good source of unsaturated fat. They are also rich in vitamin E and provide protein, fibre and zinc.

Each serving provides:

• Key nutrients: 150 calories, 110 calories from fat, 12 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 4 g protein, 9 g carbohydrates, 2 g fibre, 5 mg sodium.
• Blood pressure nutrients: 1 mg vitamin C, 58 mg magnesium, 177 mg potassium, 39 mg calcium.

• If you don't have a spice mill, you can use 15 millilitres (1 tablespoon) ready-made curry powder instead of the whole spices.
• Hot-Spiced Nuts and Seeds: Add 2 millilitres (1⁄2 teaspoon) crushed dried chilis and 1 to 2 cloves crushed garlic to spice mixture. Use nuts and seeds only, omitting raisins and cranberries.
• Sweet-Spiced Fruits, Nuts and Seeds: Replace all spices used in main recipe with 5 millilitres (1 teaspoon) ground cinnamon, 2 millilitres (1⁄2 teaspoon) ground ginger and 2 millilitres (1⁄2 teaspoon) freshly grated nutmeg. Stir these into the egg white and oatmeal, and use to coat nuts and seeds. Bake and cool. Mix with 125 grams (1⁄2 cup) each chopped dried mango, dried cherries and chopped dried apple.

Keep this recipe in mind for a quick and convenient snack that the whole family will enjoy.