With Thanksgiving just around the corner, you might be looking for a tasty munchie to bring to the festivities. This snack has everything your taste buds could possibly want: sweet, spicy, salty, and crunchy. Plus, nuts are very health-protective. The fat in nuts has an anti-inflammatory effect; it helps heal the tiny injuries that occur during exercise.

Despite popular belief, nuts are not inherently fattening. That is, nut eaters are not fatter than people who avoid nuts. I happen to consider nuts to be a good snack for dieters because nuts are satiating and keep you feeling full for a while. Better than yet-another pretzel!

If you are thinking about making some food gifts for the holidays, this recipe works well. Toast up a batch, put them in jars, tie on ribbons. Voila, a gift worth fighting over!

The recipe is reprinted with permission from: No WhineWith Dinner bythe Meal Makeover Moms, aka Janice Bissex RD and Liz Weiss RD. (www.MealMakeoverMoms.com). Enjoy!

Sugar and Spice Pecans

1                         egg white

1 teaspoon           water

1 pound               pecan halves (about 4 1/2 cups)

1/2 cup               sugar

1 teaspoon          cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon       salt, preferably kosher

1/4 teaspoon       allspice

1/8 teaspoon       cayenne pepper

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2. Lightly coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. Whisk together the egg white and water in a large bowl until well blended. Add the pecans and toss to coat evenly.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar and spices, then sprinkle it over the nuts. Toss until well coated.

4. Spread the pecans in a single layer on the baking sheet, and bake until the glaze is crisp and golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

16 servings (1/4 cup) Total calories: 3,500

220 calories per serving,  10 g Carb, 3 g Pro, 20 g (healthy) fat