Five Minute Sweet Spiced Pecans

by Norma
(Arizona)

I found this recipe from Low Carb Diets at About.Com while looking for an alternative way to get more cinnamon in my diet to control my blood sugar. I made them and they are delicious (and addictive!) My only complaint is they are a little messy.

2 cups pecan halves
1 Tbsp butter
1/4 tsp cayenne or other hot pepper
3 T. fructose (available in natural foods stores in bulk) or 2 T. agave syrup
4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt (or less, to taste)

Use a large enough skillet so the pecans are in one layer, if possible. A nonstick skillet works well.

Melt the butter in the skillet and add the hot pepper. If you are using agave syrup, add it now.

Add pecans to skillet and cook over medium heat. Stir every 30 seconds. After 2 or 3 minutes, stir them constantly until they just begin to brown. Pecans burn quickly, so keep your eyes on them. If the butter starts smoking before this point, turn off the heat and call them done. Stir in cinnamon, salt, and fructose if you're using it. Remove from pan and place in bowl (pecans can still burn sitting in the hot pan). When they seem cool enough to taste, adjust seasonings accordingly (if you want more salt or sweetener.)

Lifetime Fat Loss Comments:

I modified this recipe slightly to make it fit our Lifetime Fat Loss Low Glycemic Guidelines. It now has less saturated fat and an acceptable low glycemic sweetener. I would strongly suggest you don't eat more than 7 of these at a time! Have a glass of low fat milk or unsweetened almond or soy milk with them so you won't be tempted to eat more.

An important note about fructose:

It is difficult to find fructose that is actually made from fruit anymore. If it's made from corn be aware that it could be genetically modified as it would be a cheap corn source.

Both versions of the powder produced by whole corn or fruit are low glycemic. Biochemically when you extract the sugar from these plants they have a low glycemic index.

This is what the American Diabetes Association research says about fructose. " ...fructose, contrary to popular opinion, stimulates the release of glucokinase from its regulatory protein, thus proving that small amounts of fructose actually improve glucose tolerance (GT) in normal humans, especially those with the poorest GT. In individuals with type 2 diabetes, fructose was found to decrease the glucose and insulin responses to Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT.)" (Diabetes; 05/2000)

Fructose (made from fruit or corn) is an excellent substitute for table sugar for baking because it is of a similar consistency. It is low glycemic.