Almonds are the perfect snack food. They are heart healthy and delicious, and they are crunchy enough to beat down even the crispest potato chip. Everyone loves them- even President Obama was said to have eaten exactly seven almonds every night before bed while he lived in the White House. Combine a flavorful favorite snack food with some olive oil and spices and you will have upped your munching game exponentially. No promises that you will be able to stop yourself after seven of these almonds, though.

Judging by how quickly they disappeared off our snack table in the lunch room, these smoked paprika almonds were a hit. When you are grinding your spices for the coating while the almonds are roasting, be sure to keep a very close eye on the almonds since they burn so easily after being in the heat for about seven minutes. Your spices can be ground to your preference, and you can use a mortar and pestle or a grinder to achieve the desired texture.

When the almonds are done, and you are ready to season them do it slowly and to taste. Don’t dump the whole spice mixture on right away, it might be too salty if you do this. Let the almonds cool before you serve them. If they are left to cool, their coloring will deepen to a nice red and they will also be perfectly crunchy. If you eat them hot, they seem to be soft.

Makes 5 servings.