Since our big move to the big city, we have found solace in remote locations, away from crowds and smog, to find ourselves sleeping on morning dew, waking to the chirps of birds, reaching high altitudes, and dreaming of escapes.

I am not an outdoorsy kind of person. So, when I find myself in the middle of the desert, jungle and forest, repeatedly, I know something is up. I guess, when you marry someone you have to give into each other passions and do things you don’t want to, just for the pleasure of making the other person happy. I would never plan a camping trip on my own, nor would I enjoy it, but since, I have realized that being in the middle of the forest, away from the chaos and nonsense of everyday life, is indeed a beautiful experience.

This recipe calls for simple ingredients. You can use different combinations of nuts each time, to tease your taste buds. I am not one to add coconut into things, but it is sublime in combination with cashews and almonds. These are sweet, sticky, and totally decadent.

Sticky Nut Bars

Makes 12 bars

Adapted from here

• 1 ½ cups cashews (chopped)
• 1 ½ cups almonds (chopped)
• 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• 1 ½ cups sunflower seeds
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• 2/3 cup honey
• 1 tsp almond extract
• pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 300 degreed Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, leaving a two inch overhang on all sides. I suggest spraying parchment paper with a bit of non stick spray. In a large bowl, mix chopped cashews, almonds, coconut, sunflower seeds, and poppy seeds.

In a saucepan over medium heat, heat honey, oil, and salt until honey dissolves into the mixture. Remove from heat and add almond extract. Pour over the nuts and mix until everything is moist. Transfer mixture into baking sheet and evenly distribute. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely for 30 minutes, then transfer to refrigerator and cool for another 30-60 minutes. Using a chef’s knife cut into 1” x 3” (approximate) bars. Wrap in parchment paper and store in airtight container. They will keep for about ten days.