Honey Miso Snack Mix

You'll enjoy munching on this crunchy, spicy Honey Miso Snack mix adapted from a recipe by Lauren Radel whether it's Super Bowl weekend or an afternoon snack. This is easy to prepare and you can mix up the ingredients as long as the proportions remain the same. You can make this in advance and store it in an airtight container and it will keep crisp for a week. Once opened, it will disappear quickly!

Ingredients:

DRY MIX

• 3 cups rice Chex cereal
• 3 cups of mixes to your liking (I used 1 cup corn Bugles, 2 cups of broken up mini rice cakes, you can use pretzels or corn chips as well)
• 2 cups salted lightly roasted Macadamia nuts

WET MIX

• 8 cloves garlic minced
• 3 tablespoons liquid coconut oil or a vegetable oil
• 1/8 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/8 tsp kosher salt
• 1 stick of unsalted butter ( 8 tablespoons)
• 1/4 cup Organic Wilelaiki Blossom honey
• 2 Tablespoons white miso paste
• 1 tsp. black vinegar (you may use rice vinegar)
• 2-3 tablespoons shichimi togarashi spice depending on how hot you would like it

Directions

1. Place the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 200F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place the minced cloves of garlic in a small microwaveable dish and cover with the oil. Microwave 2 to 3 minutes checking every 30 seconds until the garlic is golden and crispy, careful to not let it burn. 
 Pour the garlic mixture over a fine mesh strainer into a jar. Save the oil for another purpose such as a stir fry.
3. Put the garlic on a paper towel covered plate and sprinkle with the sugar and salt, then toss to cover the garlic and let cool.
4. Break up the rice cakes and add them along with your other crisp choices and rice cereal into a large bowl. Put in the macadamia nuts. Add the cooled garlic and toss to combine everything.
5. Melt the stick of butter in a saucepan over low heat. Be careful to not let it brown.
6. Add the Wilelaiki honey, the miso paste and the vinegar. Whisk until smooth.
7. Immediately pour the hot melted butter mixture over the crispy cereal and nuts in the bowl. Toss well to evenly coat the cereal. Sprinkle with the shichimi togarashi and toss again to mix well.
8. Transfer the mixture onto the parchment lined sheet pan and spread evenly. Bake, tossing every 20 minutes until the mixture is lightly toasted - about 1 hour total.
9. Let cool for 1/2 hour as it continues to crisp up. I turned off the oven and let it sit inside until extra crisp.
10. The mix can last up to a week in an airtight container...if it doesn’t get eaten right away!!
11. Be careful, this snack mix is incredibly addictive!