Hello...

Hello...my name is Cailin Callahan, and I'm addicted to (Woodstock Smooth Organic Raw) Almond Butter.

Seriously though--- I now write the date that I opened it on the top of the container because I am going through at least* one a week. I just eat it with a spoon...like one would eat ice cream. I figure since I can't have fruit, or booze, or sugar, or dairy...well damnit, I'm gonna have almond butter! It's soooo good, but it is surely going straight to my thighs. I don't even want to tell you guys that I usually follow up my almond butter session with a (few) scoop(s) of coconut butter....

Don't judge me.

Hot Poppers

These aren't necessarily healthy, but they are healthiER than the deep fried, flavorless ones on your run-of-the-mill bar menu. These are inspired by ones that my cousins boyfriend made for me when I was down in DC last week. We gave Ro some white eggplant from our garden, and in exchange she gave me a bag of jalapeños from her fathers garden. The peppers are beeeaaautiful! To make this delicious and easy snack is super quick- one minute of prep, and 20 minutes of patience as you wait for them to be finished!

Ingredients:
Jalapeños
Cream cheese
Sharp provolone (or any hard cheese)
Paprika
Honey (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350. Slice the jalapeños in half and remove every last seed. Smear some cream cheese inside (if you're counting calories, be stingy-- otherwise load em up). Using a zester, shredded some cheese on top. Sprinkle with paprika. Put in oven for 20minutes, and boom-- a feisty snack. If you like the spicy/sweet combination then drizzle them with a bit of good honey before you enjoy.

Spicy Honey Nuts

The other day I was having a craving for these Butter Toffee Almonds that I get at Santori's in Somers Point. They are sooo delicious, but definitely have wayyy more butter toffee than they do almond. Ha. SO, I decided to create a version all my own. I have a TON of raw nuts in the house from when I went on my crazy "candida yeast" cleanse, and I haven't touched the nuts since then. Well, I busted out all the bags o'nuts, grabbed the Honey bear {WHOA, I have been on a honey kick...mmm good}, some cayenne, salt and sugar -- and away I went.

Cailin's Spicy Honey Nuts

• 1 pound of raw nuts, your choice. {I used brazil nuts, almonds, cashews and pecans}. *If you want, you can start with already-roasted nuts, cutting one step out of the cooking process. Roasting them yourself is pretty easy so if you only have raw available don't worry.
• cayenne {a teaspoon to a few tablespoons....depending upon your spicy-lovin'-factor}
• 1/4 of sugar {preferrably turbinado or sugar in the raw...it's crunchier!}
• 2 big tablespoons of salt {kosher or coarse ground}
• HONEY. 'bout 6 tablespoons.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spread the nuts evenly on a baking sheet pan and spray with some olive oil or vegetable oil...just a very light dusting. Roast the nuts for 10-15minutes. On the stove, heat up the honey and mix in the cayenne pepper. Pour over top of the roasted nuts and make sure that they are evenly coated. NOW, with the oven on 325, roast the nuts for another 10-12minutes. Remove from the stove, sprinkle with the salt and sugar, coating all the nuts, and let them cool {make sure you take a spatula to them sometime before completely cooled otherwise they will be glued to the bottom of the pan!}.

ENJOY.