I'm all about nuts for a healthy fats and protein filled snack or treat, but, but a sweet and spicy chocolate nuts that are easy to make in 30 minutes are pretty much the best. Plus, I just came across this article with talking about a TON of health benefits for including cinnamon in your diet. I thought this article was thorough and comprehensive; I was also fascinated as I read how cinnamon can help acne, promote weight loss, lower cholesterol, and so much more. To be honest, after reading article I've been using cinnamon with honey to boost my immune system, and trying to include cinnamon in my diet daily. Cinnamon seems to be quite the super-spice. Now, to have a bit more cinnamon in your life, and enjoy them in a healthy way give these Spicy Chocolate Cinnamon Nuts aka Mexican Chocolate Pecans a go. They are oh so delicious and oh so easy to make. Spicy Chocolate Cinnamon Nuts Recipe: Alohamora Active Time: 15 minutes Inactive Time: 25 minutes Servings: 6-8 Ingredients: 4 c. pecans 3 Tbsp butter, melted 1/4 c. maple syrup 2 tsp cinnamon 3 tsp cocoa 1/4 tsp salt 1/8 tsp chili powder Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. silicone baking mat, or aluminum foil.
Put your pecans in a medium to large bowl.
In a small bowl mix the remaining ingredients together, and pour them over the pecans.
Stir everything together and pour it all onto the prepared pan.
Bake your nuts at 300 degrees for 20-25 minutes stirring them every 5 minutes.
Enjoy!
Store leftovers in an airtight container.
Happy Sweet and Spicy Chocolate Cinnamon Pecans eating! Watch out, they are addictingly good!
In less than a week we'll be celebrating one of my favorite holidays. I love Memorial Dayfor so many reasons. It's usually the end of the school year, it's warming up and becoming time to play outside, and in Denver there is a huge 10k race (Boulder Boulder) that was an absolute blast to run. If you are near Denver, you should plan on running this race. The people watching alone makes it worth it, but the crowds often times provide some interesting refreshments ("Magic Brownies" and Beer they say to help you carb load) throughout the race. I love this holiday, and I love this Cold Summer Bean Salad w/ a Kick. I love the BBQ's and fun that go on to kick the summer off right. I love that this easy bean salad is diet friendly, flavorful, can be made ahead, and the perfect compliment to any summer meal. I love healthy no-bake salads, and I love how quick and easy it is to whip this salad up. Happy almost summer time, and happy Memorial Day! Cold Summer Bean Salad w/ a Kick Recipe: Alohamora slightly adapted from Allrecipes Active Time: 15 minutes Inactive Time: 1 hour Servings: About 6 cups Ingredients: 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained 1 c. roasted corn (frozen from Trader Joes, fresh, or 1 can of corn drained) 1 can (10 oz) Rotel or diced tomatoes with green chili or cilantro w/ lime 1/2 c. bell pepper (orange or yellow), diced 1/4 c. red onion, diced 3 Tbsp white vinegar 3 Tbsp brown sugar 1/8 tsp ground cumin (more or less depending on desired spiciness) Salt/pepper to taste Directions:
In a medium bowl mix the first five ingredients together.
In a mug or small measuring cup mix/whisk the remaining ingredients together until the sugar is dissolved.
Pour the dressing over the bean mixture and stir to combine everything.
Cover the bowl, and place it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or longer if needed. Feel free to make this a day or so ahead of time.
