Wow! It seems surreal that I have no academic commitments for an entire week! Not quite sure what to do with myself. Perhaps I'll get to know my doorman better or take up knitting. Actually I think it's a safe bet that neither of those things will be accomplished.
Like most squirrels, I'm a big fan of nuts. I feel sorry for those of you who are allergic---because you are truly missing out on one of mother nature's finest gifts. Anyway, wanted to bring up my love for almonds and share a little story....Most of us grew up with parents who had the big bowl of shelled mixed nuts during the holidays, hence the whole nutcracker vibe. However, some of us had "nut-stingy" parents who would wait until their daughter went to bed and then get to crackin'. But, almost every time their daughter would be woken up by the cracking sound and sidle up to the "cracker" with anticipation for one of the almonds. Now their daughter is old enough to buy her own almonds but because she doesn't buy them in the shell, sadly, some poor migrant worker has probably done the primary labor for her.
Anyway.......Almonds are a super-heart-friendly nut chocked full of vitamin E, magnesium, zinc, iron, protein and fiber. They are a perfect food for all you vegans out there. As well, consumption of ten raw almonds a day, every day, for a month can also help significantly lower your cholesterol by about 10 percent!
In the spirit of the holidays, I thought I might share my own personal favorite healthy/spicy chex mix recipe which contains plenty of almonds. Viva Tejas!!
3 Tablespoons Smart Balance Olive Oil butter
2 Teaspoons Worstershire
2 Teaspoons Jalapeno Tabasco sauce
1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Cilantro Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Chili Powder (OPTIONAL--not for the the spicy-intolerant)
2 Cups Whole Wheat Chex
2 Cups Corn Chex
1/2 Cup Almonds
1/2 Cup Peanuts
1 Cup Whole Grain Goldfish Crackers (I prefer the cheddar flavor)
1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Annie's Bunny Crackers (I love the fish/rabbit diversity in my chex mix)
Heat oven to 250°F. In large bowl, mix cereals, nuts, and crackers; set aside. In ungreased 13x9-inch pan, melt butter in oven. Stir in seasonings. Gradually stir in cereal mixture until evenly coated. Bake 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool, about 15 minutes. Store in airtight container.
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