This recipe is rewarding in many ways. First, it’s a really easy and healthy snack food. Secondly, it’s kid-approved and easy to leave out on the counter for youthful snack attacks. Third, I get to say things like “you’ll love the taste of my nuts”.

Have you ever looked at the ingredient list on a package of commercial roasted nuts? I had some last week and I would have needed a chemistry degree to know what half of the ingredients were. I know that cornstarch and sugar have no place in my idea diet at the very least, and certainly not the MSG that was also prominent on the label.

Give my salty nuts a taste, you won’t regret it. Technically you can experiment with any oil, and any kind of salt, but I love the combination of the sweet, subtle coconut oil and the rustic scent of the smoked salt. Look for a coconut oil that actually has a slight coconut smell, as many of them have been de-scented.

4 cups nuts, unroasted, unsalted
1-2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 Tbsp smoked salt (Salish)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. If your coconut oil is hard melt it in a microwave or on the stove. Stir the nuts in the melted oil in a bowl, and then sprinkle on the salt and toss to coat. Spread out in a large cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes.

Directions
1 Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2 In a medium bowl, combine the sausage, cheese, and dry
baking mix. Mix together, and shape mixture into walnut-sized
balls. Place on a foil-lined cookie sheet.
3 Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Serve hot.

*This calls for loose sausage meat. If you only have sausages in casings available just squeeze the meat out of the casing before continuing with the recipe.
**Bisquick or similar baking mix.

Pit avacados and scoop out the green stuff. Mash in a bowl. Add the juice of half a lemon, tomato, shallot, garlic, salt (add more to taste), and tabasco sauce. Serve with tortilla chips. Note: This is best eaten quickly as it the avacado will discolor over time. I’ve never had it last long enough to discolor.

2 cups cottage cheese
1 pack dip mix (your favorite)

In a blender, blend the cottage cheese a bit at a time until smooth. You may have to stir and wipe the blender frequently. Use a rubber spatula to scrape all cottage cheese into a small bowl, mix thoroughly with your favorite dip mix. Serve with low fat crackers or chips and/or veggies.

Mix all ingredients and chill until ready to eat. Makes 1 serving.

2 cups natural peanut butter or cashew butter
1 3/4 cups honey
2 1/4 cups of protein powder, chocolate is best
3 cups dry, uncooked oatmeal

Combine peanut butter and honey in a large mixing bowl and heat in the microwave for about 70 seconds.
Stir in protein powder and oatmeal. Mix thoroughly. It will be thick!
Press into a 9″ x 13″ pan. Refrigerate until solid enough to cut and then cut into 16 equal bars. Wrap each bar in foil or saran wrap and store in plastic baggie in refrigerator.

**I always recommend checking your stats by using fitday.com and adding your PB and protein powder stats in from the label.**
Serving Size: 1 bar
Calories: 267
Fat: 15 g
Protein: 18 g
Carbohydrates: 38 g

1 pk Cream cheese
1 1/2 c Milk
1 c Mayonaise
1 T Horseradish
6 oz Crab meat
1/8 Celery salt
1 Round loaf rye bread
1 c White cheddar, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the cream, milk, mayonaise,
horseradish, crab meat, and celery salt. Mix until creamy. Spread mixture
into an 8×12 inch baking dish and bake 35 to 40 minutes. Meanwhile cut top
off the bread and scoop out the inside, reserve bread pieces for dipping.
Remove mixture from oven and spoon into hollowed bowl. Cover the top with
shredded cheese and more seasoning. Place the bread bowl on a baking sheet
and bake until cheese is melted. Serve hot with bread pieces and veggies.

1 pk Frozen chopped spinach(300g)
2 c Sour cream
1 c Hellmans Real or Light Mayo
1 pk Knorr Vegetable Soup Mix
1 cn Water Chestnuts,drain & chop
3 Green onions, chopped.

Squeeze juices from thawed spinach until no liquid remains. In large bowl
combine with remaining ingredients. Stir until well combined. Cover and
chill for at least two hours to blend flavours.