Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Pie Roasted Almonds. Vegan.

Happy Monday friends!  I never did mind Mondays only because its a reboot – a new start and fresh chance at doing amazing things.  Perspective.  Today’s day started out with an early morning 6.26 mile run. It was the first run of the season with gloves but I will note that I suffer from Raynaud’s and seem a bit more sensitive to cold morning temperatures.  The run felt great and energizing.  From there lots of errands and a dog walk with Samantha.

I’ve been having a week (or more) of eating like a voracious monster.  Literally if a camera was on me from noon till 4 all they would view is me eating – constantly. My husband is convinced its just my body healing and needing extra nutrition. I sure hope he’s right as I go back to the doc next week for more X-rays. Praying for good progress!!

I do have several Meatless Monday recipes to share but whipped these up and as I snack on them – this is what I chose to share with you all today.  You can make these with or without cayenne pepper.  Add more or less to your liking.  These pack up and mail perfectly for the holidays or are great on your Thanksgiving table.  Protein packed and a healthy snack for everyone.  Gluten free and vegan.

Ingredients:

2.25 cups of raw almonds
3 tablespoons of cinnamon
3 teaspoons of pumpkin spice seasonings
4 tablespoons of maple syrup
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (less if you don’t want a lot of heat or more if you want more heat)
Sea Salt

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and line your cookie sheet with a Silpat liner.  Set aside.  In a bowl combine all of the ingredients and mix until the nuts are covered well.  Pour them out onto the cookie sheet and spread them out so they are in a single layer. Sprinkle with the sea salt and bake for 10 minutes.  Give them a good stir and place back in the oven for another ten minutes.  Remove and let the cool completely, allowing them to harden.  Serve or place in an airtight container.  Enjoy!

On the Fitness Front:

Sunday we bagged our ride because my husband wasn’t feeling well and it was just too cold with my finger so we went for a run.   A shorter, slower paced run – 4 miles.

Today I ran 6.26 at 8:09 mm. Happy to have over 10 miles under my belt for the week and it’s only Monday.

Hope you’re enjoying your day!

~ oxo

— Knead to Cook