These Sliced Almond Salad Toppers are the perfect crunchy, Paleo-friendly topping for any meal! They’re also a good Whole 30 survival tool. 

Its Fridayyyyyyy. I’ve felt so crummy and sore all week, and I can’t wait to get some much needed rest. I’ve kept going to the gym hoping it would help me wake up and get moving, but I think I did more harm than good. I need to be better at rest days — lesson learned. I ran a long workshop at my job yesterday and it definitely took all I have to get through it. By the end I felt like I could play a great dead person on Grey’s Anatomy if they needed an extra. Do they use real people for that? Jut tell them to stay still for a a couple minutes? This blog post got weird quick.

I’m laying here with Hudson,  and Im realizing that he’s never had a proper introduction on the blog! I’ll probably do a full detailed post about his adoption story and the different issues I’ve found myself working through with him. It’s been a difficult yet rewarding experience in ways I didn’t expect, and I know I’ve learned so much from the way he’s come to trust and look out for me.

In case you’re totally lost, Hudson is my dog. He’s a mix of Golden, Aussie, and probably Pit Bull. I adopted him from a rescue here in Arizona, who had saved him from a kill shelter in New Mexico. He had been dropped off at the door there with signs of abuse, and he was definitely on the skinny side. Now, he’s the happiest, most joyful thing in my life. I can’t imagine how anyone could hurt something so genuinely sweet and innocent. The only issues I’ve had to work through with him have been related to his anxiety and trust — no bad behaviors. He literally never even barks.

I think it’s so cool how a dog can compliment your personality and teach you about trust and openness. I’m such a closed off and independent person, and I ended up with this dog who is extremely affectionate and glued to my side. He reminds me to trust even after being hurt, and to take time to slow down and love the people I get to have in my life.

But this is all a longer story for another blog post. for now, we feast.

This seems like a “cheat” recipe since it’s so easy, but I really love these almonds — and you can make them with any nut or seed you want. It’s such a flexible and easy staple to keep in your kitchen to step up your meal game. You can toss these almonds on anything that needs a little crunchy topping, or flavor boost.

Spices are truly the key to making Paleo exciting.

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Sliced Almond Salad Toppers -- 4 Ways

COOK TIME 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 8 oz sliced almonds
• coconut oil

Cinnamon Bun

• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp cinnamon

Savory

• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder

Smoky

• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Salt and Vinegar

• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Grease a large skillet lightly with coconut oil and place over low-medium heat.
2. Add almonds and selected spice blends to skillet. Toast for 5-10 minutes, or until slightly golden.
3. Cool completely before storing. I keep mine in plastic containers or bags.

RECIPE NOTES

The cinnamon and salt and vinegar may take a bit longer to brown with the liquid. Add more/less seasoning to suit preferences.

Get your ingredients here! Because stores are hard.

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