If I could eat everyday like it were Cinco de Mayo I probably would. Melted cheese, margaritas, fried food—What else could you ask for?

We had a small party over the weekend. Nothing fancy. Premade margaritas, a piñata we named and so couldn’t hit, and nachos. That was really all we needed.

These are so simple you probably could make them everyday. I wouldn’t recommend it if I were a doctor, but as a food blogger I have no reservations. I think the best way to make these irresistible is using high quality salsa, sour cream and guacamole to get the perfect flavor.

Vegetarian Nachos

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients(Serves 4-6):

• 8oz corn tortilla chips, preferably lightly salted or no-salt added
• 4oz shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
• 3/4 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup or more salsa
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup guacamole

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Put about half of the tortilla chips in a layer on top of a baking pan or in a baking dish.
3. Cover the chips with half of the shredded cheese.
4. Add another layer of chips.
5. Sprinkle the rinsed beans on top of the second layer of nachos evenly.
6. Add the remaining shredded cheese over the bean layer.
7. Spread the salsa out on top of the cheese evenly over the entire tray.
8. Bake for about 15 minutes until the cheese has melted completely. Remove from the oven.
9. Plop the sour cream and guacamole on top of the hot nachos however you’d like. Serve immediately while still hot.

New England doesn’t have a standard cuisine but it certainly could. Between the apple cider doughnuts, glazed Dunkin Donut’s munchkins with jimmies and Boston cream pies there’s a lot to love(mostly carbs).

And then there’s this trail mix. You won’t find the typical gang of peanuts and raisins; instead we have cashews and almonds with dried cranberries. White chocolate instead of milk chocolate adds a sweetness to match the tartness of the berries. The flavors are simple but purely addictive, especially paired with some local apples and Vermont cheddar slices.

You could use raw almonds but I think roasted just have such a better flavor and texture. Similarly you could use raw cashews but I think you need something salted in the recipe to add a balance to the sweet.

Cape Cod Trail Mix

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 3 1/2 cups)

• 1 cup roasted, salted cashews
• 1 cup roasted almonds
• 3/4 cup craisins
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chunks

Method:

1. In a large bowl, combine and mix all of the ingredients together.
2. Keep in an air-tight container at room temperature when not eating.

All that’s missing is a bag of Cape Cod potato chips—never the baked or reduced salt kind.

I don’t believe that things always taste better when they’re homemade; there are plenty of things that I’d rather just buy at the grocery store because it’s easier or tastier that way.

These thankfully are one of those things that taste better made yourself and the recipe couldn’t be easier. They’re slightly soft and chewy—a perfect snack in the afternoon or something to nibble on before a workout. And because you make them yourself you can adjust the flavor to be whatever you like. Personally I’m a fan of almond butter and chocolate chips.

To make these gluten-free make sure you’re using oats that are certified gluten-free. Make sure to mix the ingredients evenly and well to prevent them from falling apart in the oven.

Homemade Granola Bites

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 14 bites):

• 1 1/2 cups oats
• 1/2 cup natural almond or peanut butter
• 3 Tablespoons honey or maple syrup
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips or raisins
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 250.
2. In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients until it starts to form a dough. If there isn’t enough moisture to hold the oats together, add almond butter by the tablespoon until there is.
3. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place them on a non-stick baking surface.
4. Bake for 20 minutes until the outsides have browned.
5. Let the granola bites cool and store them at room temperature for up to 2-3 days.

I’m not sure when but at some point nuts became one of the most expensive items in the grocery store. It’s a shame. They’re one of the healthy foods that are naturally delicious, but dressing them up never hurts.

These have become my go-to afternoon snack. They’re perfect for a slight sweet craving or to throw on yogurt or even a tofu stir-fry.

I’m not sure if the egg white is completely necessary for this recipe but I love the texture of the sugar on the cashews after they’re baked. You can spice these up easily by adding in some cinnamon.

Homemade Honey Roasted Cashews

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cashews
• 1 Tablespoon egg white
• 1 Tablespoon honey
• 3 Tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Method:

1. Preheat you oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the egg white, honey, sugar and salt until the sugar and salt have dissolved.
3. Mix the cashews with the wet ingredients until they are covered.
4. Lay the cashews out on a non-stick surface in a single layer.
5. Roast for 15-20 minutes until the edges begin to darken slightly, taking care not to burn them.
6. Remove the cashews from the oven and let them cool completely.
7. Break the cashews apart and store them in an air-tight container at room temperature.

Purely addicting.

Sometimes the simplest recipes are the best. I don’t think that’s true always, but certainly in this case it is. It’s amazing what you can make with just dates, walnuts, and cocoa powder.

This is something I’ve been making for years now. I think I learned the originally recipe from a food blog that no longer exists; it’s simple enough that you don’t have to write it down or bookmark a page to remember it. The trick to making these well is recognizing what consistency the dough should be; thankfully these are very forgiving and it’s easy to figure out after making a few batches(and you’ll want to make a few batches).

You can use any nut for this but I think walnuts are the best both for flavor and texture. They also pack a lot of omega-3s which are great for anyone’s diet. I’d suggest adding crushed walnuts into the batter dough after processing to give these a crunch.

Raw Walnut Brownies

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 8 squares):

• 2 cups pitted dates
• 1 cup walnuts
• 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1-2 Tablespoons water

Method:

1. Blend the dates in a food processor until they are pulverized and start to stick together.
2. Add the walnuts and continue blending until the dough starts to stick to itself. Add water as necessary if your ingredients are too dry to clump.
3. Lastly add the cocoa powder and continue blending until it’s mixed in.
4. Dump the processed ingredients onto a piece of parchment paper. With your hands, clump them together into a square or rectangle.
5. Freeze the dough for 5-10 minutes until it’s firm and cut it into even sized squares. Store in the refrigerator for freshness.

You can add chocolate chips or other dried fruit to make this a little more exciting, but I think this is a perfect snack or pick-me-up for after a meal all on its own.