Uhm, SPAM Mac Nuts?!? Yes, Please.

Spam.  I know it makes some people squeamish, but Spam has a special place in my heart.  It brings back fond memories of my childhood.  My Mom used Spam as if it had a place of its own in the food group pyramid.  My favorite was when she would cut half-inch slices of it and pan-fry it in a little oil.  That over a bowl of steamed white rice was perfect.  Forget the veggies.  Just give me the meat and starch.  It was my favorite meal of champions.  It satiated my voracious appetite after an hour long karate lesson when I was between the ages of 5 and 14.

I didn’t understand Spam back then, and still don’t to this day.  Actually, I don’t even want to know what it is.  But I love this so-called mystery meat named Spam prepared in many different ways. Did you know there are flavored Spams aside from the OG (original gangsta) Spam?  They have a Spam spread [I’m so excited to try this]; Spam Hot & Spicy; Spam with Cheese; Spam with Bacon; Spam Hickory Smoked; and Spam Oven Roasted Turkey.  Fabulous, right?!

Well, on our most recent trip to Hawaii, we discovered Spam-flavored macadamia nuts!  [I love that Hawaii loves their Spam.  Did you know they one of the largest consumers of Spam in the nation?]  We were shopping for gifts to bring back to the family, and stumbled across this magnificent product.  I gawked it, admired it, took a picture of it, and even posted it on my Facebook.  I made a huge spectacle but didn’t buy it in the end.  I have absolutely NO idea why I didn’t just buy the darn thing.  I left the store, got into the car, drove to the airport, and totally regretted not purchasing the product!  I got back to the mainland and immediately started Google-ing for Spam Mac Nuts, found it at Hamakua Plantations, bookmarked it, and then never bought it.  Maybe subconsciously I didn’t really want it?

Well, fast forward to several months later, and my coworker friend surprised me with a can of Spam Mac Nuts.  Yes, it was meant to be 🙂  I tore that can open immediately and savored one of the mac nuts, and went to my happy place.  My coworker friend who brought me the gift wasn’t too fond of them.  But I wouldn’t imagine people who dislike Spam, like anything Spam-flavored.

These mac nuts are dusted with  a savory, slightly salty, and smoky flavor.  Surprisingly, the flavor is completely vegetarian-based, but still has the wonderful taste of Spam.

I heart Spam.  Do you?

Ooey, Gooey, Chewy, Chunky Chocolatey Chip Cookies with Mac Nuts

You know what’s best after a long day?  Cookies.  I came home to the smell of chocolate chip cookies after a very long, tragic, and exhausting day at work.  Work started out great, but it ended on such a sad note.  I hate those days.  It puts me in such a funk.  I usually come home looking forward to zoning out to endless, trashy, but oh so good reality TV shows to erase the day from my long-term memory.  Instead, I came home to my favorite chocolate chips cookies, and that made all the difference.

Ooey, Gooey, Chewy, Chunky Chocolatey Chip Cookies with Mac Nuts (lightly adapted from Wing-It Vegan)

Flax Egg
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
3 tablespoons cold water

1/2 cup dried shredded coconut
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
1/2 cup almond butter
4 tablespoon almond milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup toasted macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix the flax seeds and water.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except for the chocolate chips and nuts. Beat for about 30 seconds or until a smooth dough forms. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.

Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the cookie sheet and slightly flatten with the back of a spoon. Leave about an inch of space in between cookies.

Bake for 13-14 minutes. Let the cookies slightly cool on the baking sheet before you transfer them to a cooling rack. Store in an air-tight container or a paper bag.

Makes 14 cookies.