Almond Butter Rice Cakes

I am so excited to share with you all my latest food obsession: almond butter. Luckily, almond butter is not only delicious and satisfying, but it is good for you too. I hate to admit it, but I learned about this snack from a recent episode of Dr. Oz where Snooki (yes, Jersey Shore Snooki), was on the show to share the diet she used to drop 42 pounds after having a baby. Snooki-fan or not, you can’t deny how awesome this snack is and how (if used in moderation), can actually be used to lose weight and maintain a healthy diet. There are endless variations of this recipe, but the main components are plain brown rice cakes and crunchy almond butter.

For one serving, smear 1 tablespoon of crunchy almond butter onto a rice cake. It is fantastic like this on its own, but if you’d like you can also place sliced apples or bananas on it, like I did today. Snooki had 2 of these rice cakes per day (1 mid-morning and 1 in afternoon) during her diet as a snack to keep full in between meals. Nutritionists have been praising almond butter for a long time for its many health benefits. Almond butter is high in fiber and a great source of monounsaturated fat and protein, all of which are essential for heart health. You can find almond butter at most supermarkets and health food stores. Enjoy!!

I used Barney Butter Crunchy Almond Butter, which is excellent. But, you can certainly use any brand of your favorite almond butter!