Valentine, You're Spicy Hot!

For a girl who once thought that black pepper was "spicy", I sure have come a long way in how I cook...and how I eat!  Taco Bell's MILD sauce was as spicy as I cared for and my girls were the same way - minus the mild sauce.

[Enter the hillbilly] 

My DH grew up eating "real" spicy food.  For him, the hottest hot wings are never quite hot enough.   Jalapenos are for appetizers and habaneros are required for chili.  Speaking of chili, his is SO hot the smell alone could peel the paint from the walls.  He eventually realized that he was living with a bunch of girly-girls and started making a separate (read: wussy) batch of chili for us...teasing us the whole time he ate his HOT chili.

A masterful teaser, he eventually wore the three of us down and we started trying things just a bit hotter.  We worked our way up and can handle a much more impressive array of hot and spicy things now.  (I think we just like proving we can do it.  Or we do it to shut him up.  Either way, he actually seems to win somehow...don't tell him I said that.)  Even Noah is starting to tolerate spicy food these days!  As for us girls, we eat the super spicy Big Daddy chili now.

The best part of being able to tolerate all that hot stuff?  It is GOOD FOR YOU!!!  One jalapeno pepper contains five times the Vitamin C of an orange.  If that's not enough for you, consider the benefits of capsaicin (the stuff that makes peppers hot!):

• Capsaicin has been shown to kill cancer cells in humans.
• Pain Relief - Proven to provide relief from osteoarthritis, capsaicin may also relieve pain from diabetic neuropathy.  Studies have also shown its potential in preventing migraine, cluster and sinus headaches.
• Relieves congestion and may prevent sinusitis.
• Capsaicin is a highly effective anti-inflammatory.
• A thermogenic agent, capsaicin increases metabolic activity, which in turn burns more fat and calories.  Many over the counter "weight loss" formulas list capsaicin as an ingredient.
• Capsaicin can help prevent the formation of stomach ulcers and may soothe the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBD)
• Capsaicin may help protect the heart!  Linked to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, capsaicin  may also prevent the formation of blood clots. Cultures around the world that use hot peppers liberally have significantly lower rates of heart attack and stroke than cultures that do not. 

In the spirit of "heart healthiness" - and indulging my sweetheart's love of spice - I am looking forward to trying something a little out of the ordinary this Valentine's Day...

Chocolate Sugar Cookies with.....Cayenne Pepper???  That sounds just strange enough to possibly be terrific!

Join me on Valentine's Day - add some spice to your meal (or your dessert!) - it's Heart Healthy!  Remember...the hotter the better!