I don't know about you but I love all things spicy; spicy people, spicy food, spicy dancing - wherever there is spice there is sure to be an exciting time! However, spice is one of those delicate matters, a line that can easily be crossed into an abysmal burning sweating mass of destruction! A little heat goes a long way for I want to still be able to taste the delicious flavors of my dish without nuclear melt down or a full body milk bath to cool the burn.

Ghost Peppers are one of the hottest peppers there are. They are intimidating in their heat. It is necessary to handle them with care, you have to use gloves and have proper ventilation - they are that hot and thus they are a bit scary!

You see, my honey loves spicy food, the hotter the better, he likes the burn, the sweat, and the sear of it on your tongue, he is notorious for dousing anything and everything with hot sauce. We have an expansive collection of hot sauces from around the world and a seed collection of unknown varieties of spicy hot peppers. This year, he decided it was time to grow some hot peppers! He pulled out the seed collection and got to work, watering, nurturing and feeding our nice little pepper plants until they grew into giant bushes. The best part of the whole process is that the seeds aren't labeled so the spice variety is a mystery until the pepper is born from its small flower.

With the luck of the harvest out popped an entire bush filled with chocolate ghost peppers and I was left in charge of these super hot little devils! So I got to work, researching hot sauce recipes, looking at what others have done and adjusting until I found something that I thought would work and let me tell you, it works! This sauce is everything that you want it to be, sweet and citrusy with an intense heat that doesn't linger longer than it should.

I knew that I wanted the sauce to have the flavors of native Florida hence, the mangoes, which came from our dear friends yard, the citrus accents and the local honey. I hope that you give it a try for this sauce definitely tantalizes the taste buds and will spice up your life while staying alkaline! Enjoy and Healthy Eating!

Citrus Mango Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce

1 tbs Olive Oil

3 Chocolate Ghost Peppers, stems and seeds removed - USE GLOVES!

2 Mangos, peeled and sliced

1 Orange, peeled

3 Sweet Picante Peppers

1 Onion, loosely chopped

1 clove of Garlic, loosely chopped

1in piece of Ginger, peeled and loosely chopped

1/2 tsp Pink HImalayan Sea Salt

1 tsp Smoked Paprika

1 cup Water

1 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar

1/2 cup Honey

Juice from 1 1/2 limes

Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. If you can do this outdoors I would recommend it or make sure you have the windows open for ventilation.

Add the onions, garlic, peppers, mangos, and orange to the pot. Cook for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the paprika and salt, cooking for a minute more before adding the water, apple cider vinegar, honey and lime juice. Bring to a bowl and then reduce heat to simmer for 20 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor. Blend on low speed gradually increasing until the mixture is smooth. Make sure to let the steam escape while doing so. Taste, if it is too spicy for your liking add more honey and vinegar until it suits your tastes.

Sterilize your bottles by placing them in boiling water for 10 minutes. Carefully remove and let cool. Bottle, refrigerate and enjoy!

Last week temperatures rose to 58 degrees and then plummeted down to 17. It seems we can't win in this yo-yo of a winter season and thus my appetite suffers. I waver between wanting cooling salads and soul warming soups as often as I change my jacket.

In all honesty this last bought of cold really threw me for a loop, I just want winter to be over and spring to take hold, I am done with snow and with cold but it doesn't seem to want to give up its grasp just yet. So instead of one of my go to soups, which you can find a number of on the blog, I decided I wanted something really hearty, filling and a bit spicy thus this vegan vegetable stew was born.

Stew traditionally centers around big chunks of meat whether lamp, beef, or pork with a few potatoes, carrots, and peas thrown in for good measure. Stew however can be rich and hearty when it is loaded with veggies, spices, and stewed tomatoes.

This recipe is a simple one; sauteed onions, garlic, mushrooms, carrots, sweet potatoes, turnips and cabbage with Italian spices, tomato paste, stewed tomatoes and cider vinegar, simmered for 45 minutes until thick and spicy. I served it over toasted garlic quinoa but feel free to eat it alone, over rice or with pasta. I hope that you enjoy!

Spicy Vegan Sweet Potato, Turnip and Cabbage Stew

1 Large Onion, sliced

5 Cloves Garlic, chopped

1 pint Baby Bellas, sliced

1 stalk of Celery, chopped

4 Sweet Potatoes, cubed

3 Turnips, cubed

1/2 package of Baby Carrots

3 tbs Olive Oil

1 tbs Apple Cider Vinegar

1 tsp Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

1 tbs Basil

1 tbs Oregano

1 tbs Herbs de Provence

1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper

2 tbs Tomato Paste

2 15.5oz Cans of Stewed Tomatoes

1/2 head of Cabbage, chopped

Water

In a large pot or dutch oven heat the 3 tbs of olive oil over medium high heat adding the onions, mushrooms, and garlic, sauteing until the mushrooms have released their liquid. Add the carrots, celery, sweet potatoes, and turnips cooking for 5 minutes or until the garlic begins to brown. Add the salt, herbs and crushed red pepper, cooking for another 5 minutes until fragrant, stir in the apple cider vinegar and tomato paste, combining well before adding the stewed tomatoes. Using the 2 cans from the stewed tomatoes, fill with water and add to the pot bringing to a boil. Add the cabbage, reduce the heat and cover, simmering for 40 minutes or until tender. Add salt to taste and enjoy and healthy eating!