avocado toast, two ways

this is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Loblaws Canada Inc. all opinions are 100% mine.

today i am sharing what is one of my go to lunches on weekdays in partnership with Loblaws! while it probably seems like i whip up a fancy pants meal every day of the week, my work keeps me just as busy as the rest of us. i am always looking for fun, healthy & creative ways to mix up a boring old sandwich on sliced bread or even worse fast food when i am short for time. cue: avocado toast! this is a quick recipe idea that you can make in twenty minutes or less. 

i feel like avocado toast has become quite a trend these days. all you have to do is smash some ripe avocado on bread & boom you've got yourself a meal. it is also a great way to use up any avocados you have that may be on the brink of going bad. i buy them in bulk & it seems like they all ripen at the same time! it's quick, plus avocados are healthy (lots of fiber), full of essential nutrients & taste so good with just a touch of salt! select Loblaws stores have Loblaws Dieticians on hand who can help answer any dietary questions you might have when looking for healthy food alternatives, teach you about the nutrition of different fruits/vegetables & give you some additional quick meal ideas! 

well, here are two of my versions of avocado toast because as i just mentioned, i always have these bad boys on hand. having plenty of fruits + vegetables in your fridge at all times makes it much easier to create a quick & healthy recipe like this avocado toast. you can follow the recipes loosely & substitute in whatever ingredients you find in your fridge or pantry. the possibilities are seriously endless! i have seen so many versions of this. you can even add a touch of lean turkey, chicken, or a poached egg (vegetarian) to the mix if you want to get in some additional protein. what are your 20 minute recipe ideas?! 

ingredients

walnut & blue cheese toast

• 1 slice of crusty bread
• 1/2 avocado, smashed
• 1/4 lime, freshly squeezed
• salt & pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon blue cheese, crumbled
• 1 tablespoon walnuts, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon, raw honey

strawberry & feta toast

• 1 slice of crusty bread
• 1/2 avocado, thinly sliced
• 1/4 lime, freshly squeezed
• salt & pepper, to taste
• 2 strawberries, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon feta, crumbled
• cilantro, to garnish

directions

walnut & blue cheese toast​

• toast bread while you prepare the avocado.

• in a small mixing bowl, mash avocado with lime juice, salt & pepper.

• spread evenly over toasted bread & top with crumbled blue cheese + walnuts.

• drizzle with honey & enjoy!

strawberry & feta toast

• toast bread while you slice avocado & strawberry.

• top bread with sliced avocado, drizzle with lime juice & sprinkle with salt + pepper.

• finish with sliced strawberries & crumbled feta.

• enjoy! 

mexican hot chocolate brownie bites

i am finally exploring the combination of spicy chocolate & i have to say, i LOVE it. i am not even a spice person, but when it is in a dessert & mixed with chocolate i am down. i can't wait to make spicy chocolate ice cream next & adding one more element to the mix.. ice! i was originally going to use fresh chillis but i found them to be way over powering. i think they would have made for a not so enjoyable spice! the mixture of cayenne & cinnamon work perfectly because cayenne is super spicy & cinnamon is sweet spicy. these brownies don't taste spicy upon first bite, but then BOOM it will hit you. i made these for the housewarming party & everyone loved them. they couldn't believe the touch of spice to a brownie. AND yes, these are fudgy brownies & this might be the first time i ever say this.. but these brownies are perfect! i can't even tell you how many brownie recipes i have made & none satisfied me with the texture i wanted. i think the key here is to not over bake them! take them out when they look a little undercooked, after all this is a brownie not a cake. the center should be fudgy & gooey.

to make these i used the new vitamix ascent a3500! it made for the silkiest batter & really helped puree those raw sugar crystals. usually i use raw sugar because i love the texture it brings, but in this recipe i wanted it to just be smooth & fudgy. this vitamix is amazing! it has a touch screen interface, five program settings, a timer & wireless connectivity that helps adjust the motor based to the container size. seriously, it is the best kitchen appliance i have because you can do way more then a smoothie in this thing. my old blender couldn't even whip up a smoothie without sounding like it was going to break down.

anyways, i am off to the city the second i hit publish so that is all from me today. have a lovely sunday!

xo

ingredients (makes 12 brownie bites)

for the mexican hot chocolate brownies

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup raw sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

for the mexican hot chocolate frosting

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 2 cups powdered sugar, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

directions

for the mexican hot chocolate brownies

• place melted butter & cocoa powder into the blender. puree until well blended.
• add the raw sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, flour, sea salt, cinnamon & cayenne pepper. pulse until a silky smooth batter is formed.
• pour into a greased muffin tin or a 9-inch square baking dish if you want to make regular brownies.
• bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
• let cool completely before frosting.

for the mexican hot chocolate frosting

• in the bowl of a standmixer add the butter, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, cinnamon, cayenne pepper & vanilla extract.
• beat on high speed until light & fluffy, about 8-10 minutes.
• frost brownie bites as desired.

this post was created in partnership with vitamix! thank you for supporting the brands that help me do what i love. xo

three bean vegetarian chili

it is game day weekend!!!! you know what that means? endless amounts of the BEST kind of foods.. chili, nachos, wings, pizza. i mean, football! it means football. okay, but let's be real here, you don't need to be a football fan to enjoy the superbowl. host a party & whip up a killer spread! i will be spending it in toronto this weekend & i can't wait to be back in the city. it feels like it has been forever! but before i head off to my weekend away, here is the recipe for this three bean vegetarian chili.

when hosting parties, there are SO many dietary restrictments you have to be cautious of. so leave the meat for the sliders, burgers or wings & keep the chili meatless. i love setting up a little station with various toppings for chili. i usually do cheddar cheese, guacamole, sour cream & something crunchy. i served this chili up with black bean habanero harvest snaps! they have the perfect kick of spice as i tend to make the chili a bit more mild for people who can't handle spice as well as others. for those who LOVE spice (cough, my dad) they can pile on as many habanero harvest snaps as their heart desires! they are even gluten free incase you have a gluten intolerant guest as well. this chili is seriously for everyone! so happy football weekend. i can't wait to see what everyone is cooking up.

go broncos!!!!! errr i mean patriots?

ingredients

• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 yellow or green bell pepper, chopped
• 4 stocks of celery, chopped
• 2 large carrots, peeled & chopped
• 1 large red onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 tablespoon chilli powder
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust this based on your spice preference)
• 1 cup chickpeas, rinsed
• 1 cup black beans, rinsed
• 1 cup red kidney beans, rinsed
• 2 cups of low sodium vegetable stock
• 1 jar of crushed tomatoes
• cilantro, to garnish
• sour cream, to garnish
• black bean habanero harvest snaps, to garnish

directions

• in a large pot over medium heat add the red bell pepper, yellow or green bell pepper, celery, carrots, red onion, garlic, chili powder, oregano, paprika, cumin & cayenne pepper. cook until onions turn translucent, about 15 minutes.
• add in the chickpeas, black beans & red kidney beans. cook for an additional minute or two.
• pour in the vegetable stock & crushed tomatoes. stir until the two are evenly mixed in.
• bring to a boil & then reduce to a simmer. cook with the lid on for one hour.
• remove from heat & serve hot!
• top with cilantro, sour cream, habanero harvest snaps & whatever your heart desires!

this post was created in partnership with harvest snaps! thank you for supporting the brands that keep me doing what i love. xo