avocado cucumber gazpacho

BRB PUMPKIN, there is an avocado gazpacho in town! this might be the most refreshing gazpacho i have ever tasted. i love a cucumber, honey & mint combo, so it seemed like a natural pairing for this recipe. the addition of the avocado makes for the perfect creamy texture. this is a great recipe for those who want to savour those last few days of summer before all the fall & winter comfort foods take over! while the bulk of gazpachos are finished off with heavy cream, this one features nutpods unsweetened original creamer. it is a dairy free creamer made of almond butter and coconut cream! i use it in my coffee every morning to add that creaminess you don't get from regular almond or coconut milk.

p.s. i just saw nutpods released a pumpkin spice dairy free creamer for coffee & i need it like, yesterday.

p.p.s. if you are in canada, all of nutpods creamers are available on naturamarket.ca!

happy last weekend of summer friends! xo

ingredients

• 3 medium (or two large) ripe avocados
• 2 cups cucumber, peeled & roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh mint, roughly chopped
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 tablespoon raw honey
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup unsweetened nutpods original creamer
• 2 cups water, cold
• sea salt & pepper, to taste
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced (for garnish)

directions

• in a blender add the avocado flesh, cucumber, mint, lime juice, raw honey, olive oil & creamer. pulse a few times until well mixed.
• pour in the water one cup at a time until you reach desired consistency. blend until silky & smooth.
• season with a touch of sea salt & freshly cracked black pepper.
• serve as is or with a drizzle of olive oil, nutpods creamer & scallions.

this post was created in partnership with nutpods! thank you for supporting the brands that keep this blog up & running xo

avocado hummus

summer time entertaining calls for ALL the hummus! it is the perfect appetizer to serve at any gathering because you can dip just about anything you can think of in it. from fresh veggies to warm pitas to different flavoured harvest snaps, anything goes! while a classic roasted garlic hummus is always a hit, i like adding different flavours & twist to it. remember that gorgeous pink roasted beet hummus from january? today, for a more summery twist, i incorporated fresh avocado! it makes for the perfect cross between guacamole & hummus. i brought in the classic guacamole flavours like garlic & cilantro, but kept the seasoning to a minimal. the avocado makes for such a smooth & creamy dip. just make sure that avocado is perfectly ripe! i topped it off with an avocado rose because they add such a wow factor to any finished dish. lastly, i served it with both black bean habanero & black pepper harvest snaps. they are the perfect shape for dipping into hummus with!

ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups chickpeas, drained + rinsed
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 tablespoon cilantro, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 lime, juiced
• sea salt + pepper, to taste
• 85 grams black bean habanero harvest snaps, for serving
• 85 grams black pepper harvest snaps, for serving

directions

• in a food processor add the chickpeas, avocado, tahini, garlic, cilantro, olive oil, water, lime, salt & pepper. puree until smooth.
• transfer to serving dish & top with olive oil, fresh cilantro & sliced avocado.
• serve with black bean habanero & black pepper harvest snaps!
• stores for up to a week in a sealed glass jar or plastic tupperware.

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

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!