zucchini fritters

 

my zucchini plant is starting to bloom flowers & i know this means home grown zucchinis are on the way! we didn't plant a big garden this year as we had a lot of other landscaping to take care of first, but i am excited for what is to come in late july & august. my favourite thing to make with fresh zucchini is fried fritters! my mom made them growing up & now each summer we fry up several batches of them together. my friends & family give us batches of fritters too. i love seeing everyones twist on these because no two fritters ever taste the same. some incorporate the zucchini flower, some incorporate cheese & so on (FYI i am a cheese person). this year to lighten mine up, i added a black pepper harvest snap twist in replacement of some of the flour. harvest snaps snapea crisp are light, airy & crisp so they add a great texture to the mix. i am so excited to finally share these to the blog as i was always worried the photos wouldn't do them justice! but seeing these images makes me want to dive in & eat the whole batch to myself... wait, i already did:) what about you?

xo

ingredients

  • 1 cup zucchini, grated
  • 1 tablespoon basil, roughly chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, grated
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup romano or parmesan, grated
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup black pepper harvest snaps, crushed
  • salt & pepper, to taste
  • canola oil, for frying

directions

  • sprinkle the zucchini with salt & strain out as much of the liquid as you can. it is important for the water to be drained as much as possible so the fritters don't end up soggy.
  • in a mixing bowl add the zuchinni, basil, garlic, eggs, cheese & milk. mix well.
  • sift in the flour, black pepper harvest snaps, salt & pepper.
  • heat a skillet over medium heat & generously coat it in oil (about 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep)
  • scoop a spoonful of the dumpling mixture and fry on each side for 60 seconds. if the dumplings are thick, bake them in the oven for an additional 5 minutes.
  • season with salt & enjoy!

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.

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