{Giveaway} Herbed Veggie Dip

Herbed Veggie Dip

When I was a child, my grandpa used to have a huge garden in his backyard. He grew tons of fresh veggies. His garden was his pride and joy. My brother and I used to get in a lot of trouble if went back into the garden. And God forbid if you accidentally stepped on anything. There is something about being a kid that makes them want to do the exact opposite of what an adult tells them not to do! When you are young, you don’t really appreciate fresh vegetables or herbs, but now that I am an adult, I have been wishing for a garden like my grandparents had in their backyard. We have a decent sized patio in our new house and I have been wanting to start planting some fresh herbs, but well, I’ve just been really lazy.

I really hate buying herbs at the grocery store. I usually only need a small handful, but you end up having to buy a large bunch or package that has way more than you need. Then, of course, within a week, those herbs are dunzo! It always seems like such a waste and I cringe every time I have to throw a bunch of herbs in the garbage.

Herbed Veggie Dip

Enter Gourmet Garden. Gourmet Garden makes cooking with herbs so insanely simple. Fresh, organically grown herbs that are then packed into a tube that keeps them fresh for 3 whole months. 3 MONTHS, people! Not only does Gourmet Garden’s herbs last for 3 months, but they also eliminate all of that chopping! Just squeeze out as much as you need and you are set! No matter how busy you are, you can still include fresh and delicious herbs in your meals!

Herbed Veggie Dip

The folks over at Gourmet Garden were so kind to send me 11 tubes of their herbs and spices in a convenient little cooler! I couldn’t wait to break into them and my mind was reeling with ideas of how I could use them all up! This past weekend, I got a craving for veggies and dip. I had the veggies, but no dip! With some cream cheese, Greek yogurt, and some of Gourmet Garden’s herbs, I had this herbed veggie dip ready to go in about 5 minutes! I chose to use the Chunky Garlic, Dill, Italian Herbs, and some of the Cilantro. It may sound like a weird combo, but it was pretty tasty!

And great news! Gourmet Garden is also going to send one of you the same package that I received! After you get the recipe, scroll down and enter for your chance to win!!

Herbed Veggie Dip

Herbed Veggie Dip

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Yield: about 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. reduced fat cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt (or use sour cream)
  • 1 tbs. Gourmet Garden Chunky Garlic Blend (or 2 cloves)
  • 1 tbs. Gourmet Garden Dill Blend (or 1 tbs. fresh dill)
  • 1/2 tbs. Gourmet Garden Italian Herbs Blend
  • 1/2 tbs. Gourmet Garden Cilantro Blend (or 1/2 tbs. fresh cilantro)

Instructions

  1. Add all of the ingredients into a food processor and blend until everything is well-combined.

Notes

If you don't own a food processor, you can also use a blender, or you can also mix everything up by hand.

If you want to make this dip and don't have access to Gourmet Garden products, note the measurements written in parentheses next to each ingredient. For the Italian Herb Blend, it includes basil and oregano.

http://eat-drink-love.com/2013/02/herbed-veggie-dip/

Herbed Veggie Dip

Now you can enter for your own chance to win a package filled with Gourmet Garden’s herbs and spices!

Please use the Rafflecopter below to place your entries for the giveaway. Entries left in the comment section will not be counted in the drawing.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: Gourmet Garden sent me a package of some of their products to try. As always, all opinions are my own.

Baked Buffalo Chicken Taquitos

Buffalo Chicken

I’m tossing another Super Bowl dish at ya. Baked Buffalo Chicken Taquitos. Go long.

I’m so lame.

My darling husband isn’t much for appetizer or snack-type foods. Is he crazy?!! I know a few things that he can’t resist though and one of those things is buffalo chicken. The man loves all things buffalo chicken. Last year, I made these buffalo chicken bites. This year, it’s buffalo chicken taquitos. Because my man also loves taquitos. And well, so do I.

Buffalo Chicken

Baked Buffalo Chicken Taquitos

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Yield: About 12 taquitos

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
  • 1/3 cup buffalo sauce (can add more if desired)
  • 1/2 tsp. onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 2 1/2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (colby and monterey jack cheese also works well)
  • 12 6-inch flour tortillas
  • cooking spray
  • ranch dressing, blue cheese dressing, sour cream (for dipping)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat.
  2. In a bowl, stir together the cream cheese and buffalo sauce. Then mix in the chicken, garlic and onion powders, and the cheese until everything is well-combined. If it seems dry, you can add in more buffalo sauce if desired.
  3. Place the tortillas on a microwavable plate. Place a damp paper towel on top and microwave for about 20 seconds.
  4. Spoon about 2-3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture down the middle of each tortilla. Roll it up nice and tight and place the on the baking sheet seam-side down. Spray the tops with some cooking spray.
  5. Bake for about 15 minutes. Flip over and spray with a little more of the spray. Bake for another 5 minutes or until golden brown.
http://eat-drink-love.com/2013/01/baked-buffalo-chicken-taquitos/

Buffalo Chicken

Corn Salsa

So, there is this thing called the Super Bowl coming up soon. As far as the game goes, I really don’t care. I prefer the Puppy Bowl. In previous years, my husband hasn’t really cared either, but since there wasn’t any hockey games on this past fall, he had to get his fill of man-ness, so he has been watching football and will probably want to watch the Super Bowl this year. We might be fighting over the remote. There are supposed to be hedgehog cheerleaders on the Puppy Bowl this year. I am not missing that.

Let’s face it though, Whatever game we end up watching, the best part of the Super Bowl is the food. You know this to be true. I love making fun party snacks. I could make a meal out of just dips. Sadly, most dips and Super Bowl food are usually not very healthy. But, I’ve got a great recipe for you that you can enjoy without all the guilt!

This corn salsa is a great snack to serve yourself and your guests! It’s light and fresh, and best of all, low in fat and calories! I love this salsa. I actually make a small batch of it for lunch sometimes and eat it with a handful of whole grain chips and I am one happy girl!

Corn Salsa

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: Serves 4-6

Calories per serving: about 98 calories (if divided into 6 servings)

Ingredients

  • 4 medium-sized ears of corn, shucked
  • 1/2 medium red onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 2 limes, juiced
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a light boil over medium high heat. Add the ears of corn and cook for about 5 minutes or until the corn is cooked and tender. Fill a large bowl with cold water. Using tongs, remove the ears of corn from the water and place into the cold water to cool.
  2. While the corn cools, chop the onion and cilantro.
  3. To remove the kernels from the cob, hold the ear upright over a large cutting board or bowl. Take a sharp knife and slide the knife down the cob, cutting the kernels off. Work your way around the cob until all of the kernels have been removed. Repeat with the remaining cobs.
  4. Place the corn into a bowl. Stir in the onion, juice of the 2 limes, cilantro, garlic powder, and the salt. Mix until thoroughly combined.
  5. Cover and chill for at least 20-30 minutes before serving.
http://eat-drink-love.com/2013/01/corn-salsa/

If you like this recipe, then you might also like my Crazy Guacamole!

Tomato Parmesan Tarts

It’s December. The holidays are near and that means it is time for parties! Lots and lots of parties with lots and lots of food.

Here’s a little appetizer that is easy, pretty, and low in fat! Little rounds of pastry puff topped with Parmesan cheese and a light and tasty tomato mixture. I think these are kind of similar to bruschetta, except with pastry puff dough! These would be great to serve any time of the year!

Tomato Parmesan Tarts

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Yield: 20 servings

Serving Size: 2 tarts

Calories per serving: 105

Fat per serving: 7.2 g

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups finely diced and seeded plum tomato (about 4)
  • 1/4 cup minced shallots
  • 1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
  • 2 tsp. champagne vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
  • 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1 sheet puff pastry dough, thawed
  • 2/3 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 tsp. salt (or to taste)
  • fresh basil leaves

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Combine the tomato, shallots, olive oil, vinegar, thyme, and the pepper in a bowl.
  3. Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Roll out to about 10 x 12 1/2 inch rectangle. Cut the dough with a 2-inch round pastry cutter (or can also use a drinking glass). Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper. Place the rounds on the baking sheet. Using a fork, prick the dough.
  4. Top each piece of dough with about 1/4 tsp. of the Parmesan cheese and about 2 tsp. of the tomato mixture.
  5. Bake for about 25 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with salt and basil leaves.

Notes

Recipe from Cooking Light

http://eat-drink-love.com/2012/12/tomato-parmesan-tarts/

Avocado Hummus

I think I might need one of you to send me a life jacket because I am drowning in boxes! Our movers are coming bright and early Thursday morning which leaves us with only two more days to finish packing up our place. It’s crazy just how many boxes we have packed so far. I think we have packed about 15 boxes just from my kitchen so far. Our kitchen is not big, yet I really stuffed things in! Luckily, my mom came to visit this weekend to help. It was hard to say goodbye. Even though I have not lived at home for a long time, it was nice only being a few hours away. I guess we will be taking a lot of plane rides in our future!

While I am working on packing up the rest of our things, I have a special guest with me here today to share a great recipe with you all! Please give a warm welcome to Erin from Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts. If you haven’t been to Erin’s blog, you should go immediately! Erin’s blog is filled with a great variety of recipes like Brownie Batter Cookie Dough Pancakes)(I mean, what?!!), Baja Shrimp Tacos, Watermelon Fizz, and Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies. Do you even need for me to continue?! Today, Erin is sharing her recipe for Avocado Hummus so take it away, Erin!

Hi there! I am Erin, and I write over at Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts. I am happy to be filling in for Stephanie today. We recently moved cross country, so I can relate and am more than happy to help out!

Stephanie always makes such tempting dishes that are often actually good for you! I figured I would try to do the same for you today :) I am new to the world of hummus. Let’s just get that out there right away. I have never been a fan of any kind of bean. Well, green beans, but that isn’t really a bean. So a dip made with pureed beans scared me off. Just in the last six months was I actually willing to give it a try. It was a spicy version they were sampling at Costco, and my husband kind of tricked me into trying it. It wasn’t half bad.

So today I made my own. But I put one of my all time favorite ingredients in it…Avocados! This is so addicting, but actually good for you. Hummus is a relatively healthy dip, and then you add avocados, and you have a powerhouse of a snack. Ok, maybe I am overstating, but you understand. My husband was a little nervous when I said I was putting avocado in here, but he loved it. If you are at all hesitant about hummus and the bean flavor, start with this one. The avocado definitely takes center stage.

Avocado Hummus

Ingredients

  • 1 (15 oz) can chick peas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 avocado, pitted
  • 2 cloves, garlic minced
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 Tbls Tahini

Instructions

  1. Combine everything in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth and creamy. Serve with veggies, crackers, pita chips etc.

Notes

Adapted from Weelicious

http://eat-drink-love.com/2012/09/avocado-hummus/

Thanks Stephanie for letting me take over for today. Hope your move is going smoothly!

Fig, Prosciutto, and Arugula Pizza

I wish I had a gazillion dollars. Yes, a gazillion. If I had a gazillion dollars, I would pay people to pack and move all our belongings and then when we get to Arizona, they would unpack for me and buy furniture and decorate and get everything all set up and it would be exactly the way I want it to be. Oh, and of course, our cars would just be brought there. Oh, and if anybody has a connection with someone who has access to a teleporter, that would be so incredibly wonderful. I would also settle for just winning the lottery, 125 million dollars would suffice. I mean, I’m not asking that for much here, people. And all that leftover money would go towards paying student loans and buying more Coach bags, btdubs.

I officially had my first panic attack yesterday. It occurred to me that we have less than 2 weeks to pack up our apartment and we have yet to pack even one box. Not even one. I started being all cranky and my husband said I was totally unbearable. I came home this afternoon from work to find that my sweet husband started packing all of our books and DVDs and broke down the cheap bookshelves. Even though it wasn’t a lot of boxes, just seeing boxes piled in the corner makes me feel a little better. We are going to be in a packing frenzy next week. So, yeah…if someone wants to give me a gazillion or at least 125 million dollars…

Cooking has been very useful in helping me procrastinate from packing. Figs were on sale at my grocery store last week so I had two big containers to go through. First up, pizza! Fig, prosciutto, and arugula pizza to be exact. This pizza has such an interesting flavor combo. You get that sweetness from the figs, saltiness from the prosciutto, and then a bitterness from the arugula, which I also doused in balsamic vinaigrette dressing. I just used mozzarella cheese since that is what I had on hand, but blue cheese crumbles or goat cheese would also be wonderful!

Fig, Prosciutto, and Argula Pizza

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. pizza dough
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (can also sub or use in combination with blue cheese, gorgonzola, or goat cheese)
  • 7-8 fresh figs, stems removed and sliced into 1/4-1/3-inch thick slices
  • About 4-5 slices prosciutto, torn into smaller pieces
  • 6 cups arugula, rinsed
  • 1 1/2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1-2 tbs. balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Roll out the dough on a floured surface so that it is about 1 inch thick. Sprinkle the cheese over the dough and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until the bottom and top of the pizza is a light golden brown.
  3. Remove the cooked dough for the oven. Evenly distribute the sliced figs and prosciutto pieces over the pizza. Bake for another 5 minutes or until the figs and prosciutto have been heated.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, garlic powder, and the salt and pepper. In a larger bowl, add the arugula and drizzle in the dressing. Toss to coat the arugula and spoon over the pizza. Serve.
http://eat-drink-love.com/2012/09/fig-prosciutto-and-arugula-pizza/

Quinoa Corn Cakes with Peach, Avocado, and Tomato Salsa

Good morning, friends! It’s Friday!! Yeah!! Hubs and I are in Orlando this weekend visiting family. It’s nice to get away for a weekend after the long two weeks I’ve had!

Today I am guest posting on Kym’s lovely blog, Free Spirit Eater. Kym was one of the first people I met when I first starting blogging and she is so incredibly sweet and supportive! I’m so happy to be on her blog today!

I made some tasty little quinoa corn cakes topped with fresh peach, avocado, and tomato salsa! These cakes are light on the tummy, but so tasty. I think I could just eat the salsa with a spoon!

So, please go check out the recipe and say “hi” to Kym!!

Avocado and Mango Crostini

Guys, guess what?! I finished writing my dissertation! I’m so exhausted, I can’t even tell you! Now I just have to defend the paper in front of my committee in a couple of weeks and I am D.O.N.E!! It’s been a long 6 years of grad school and I’m so excited to finally be here. Now let’s just hope I pass my defense! AHHHHH!! But, for now, I am taking the weekend off!

Alright, so the other day, I was thinking about yummy, summery appetizers. And then I thought about avocados, mango, and bread. I mean, how can you go wrong with that combo?! And seriously, this appetizer is so light and refreshing and it just tastes like summer. I love it so much, I could make a meal out of it and I totally did for lunch yesterday.

And don’t they look fancy? I want you all to make this for your next summer garden party. Because I know you guys are so fancy and have summer garden parties all the time..

Avocado and Mango Crostini

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: serves 6-8

Ingredients

  • 1 garlic clove
  • extra virgin olive oil (for brushing)
  • 1 baguette, sliced
  • 2 avocados, diced into bite-size pieces
  • 2 cups mango, diced into bite-size pieces (can use fresh or frozen)
  • 2 limes, juiced
  • salt to taste
  • crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take the garlic clove and rub onto the top of each piece of bread. Brush the tops with the olive oil. Place the bread on a cookie sheet and toast in the oven until lightly toasted (you can also do this on the grill if desired).
  2. In a bowl, combine the diced avocado, diced mango, and lime juice. Toss to combine. Add salt to taste.
  3. Scoop about 1-2 tbs. of the mixture on top of each slice of toasted bread. Sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes on top and serve.

Notes

Not into mangoes? Try peaches or strawberries instead!

http://eat-drink-love.com/2012/07/avocado-and-mango-crostini/

Sweet Pea Feta Parmesan Dip

Happy Hump Day, friends! You will have to excuse me as I am totally exhausted from driving from Montreal all the way to Florida these past few days! Not to mention all that traveling we did in Cleveland! I will share some details of our trip later this week, but while I try to get settled in, I have a really special treat for you all!

Today, I am so happy to have the fabulous Cassie from Bake Your Day as a guest poster! I have been reading Cassie’s blog for some time now and she is seriously one of the sweetest gals ever! And you can pretty much find any kind of recipe you want on her blog because she makes it all! Mexican Quinoa Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing, Spicy Peanut Noodle Stir-Fry, Butterscotch Cashew Pretzel Cookies, White Cheddar Grilled Cheese with Avocado and Tomato, Vegan Banana Nut Breakfast Cake, and I could go on and on! So, after you check out the delicious recipe Cassie prepared for today, go check out some of her other recipes! Take it away, Cassie!

———————————-

Hi Eat, Drink, Love readers! I am Cassie and I blog about my love for life and food at Bake Your Day. I have loved watching this space grow, Stephanie has some creative ideas, and she always seems to put a great healthy spin on her recipes.

I decided to take a somewhat healthy spin on the recipe for today with a dip. I love dips. Actually, I love all snack foods. But let’s face it: snacks usually don’t have many health benefits to them. This one, however, is sort of sneaky because the base of the dip is sweet peas. I added lots of garlic and feta cheese, along with lemon juice and fresh sage leaves. It is crisp, light and almost refreshing for a summer party!

I have never actually been a fan of peas but for some reason I have had the idea of a pea dip in my head for quite some time. For some reason I was just convinced that pureed peas would somehow be different than their whole form. And I was right, I adored this dip. The peas paired perfectly with the cheeses and garlic and the texture was very pleasing. Just don’t tell anyone it’s made with peas!

Sweet Pea Feta Parmesan Dip

Ingredients

  • 2 cups shelled peas
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
  • 1 cup feta cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the peas and blanch for 30 seconds. Transfer the peas to an ice bath.
  2. Meanwhile, add the feta cheese, parmesan cheese, garlic, lemon zest, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, sage, and remaining salt to a food processor. Drain the peas and add them to the food processor. Pulse just until the mixture comes together and is smooth. Add the olive oil and pulse until distributed.
  3. Spoon the dip into a bowl and sprinkle on freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve the dip with grilled baguette, tortilla chips or crackers.

Notes

Cassie’s Notes:

Store the dip in the refrigerator. Allow the dip to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. If it tightens up too much after being refrigerated, simply stir in 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil and mix well.

I used frozen, shelled peas for this dip. If you use frozen, thaw the peas and allow them to drain of excess water before blanching them.

No interest in using peas? Try edamame instead!

Recipe from Bake Your Day

http://eat-drink-love.com/2012/07/sweet-pea-feta-parmesan-dip/

Lemon Honey Goat Cheese Spread and a Giveaway!

Why is goat cheese so fantastic? I mean, honestly, I want to smear it on everything. Omelets, sandwiches, bread, pasta, crackers, a spoon, my finger, etc…

If you love cheese as much as I do, boy, do I have a treat for you today! I was recently contacted by Daelia’s Biscuits for Cheese, a new company that creates delicious crackers for cheese pairings!

They asked me to come up with a cheese recipe to go with their crackers. You know I had to accept this challenge! Imagine my excitement when I received this box of goodies!

I received three different kinds: almond and raisin, hazelnut and fig, and pumpkin and rye. Daelia’s provides a list of cheeses that pair with each biscuit. I knew I wanted to do something with goat cheese! So, I whipped up a quick spread with lemon and honey mixed in! It was suggested that goat cheese pairs well with the almond raisin biscuits. Boy, were they right about that! First, the biscuit is slightly sweet, very similar to a biscotti cookie! Then you get a hint of black pepper which gives it a nice little kick! And paired with the sweet goat cheese spread, it was perfection!

I also paired the goat cheese spread with the hazelnut and fig biscuits, which for me, was my fave hands down of the three flavors! I also enjoyed the pumpkin and rye biscuits and I don’t even like rye! Though, this one did not pair so well with the goat cheese spread I made.

I was pleasantly surprised how much I liked these crackers! And what I like even more about them is that they are all-natural! I would definitely serve these for a wine and cheese party!

Lemon Honey Goat Cheese Spread

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Yield: serves 6

Ingredients

  • 4 oz. goat cheese, softened
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • 1 tbs. honey (can use more or less to adjust sweetness)

Instructions

  1. In a bowl, mix together the goat cheese, lemon juice and zest, and honey. Serve or refrigerate until ready to serve!
http://eat-drink-love.com/2012/06/lemon-honey-goat-cheese-spread/

Guess what?!! Daelia’s is going to send a box of their biscuits to one of YOU! One lucky winner will receive a box of Daelia’s delicious biscuit flavors so you can get your own cheese tasting party on!

To enter:

1. Tell me your favorite type of cheese.  (required entry)

For additional entries:

1. Like Daelia’s Biscuits on Facebook. Leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

2. Follow Daelia’s Biscuits on Twitter. Leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

3. Like Eat. Drink. Love. on Facebook. Leave me a separate comment telling me you did so.

4. Follow Eat. Drink. Love. on Twitter. Leave me a separate comment telling me you did so.

So that’s 5 ways to win a box of these goodies!

The details:
- This giveaway is open until 11:59PM EST on Monday, June 25th
- Winner will be chosen via a random number generator
- Giveaway is open for U.S. residents only
- Winner will receive an email notifying them they have won. The winner has 24 hours to claim this prize, otherwise a new winner will be chosen.

Disclaimer: I did not receive any monetary compensation for this review. All views expressed in this review are my own.