FoodFash

FoodFash is a food and travel blog based in Austin, TX.

Loaded Nachos with Avocado Cream

by Leave a Comment

This avocado cream loaded nacho post is sponsored by FAGE Total Greek yogurt. All opinions included within this post are my own and based on my own experience.

Ever since Greek yogurt made an appearance on grocery store shelves, I’ve been a fan. Seriously, who can turn down thick, creamy, low-sugar yogurt? And it wasn’t much long after discovering Greek yogurt that I began using it as a substitution everywhere and anywhere. FAGE Total Greek yogurt was and is my go-to brand. The texture and flavor of FAGE is top notch and, beyond that, you can’t beat the simple, non-GMO ingredient list.

One of the easiest substitutions to make is replacing traditional sour cream withFAGE Total Greek yogurt. I’ve always used FAGE Total 2%, but love that FAGE Total comes in 5% {I’m all about good fat!}. It’s such a simple switch and, I find that, Greek yogurt has many more uses than sour cream so it’s always in my fridge. Nachos tonight, breakfast parfait tomorrow morning!

After years of sour cream swapping, I decided to get even more creative with Greek yogurt for savory dishes. Remember how I love good fat? Well I decided to add even more good fat to FAGE Total 2% by mixing it with avocados to create avocado cream {recipe below}. Avocado cream can be enjoyed solo as a chip or veggie dip or used to make nachos and quesadillas extra special.

My husband and daughter are now the biggest avocado cream fans. And my husband was super impressed with a dip/topping having so much protein and probiotics from the live active yogurt cultures. By the end of our loaded nacho dinner, he was already thinking of what we could make to incorporate avocado cream again.

I also enjoy getting our entire family’s input on ingredients for loaded nachos because they come out so much more impressive than when I make them on my own. My husband loves black olives and green onions and my step-daughter loves tomatoes – I’m typically a nacho purist and would have totally skipped over these ingredients!

Our loaded nachos ended up including: tortilla chips, Monterey jack cheese, cheddar cheese, black beans, black olives, tomatoes, green onions, pickled jalapeños, cilantro, and avocado cream. My biggest nacho tip is to take the extra time to create one layer of chips, add layers of all of your toppings, and repeat until you reach your desired quantity/height. I layered all of the ingredients except for the cilantro and avocado cream and put the nachos in a 400 degree oven for approximately five minutes, until the cheese was melted and the chips were warm.

 

Memorial Day Hot Dogs

by 2 Comments

This Memorial Day hot dog post is sponsored by Whole Foods Market 365.

I wish I could say that I have years and years of grilling experience. But the truth is, I’m fairly new at grilling. And that means I typically learn a new trick each time I’m manning the grill, which has made grilling over the past year extra exciting. When making these BLT and BBQ hot dogs for Memorial Day, I used a combo of both new and tried and true tricks. If you’re already a grilling expert, scroll on down to the bottom of this post for your new favorite hot dog recipes.

One of the things I’ve gotten exponentially better at is packing our “grill bag”. If you live in an apartment or condo building, I’m certain you’re familiar with the frustration of forgetting that thing back in your kitchen. Below is my go-to list of stuff to bring with you to the grill.

  • Baking sheet with seasoned/prepped raw meat
  • Clean baking sheet for cooked meat
  • Metal tongs
  • Oven mit
  • Reusable plastic plates, cups, and utensils
  • Cloth napkins or paper towels
  • Large reusable water bottle {filled}
  • Condiments {ketchup, mustard, mayo, bbq sauce, steak sauce}
  • Seasoning {if needed}
  • Steak knife {if needed}
  • Spray oil {if needed}

A new trick I tested out and will always take the time to do in the future is making small slices across each hot dog {see above}. The tiny slices not only create dozens of crispy edges and spaces for condiments to fill, but they make for a picture perfect hot dog {see below}.

 

And something else I will definitely do when grilling hot dogs in the future is purchase quality hot dog buns. I’ve never paid much attention to hot dog buns {gasp!} and have typically purchased what seemed like the only hot dog bun available. But after trying Whole Foods Market 365’s Euro Classic Brioche Hot Dog Buns, I’m a believer that a hot dog bun can make all the difference in the world. I loved how soft and buttery these brioche hot dog buns were. And they were flavorful enough to make a traditional ketchup and mustard hot dog taste extra special.

BBQ Hot Dog

Grilled Hot Dog

Warmed Euro Classic Hot Dog Bun

Your Favorite Coleslaw

Whole Foods Market 365 BBQ Sauce

Directions: Place hot dog in hot dog bun, top with coleslaw, and drizzle with bbq sauce.

 

BLT Hot Dog

Hot Dog

Slice of Bacon

Warmed Euro Classic Brioche Hot Dog Bun

Green Leaf Lettuce

Chopped Tomato

Whole Foods Market 365 Mayonnaise

Directions: Wrap uncooked hot dog with slice of bacon, securing at each end with a toothpick {bacon will shrink}. Grill until bacon is cooked through. Place hot dog in green leaf lettuce and then place both into the warmed bun. Top with chopped tomatoes and drizzle with mayonnaise.

Once again, I was super impressed with how many Whole Foods Market 365 brand items were available and how affordable they were. It’s been a year since the Cedar Park store opened and it’s still super clean, super tidy, and a super pleasant shopping experience. And for those of you that haven’t been, the Whole Foods Market 365 in Cedar Park collaborates with local companies like Juiceland {cold pressed juice to order}, Easy Tiger {freshly baked breads}, and Snap Kitchen {healthy eats to go}. I highly recommend checking this store out!

This Memorial Day hot dog post is sponsored by Whole Foods Market 365.

 

Patio Gardening With Harvest Organics

by 1 Comment

This patio gardening post is sponsored by Harvest Organics in an effort to reduce waste and replenish the earth by creating gardening products that are better for plants, pets, people, and the planet!

When we moved into a new apartment with a patio last summer, I was determined to be a plant lady. I bought a couple planters, a couple plants, and learned a couple dozen lessons along the way. Fast forward to today and I have a bustling patio garden filled with herbs, vegetables, and flowers. Listed below are my six biggest tips for starting and maintaining a patio garden of your own.

  1. Shopping – Stick to the areas of the store that are most similar to where you’re going to be keeping your plants. Is your patio fairly shaded? Look for the section in the outdoor gardening department that has similar shade conditions. Does your patio get pounded with direct light? Look at the plants that the store keeps outside with no cover {typically by the entrance}.

2. Water – Watch your plants and understand the surface of your patio as well as the material of the planter. I couldn’t understand why my plant leaves looked so sad. After all, I was watering them per the instructions. What I failed to figure was that concrete reflects a lot of heat and clay planters leak a lot of water. If your plants look dry or wilted, listen to them and water more frequently.

3. Sun – Too much sun can be a bad thing {even for plants that require “full sun”}. If you’re watering your plants enough and they’re still getting crispy, get creative about ways to provide plants with relief. I keep my herbs behind a stone wall most of the time and let them hang out on the top of the wall on weekends when I can closely monitor. You can also place sensitive plants next to or behind a larger, leafier plant.

 

4. Soil – Use a good quality soil. You know that saying, “you are what you eat.”? Well that applies to plants, too {especially edible plants}! A good quality soil like Harvest Organics Potting Mix  provides your plants with a ton of nutrients to keep your plants thriving, Harvest is also the largest processor of yard and food waste in North America, Harvest manages to keep nearly 2,000,000 tons of waste from ending up in landfills.

 

5. Food – It’s so rewarding to grow your own food, especially your own organic food. I suggest starting with herbs {like basil, mint, and cilantro} and tomatoes as they’re super easy to keep alive. This year, I’ve added four varieties of peppers, okra, and eggplant. Even if the food plants don’t take off, they’re still a beautiful addition to your patio. In addition to being rewarding, growing your own food cuts down on direct waste {plastic tags, ties, stickers, and bags} and indirect waste {fuel for transporting food to the grocery store and for transporting you to the grocery store}.

#TheHarvestEffect is the idea that the food that you throw away today could become the dirt that you produce tomorrow; or can help power your community and by fueling your family with an everlasting cycle of goodness and renewal.

6. Design – With plants, it’s true that more is more. Flowers and plants look so stunning in a cluster. But it’s easy to spend a fortune on planters. I highly recommend spending money on a couple planters that you love and supplementing with terracotta planters. The non-terracotta planters below range from $12 to $40, while the terracotta planters range from $2 to $4. Terracotta planters are also safer for growing food since they are made from natural materials.

By using Harvest Organics products, consumers become part of the Harvest Effect TM, a movement to reduce waste and replenish the earth. Grow something amazing with Harvest Organics potting mix! Harvest provides educational tips/tools to encourage their consumers to live a cleaner and greener lives.

Don’t just garden – Harvest!

This patio gardening post is sponsored by Harvest Organics in an effort to reduce waste and replenish the earth.

Scalloped Potatoes & Turnips With Gruyére

by Leave a Comment

Oh Thanksgiving! Or as I like to call it, casserole season!

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday for many reasons. It’s the first of the major family holidays I grew up celebrating. It’s paired with a long holiday weekend. And it’s filled with so many bites {and I love bites}.

I’ve never been a huge turkey eater. But I’m also extremely attached to the way my family did Thanksgiving, especially now that I don’t make the trip back to Florida anymore. So that means, I always cook a turkey. And it also means that I cook very similar sides that are made from real food ingredients. While not everyone in my family is on the healthy eating train, everyone is headstrong about cooking with real butter, real milk, real cheese, and fresh vegetables.

And because, all year long, I’m a fan of sneaking vegetables into ordinary dishes, I created a whole food, sneaky veggie casserole that’ll leave you feeling totally satisfied this casserole season: Scalloped Potatoes & Turnips with Gruyere {scroll down for recipe}.

If you’re new to cooking with turnips, there are a few things you should know. Most importantly, turnips are different than potatoes nutritionally. Turnips contain over three times as much Vitamin C, one third as many calories, and one third as many carbohydrates as white potatoes. Texturally, they aren’t as soft as potatoes, which can be great in certain recipes because they don’t fall apart. And flavor wise, they get a little sweetness when cooked. Ultimately, I don’t recommend completely swapping potatoes for turnips unless you’re a seasoned turnip lover. But I completely recommend swapping portions of potato recipes to increase the spectrum of vitamins you’re consuming as well as lower the calories and carbohydrates of your dish without sacrificing the use of real butter, real milk, and real cheese.

I was able to purchase all of the ingredients for this recipe at the new Whole Foods Market 365 store in Cedar Park, which is a huge plus especially during the busy holiday shopping season. I get super frustrated when I have to go to a separate store to find items and it was a huge relief to see that turnips and chives were both available in the Whole Foods Market 365 produce department.

The prices at Whole Foods Market 365 were also noticeably cheaper. I was able to purchase every ingredient for this recipe, and mostly organic products, for $20.80. Had there already been flour in my pantry and milk in my refrigerator, the I would have only spent $15.42, which is quite the steal for a casserole made with quality ingredients.

And lastly, I really loved the feel of the Whole Foods Market 365 store. It was clean and orderly beyond belief. The produce department was top notch. For almost every grocery item I purchased, there was a store brand available. And!! Oh, and this is the best part. The Whole Foods Market 365 store in Cedar Park collaborates with local companies like Juiceland {cold pressed juice to order}, Easy Tiger {freshly baked breads}, and Snap Kitchen {healthy eats to go}. Overall, shopping at this store was as pleasant as it gets. I’ll definitely be making the trip to the Whole Foods Market 365 Cedar Park store {20 minute drive} as often as I can to load up on 365 products.