Have YOU ever wondered how to make bruschetta? Once you have ate it I promise you will. The very pleasant surprise is with a few very common ingredients you can have a delicious appetizer or snack in just minutes! For this recipe I added avocado to the standard recipe to add a healthy fat that is delicious and also filling.

You might be thinking (if you have not ate bruchetta yet), “What is bruschetta?” I will answer your question!

What is bruschetta? The dictionary description states that bruschetta is toasted Italian bread drenched in olive oil and served typically with garlic or tomatoes.

This recipe is SO much more check it out!

Avocado Bruschetta with Basil

2 cups of chopped tomatoes
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
6-8 basil leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 lemon juice
1/3 cup onion
1/2 avocado diced
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
1-2 Tbsp of balsamic to drizzle

Here is how to make it:

1. Chop your onions, tomato and avocado.
2. Place the avocado aside.
3. Add the onions and tomatoes to a cooking pan on low heat and toss
with olive oil.
4. Cook and toss with salt , pepper, basal mic and lemon juice for
about
5 minutes.
5. Remove from heat.
6. Toss diced avocado and fresh basil leaves
7. Serve on French bread and top with a pinch of Parmesan and more balsamic if you prefer.

Print

Avocado Bruschetta

A delicious twist on a classic appetizer.

Ingredients

• 2 cups chopped tomatoes
  
  
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  
  
• 6-8 basil leaves
  
• 1/2 tsp salt
  
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
  
• 1/2 lemon juice
  
• 1/3 cup cup onion
  
• 1/2 avocado diced
  
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
  
• 1-2 Tbsp balsamic to drizzle

Instructions

• Chop your onions, tomato and avocado.
  
  
• Place the avocado aside.
  
  
• Add the onions and tomatoes to a cooking pan on low heat and toss
  with olive oil.
  
• Cook and toss with salt , pepper, basal mic and lemon juice for
  about 5 minutes.
  
• Remove from heat.
  
• Toss diced avocado and fresh basil leaves
  
• Serve on French bread and top with a pinch of Parmesan and more balsamic if you prefer.

This bruschetta recipe is such a favorite of mine. I hope you enjoy it! Dovidenia. XO

If you liked this recipe you may enjoy these other delicious appetizer/snack  recipes:

Simple Homemade Hummus

Vegetable Dill Dip

Spiced Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip

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This dip is great with fruit, cookies, crackers and pretzels. You can even mix in some nuts or mini chocolate chips or switch out the peanut butter with different nut butter if you want. Have fun experimenting!

Ingredients:

– ½ cup Greek Yogurt

– 2 tbsp Peanut Butter (I use creamy but it would be delicious with a little crunch too)

– 1 tbsp honey (you can substitute agave nectar or maple syrup)

– ¼ tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

– Fruit, crackers, cookies, pretzels, etc. for dipping

Directions:

1) Mix together Greek yogurt, peanut butter, honey and pumpkin pie spice until smooth

2) Enjoy with your favorite dippers!

There you have it, a delicious snack that is simple and healthy. I hope you enjoy my spiced peanut butter yogurt dip as much as I do!

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It’s been a long school year and now it’s time to enjoy summer! The busyness of the year slows and makes way for sharing delicious meals and more quality time together with the family. See how you can use Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning to add flavor and enhance simple recipes your family will love this season! We will share our favorite simple ranch seasoned popcorn.

Have you ever used Hidden valley Ranch Seasoning Shaker? It is such an awesome tool to transform simple recipes into something delicious in minutes! You can use it to spice up tacos, chicken, appetizers such as wings and snacks such as this popcorn or pretzels.

What I love about this product is it’s easy and convenient and tastes good on about anything! We have enjoyed it on chicken, pretzels and now popcorn! 

All you need to do to spruce up a bowl of popcorn is to toss it lightly with butter then use your Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning to add flavor to your liking.

Week night meals are made easier by simply adding this delicious ranch flavor. You could add this to mashed or baked potatoes, meat entrees, appetizers and snacks and SO much more! I hope you enjoy this simple snack with your family! Dovidenia. XO

If you like this snack inspiration you may also like the meals and snack ideas below:

How to Make Week Night Recipes Simple

Baked Ranch Pretzels

The post Ranch Seasoned Popcorn appeared first on Simple Acres Blog.

It’s been a long day of work and now it’s JUST begun! The busyness of kids, hungry tummy’s, homework to be done, sports to be practiced and SO much more! Simplifying week night meal time is essential! See how you can use Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning to add flavor and enhance simple recipes your family will love!

Have you ever used Hidden valley Ranch Seasoning Shaker? It is such an awesome tool to transform simple recipes into something delicious even your kids will ask for!You can use it to spice up tacos, chicken, appetizers such as wings and snacks such as popcorn or pretzels.

What I love about this product is it’s easy and convenient-you need NO other seasonings, you can add it to old common recipes to transform them into something new and reduces stress around meal time especially on busy week nights.

We tried a few recipes from Hidden Valley Ranch’s recipe resources of their website. We found the Baked Ranch Chicken and the Ranch Pretzels SO good and these recipes took me minutes!

Week night meals are made easier by simply adding this delicious ranch flavor. You could add this to mashed or baked potatoes, meat entrees and SO much more! How could you simplify your meals with this tip?

Try the Baked Ranch Chicken and Ranch Pretzel recipes and let me know what you think. Learn more about Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning Shaker and find even more recipes here! Dovidenia. XO

The post How to Make Week Night Recipes Simple appeared first on Simple Acres Blog.

All you need is three ingredients and 30 minutes to make these baked flavored pretzels. I personally loved these and so did my kids! They made for perfect snacks to throw in baggies to take for the kids to snack on at weekend sports games. You could add nuts and chex cereal to make your own ranch flavored chex mix as well with this recipe.

Ingredients for Baked Ranch Pretzels:

• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 bag of pretzels
• 3-5 teaspoons of powdered ranch seasoning

How to whip up this quick snack:

1. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Melt your butter on the stove in a pan or in the microwave for 15-30 seconds.
3. Place pretzels in a bowl, drizzle butter over pretzels and add seasoning and toss.
4. Bake the coated pretzels  for 30 minutes total, shifting them on the lined baking sheet every 15 minutes for an even crisp.

Here is a printable version of this recipe:

I hope your family enjoys this quick and yummy snack! Catch the process video below and follow along on utube for more videos to come! Dovidenia. XO

Another snack idea you may enjoy is below:

11 Delicious Low Carb Snacks

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Charcuterie Boards are all the rage in entertaining and and serving food with its beautiful presentation and simplicity with delicious foods at your fingertips (literally). Whether it is a holiday, birthday, game day or just because meat and cheese boards are a great way to eat and entertain all at the same time! Let’s dig into how to make the perfect game day charcuterie board.

What is a Charcuterie Board?

• Also known as an appetizer tray, cheese and meat board, meat and cheese plate.
• Consists of a variety of meats and cheeses, fruits, nuts and sliced baguettes and dipping sauces or crackers. Charcuterie boards can really be full of any foods you enjoy although there is generally a mix of tastes, textures, salty and sweet.

(ingredients not put on the board)

How to Make the Perfect Game Day Charcuterie Board:

• Original Flavored Wings, Kickin’ BBQ Flavored Chicken Wings, and Buffalo Flavored Chicken Wings
• Savory dressings and sauces for dipping such as ranch and additional Frank’s RedHot sauce which is the original buffalo sauce
• Varieties of cheese from smoked cheddars to swiss and pepperjack
• Fresh vegetables such as cut bell peppers, carrots and celery
• Fresh fruits such as mandarin oranges, grapes, kiwi or berries
• Salted and seasoned nuts
• Fresh sliced breads, crackers and spreads

1. Bake your wings per the container.
2. Cut all your fresh produce as needed.
3. Place all dipping sauces and nuts in separate dishes.
4. Place all food items on a tray in a visually appealing way.

To find these new Frank’s RedHot wings in Original flavor, Buffalo flavor, and Kickin’ BBQ flavor head to Walmart in the freezer section in the snack and appetizer aisle. You can find Frank’s RedHot sauces in the aisle where all dressings are found.

We love enjoying our favorite Frank’s RedHot chicken wings along with our sweet, salty and savory spread! We hope you will enjoy this perfect game day charcuterie board as well! Dovidenia. Over and out! XO

Here is another yummy appetizer recipe you may enjoy!

Delicious and Simple Spinach Dip

The post How to Make the Perfect Game Day Charcuterie Board appeared first on Simple Acres Blog.

*This article contains affiliate links.

Before we get started let’s make sure we have all the essentials to MAKE these delicious smoothies!

What you NEED to make healthy smoothie recipes:

• A blender. I love our magic bullet because it is small but simple and efficient to use.
• Straws. Whether you like colorful fun straws to get your kids more excited to drink healthy smoothies, earth friendly biodegradable straws or metal reusable straws are essential to enjoying your beverage.
• The perfect smoothie cup.

Why do smoothies simplify healthier eating habits?

1. They help you get several servings of fruits and vegetables in a few drinkable cups.
2. They are quick and easy to make.
3. If a protein source such as milk, yogurt, nut butters or protein powders are used they can easily serve as a meal replacement.

Here are some healthy smoothie recipes to get you on a great track to healthier habits SIMPLY!

The Winter Smoothie by Lorie’s Mississippi Kitchen
Cardamom Pear Smoothie by Blissful Basil
Persimmon Banana Breakfast Smoothie by Happy Foods Tube
Cranberry Smoothie by Veggie Inspired
Creamy Clementine Smoothie by Eating Bird Food
Fig and Almond Butter Smoothie by Kitchen Confididante

Superfood Chocolate Mint Smoothie by Delicious Obsessions
Beet Pomegranate Smoothie by Joy Food Sunshine
Ginger Oatmeal Green Smoothie by Snixy Kitchen
Kale Mango Pineapple Smoothie by Savory Tooth
Blueberry Pomegranate Smoothie by Two Peas And Their Pod
Apple Cinnamon Protein Smoothie by Zesty Olive

Orange, Ginger & Turmeric Smoothie by Running In A Skirt
Healthy Pumpkin Smoothie Recipe by The Forked Spoon
Easy Acai Smoothie by Detoxinista
Carrot Berry Smoothie by The Petite Cook

Persimmon Vanilla Bean Smoothie by Running To The Kitchen
Cranberry Beet Smoothie by The Organic Dietitian
Healthy Chocolate Smoothie by A Virtual Vegan
5 Ingredient Detox Smoothie by Minimalist Baker

Healthy smoothie recipes have helped me get the vitamins and antioxidants I need not only in my own body but in my picky kids bodies! I hope this list of recipes helps you to make lifestyle changes that help YOU to be the healthiest YOU! Dovidenia. Over and out! XO

Here is one more smoothie you will love:

Health Smoothie

The post 20 Deliciously Healthy Smoothie Recipes Essential for a Healthy Life appeared first on Simple Acres Blog.

Through the years of blogging, cooking and honing my cooking skills I have come to a play of joy in the simple and satisfying ways to create a delicious recipe. Today I am sharing a recipe you can throw together in minutes yet will result in a very impressive appetizer or snack! My Raspberry Citrus Brie Roll is a recipe for any skill level and will be enjoyed by all.

A goal of mine to serve YOU is to share more and more recipes that are simple, affordable and delicious so you can see that home cooking IS doable for your family! There is such reward in making something others enjoy! Also the savings that comes with cooking at home is very rewarding to the family budget. This recipe uses Joan of Arc cheese which just makes it SO delicious. You can also see my Raspberry and Brie Puff Pastry as well which is similar but with a different breading and presentation but equally delicious!

All you need to make this recipe:

• Joan of Arc Brie
• Croissant dough
• Raspberry preserves
• Orange slices
• Sugar

This is how you make it! Just spread the preserves on your rolled out dough. Add slices of the cheese onto the jam and then roll up the dough with the jam and cheese inside until you have a roll.

Squeeze a small amount of your orange over he roll just enough so that as you sprinkle your sugar on top it sticks.

Put your roll in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for about 20 minutes. Check regularly as your timing may vary slightly. You want your roll nice and browned. Let your Raspberry Citrus Brie Roll cool about 10 minutes before cutting to serve.

This is such a simple recipe that can be enjoyed at brunch, for dessert or even as a snack or an appetizer at a holiday celebration! I hope you enjoy it like our family does. Dovidenia. XO

The post Raspberry Citrus Brie Roll appeared first on Simple Acres Blog.

Halloween season has always been one of my favorites times as a kid. I loved all of the festivities from getting creative and dressing up to the candy and the fun of trick-or-treating. I am excited to create those fun memories with my kids now! One way to add fun to this season is with simple and quick Halloween appetizers perfect for entertaining or just for fun!

I never have liked the spooky part of Halloween but I definitely love the cutesy part! The cute jack-o’-lanterns, the fun food, costumes,time spent with loved ones just enjoying quality time together. I’ve been wanting to make some fun recipes for my kids for a long time.

I recently experimented with a few ideas that became my simple and easy Halloween appetizer menu I will be making for my kids! I thought you may love them too as they include products you may already have in your kitchen.

I got the honor to collaborate with State Fair® Corn Dogs , Tyson® Chicken Nuggets  and Hillshire Farm® Lit’l Smokies  products and I am excited to show you a few simple Halloween recipe inspirations using their products! We enjoyed our trip to Walmart where we found all that we needed in the center refrigerator section near the meat department and in the meat department itself.

Simple and Quick Halloween Appetizers

Recipe 1: Mummy Corndogs

Just bake your corndogs at 350 degrees for 10 minutes then remove from the oven. Place strips of croissant product around your corndogs to create a mummy look. Bake fro 8-10 more minutes. You can use small dots of sour cream to attach sugar eyeballs onto your mummies. Enjoy with ketchup and mustard.

Recipe 2: Chicken Nugget Graveyard Cups

For this recipe, you use chicken nuggets, black beans and green beans to make a fun graveyard. You do this by layering everything in a clear plastic cups with black beans as the “dirt”, green beans for the “grass” and the baked chicken nuggets as “tombstones”. Just warm your varied beans and bake your chicken nuggets per package. You can use sour cream piping to write RIP on your chicken nuggets and place them in your cup just like a tombstone in a cemetery.

Recipe 3: Witch Fingers

For this recipe you use Hillshire Farm® Lit’l Smokies . You can cook them up however you would like whether you microwave them, cook them in a slow cooker in some sauce or bake them. Once they are cooked, you make a little cut with a knife at the front end of your little smoky and slide a slivered almond inside. This gives the appearance that creates your little witch fingers. Squeeze some ketchup on them and that adds a little bit of a spooky touch to an easy appetizer dish.

These simple and quick Halloween appetizers can be used on Halloween day, when you’re hosting a party or just for fun.

I hope you find these little Halloween appetizer recipe inspirations fun! They’re so simple and easy to whip up you can be the life of the party and even impress your kids. Happy Halloween and I hope you all have a safe and fun season! Dovidenia. XO

The post Simple and Easy Halloween Appetizers appeared first on Simple Acres Blog.

Who loves to snack or finds the need to snack daily? That question should cover everyone from the person that enjoys nibbling to the person on the go constantly that feels the nudge of hunger for a small bite during their busy day. As a busy mom, entrepreneur and Registered Dietitian I can attest to the immense value in healthy snacking. Today I want to inspire you to snack with your health in mind and try these 11 delicious low carb snacks in your lifestyle.

A low carb diet can be beneficial for many from those with clinical conditions such as Diabetes, to those trying to maintain a healthy weight to those following the Keto diet. Lower carb snacks are great for the whole family because it encourages getting more protein, healthy fats and plant based foods that many people often lack in their diet.

I was excited to partner with Pearls Olives!® for this post because, well, olives is quite frankly one of our favorites in our house. I still love eating them on my fingers like when I was a kid and,of course, my little ones have fun and follow along. You can find your  Pearls Olives to Go!®  on Amazon or you can use the brand’s store locator for other retailers near you!

11 Delicious Low Carb Snacks

1. Mixed nuts and seeds
2. Carrot sticks with 2 Tbsp of hummus
3. Cucumber slices with ranch
4. Pickles
5. Low fat string cheese
6. Lean beef jerky
7. Hard boiled eggs
8. Cottage cheese
9. Natural peanut butter and celery
10. 5-6 tortilla chips and 2 Tbsp gaucamole
11. Olives; We loved our Italian Herb and Sriracha flavored varieties!

Simple snacks that honor your health by being lower in carbs can increase your protein intake, encourage healthy fats from plant sourced proteins such as nuts and will naturally increase your vegetable intake which in turn boosts your antioxidant intake as well. Low carb snacks are a win-win for everyone!

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