Avocado Veggie Dip

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With two little ones to run after all day I don't get much time to sit down to a formal meal. That said, my snacking game is very important and I don't always choose the best options. While experimenting in the kitchen one afternoon I created a VERY simple vegetable dip that has since elevated my snacking game. Creating this veggie dip has now become part of my Sunday night routine as I chop my vegetables and fruits for the week. 

For this simple recipe, you will need:

• Juice of 2 small limes, or 1 large lime 
• 1 large Hass avocado. Save the pit to help extend the life of the avocado. 
• 1/3 cup of greek yogurt
• 2 Tbsp of olive oil

Place all ingredients in your favorite food processor or blender. 

Blend all ingredients until they are incorporated together. And that is it! Didn't I say it was easy?

Depending on the ripeness of the avocado you may need to add more lime, olive oil, or greek yogurt. Your preference, but I like to finish with a pinch of pink salt and cracked pepper. 

I store the dip in an air-tight container in my refrigerator for up to 3 days with the avocado pit. I love this recipe, because it adds variety to my vegetables and the protein helps keep me full longer. 

I enjoy pairing this dip with red bell peppers (the sweetness and crispness are a nice contrast), and cucumbers. As you can see from my instagram feed, thecountrypeony, my one-year-old daughter also loves this dip. Now if only I could get my three-year-old son on board. 

I hope you find that this dip helps to elevate your snacking game. 

Kale Chips

Thank you for visiting. I now have a new home at www.countrypeony.com. I hope you will find me there. 

With a busy schedule, unfortunately, convenience sometimes outranks healthy as a factor in my food choices. So when I come across foods that are convenient, tasty, and healthy; I leap for joy. This kale recipe does not disappoint.

For this baked kale recipe you will need: a handful of kale, salt, pepper, olive oil, salad spinner (optional), knife, cutting board, mixing bowl, aluminum foil, and a baking sheet.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

You start off by cleaning the kale with water (kale leaves have great hiding spaces for dirt). From here, you need to ensure your kale is as dry as you can get it. I recommend using a salad spinner to get all of the extra water off (kale leaves also have great hiding spaces for water). If you don’t have a salad spinner you can dry the kale leaves with a paper towel.

Salad Spinner

From here, I like to cut off the excess vein from the bottom, and then I devein the leaves. From here you will cut the kale into smaller, bite-size pieces.

Deveining Kale

Now you will take the kale and place it in your mixing bowl. Add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. It is best to use your hands as you mix the kale, oil, salt, and pepper. You can always add more ingredients to taste. You can also get adventurous and add an herb like rosemary, or a hot factor like red pepper flakes.

Once you have your set combination of ingredients all mixed together, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (for easy clean up). Take your kale mixture and spread it across the lined baking sheet. Make sure that you have a single layer of kale on the sheet (you can always use more baking sheets if you need to). The single layer ensures a crispy chip.

 Place the kale in the 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes. When the kale is ready the edges will be a darker green, and the texture will be crispy. You can always add a couple of more minutes to the timer if you want extra crispy chips (but make sure that you don’t burn your kale).

And voilà! You have a very healthy and easy option to snacking. Enjoy!

Krispy Kale Chips