Today's second recipe is a hearty toast with roasted tomatoes and pesto that I make for a quick lunch or snack. From start to finish, it takes less than 10 minutes, and you have something warm, satisfying, and fresh. Actually, I think it looks pretty gourmet if you ask me, so you can even make it for a party appetizer as well!
Also, you may have come over from my California Fresh Avocado Toast recipe that I eat for breakfast. Basically, every meal can be made on toast, don't you think? ;)
Once again, I used one of my favorite San Luis Sourdough® Bread varieties because it is perfect to top with all the different ingredients and still hold up! Their Sourdough Cracked Wheat Sliced Bread has the perfect flavor to go with all the pesto, tomatoes, and delicious seasonings!
Now are we ready for the recipe? Scroll down for more!
Roasted Tomato & Pesto Toast
A Vintage Zest original recipe
I love being in California where so many food trends get their start before making a splash on the rest of the world! Just to name a few, there are the gourmet food trucks, juicing, and (my current favorite) avocado toast. :) Today for you, I decided to put together one of my fave easy, fresh, and tasty dishes. It is totally a copycat from a popular local deli here, so now all of you out there can enjoy it!
This California Fresh Avocado Toast is super simple and delicious for either breakfast or snack, and I think it is pretty gorgeous if you ask me! It's so simple, it takes about 15 seconds with TV magic... See the video here or below! :)
Speaking of California, I used one of theSan Luis Sourdough® Bread varieties because they have been a California favorite since 1983. Totally delish! In particular, I used the Sourdough Cracked Wheat Sliced Bread to build my creation on, because it is hearty and the texture is absolutely perfect to withstand all the avocado-y goodness.
Are you ready to get the recipe? Let's go!
California Fresh Avocado Toast
A Vintage Zest original recipe
Ingredients
2 slices of San Luis Sourdough Cracked Wheat Sliced Bread
1 avocado
5 - 6 grape tomatoes, sliced in half
2 Tbsp. crumbled goat cheese
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp. Watercress or arugula
Drizzle, balsamic vinegar
Directions
1. Toast bread to desired toastiness!
2. Top each slice with an avocado half and smash with a fork.
3. Top with grape tomatoes, then goat cheese, salt and pepper to taste, and a few leaves of watercress.
4. Finish with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
And that's it! Like I said, it is really simple and the results are beautiful! I even whipped up a second toast more hearty toast with roasted tomatoes and pesto at the same time (get that recipe here), and the whole thing took me less than 10 minutes.
In fact, take a look at how quick everything comes together with this mini video I put together. :) Easy peasy, right?
Just remember to pick up the Sourdough Cracked Wheat Sliced Bread for that authentic sourdough flavor, and crisp, bubbly crust. I love the Sheepherder's Bread as well, which is much softer and absolutely delicious for so many other recipes! Recently, a number of San Luis Sourdough Bread varieties were officially Non-GMO Project Verified*, so you know that you are getting the best quality product out there. :)
I absolutely love this recipe and I hope you do too. Let me know what you think!
Happy toasting!
*What does it mean to be Non-GMO Project Verified?
The Non-GMO Project offers North America’s only independent verification for products made according to rigorous best practices for GMO avoidance. For more information, visit the Non-GMO Project website: http://www.nongmoproject.org/
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by San Luis Sourdough. All opinions are mine alone.
For the past two weeks, I shared two of my favorite savory snacks with you that I like to make in my dehydrator: Spicy Turnip Chips & Homemade Kale Chips. Today, I have my favorite sweet snack! You might be thinking... raisins? Really? The little dried out things that come in tiny boxes for my kids?
Yes!
Freshly made raisins are ridiculously delicious and so simple too! They are juicy and tender, and the dehydrating process really brings out the natural sweetness of the grapes. Once again, there is very little preparation and hands-on time to make a huge amount of snacks.
I like to buy grapes on sale and make several batches because they keep so well. Even better, I like to experiment with all kinds of grapes: red, green, black, white, and champagne. They're all different and amazing, so you can find your favorite version. Let's get to it!
Homemade Raisins
Adapted from my dehydrator product manual
I am officially addicted to my dehydrator! After last week's Homemade Kale Chips, I thought you might like this equally easy, delicious, and healthy snack: Spicy Turnip Chips!
Seriously, I am in love with this snack and it is even quicker and easier to prep than the kale chips. Not only that, but one huge turnip made a ton of chips but it cost less than a dollar. Yes, it's budget-friendly too!
Now for the taste. For me, raw turnips are like a cross between a radish, potato, and jicama in both texture and flavor. They are naturally a bit spicy, so you need just a few items to complement the flavor. Once you dehydrate the turnips, first of all, they look absolutely gorgeous, and the flavor becomes concentrated and absolutely addicting. They are just a little different than your ordinary potato chip, and you'll definitely thank me later!
“I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council. I received a stipend to facilitate my purchase for my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation.”
As you might know, I will be winging my way across the globe to the Philippines & Australia today!
What does this have to do with a recipe post? Well, two reasons:
I wanted to share one of my fave quick snacks with you, which I will be taking on the airplane
I have been eating these little tidbits non-stop since I will be hitting the beach on my vacay!
Since booking my trip a few months ago, I was determined to make some healthy changes. Since blueberries are an easy way to add a healthy twist to meals, I have been devouring this snack, which I would love to share with you! Also, check out the sweepstakes info after the recipe for a chance to win one of four $500 Whole Foods or Lululemon gift cards!
This snack requires just three simple ingredients, and even though it is winter, you might think that blueberries are not available... Wrong!
Even though you might think of blueberries as purely a summertime fruit, hanks to our friends in South America, blueberries are in season all year-round! That's how I found those juicy, plump blueberries in the supermarket above!
Now to the "recipe"!
Blueberry & Peanut Butter "Mini Toasts"
A Vintage Zest original
Today, I am coming to you with one of my favorite snacks! I adore bruschetta, crostini, and anything on a mini toast, but this is a sweeter take on the typical flavors that you may be used to. This "recipe" is super quick, easy, and it actually makes a great little party appetizer as well!
You only need a few ingredients, which may be a little on the unusual side, but they are readily available at most large grocery stores. In fact tracking down the ingredients may be the hardest part of the entire recipe, because the prep and clean-up take about 5 minutes total. Not bad for something that tastes so fancy!
Raisin Bread Toasts with Braided String Cheese & Honey
A Vintage Zest original recipe
Disclosure: I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and their client.
Last week, I shared a sweet snack that I like to make for my niece, and this week I would love to share our favorite savory snack! It is quick, simple, kid-friendly, and delicious with the help of my secret ingredient...Philadelphia Cream Cheese Spread! I also love the fresh ingredients they use in their flavors, including the one I use in this snack: Garden Vegetable. Not only do I use this as an every day snack, I use it as a quick appetizer for when company comes over because it is tasty and pretty!
I love this snack for a few reasons not only because it is super easy and delicious, but it is nutritious and has 3 food groups: whole grains, vegetables, and dairy. Check, check, check! Also, because Kraft Philly cream cheese comes in different flavors, you can switch them out to try lots of different combinations. Let's get snacking!
First of all, when I head to Walmart, I find the different flavors in the Dairy aisle in the cream cheese. This time I picked up the Garden Vegetable variety, which is one of my favorite flavors! Look out for a few of my other favorites, including Chive & Onion, Blueberry, and Strawberry all made with wholesome ingredients.
Quick Cream Cheese & Cucumber Crackers
A Vintage Zest original
Are you ready for easiest "recipe" ever? I make this little nuggets all the time for my niece and I thought it would be a fun little snack idea that we like to share. I used to work at a children's clinic that focused on healthy eating choices and exercise, so all day long I was talking about food! You can see how this might be a problem for a foodie like me. :)
Anyways, we would frequently need to suggest quick, healthy, kid-friendly breakfasts and snacks because that was a popular parent question. One of the favorites was 100% whole wheat toast topped with peanut butter and banana. Fast, simple, and filling. :) In fact, it became one of my "go-to breakfasts" on busy mornings!
However, nowadays I do not buy sliced bread as much (my carb of choice is pasta), but I missed my old favorite. Then, I came up with a cute idea that is a good snack for kids and adults alike. Here are my Simple Peanut Butter Banana Bites!
Are you ready for the hardest recipe ever? Just kidding! It is super simple, but check out my secret ingredient below. :)
Simple Peanut Butter Banana Bites
A Vintage Zest original
Typically, I buy my groceries with a list in hand of all of the ingredients I'll need for that week's recipes. It's a habit I picked up when I used to live alone and cooked for just myself because I hate throwing food away! However, when there's a super great deal or if someone gives me some of their fruit tree bummer crop, I end up with extras. Not bad if I'm at home, but not good if I'm headed on a trip!
If I have leftovers from my cooked meals, which rarely happens, I'll freeze them However, for the produce that I didn't plan on buying, sometimes I have to put together a quick recipe. These are a couple of recipes that I usually dig out of my arsenal for quick pre-trip recipes.
I bought a really cheap radish with the intention of making one of my favorite Korean dishes. However, it was right before my Vegas trip. The solution was to go ahead and pickle it anyways! I like making pickled Japanese cucumbers, and you can pretty much pickle anything and it will keep for a while, depending on your method. This works for tomatoes, beets, peppers, etc. Just look at this pickle appetizer I got from UMAMIcatessen!
This is the recipe I followed for my pickled radish, which is now definitely one of my favorites! I didn't quite finish my cucumbers that I bought for snacking, so I pickled those too! Feel free to change the amounts to your liking. :)
