Hi Friends!
We’re kicking off a BIG WEEK over here today! On August 25th, The Bean turns 2. I cannot believe i’ve been blogging for 2 years. Where did the time go?! And what did I DO with my time before I started blogging?
First of all, if you were absent over the weekend, you should check out Bean Bytes #2! CLICK HERE to read it- lots of links to some of the best posts I read last week and some random life pictures.
Anyways, I know that a lot of you are fairly new readers, so I thought it would be fun to go back through all my old posts and round up some of the best posts you’ll find on my blog. It turned out not to be so fun for me…it took forever and my computer was a major pain…BUT i did it! And I really hope you guys will enjoy the roundups. I organized all favorite posts into categories and I’m going to spread them out over this week so I don’t overwhelm you!
Today we’re starting off with appetizers, soups and salads, side dishes, breakfasts and snacks!
Appetizers
Veggie Rollups
Pepperoni Pizza Puffs
Curried Sweet Potato & Red Pepper Dip
Spicy Salmon Cornmeal Cakes
Goat Cheese & Cranberry Stuffed Mushrooms
Sweet Potato & Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Chunky Greek Hummus Plate
Sweet & Spicy Strawberry Peach Guacamole
Spicy Feta Dip
Black Bean Guacamole
Sweet Potato Puffs
Roasted Cherry Goat Cheese
Soups/Salads
Salmon Corn Chowder
Smoked Gouda IPA Soup
Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili
Tandoori Chicken Spinach Salad
Loaded Spinach Salad
Ginger Citrus Avocado Dressing
Salad Topping Ideas
Sides
Grilled Potato Kabobs
Crispy Parmesan Zucchini Fries
Avocado Dipped Sweet Potato Fries
Sweet and Spicy Cucumber Salad
Breakfast
Buckwheat Crepes
Whole Wheat Oatmeal Pancakes
Whole Wheat Banana Crunch Pancakes
Berry Breakfast Quinoa
Snacks
Homemade Wheat Thins
Spicy Garlic Flatbread Crackers
Brown Rice Granola Bars
No-Bake Chocolate PB Oatmeal Balls
Homemade Lara Bites
Sweet & Spicy Roasted Chickpeas
PB & J Bites
Chocolate Dipped Frozen Yogurt Bites
Almond Graham Banana Bites
Dessert Hummus- Three Ways
Crockpot Applesauce
The Evolution of a Smoothie
So there you go! Hope you find something you like! Or maybe something you haven’t seen before 🙂
Now for the fun part! Did I mention there’s a giveaway every day this week?! Just for you guys. Because without you, this blog wouldn’t be possible!
THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!!!
I think we all know I’m a HUGE avocado fan. As a future RD, I know the importance of incorporating healthy fats into my diet so we go through a lot of avocados over here. Do you think you could figure out a way to use up some beautiful California Avocados? Perhaps to try out one of the two guacamole recipes above?!
My friends at Avocados Direct (you can find them on twitter- CLICK HERE and facebook- CLICK HERE) are going to send one lucky winner a California Avocado Gift Pack containing 8 jumbo avocados!
Wanna win?
Just leave a comment below telling me your favorite way to eat or use avocados! That’s it.
For one additional entry, you may tweet the following:
“Enter to win an 8 pack of California avocados from @LeanGrnBeanBlog! Just tell her your favorite way to eat them: https://www.theleangreenbean.com/appetizers-more/”
Then come back and leave another comment telling me you tweeted.
2 entries max per person.
Giveaway is open until Wednesday, August 22, 2012 at 10pm
{Giveaway open to US Residents only}
Winner will be chosen via random.org and will have 48 hours to contact me before another winner is chosen.
Enjoy!
–Lindsay–
LEARN HOW FOOD AFFECTS YOUR BODY.
Get my free Table Talk email series where I share bite-sized nutrition information about carbs, protein, and fat, plus bonus information about snacks and sugar!
Holy cow those all look phenomenal. I’ve got some cooking to do!
Happy 2 years, Lindsay! My favorite way to eat avocados is, well, ANY way haha. But most of all, with fish, like this: dareyouto.blogspot.com/2012/06/tangy-tuna.html . I’m a little obsessed, actually! Going to buy some more tomorrow. 🙂
Tweeted: https://twitter.com/DareYouToBlog/status/237400733941657600
I love love guacamole, but have never made it myself. So would love to try that. Also avocado on burgers is good.
Happy two year! You’ve made some incredibly yummy food in your two years blogging 🙂 my favorite way to eat avocado is in a fresh guacamole !
I eat avocados plain, but I love them on sandwiches and in salads too!
I tweeted!
https://twitter.com/pace_of_laurel/status/237401716591583236
My favorite way feels sinful and simple, slice in half, remove pit. Squeeze some lemon or like juice into each well, grind some salt and pepper over top. Dig in with a spoon.
My favorite way to eat Avocado is really simple: mash it up into guacamole, toss in onion and a little olive oil and dip tortilla chips in it OR spread on toast. YUM!
I tweeted 🙂
SarahLou1976
I love cooking an egg in the hole in a half avocado….delcious!
Umm it all looks good! Avocados are my weakness.. i can destroy a batch of guac or just slice them up with some olive oil,garlic powder, salt and pepper.. amazing!
Wow, those recipes all look great! I love avocado in guacamole and putting it in sandwiches!
I tweeted! https://twitter.com/BitingLife/status/237413098896625664
Had to shorten the URL, though, because it wouldn’t fit. Hope that’s okay!
I put a twist on spring rolls and add avocados to it! So delicious.
Oh wow, thank you for putting this together! It’s great to see some of your recipe recaps… I’m looking forward to your posts this week!
My favorite way to eat avocados would be in salads, sandwiches, and sushi… ESPECIALLY in sushi!
I tweeted! Fingers crossed for the win! Thanks for the chance to win
I love avocados! I like them in salads, on sandwiches and of course guacamole! I love your recipes and can’t wait to try the sweet potato fries with avocado! Happy Anniversary and KEEP blogging!!!!
Thanks for making me drool at 5 a.m.! 😉
I love putting avocado in salads. My kids love it by itself. They each eat a half everyday!
tweeted!
avocado? SPOON TO MOUTH.
🙂
is that wrong?
Thanks for putting together all of the links to your old recipes!
I looooove avocados–they’re one of my favorite treats. I love them with black bean tacos, salads, homemade sushi, guacamole, sandwiches (they make what would be a boring sandwich something that I look forward to eating at lunch)..,I think I’d put avocado on almost anything.
I love mashing avocados up to make a creamy (but healthy!) salad dressing!
Enter to win an 8 pack of California avocados from @LeanGrnBeanBlog! Just tell her your favorite way to eat them: https://www.theleangreenbean.com/appetizers-more/
My family loves avocados and we eat them with salads, or crackers, rice cakes, or just with a spoon!
No better way than as guacamole!
Tweet
https://twitter.com/macdrap50/status/237506213632434176
Congrats on 2 years!!
My favorite way to eat avocados is to replace bacon with mashed avocado on a BLT…so I guess that makes it an ALT. 🙂
I’m drooling over ALL of your awesome photos…I started book marking the recipes, but I’ve decided to pin the entire page!
I LOVE Avocados…usually on burrito/veggies bowls or on omelets. Yum!
I love to fold diced avacado into my eggbeater omelletes.
tweeted!
I love to make guacamole! We eat it at least once a week – just avocados, salsa and lime juice!
I tweeted! http://twitter.com/Got2Run4Me/status/237509674323292161
I love them in a banana-avocado chocolate pudding!
I recently have found that avocados are wonderful with kobucha squash!!
Mmm! Love sliced avocados in my turkey sandwiches!
I love avocados in almost ANYTHING, but my favorite way would have to be fresh, homemade guac or on a BLAT – crispy bacon, fresh tomato, crunchy lettuce, and creamy avocado just make for an amazing sandwich. 🙂
Tweeted! https://twitter.com/cooperla/status/237515511288721410
If I have to pick one, I’d say my favorite way is to put avocados into wraps I eat for lunch all the time. It’s deeeeeeeeelish.
Tweeted too! Thanks so much – love avocados! https://twitter.com/Serene_streams/status/237519487958667264
i would slice them up and use them on an egg sandwich, the creaminess makes it extra delish!
i also tweeted this @tdrape100
ohhh!!! I love avocados! Frankly, my favorite way to enjoy avocado is mushed up on a slice of great bread with tomato. I’ve also been adding avo to my green smoothies which has been delicious! Happy early blogoversary!
I tweeted!! https://twitter.com/cyu888/status/237525266291912705
I like plain avocados on everything! And also in guacamole 🙂
My favorite way to eat avocado is on top of s bun-less burger with goat cheese!
This is going to sound so repetitive, but I LOVE guacamole. I could (and pretty much do) eat it every day. On everything. Yummm
Tweeted @renwasfit
I love adding avocados to my salads! I also really like to have them on turkey sandwiches… mmm so good!
Happy 2 Years!!!
Love this round up – a couple reminders that I wanted to make. To Pinterest I go!
Avocado love! I learned in Hawaii to smash fresh avocado on whole wheat toast and then sprinkle with a pinch of sugar. Super yum.
Nice round up of recipes. Thank you!
My favorite way to eat avocado is mashed onto toast with a little salt and pepper and some nutritional yeast sprinkled on top. One of my coworkers joked that if I was a childrens book character I would be ‘Ananda Avocado’ because I eat them so much! haha
I love avocados in guacamole, salads, sliced on omelettes or just plain. Your avocado recipes look delicious! By the way, I just started reading your blog and now I’m hooked!
I love avocados on my sandwiches..yum!
I am in Canada so I am not entering the contest. But I wanted to say HAPPY BLOGiversary!! And that I favourited this post, but I am obsessed with these recipes!
I’m so excited to try the bunch of recipes I have bookmarked from this post!
Happy Two-Year Anniversary! I may be a new reader but I believe I’m already your biggest fan 🙂
My favorite way to use avocado is to chop it up into a light homemade Cobb salad – there’s just something about the combination of avocado and onion! And I also love to substitute it for mayo on my sandwich – yum!!
I also happily tweeted to share your blog! 🙂
Tweeted: https://twitter.com/GoddessFoodie/status/237530613425504257
Congrats on your blogiversary! Your recipes sound amazing! I love the spicy strawberry peach guacamole, how fun!
I LOVE avocadoes! My favorite way to eat them is to make a delicious traditional guacamole and top my garlic ginger coconut oil fried plantains! It is such an amazing combo!
My fave avocado meal is a can of tuna dumped on mixed greens with tomatoes & roasted veggies, topped with chipotle mustard and tons of mushy avocado! Love the giveaway!
Tweeted! 🙂
I actually love eating avacados just the way they are…no fancy tricks, just a plain avacado!
I LOVE avocados! Particularly in guacamole form! But I really want to try making some avocado ice cream!
I tweeted! mrs_hawkins
Thanks for all the yummy recipes! the appetizers will come in handy during football season:)
I love making guacamole!
My favorite way is in a salad with grilled chicken, black beans and corn!
I tweeted https://twitter.com/cupcakekellys/status/237541066360901633
I love avocado as a spread and guacamole. I want to try your blackbean guac as a spread for my sons school lunch.
I love avocados! My favorite way is to dice it up into my scrambled eggs with tomato and salt and pepper. I also love homemade guacamole and am always looking for new ways to use it.
Congrats on your blog’s birthday! That’s an awesome accomplishment.
I *love* avocados. My favorite way to eat them is slice and layered atop a breakfast scramble of eggs, onions, peppers, and gooey gouda —it’s my go-to brunch bake.
My favorite way to eat avocado is with any Mexican dish–burritos, quesadillas, tacos, or just chips and guac!
I love avocado in eggs! Delish!
My favorite way to use avocados is in place of salad dressing! I like to smash half of an avocado and then toss my salad in it! Its delicious and much healthier than regular dressings!
I tweeted your giveaway!
Love your recipes, Lindsay 🙂 They’re easy and delicious, both of which qualities are imperative to me! Bonus: vegetarian!
Avocado? This isn’t very inventive, but guacamole. Congrats on your blogiversary!
These are all great recipes!
I was just telling TJ we need some Avocados for sandwiches and some guacamole this past weekend
GUACAMOLE. No question there 🙂
[WORDPRESS HASHCASH] The poster sent us ‘0 which is not a hashcash value.
I tweeted: https://twitter.com/WorkItMsJackson/status/237579731690733568
Classic guacamole!
I enjoy freshly sliced avocado on Great Harvest Dakota toast and a spread of hummus.
I’m hungry.
Great post! Thanks! 🙂
Congratulations on your 2 year Blogaversary! Would love to invite your readers to follow California Avocados Direct on Twitter @Avocados_Direct and on Facebook too! https://www.facebook.com/Avocados.Direct Good luck to everyone…hope you win!
I eat my avocados straight up. 🙂
Every morning, I slice one up and eat it alongside my scrambled or hard-boiled eggs. I love just the texture and taste of a plain avocado without any hassle. I do love guacamole, but as an every day treat, plain is the way to go for me!
I tweeted this from @winetoweights 🙂
first of all, everything looks amazing. lots of pinning going on here right now. secondly, my fave way to eat avocados lately is using them for pudding and in smoothies. kinda different but they work really well!
My favorite way to use avocados is definitely for guac! I especially love when I get to make guacamole for my two-year old niece, she eats it up!
tweeted!
Yum – I would love to win this! My favorite way to eat avocados is on top of a salad with some protein and a ton of veggies.
I tweeted! https://twitter.com/sweathappyliz/status/237606952883060737
Avocado makes a salad complete! It’s not too shabby on a sandwich either.
Guacamole for sure! And chopped in my salads too! Thanks so much!
Gosh!! These all look A.Mazing!
My favorite way to eat avocado is on toasted ezekiel bread as an open faced sandwich, topped with tomatoes, salt/pepper, and some chicken. MMMM.
I just tweeted as well 🙂
I love avocadoes! Any excuse to eat one is good for me. Love on sandwiches, but as a creamy sauce tacos its great, and avocado makes any salad seem like a decadent experience – oh yum!
Why are you such an incredible person?? Love it. 🙂 My favorite way to eat avocados is in guac or just by themselves with a little hot sauce sprinkled on them!
I sprinkle grated parmesan cheese on top of a halved and pitted avacado with sea salt and cracked pepper and stick it under the broiler for a minute or so until the cheese is melty and browned. Fantastic afternoon snack!!!!
Hi Lindsay!
difficult to say just ONE way I love using avocado…but one of my favorites is mashed avocado on toasted dark rye bread with thin slices of tomato, spinach leaves and lots of salt and pepper. Yum!
My favorite way to eat avocados is to slice them and eat them on sandwiches, they are wonderful with turkey, even better on a toasted tomato sandwich, just good bread toasted, slices of fresh tomatoes and avocado, kosher salt and pepper. I could live on those!
I tweeted https://twitter.com/durstslovepens/status/237645624730865664
I tweeted 🙂
Avacados are best on BLTs!!
I love avocado egg salad!
I love avocados on anything. Right now my favorite way to eat them is smashed with a little bit of lime juice, cumin and cilantro spread on homemade bread and topped with a boiled egg.
I like to add avocado to salads, wraps, and on top of chili!
I tweeted!
My favorite way to eat avocado is cut up on a salad. It’s simple and delish!! By the way all your appetizers and snacks look amazing. I have to check them all out!
I tweeted your giveaway!! 🙂
Wow, 2 years already? This is pretty much the best giveaway ever. I eat avocados with a spoon. Is that a way to use them? Okay also in taco salads and with eggs 😉
Tweeted!!
i LOVE avocado. my favorite way to eat it them is when you half them and then cut slits across and pour lemon juice and hot sauce into the slits and then sprinkle parmesan cheese on top and then broil them until they are golden brown… yummmm
Simply, with a spoon. 🙂
I swear you need to come out with a cook book!! I love all your recipes! Holy moly… those avocados would make some serious guac!
Nothing beats fresh guacamole in my book with a good dash of cayenne. Yum!
Guacamole! I love to make it, the same everytime, all the usual stuff but extra lime, with homemade pita chips.
Congrats on two years of fantastic recipes! I love seeing so many favorites here in one spot 🙂 PS: I’m still convinced the best way to eat avocados is in guacamole.
I love them just the way they are so all I do is slice them and serve them up!
Um…is there a way to eat avocado that’s not good? Doubt it! 🙂 My fav is probably a mango, tomato, avocado salsa with some balsamic and olive oil. Great with tilapia, or just plain!
2 years – how wonderful!!! Seriously what did we do with all our spare time before blogging?
Now about this giveaway, I’m going with fresh guac all the way, or maybe on a chicken club with melted cheese… though I do love those tasty little avocado egg rolls a la Cheesecake Factory every once in a blue moon!
I tweeted.
i love avocados on BLTs!
i tweeted 🙂
My favorite way to eat avocados is DEF in guacamole!
Tweeted about your giveaway! @cait58tiu
girl so many yummy recipes here!
congrats on 2 years.
favorite way to eat avocado – lately as ice cream!
I love guacamole!!
I tweeted! @rebeccaablock
Love this post! And all your yum recipes 🙂 I love Avocado as Guacamole!
I tweeted!
Avocadoes.. I love them any and every which way! Seriously, I adore me some avocados!
Thank you for puttin all of those recipes together. Sorry it was a pain but I totally appreciate it!!
<3
I tweeted also 🙂
Love avocados in my taco salads!
I tweeted!
I make a version of Alton Brown’s Sardine and Avocado sandwich usually twice a week for lunch at work. Getting not only avo’s but good fish!
Just toast, spread avo’s, lay out the nicest sardines you can buy, and add sriracha or cilantro 🙂
Yum, those look too good!! My favorite ways to eat avocado are straight up with some salt, mixed into a pesto sauce, or as a mayo substitute in tuna salad.
I like avocados straight up lightly salted. Or on a salad or in a soup.
Congrats on your upcoming blog-day! Two years is crazy to think about, isn’t it?
Love the collection of recipes…you are so creative. 🙂
My favorite way to use avocado is, hands down, in the Citrus Avocado Dressing/Dip I have been recreating in 4,000 different ways. LOVE it. Always.
Oh boy do I LOVE Avocados!! I love them in Chocolate Avocado mousse!! Yumm! And obviously cant go wrong with any type of guacamole concoction 🙂
I like to make spicy guacamole!
Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net
I tweeted (and I follow you on Twitter as MsCarolsueA)
https://twitter.com/MsCarolsueA/status/238067601635438592
Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net
I love me an avocado – or 8! Every time I peel one and start slicing it up – my daughter shows up beside me and demands some. This way I can share! I love avocado in a melt, in avocado salsa, in salads. Yum!
I tweeted !!! https://twitter.com/RunningWTG/status/238067963725484032
I love avocados! Just had one today and besides having super spicy guac I love them sliced in a turkey lettuce wrap!
Dark Chocolate, Avocado & Berry Pie is my favorite!
I’m not original on this one. Guacamole! Simply smashed avocado, lime and a little salt and I am very very happy person.
My favorite motivational quote is “First we form habits, then they form us.” Man that’s a good one!
Ok, I am boring too! I am usually just putting them in sandwiches or making guacamole! I really have got to branch out after seeing other comments! I did just have a fruit salad with avocados in it last night at a party, and I wondered why I hadn’t thought of that yet!
I tweeted too!
https://twitter.com/divaonadiet/status/238380926768410624
I love avocado! I use it in everything from guacamole to salad topping to spicing up a sandwich. One thing I have yet to try and do want to do is make an avocado smoothie!
Also, I tweeted about your giveaway!
My favorite motivational quote is “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is more people who have come alive.” – Howard Thurman. I love it because it is constantly a reminder to do something you enjoy, because by doing that, you end up giving your very best, which is what the world really needs.
Avocado and crab is one of my favorite light salads in the summer!
My favorite way to eat avocados is simple…slice in half, add a little bit of kosher salt, and eat with a spoon! Delicious 🙂
The recipes are great, the food looks delicious and healthy. I love and wanted to try ginger citrus avocado dressing since I love avocado so much.