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Matcha and Margs

appetizers

Holiday Appetizer Ideas and Charcuterie Tips

November 26, 2019appetizers, blog, guides, recipes

As I get older, I have come to realize how much I truly love to host people. I love the cooking, the decorating and the opportunity to create an inviting atmosphere for my friends and family. I always want my space to be an open place for others to feel comfortable and relax. This holiday season, I am embracing my love of hosting while getting creative in the kitchen. For my Thanksgiving, I am bringing a few appetizers – and of course a festive cocktail for good measure. I wanted to share a few tips and tricks if you are in the same boat and help make the holidays a little easier on your end.

First things first, I made a delicious appetizer with my favorite sprouted grain crisps from Angelic Bakehouse. They are my go-to for sprouted grain products, and I was so happy when they launched new flavors of their sprouted grain crisps. They are all amazing, but I decided to use the Fig & Tarragon crisps to make a sweet and savory appetizer. I love how versatile they are, and they would make for the perfect item on your charcuterie board as well.

Fig & Tarragon Goat Cheese Bites

For my first appetizer, I used the Fig & Tarragon savory crisps and laid them out on a sheet. I then took some cranberry goat cheese, sliced it and added it to the crisps.

The star of the show in my opinion here was the candied pecans, which I made by pan frying with coconut oil, an abundance of cinnamon, and coconut sugar. My biggest tip here is to not eat these all straight out of the pan before adding them to the crisps. You guys, these are GOOD! Ever since making this appetizer, I have been making the candied pecans on repeat to snack on. I don’t use any strict measurements here – I just put coconut oil in the pan, heated it up, added the pecans, cinnamon and coconut sugar, and cooked until the pecans had a good coating and the house smelled fragrant. Yum, it really is the most delicious smell!

Last but not least, I added pomegranates to the mix as they are my favorite fruit. They add the best sweetness to holiday dishes and I could really eat them year round. These little flavorful bites are addicting and are sure to please any and all guests! You could also put the ingredients for these on a charcuterie board separately and allow guests to assemble the bites for themselves.

Charcuterie Tips and Tricks

The second thing I am bringing for my Thanksgiving appetizers is, you guessed it, a charcuterie board! I have so much fun making these and of course, eating them too. Preferably with a glass of red wine on the side. Although I typically only eat goat’s and sheep’s milk cheeses, I always like to make sure there is something for everyone. If there are any dairy free guests attending, you can include hummus on your board, homemade vegan cheeses, and so much more. One of my favorites is the Homemade Vegan Ricotta from Minimalist Baker.

As far as the board and accessories go, I love a good wooden board. You can even use a wooden cutting board that you already have on hand. My favorite accessory to put on the plate is mini ramekins to hold different items, a honey stirrer, and toothpicks for making the eating process easy for guests.

I start my boards off by assembling the cheeses evenly throughout the board. I try to include a variety of cheeses, although my favorite is always a flavored goat cheese. Honey, cranberry, fig flavored; you name it, I’ll have it! It adds such a fun sweetness to the board. For other cheeses, I like to include a sharp cheese as well to contradict the creaminess of the goat cheese. I also like to then put out small bowls filled with nuts, fruits, chocolate covered nuts, etc.

For the crackers, I love using the Angelic Bakehouse sprouted grain crisps. Now that they have so many fun flavors, you can put a variety of them on your board. My other favorite board fillers include grapes, anything truffle flavored, honeycomb, olives, cured local meats – I could go on forever. My most important tip for assembling a charcuterie board is to HAVE FUN and not take it too seriously. Put on the items and flares to the board that make your board you, and treat it like a fun art project.

A mini charcuterie “plate” I made with the Angelic Bakehouse Sprouted Rye Crisps.

Dips & More!

Another fun appetizer to make is a dip for everyone to enjoy. Although it is more “game-day themed”, I love making my Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip. It is super simple and only calls for a few ingredients. You can also dip the savory sprouted grain crisps in here as they would make for the perfect vehicle. Another delicious dip idea is the Hot Spinach Dip from Skinnytaste, which is a lightened up version of Spinach Artichoke Dip. It is delicious and a fun way to sneak some greens onto the table!

Now that my stomach is growling, I will leave you guys with these tips and tricks and wish you a very happy Thanksgiving. I am extremely grateful for your support of me and my brand every single day. If you use any of these ideas for your table on Thursday, definitely let me know as I would love to share about it on my account. To a happy, healthy and safe holiday – I love you all.

xo,

Cori

** This post has been sponsored by Angelic Bakehouse, but all opinions and recommendations are wholeheartedly my own. Thank you for supporting my content and the brands that I choose to affiliate myself with.

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Buffalo Chicken Game Day Sliders

October 1, 2019appetizers, dinner, game day, recipes, snacks

There doesn’t have to be a sports game on for me to enjoy all things buffalo, but its always fun when the two coincide! I took my love of buffalo and created these cute, delicious buffalo chicken sliders. They pair perfectly with a ripe avocado, some ranch, and the 7 Grain Sprouted Dinner Rolls from Angelic Bakehouse. I tried their sprouted grain products about a year ago and become obsessed. Not only do they taste wonderful, but they have amazingly clean ingredients. I knew I had to create something fun with these dinner rolls, and I sure do love a slider!

The buffalo chicken sliders are packed with flavor, spice, and even a little cheese for good measure. I use a goats milk cheese in the recipe, but you can definitely use blue cheese if you are a fan. The toppings are customizable and the recipe itself could not be easier to whip up. My recommended toppings are avocado, extra buffalo sauce, ranch (I like Sir Kensington’s brand), coleslaw, tomatoes, etc.

If you just want to make the meat patties and not the sliders as a whole, that works too! The mixture can be rolled into meatballs to enjoy. I love pairing them as meatballs with spaghetti squash, ranch, and broccoli. You can also leave out the cheese if you cannot tolerate dairy; they will still taste great! I love a customizable recipe and want to be sure that I always share options with you guys.

If you decide to make the recipe, let me know! If you post it to Instagram, be sure to tag me @matcha_and_margs so I can send the love right back. I’d love to see how you decide to enjoy them!

Recipe:

Buffalo Chicken Game Day Sliders

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb ground chicken
  • 3/4 cup almond flour
  • 1/3 cup green onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1/3 cup buffalo sauce + extra for drizzling
  • 1 tbsp chopped yellow onion
  • 1/2 tsp oregano
  • pinch red pepper flake
  • pinch sea salt
  • 1/3 cup goat cheese crumbles can use blue cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1 package Angelic Bakehouse 7 Grain Sprouted Dinner Rolls

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400F.
  • Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
  • Form into small, 1 1/2 inch sliders and place on parchment paper on a baking sheet.
  • Place in the oven and cook for around 16-17 minutes.
  • Let cool, coat with more buffalo sauce and serve on the Angelic Bakehouse dinner rolls!
  • Top with toppings of your choosing. I like ranch, avocado, more cheese, coleslaw, tomatoes, etc. Have fun with it!
Keyword Buffalo Chicken, Chicken, Game Day Food, Sliders

This post has been sponsored by Angelic Bakehouse, but all of the opinions are wholeheartedly my own. Thank you so much for supporting me and my sponsored content, it truly means a lot! I only affiliate my brand with other brands that align directly and meaningfully with my own. Because of this, I am able to continue sharing mostly free content with all of you. I hope that you enjoy, friends!

xo,

Cori

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Hi! My name is Cori Finglass and I live in Atlanta, Georgia. I have a huge passion for health and wellness and my dream is to share that passion with others. Here you can find my favorite healthy recipes, tips on living a balanced life, honest recommendations and so much more!

there's something about that golden brown char on there's something about that golden brown char on a @sietefoods burrito tortilla that instantly starts your day on the best note.⁠
made a little breakfast burrito/wrap this morning with @kitehillfoods almond milk veggie cream cheese, @traderjoes bomba sauce, eggs cooked in a little dairy free milk to make them fluffy/creamy, @bilinskisausage sage chicken breakfast sausage and some sautéed spinach in garlic for a touch of greens.⁠
wrap it all up, cook on both sides in avocado oil until golden brown and devour!⁠
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#brunch #breakfastofchamps #sietefoods #grainfree #glutenfree #dairyfree #breakfastburrito #brunchlover #brunchsohard #eggfast #eggsofinstagram #pastureraisedeggs #pastureraised #imsomartha #brunchathome #food52grams #onmyplate #healthyrecipes #eatingforinsta #makesmewhole #foodphotography #foodporn #eatyourgreens #eatyourveggies #chickensausage #healthymorning #vscofood #fitrecipes #strongnotskinny #tastingtable⁠
had to make the crispy vegan white chocolate peanu had to make the crispy vegan white chocolate peanut butter bars again, but this time with all of the @watkins.1868 natural sprinkles for a fun burst of color. easy instructions for the bars below!⁠
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3 cups organic brown rice cereal⁠
1/3 cup honey or maple syrup⁠
1 1/2 tbsp coconut oil⁠
1/2 tsp vanilla extract⁠
1/4 tsp sea salt⁠
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter⁠
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for the white chocolate coating:⁠
1 cup @paschachocolate dairy free white chocolate chips — i get mine from @thrivemarket⁠
1 tbsp coconut oil⁠
all of the @watkins.1868 sprinkles — i get mine at @sprouts⁠
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1. heat the creamy pb, honey or maple syrup, and coconut oil in a pan on low until everything is combined. make sure not to overcook/burn. stir frequently.⁠
2. in a large bowl, add your organic brown rice cereal and then top with the peanut butter mixture. stir until everything is evenly combined.⁠
3. add in the vanilla extract and sea salt and stir until combined.⁠
4. put everything in an 8x8 baking dish and smooth with a spatula until the top of the mixture is uniform.⁠
5. put the white chocolate chips and coconut oil in a pan on low, stirring frequently until combined and melted. make sure not to overcook/burn this as well.⁠
6. top the cereal mixture with the chocolate and spread evenly. then top with the sprinkles.
7. put in the fridge for 60 minutes. take out and let it sit for 5-10 minutes before cutting & enjoying. can top with additional sea salt flakes if you'd like!⁠
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#feedfeedbaking #feedfeed #vegandessert #veganrecipe #plantbased #plantpowered #whitechocolate #peanutbutter #peanutbutterlover #wellandgoodeats #glutenfreerecipe #imsomartha #brownrice #naturalpeanutbutter #huffposttaste #f52grams #healthydessert #balancedlifestyle #balance #eatwellbewell #mydomaineeats #buzzfeast #sweettooth #healthytreat #healthyish #saveurmag #bonappetit #healthyfoodshare #tastingtable #vscofood
leave it to me to turn a blue smoothie green with leave it to me to turn a blue smoothie green with extra spinach, but this blue mermaid smoothie from @dtoxjuice has seriously been my latest obsession. it is filled with pineapple, bananas, almond butter, blue majik spirulina and oat milk. adding spinach yields this beautiful teal-ish color and some extra added nutrients in your cup.⁠
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i can't tease something on stories without sharing the love with you guys, which is why i've teamed up with @dtoxjuice to giveaway a $50 gift card! enter below for a chance to win and use it towards a delicious smoothie, shot, cup of vegan gelato, juice, etc. — whatever your heart desires.⁠
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TO ENTER:⁠
be sure to be following myself, @matcha_and_margs, + @dtoxjuice.⁠
like this photo & tag two smoothie + juice loving friends. let us know what you're excited to try!⁠
bonus: repost this in your stories and visibly tag both parties. best of luck!! this giveaway is in no way sponsored by or affiliated with instagram. winner will be announced friday, 2/26.⁠
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pro tip: on mondays, @dtoxjuice sells 4 juices for $25 and you can start your week off with a healthy cleanse or incorporate these juices into your daily diet. ⁠
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#giveaway #wellness #wellandgoodeats #juicecleanse #smoothie #smoothielover #smoothiebowl #dtoxjuice #atlantablogger #atlantarestaurants #atlantafood #supportlocal #atlantaeats #greensmoothie #greensmoothie #localjuice #localjuicery #healthcafe #giveawaycontest #giveawaytime #giveawayalert #eatyourgreens #drinkyourgreens #drinkyourveggies #foodblogger #wellnessblogger #eatlocal #localatlanta #localbusiness #healthyfood
fridays made better by a clean-out-the-fridge meal fridays made better by a clean-out-the-fridge meal that could not have come out any better - sweet potato goat cheese arugula quesadilla with TRUFFLE HONEY SALT from @beautifulbrinysea. talk about a flavor explosion⁠
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sauteed arugula in avocado oil, salt, and garlic. i had a cooked sweet potato in my fridge that i mashed up with the truffle honey salt and i added both to a @sietefoods cassava tortilla. add a little goat cheese or feta and cook the quesadilla in avocado oil on both sides until golden.⁠
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if you need me i'll be drowning all of my food in this salt. hope you all have the best weekend!
my favorite way to start the day is with a nutriti my favorite way to start the day is with a nutritious smoothie packed with all the greens, that tastes like a milkshake of course! my 'thin mint' smoothie is super energizing, filling, and tasty, and i have been stepping it up a notch lately with a scoop of @paradiseherbs orac energy greens. it contains over forty organic ingredients and has the antioxidant power of more than 24 servings of fruits + veggies. there's something super satisfying about getting in an abundance of greens + nutrients all before noon! it gives me so much energy and starts my day on the best note.  thin mint smoothie:
1 frozen banana
1 scoop @paradiseherbs orac energy greens
1 cup cashew milk
1 big handful of spinach
1 dash peppermint extract
2 tbsp cashew butter
2 tbsp cacao nibs
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
optional: tsp of matcha  blend it all up and enjoy! i like to top mine with extra cacao nibs + hemp seeds. take with a serving of @paradiseherbs vitamin c + multivitamin which help keep my immune system strong, strong, strong — so important during these times. link in my stories to shop their amazon page. hope you have the best day 🤍
this vegan cookie mug cake is one of my favorite e this vegan cookie mug cake is one of my favorite easy desserts, and it is the perfect treat to whip up when you just don't feel like sharing 🤷🏼‍♀️ it's no secret by now how much i love a good combo with all of the chocolate chips and flaky sea salt, and this one is no exception. bonus points that it takes all of three minutes to make.⁠
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for the mug cake, i used the following recipe adapted from @plantbasedrd:⁠
- 4 tbsp almond flour⁠
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar⁠
- 1 tbsp @tejariandco plant based vanilla protein blend⁠
- 1/2 tsp baking powder⁠
- 1/8 tsp pink salt⁠
- 2 tbsp @georgiagrinders cashew butter⁠
- 1/4 cup almond milk⁠
- a dash of vanilla extract⁠
- 2 tbsp @enjoylifefoods mini df chocolate chips⁠
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add all of the dry ingredients and mix. add in the nut butter and nut milk and stir. fold in the chocolate chips and microwave for 1 minute and 30 seconds to 2 minutes. top with extra chocolate + sea salt & enjoy! hope you all have the best tuesday.⁠
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#mugcake #thebakefeed #plantbased #imsomartha #foods4thought #foodgasm #plantpower #plantpowered #vegan #chocolate #chocolatechips #feedfeed #glutenfree #glutenfreerecipes #glutenfreebaking #eatingforinsta #goodfats #fuelyourbody #eatwellbewell #eatprettythings #foodiesofinstagram #flourlessbaking #grainfree #paleo #foodgawker #huffposttaste #foodphotography #wellandgoodeats #makesmewhole #glutenfreedessert
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