Ace Pumpkin Cider

I am not a huge beer lover (though I am trying to work on it by forcing myself to experiment), so usually the closest I am to beer is hard cider. The fall makes me want to try more beer since there are lots of flavors like apple cinnamon and pumpkin. While strolling along the aisles of HEB, I happened to get stuck at an endcap display in traffic and happened to glance at what was next to me. Thank goodness that I looked since it got me really excited. It was pumpkin Ace. Ace has a few different varieties like apple and pear, but I have never seen this before. This was either going to be gross or really good. Apple and pumpkin seem like an unlikely combination, but let me tell you that it definitely worked! The apple notes are the first thing you taste and then it transitions into a mellow pumpkin pie flavor without being sweet. I'm sure that doesn't make much sense, but I think that pumpkin cider (or beer) is something that you have to taste because it's a bit hard to describe. If you aren't a huge beer person, but want to get in on the fall flavors, this is a great option to try. Grab some and cheers to the beginning of fall.

No More Humdrum Hummus

Hummus is a versatile food that I can't seem to get enough of. Plus these days, there seem to be many different versions which makes it even more tempting. I am not sure where HEB came up with all these different ones, but I am totally digging the white bean hummus. It is topped with roasted red peppers and pesto, adding more depth of flavor. The white bean base creates a slight different taste to the hummus, but I must say that this could potentially be better than the regular one. I know, I know...how can you beat regular hummus? It's somewhat hard to explain because the difference is pretty subtle. All I can say is give it a try and see what you think. If you are looking to mix it up even more, than substitute a spoonful of hummus for your salad dressing on your salad. All you have to do it mix and eat. The best part is that it won't make your lettuce soggy. So instead of reaching for the chips, grab some hummus and cucumbers for a healthier snack.

Cheers to Super Bowl Sunday!

Happy Super Bowl Sunday everyone! As much as people say this day is about football, let's be honest. It's all about the food. Whether you are doing a huge party or a small get together with a full meal or tons of snack foods, food is the tie that binds us all together. I know that beer is usually the drink of choice this day, but since I am not a huge beer lover, I am mixing it up and going with the wine (slightly less caloric than mixed drinks, though sometimes not as fun). I was wondering the wine aisles and found this fun looking bottle of wine called esteio vinho verde from Portugal. I had never had a vinho verde before, but I decided to give it a try. Plus the label said it was a sweet and fizzy wine, so I thought it could be interesting. Vinho verde is a region in Portugal and the name means young wine, however, I was slightly disappointed to find that this wine was neither sweet nor all that fizzy. It was slightly acidic, crisp and had some mineral hints. I guess I was expecting something more along the lines of a moscato, but it wasn't my favorite. I definitely tend to enjoy more floral and fruit aromas in my wine. However, if you like a crisper wine, be sure to give this one a try.

Avocado Hummus

Hummus is one of my favorite snacks and there are some really good varieties out there - roasted garlic, red pepper, and Mediterranean Olive. I was really surprised when I saw avocado hummus. What is it you ask? Come to find out it is basically half chickpeas and half avocado. I love avocados and hummus, so I figured why not give it a try. At least then I can say I tried it. Here's the verdict... I wasn't entirely sure what to expect and at first I was a bit skeptical. It seemed a bit bland and you couldn't really taste the avocado. After I mixed it and it sat overnight, the flavors seemed to blend a bit more and the avocado was more prevalent. Honestly, I am still not entirely sure how to feel about it, but sometimes you just need to take a risk and give it a try. So if you are feeling up to a challenge, give it a go and then come back and let me know what you thought about it.

Mini Peppers

When you think if new food products, produce is not usually what comes to mind. However when I was grabbing my avocados at HEB, I noticed there was this bag of of mixed peppers. Now if you are familiar with peppers, it's usually the smaller they are they hotter they are. Not with these. These are Aurora mini sweet peppers, and yes they are really sweet. They are sooo yummy and I am so glad that I found them! They are great as a raw snack, perfect to throw in a salad or to cook with. I am literally eating these at lunch and dinner because they are so yummy and unique. It is a bit surprising when you bite into them and really taste their sweetness, but you need to give them a try!