The award season came and went, and you know what that means! Put away your sequins, your de la Renta, your satin, your tux, and roll up that red carpet! Or, better yet, stay in your joggers and jammies like we do and make some fancy snacks to eat in the comfort and privacy of your own living room while watching movies. My better half and I have been couch potatoes as of late, getting caught up on all the award winning movies. It’s been our thing the last few years to make a bunch of appetizers to nosh on while watching all the films that won, after the fact. That way we can stay at home and make our own food, rather than relying on over-priced movie theatre concessions. My better half’s popcorn is way better, besides.

We like to keep it fresh and exciting when we make our snacks, and I’m not talking about wings and pizza and queso dip. We simply have to stay on track at this crucial time of year. It’s not winter, it doesn’t yet feel like spring, but summer is closer than we care to admit. And to me, that’s another excuse to try out a flatbread appetizer, like this one for Texas Caviar.

Everything’s bigger in Texas, maybe even the flatbread! One thing Texas doesn’t have is fish eggs, but they have beans, and lots of them. Black eyed peas to be exact, and this canned bean salsa-style dip was originally served on New Years, to honor the tradition of eating black eyed peas for wealth and good health in the new year. It can be sweet or savory, depending on how you like your vinaigrette, but this one is savory and the baked flatbread chips that go with it are pure zingy, crispy, spicy, chippy goodness.

You already know that beans are an excellent source of protein and may be helpful for your, ahem, heart. The great thing about this dip is that the beans feel extra special. There’s tons of flavor, loads of texture, and a spicy baked flatbread to boot.

So go ahead and veg out a little, just make sure you eat your veggies when you do it.

-Amy at Flatout