To Avocado, With Love! Two Tasty Recipes that Will Win Your Heart

I’m a late adopter of the avocado, but now that I have welcomed it into my life, I can’t get enough! What makes the avocado rank so high in my books? It’s tasty, good for you, makes you feel full and it’s an amazing portable baby and toddler food.

avocadosThere are so many health benefits to eating avocados. I’m not a nutritionist or scientist, so you can read this article if you’d like a more in-depth description of what this amazing fruit can do for you but here are the basics. Avocados are full of fibre which helps to keep your “plumbing” running smoothly and keep you feeling full longer. They are also a source of lutein, a carotenoid, which is good for your eyes. I’m sure you’ve heard that taking a Folic Acid (or folate) supplement is a must when you’re pregnant or trying to conceive. Well move over horse pills, avocado has you covered by containing about a quarter of your recommended daily intake of folate. But wait a minute, aren’t avocados high in fat? Yes, they are, but it is good fat – the monounsaturated kind. This kind of fat helps to lower your LDL cholesterol levels (the bad cholesterol) and increase your HDL levels (the good cholesterol). [Read more...]

Cooking with Hidden Valley Ranch-Kat’s Asiago Spicy Ranch Chicken with Mango Avocado Salsa

There’s no dressing I love more than Hidden Valley Ranch and now there’s even more creamy ranch goodness to love with the introduction of two brand new varieties of Ranch! To celebrate the introduction of new Hidden Valley Spicy Ranch and Hidden Valley Cheesy Ranch, Hidden Valley is hosting an incredible recipe contest with a grand prize of a KitchenAid Stand Mixer!

I was lucky enough to be chosen as one of fifteen food-loving and recipe bloggers to create my very own recipe using Hidden Valley Ranch for the contest. The recipes will be judged by celebrity chef Ned Bell and the top recipe will even be showcased by Ned at the 2012 Calgary Stampede!

I received a recipe creation kit containing Hidden Valley Ranch dressing and a grocery gift card to help me invent my recipe. I decided to create a main dish that combined the heat of the new Hidden Valley Spicy Ranch Dressing with the tropical flavours of summertime. Without further ado, here is my recipe! [Read more...]