I love a good salad, don’t you? I especially love those salads that make you feel like you are being healthy, when really you aren’t. Cobb salads are one such salad. I mean really, is there any better salad than a Cobb salad? Chicken, bacon, tomatoes, eggs, lettuce, cheese, California Avocados and blue cheese dressing…what more could a salad want?

I’ve had Cobb salads in wrap form and even in pizza form (I know it sounds strange, but it was so good!). One way I’ve never had a Cobb salad though was in the form of a sandwich. What better way to have your favorite salad than in a form you can grab and eat on the go? I decided that a Cobb Salad sandwich needed to happen in my life, stat.

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Eating a good, nutritious breakfast is a fairly new thing for me. It used to be that I was never really all that hungry in the morning, so I’d grab a cup of coffee and skip breakfast. I didn’t want to “waste calories” on a meal I wasn’t hungry at.

I’m still not very hungry in the morning but I’ve come to realize how important that first meal of the day really is for providing fuel for the rest of the day.  That mid-day slump is a lot harder to resist on those days when I try to just get by on coffee in the morning. …

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I can’t remember if I told you all that early in the year I changed my eating to be a low carb, high protein, low sugar, no alcohol, plenty of good fat kind of thing. I always thought that limiting carbs would be hard, but it hasn’t been too bad. I mean, don’t get me wrong… there are days where a giant bowl of pasta would make me incredibly happy, but I’ve managed to resist carbs and sugar for the most part. Combined with a good exercise regimen, this new way of eating has helped me to drop those nagging pounds that have crept up on me since turning 40.

Through all of this I’ve also discovered that I’m very much an abstainer versus a moderator. If I know I can’t have something, then I don’t. If I was trying to just moderate, I know I’d be fixated on when I could have that food again and it wouldn’t work for me. I’ve got to just completely eliminate to be successful. I truly think abstaining is best for people like me with zero self control 🙂 I’m not proud of that, but it’s the honest truth. …

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The post Cauliflower Rice Bowl with Chili Lime Chicken and Avocado appeared first on Dine and Dish.

Friends… if you know me at all you know I am not cutesy or crafty or “kid food” creative at all. In fact I used to be the food editor for a kid’s food magazine and every time I was assigned to do something cutesy with food, I cringed. I just don’t have that talent like some people do! I love to throw a good Halloween Party but my food is typically pretty standard. Soup, bread, salad… nothing cutesy.

So when my friends at California Avocados challenged us to make a fun halloween party recipe using their fresh, California Avocados, I cringed. Ugh! What was I going to make? …

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This past month when I was out of avocados and awaiting my ambassador shipment from the California Avocado Commission, I was craving fresh avocados like crazy. A good friend of mine said “You do realize, they sell avocados at the grocery store, right?” Of course I know they sell avocados, but they don’t sell California avocados… and once you’ve had avocados fresh from the orchard in California, you can’t go back to what they sell here in Kansas stores. It just isn’t the same.

Luckily, there will hopefully always be companies that deliver California avocados straight to your doorstep. If you are in the midwest and want to know what real California avocados taste like, order some up today. Better yet, if you are a neighbor, stop on by… my shipment just arrived and I’d love to share an avocado with you! …

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The post Not In Kansas {Recipe: Grilled Avocado and Steak Fajita Wrap} appeared first on Dine and Dish.

Some of the recipes I can’t wait to try are:

Chicken and Avocado Enchiladas from Gimme Some Oven

Baja Shrimp Burger with Avocado Jalapeno Aoili from Everyday Southwest

Sunny Citrus Shrimp and Avocado Salad From The Little Yellow Kitchen

And a special note of congrats to the Random.org prize winners:

• The Texas Peach won the $500 American Express Gift Card
• Amy from uTryIt won the $250 American Express Gift Card
• Liz from The Lemon Bowl won the California Avocado Gift Basket

Thanks again to all who shared their fabulous recipes and to the California Avocado Commission for sponsoring such a fun event! We had a blast!

Disclosure: This post and the party are sponsored by the good people at the California Avocado Commission.

The post California Avocado 4th of July Blast Recipe Roundup appeared first on Dine and Dish.

Dara from Cookin’ Canuck and I are so excited to announce that the California Avocado 4th of July Blast recipe linkup is finally open! We can’t wait to see what you’ve created with delicious California Avocados.

We know how much everyone loves avocados, so we are certain this is going to be one heck of an awesome party!

Remember… when you follow the instructions to share your avocado recipes with us, you will be eligible to win over $1600 in giveaways!

The giveaways include:

• Two separate $500 American Express Gift Cards
• Two separate $250 American Express Gift Cards
• Two separate California Avocado Gift Baskets, valued at $75 each

Participating in the California Avocado 4th of July Blast is simple! Here’s what you need to do…

Required:

1. Write and post a recipe on your blog featuring delicious California Avocados. (Your post can be an old post…just PLEASE be sure to link back AND follow #2 below).
2. Somewhere in your post, we ask that you include the following “Join Dine & Dish and Cookin’ Canuck for the California Avocado 4th of July Blast, sponsored by the California Avocado Commission.” This, including the links, must be included in your post to be eligible for the prizes.
3. Your recipe MUST have fresh California Avocados listed as an ingredient
4. Add your link to the California Avocado 4th of July Blast linkup widget on either Cookin’ Canuck or Dine and Dish (Dara and I have the same widget code, so only add it on one site) and leave a comment letting us know you linked up. The great news is you can link up to THREE avocado recipes! Add your avocado recipe anytime between June 27th and July 4th!
5. Don’t have a blog? No problem! Simply leave your recipe or a link to your favorite California Avocado recipe in the comments section of either Dine & Dish or Cookin’ Canuck during the week the #CaAvoBlast wideget is open (June 27th – July 4th , 2012).

For additional entries:

Become a Fan of the California Avocado Commission on Facebook. Leave a separate comment on this post indicating you completed this.

1. Follow the California Avocado Commission on Twitter. Leave a separate comment on this post indicating you did this.
2. Tweet the following –> Join @cookincanuck & @dineanddish now for #CaAvoBlast. Share your @Ca_Avocados recipes. $1600 in prizes. http://bit.ly/Owb30V <– Leave a separate comment on this post indicating you’ve completed this.

And that’s it! Pretty simple, right? We’ll keep the linkup open through July 4th. Winners will be announced the following week .  All winners with a valid entry will be selected at random using random.org. Winners will be emailed and they will have 48 hours to claim their prize.   Giveaways  available to U.S. residents only. Thanks for participating!

Disclosure: A special thanks to the California Avocado Commission for hosting this great event. I have been compensated for my time but all opinions are my own.

The post California Avocado 4th of July Blast Recipe Linkup and Giveaways! appeared first on Dine and Dish.

It’s getting California Avocado crazy around here as Dara and I prepare for the biggest avocado party of the year! We’re both happily knee deep in avocado recipes, trying to come up with some of the best avocado recipes to tempt your tastebuds.  The California Avocado 4th of July Blast  is right around the corner and we can’t wait to see your recipes!

Remember to come back for our recipe link up party June 27th through July 4th. Share your favorite California avocado recipes for a chance to win over $1600 in prizes! (Complete details can be found on this post).

In the meantime, Dara and I are whipping up some recipes highlighting the freshness and delicious flavor of California Avocados. The Avocado Smoothie I made last week was incredible and it has made multiple appearances at our house since trying it the first time.

For this go around, I wanted to whip up something that would be a great addition to our upcoming July 4th festivities. Everyone knows you can’t have a great cookout without burgers, right? I decided to take a twist on the traditional burger and created a seafood version – Salmon Sliders with a Tangy Avocado Sauce. This is one recipe that explodes with fresh flavor and is perfect for your next gathering or for a quick, weeknight dinner.

Dara’s Chilled California Avocado Soup with Coconut Milk is another wonderful recipe for the summer months. Talk about avocado nirvana. Yum!

We hope you’ll join us starting June 27th for the California Avocado 4th of July Blast! I can’t wait to celebrate together!

PS… thanks, Mom, for the inspiration for this recipe!

Disclosure: A special thanks to the California Avocado Commission for hosting this great event. I have been compensated for my time but all opinions are my own.

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Salmon Sliders with Tangy Avocado Sauce

Salmon Sliders with Tangy Avocado Sauce are a great alternative to your traditional burger.

Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh salmon filet skin removed, and thinly sliced
• 1/2 red bell pepper sliced
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper sliced
• 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1 egg
• For the Sauce
• 1 ripe California avocado peeled and sliced
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
• 1/8 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 12 Savory Butter King's Hawaiian Rolls
• Additional sliced California avocados for garnish

Instructions

• For the sliders:
• Place sliced salmon and bell pepper into a food processor. Pulse 2-3 times until mixture is coarsely chopped.
• Remove mixture and place in a medium bowl. Add Panko bread crumbs, Kosher salt, pepper and egg and mix with a spoon until well incorporated. If mixture is not holding together, add additional Panko bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon at a time.
• Shape salmon mixture into 12, small patties.
• Heat an electric skillet to medium-high. Cook patties for 3-4 minutes on each side until completely cooked through.
• Remove and place on individual King's Hawaiian Dinner Rolls
• For the Avocado Sauce
• In a medium sized bowl, mash the avocado.
• Stir in mayonnaise, sour cream, milk and vinegar until smooth. Add Kosher salt and cracked black pepper and stir until incorporated.
• Spoon Tangy Avocado Sauce over cooked salmon sliders. Top with a slice of fresh Avocado and the bun. Serve warm.

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