Jun. 28, 2021
Cooking In Season
Salad Meals to Beat the Heat
In this recipe round up, I have gathered my best and most delicious summer salad meal recipes in one post, for days when itโs too hot to cook!

I have long been a fan of Rancho products, and have stocked my pantry exclusively with their nuts and dried fruit for over ten years. Rancho Vignola is a direct mail-order company based in BC. The company owners, Sue and Richard Vignola, work directly with farmers to ensure that they buy only crops of nuts that are ethically grown and harvested, and are at the peak of freshness when they are delivered to my (or to your) door.
They also run Harvest Salesย all over BC and Alberta in the fall, where customers can sample all of their many products and decide what they might like to order. The Harvest Event on the Island is coming to Sidney on November 25th and 26th at Mary Winspear Centre. Less than two weeks away!!
A Harvest Sales Event isย a boon for those of us who want to try something, but are not sure if we can commit to a 5 lb bag. For example, I had long had my eye on the Unpasteurized Almonds in the Rancho catalog, but until I tried them at the Sidney Harvest Event three years ago, I had NO IDEA how delicious those almonds were! Seriously, once you try a fresh-harvested nut, you can never go back to the supermarket variety.
I will be at the Harvest Sales Event on Saturday (26th) doing a few cooking demos and handing out samples. I hope to see you there! ย In the meantime, please enter the giveaway to win a gift basket of Rancho Vignola products valued at $100 (rules below). You have one week!
The winner of the blog giveaway can pick up their basket at the Harvest Saleย on the 25th or 26th, or have it mailed to their home.
The $100 Basket Giveaway Rules:
To qualify for delivery, you must have a Canadian shipping address. Enter the draw in one of three ways:
(1) comment on this post
(2) post to myย facebook fanpage
(3) tweet with the hashtag #RVgiveaway2016 to @chefheidifink
Giveaway ends by midnight, Monday, November 21st, and a winner will be announced Tuesday, November 22nd. Thatโs about one week, folks!
(Non-winners will be very happy to note that Rancho Vignolaโs December Online Harvest Saleย is coming Dec 1st to 15th. No minimum order required! So, if this post has piqued your interest, and you canโt make it to any of the Harvest Salesย locations, you can order some products to try through the December online sale.)
Jun. 28, 2021
In this recipe round up, I have gathered my best and most delicious summer salad meal recipes in one post, for days when itโs too hot to cook!
Oct. 25, 2020
Quince have a wonderful flavour, but an almost impossibly hard texture. Read on for a quick kitchen tip that makes quince easy to peel and cut!
Sep. 27, 2020
Pumpkin spices scones are a perfect fall treat; not-too-sweet, fragrant with spices, with a full complement of rich pumpkin flavour.
I wish I could go to the sale but my son’s 1st birthday and party are on those days. Would love to try it out!
Yes! I can’t wait for this harvest event! It’s like Christmas came early! I can’t wait to load up my pantry and freezer!!!
I have heard good things about this product. Thank-you for the contest.
I have loved Rancho Vignola ever since my friend introduced me to them a few years ago! Thanks for this opportunity.
Thank you Heidi ! What a wonderful thing you are doing. I was introduced to Rancho Vignola by my sister in Vancouver ๐ Please enter me in the contest! If not me, whoever wins, enjoy!
Love Rancho products!! Thanks for the giveaway!!
Thanks for introducing us to Rancho Vignola! I have been enjoying their delightful fruits and nuts for years, thanks to you!
Please put me into the draw.
Love your recipes…many of which have become family go to’s. Also have been enjoying the amazing products from the amazing Rancho Vignola for many, many years. Would be wonderful to receive your gift basket!! But, regardless I will still be following you and enjoying my own purchased Rancho products!!
xox
Those almonds sound awesome! Going to check their website and look forward to the draw!
I will be in sidney at the harvest event looking forward to your demo
I am excited to try different products. They look awesome!
I am a huge fan of this company’s products – especially the pistachios and the dried apricots. I would love to win this yummy give away gift!