By now, you guys know that I’m kinduvasnob in the kitchen.  As in, there’s a little bit of groan when I have to feature “somebody else’s recipe.”  But, I am in awe of another blonde culinary goddess in the kitchen….my new friend and kitchen partner, Sherry Coleman Collins.

Sherry is a registered dietician with the National Peanut Board, super Mom to an adorable 14 month old, and she joined me in the Atlanta Plugged in Kitchen to whip up some imaginative peanut butter dishes.  You’ll never go ranch again once you taste this dip….it’s the shiznittabam, just sayin’.  Stay tuned for more of Sherry’s showstopper recipes next week– and videos too!

The biggest complaint I hear from people who buy salad dressings is that there are waaaaay too many “ingredients”– all the processed crap that keeps your bottled ranch tasting like, well, bottled ranch. Gross.  I love homemade vinaigrettes, but when I was asked recently by a woman in my cooking class to come up with a “no oil” dressing, I took on the challenge happily.  Avocados are sheer perfection when it comes to texture– for dips (hello, Guacamole!) even puddings (mixed with some sweetener and cocoa, it’s off the hook!) and of course, dressings.  There’s already enough healthy fat in avocados that you don’t need the addition of oil.  All you do need is a food processor to make no oil avocado dressing magic.  I used butter lettuce because it’s my fave lettuce, but you can mix with whatever you prefer– arugula, spinach, romaine, you name it.

You don’t technically need the hint of honey that is mentioned in the recipe– I’ve made it without, but I like the combo of the bit of spicy that comes from the fresh garlic with the subtle sweet finish.  So, vegans and vegetarians, the Bacon Babe CAN branch out with a veggie friendly recipe every now and again, eh????