This three bedroom, two level is located across from the entrance to the Blue Mountain Village on the 1st Fwy of Monterra Golf course, a perfect spot for a corporate retreat or golf vacation holiday. The condo features a sauna for two, a Jacuzzi tub, a gas fireplace, two more bathrooms and two patios. Lots of room to create some exciting new memories. Read more

Special events, sports, festivals, concerts, dances and more!

Hiking

Rock Climbing

Mountain Biking

Golf

Tennis

Plunge Aquatic Centre

Beaches

Gondola Rides

Peak to Shore Music &Arts Festival

Hot Hot Hot Village Beach Party

Collingwood Elvis Festival at Blue

Taste of Blue

Famarama Festival Family Fun

Spas

Over 40 stores, restaurants and cafes in the Village.

Fully modernized classic chalet, nestled on a private treed lot, just a short walk to the Village. Spacious rooms, sleeps up to nine guests!

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1. The whole extended family can stay together : in-laws and outlaws

2. Room to roam in a condo or a chalet

3. Barbeques

4. Access to beautiful, fully equipped kitchens: shop for and cook all your preferred meals and/or check out the local restaurants.

5. Comfy living rooms with T.V and access to channels.

6. Fireplaces

7. Backyards and patios

A tantalizing recipe  perfect for a weekend away…

This summery dish was created by Chef Anthony Rose, formerly of the Drake Hotel in Toronto, for the Almond Board of California. It’s a take on the classic ratatouille, using grilled shrimp, and a smooth, buttery almond oil and white wine glaze. Blended with seasonal vegetables and topped with a homemade pesto, it’s perfect on the grill for backyard entertaining.

Serves 6

For Grilled Ratatouille:

1 each red, yellow, orange pepper, cut in half and cleaned

1 large zucchini, sliced lengthwise

1 large Asian eggplant, sliced lengthwise

1 large red onion, sliced thick, approx. ½” (1.3 cm)

1 pint (470 mL) cherry tomatoes

¼ bunch tarragon, finely sliced

¼ bunch chives, finely sliced

1/3 cup (75 mL) extra-virgin olive oil

Salt & pepper, to taste

Pesto:

2 cloves garlic

1 oz (30 g) grated parmigiano cheese

1/8 cup (25 mL) toasted blanched almonds

1 bunch basil

4 oz (120 g) extra virgin olive oil

Salt & pepper, to taste

Shrimp:

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 cup (250 mL) slivered almonds, toasted

1 tsp (5 mL) chili flakes

¼ cup (50 mL) almond oil

2 lbs (908 grams), about 16-20 wild white shrimp (peeled, deveined, tail on)

2 oz (60 g) white wine

2 tbsp (30 mL) butter

Salt & pepper, to taste

Method:

Drizzle peppers, zucchini, eggplant and onion with 2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil, season with salt and pepper and grill until just cooked. When cool, cut vegetables into pieces the size of cherry tomatoes and set aside in a large bowl.

In a large pan over medium-high heat toss cherry tomatoes with 1 tbsp (15 mL) of olive oil and cook until they burst. Add tomatoes to bowl of grilled vegetables and toss with tarragon, chives and drizzle with 2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil. Season to taste.

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together garlic, parmigiano cheese and almonds for 10 seconds. Add basil leaves and olive oil. Pulse until basil is processed fine and pesto is formed. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, sauté garlic, slivered almonds and chili flakes in almond oil approximately 30 seconds. Add shrimp, season with salt and pepper and sauté, continuously tossing and flipping shrimp until done, about 4 minutes. The garlic should be brown and a little crispy. Deglaze with white wine, scraping browned bits from the pan. Add butter and stir, forming a sauce. Remove from heat.

To Serve: Spoon summer ratatouille onto a plate, top with shrimp and dot shrimp with a dollop of pesto.

Nutritional Analysis: per serving

Calories: 808.5, Fibre: 8.6 g, Fat: 61 g, Cholesterol: 244.2 mg, Sat Fat: 9.8 g, Sodium: 313.4 mg, Mono Fat: 39 g, Calcium: 237.2 mg, Poly Fat: 9.4 g, Magnesium: 173.4 mg, Protein: 41.5 g, Potassium: 1,190 mg, Carb: 25.6 g, Vitamin E: 17.1 mg*

* total alpha-tocopherol equivalents

More recipes can be found online at AlmondBoard.com.

www.newscanada.com

We’re in the midst of spring, summer is just around the corner… beautiful, hot, sunny days are on the way. It’s time to get out and enjoy being outdoors without layers of clothing on. It feels so good! But as good as it feels it’s time to take some precautions…sunscreens, hats, glasses and loose clothing all help to protect from harmful sunburns that could lead to cancer.

SPF stands for sun protection factor. According to Health Canada, the SPF represents the length of time that the skin can be exposed to UV rays before redness appears. Here is how it’s calculated and how you can figure out what works the best for your skin type.

“The amount of time it takes for unprotected skin to burn depends on skin type. In general, fair skin burns more quickly than darker skin. If you have the type of skin that would burn after 20 minutes in the sun without protection, then the proper application of sunscreen with SPF 15 would allow you to spend up to 300 minutes (15 times longer) in the sun without getting a sunburn. However, this does not mean that your skin is protected from all UV effects. Damage to your skin, other than sunburning, may have already started.”

Example:

So if the length of time in sun before your skin burns (without protection) = 30 min

With SPF 15 (30 x 15) =450 minutes in sun without getting a sunburn.

How sunscreens work

Sunscreens are classified by ingredients, the two main categories are divided by physical or chemical filters.

• Chemical filters absorb some of the UV radiation and convert it into heat. There are more chemical filters that absorb UVB rays than absorb UVA rays.
• Physical filters are small particles (usually zinc oxide or titanium dioxide) that scatter and reflect both UVB and UVA rays.

Health Canada recommends using a broad spectrum sunscreen with at least an SPF of 15.

Now you are good to go.

Source: Health Canada

For some a full relaxing vacation isn’t complete without visiting the local spa. It’s not always easy to choose but we’ve created a list – of what to consider – to make it all that much easier to select a spa that suits your unique desires.

Privacy: Are the rooms private? Does that matter to you?

Cleanliness: Are the areas clean and fresh? Feel free to ask what process is in place to  keep tools/equipment sterilized.

Staff: Is the staff friendly and attentive? Do they have appropriate qualifications for the services/treatments they individually provide?

Amenities: Do they provide snacks between or after treatments – herbal teas, water, health bars?

Ambiance: Is it quiet and tranquil? Are you able to relax?

Actress and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Mia Farrow recently visited a UNICEF therapeutic feeding centre in Chad, one of the eight countries in the Sahel region of west and central Africa currently facing a nutrition crisis.

“Across the Sahel more than one million babies are at risk of starving in the next months,” she said during her February visit. “It’s because of the desertification of the area and repeated failure of crops year after year.”

Mothers and their children suffer most during these crises. Last year, UNICEF tells us they treated 68,000 children under the age of 5 for malnutrition in Chad alone. This year the organization has estimated 127,000 children are in need across the country. The crisis is affecting an estimated 10 million people—of whom over one million are children under the age of five – in areas of Chad, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, northern Nigeria, northern Cameroon and parts of the north in Senegal.

This Mother’s Day you can give your mother the most meaningful gift by joining Mia Farrow and reaching vulnerable children, like those in Chad. A program called UNICEF Survival Gifts is a collection of 45 essential items to help vulnerable children survive and thrive. To send one in your mother’s name, visit www.survivalgifts.ca

Gifts include water purification tablets ($20) to ensure children have clean drinking water; therapeutic milk ($25) which is a necessity at emergency feeding centres; and Plumpy’Nut ($50 for 105 packets) a therapeutic peanut paste that helps malnourished children gain up to two pounds in a single week.

Along with your gift you will receive a card to share with your mother describing this thoughtful gift in her name.

www.newscanada.com

This swiss style chalet is  a two minute drive to the picturesque North Winds Beach, which is perfect for swimming, picnics, barbeques or just relaxing. The chalet accommodates up to 20 people with a total of 10 bedrooms; four on the main floor and six on the lower floor with two washrooms on the middle level. Click to find out more and book!

When asked about foods most often grilled, Canadians list the ubiquitous hamburger patty (56 percent), followed by steak (48 percent), chicken pieces (36 percent), and hot dogs (19 percent). These trends were revealed on an annual barbecue survey by Weber. And, when asked for the one all-time favourite barbecue item, steak tops the list (48 percent).

Cheeseburgers are popular too, and this recipe, courtesy of Weber, is sensational:

Portabello Mushroom Cheeseburgers

Serves: 4

Prep time: 10 minutes

Grilling time: 8 to 10 minutes

Patties

1½ pounds ground chuck (80% lean)

½ cup finely chopped portabello mushrooms

¼ cup finely chopped roasted red bell pepper (from a jar)

1 teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning

1 teaspoon garlic salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

4 thin slices provolone cheese

4 ciabatta or hamburger rolls

¼ cup sun-dried tomato spread

4 leaves red or green lettuce

1. Prepare the grill for direct cooking over high heat (450° to 550°F).

2. In a large bowl gently combine the patty ingredients and shape into four patties of equal size and thickness, each about ¾ inch thick. With your thumb or the back of a spoon, make a shallow indentation about 1 inch wide in the center of each patty. This will help the patties cook evenly and prevent them from puffing on the grill.

3. Brush the cooking grates clean. Grill the patties over direct high heat, with the lid closed as much as possible, until cooked to medium doneness, 8 to 10 minutes, turning them once when the patties release easily from the grate without sticking. During the last minute of grilling time, place a slice of cheese on each patty to melt and toast the rolls, cut side down. Build each burger with sun-dried tomato spread and lettuce.

To add convenience, you can access the grocery list for this recipe on your mobile device at timetogrill.mobi.

©2011 Weber-Stephen Products LLC. Recipe from Weber’s Time To Grill™ by Jamie Purviance. Used with permission