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What's Exciting at Rick's Real Foods™?

Find out the latest and greatest from Rick's Real Foods™ here!

Recipes

7 Back to School Lunchbox Ideas

9/10/2021

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We're over the boring Back to School lunches! Spice up your kids day with some Rick's Rub™ flavour in these 7 Back to School Lunchbox Ideas:


Classic sandwich

A sandwich is a lunchbox staple! How do you get the kids to actually eat it though? Add some extra flavour by making a delicious sandwich spread with Rick’s Rub™! Add your favourite Rick’s Rub™ seasoning flavour into the mayonnaise, spread on the sandwich bread, and enjoy!
Some of our favourites: Heat, Lamb, Seafood, Moroccan, and Tuscan.

Veggies and yogurt dip

Kids love dips! So do adults! An easy way to get veggies into growing bodies is by sending cut vegetables (carrot sticks, cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes, and bell pepper slices) with plain yogurt mixed with Rick’s Rub™ Lamb seasoning.

Hummus and pita chips

Whip up some homemade hummus with Rick’s Rub™ Moroccan seasoning and send to school with premade or homemade pita chips! Packed with protein and complex carbs, this snack will give the kids the energy they need to learn all day long!
Bonus: spread hummus in a wrap with veggies for a kid-friendly meal!

Grilled chicken salad

Use up some leftovers or meal prep for this school lunch idea. Chop up some seasonal vegetables for a salad and top with cold sliced grilled chicken rubbed with Rick’s Rub™ Original from the night before. Healthy and economical!

Fried Rice

Meal prep for the win! Pan fry cold, leftover rice with diced vegetables, diced chicken/pork/shrimp/tofu, and lightly scrambled egg. Add soy sauce and Rick’s Rub™ Asian seasoning for flavour and lunch is ready!

​Tomato soup

When the cold weather comes, send the kids to school with a warm lunch to keep them toasty all day. Mix in Rick’s Rub™ Tuscan seasoning to your favourite tomato soup recipe and fill a thermos for some mid-day comfort. For an extra special touch, pack shredded cheese and oyster crackers on the side for the kids to add on top of their soup!

Taco Tuesday bowl

Send the kids to school with a fun Taco Tuesday-themed lunch! In a reusable lunch container, add cooked ground beef or chicken seasoned with Rick’s Rub™ Moroccan seasoning, then top with fresh chopped lettuce, tomato, cheese, beans, rice, corn, or any other favourite taco toppings! Pack a portion of tortilla chips to eat on the side with salsa, sour cream, or guac.
​Ole!
What are your Back to School favourites?

Share with us in the comments!!
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Rick's Rub™ tips-Spicing Up Your Super Bowl snacks

2/2/2021

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For many, The Super Bowl is not so much about watching the big game as it is getting to eat copious amounts of delicious food and not feeling completely guilty about it. If you are looking for easy ways to add a flavourful twist to your Super Bowl appetizers using your favourite Rick’s Rub™ spice blends, feel free to check out our suggestions below! 
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Fiery Queso Dip 
Much like GOAT quarterback Tom Brady, a cheesy-rich queso dip never gets old. But for those looking to add a much-needed kick to this savoury sauce, try adding Rick’s Rub™ Heat and season to taste. The fiery yet subtle kick from this best-selling Rick’s Rub™ blend perfectly complements this cheesy concoction. Your team may lose, but one thing is guaranteed, your tastebuds will not.  

Sizzling 7-Layer Dip 
A typical seven-layer dip is composed of refried beans, sour cream mixed with cream cheese, guacamole, salsa, cheese, green onions, olives or jalapenos. Bring some complimentary flavour to this already robust dip by adding Rick’s Rub™ Moroccan or Rick's Rub™ Heat to the sour cream portion of the mixture. 
 
Keto Chicken Wings 
A Super Bowl feast would not feel the same without a mountain of tasty chicken wings to munch. Using unseasoned wings and drumettes from your local butcher shop or grocery store, coat wings with your favourite Rick's Rub™ blends. Some of our favourite rubs for game day chicken wings include: 
  • Rick’s Rub™ Asian brings a sweet yet bold collision of flavours, courtesy of contrasting taste of Chinese 5-Spice and peppercorns. 
  • Rick’s Rub™ Moroccan provides a savoury and subtle tang of heat from a blend of flavours greatly influenced by our fresh cumin and cayenne pepper. 
  • Rick’s Rub™ Heat brings together a flavourful and fiery bite thanks to the flavour profiles of chipotle, cayenne, and habanero peppers. ​
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SPICING UP HOLIDAY LEFTOVERS WITH RICK'S RUB™!

12/28/2020

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Christmas dinner is great until you're stuck eating that same meal through to the New Year. Instead, treat yourself and your family to some delectable holiday leftover mashups that will have you as excited for leftovers as you were for Christmas dinner!

Check out these simple and tasty Rick’s Rub™ inspired meal ideas for giving your leftovers a much-needed makeover.


  1. Turkey Soup - ​This should go without saying, but I’ll say it anyway! Turkey soup is a classic leftover dish, and a family favourite in my household, it is also perfect for those cold wintery days. Add some Rick’s Rub™ Original to your soup for a flavourful splash of Spanish paprika, cumin, and thyme. Dare to take it up a notch? Add a pinch of Rick’s Rub™ Heat for a tongue-tingling touch of chipotle, and habanero peppers.
  2. Prime Rib or Turkey Tacos, Nachos, and Fajitas - For this holiday leftover fiesta, you’ll want to thinly slice your protein of choice for tacos and fajitas, and bite-size pieces for nachos. While heating up your protein in a skillet, add Rick’s Rub™ Moroccan for a bold flavour, complimentary to tacos, nachos, and fajitas. Just include some leftover vegetables in the mix, preferably onions and peppers to complete this dish.​​
  3. Ham or Prime Rib and Eggs Hash -This simple yet filling dish is a perfect, lazy Boxing Day breakfast option, that will be sure to put a dent in your stash of leftovers. Just season some hash browns or diced, leftover potatoes with Rick’s Rub™ Original. Simply mix in your leftover protein of choice. Top this dish off with your preferred style of eggs, seasoned with our Rick’s Rub™ Lamb for a light, fresh flavour that will blend well with the rest of this diner-style dish.
  4. The All-Encompassing Leftover Sandwich - No leftover is left behind in this holiday sandwich. All leftovers are on the table for this magnificent mix of holiday favourites. To add some personality to your already eccentric edible creation, mix some Rick’s Rub™ Heat with mayo to create a spicy chipotle mayo, to create the perfect condiment fit for your holiday leftovers sandwich.

What are your favourite Holiday Leftover Recipes? Let us know in the comments below!
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Rick's Rub™ Christmas Gift Guide

12/4/2020

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Gifts for Mom
​​This year, does Mom really need another “Merry Christmas” mug?
Instead, spice up her cooking experience with a variety of our Certified Gluten-Free dry rubs! She’ll love our classic and versatile Rick’s Rub Original blend on the grill or in the oven. Give her pasta sauces some extra Italian influence with our savoury Rick’s Rub™ Tuscan blend. She’ll get creative with our lovely and light Rick’s Rub™ Lamb blend with fresh flavours perfect for a veggie dip or complementing a juicy lamb chop. Nobody knows Mom like you, so feel free to browse our other flavours for a customized gift!
Recommended- Rick’s Rub™ Original, Rick’s Rub™ Tuscan, Rick’s Rub™ Lamb

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Gifts for Dad
​Instead of gifting Dad another pair of cargo shorts for his collection, provide the practical guy in your life with the perfect practical gift to match. This holiday season gift him another weapon to add to his already lethal grilling repertoire with a few of our favourite flavour-packed Rick’s Rub™ blends.
​Recommended- Rick’s Rub™ Heat, Rick’s Rub™ Moroccan, Rick’s Rub™ Seafood

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World Tour Bundle
​Travel may have to wait for now, but that doesn’t mean your taste buds can’t explore some of our favourite worldly blends. Influence is pulled from around the world to create these exotic rubs that allow you to live vicariously through your tastebuds; at least until you can travel again!
Visit the Italian countryside with the flavours of Rick's Rub™ Tuscan, explore the spice market in Marrakech with Rick's Rub™ Moroccan, and dine on traditional Chinese BBQ duck with Rick's Rub™ Asian.
The world-traveller on your Christmas list will love to receive the World Tour Bundle this year!
Recommended- Rick’s Rub™ Tuscan, Rick’s Rub™ Moroccan, Rick’s Rub™ Asian

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Best Sellers Bundle
​Whether it’s your first time perusing our Rick’s Rub™ blends, or you’re an avid Rick’s Rub™ connoisseur, you can’t go wrong with a bundle of our best sellers! This holiday season gift a special someone in your life a bundle of our Rick’s Rub™ ALL-TIME FAVOURITES, even if it's for yourself.
​Recommended- Rick’s Rub™ Original, Rick’s Rub™ Heat, Rick’s Rub™ Tuscan

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Spice Lovers Bundle
​Having trouble shopping for the Heat fanatic in your life? Is food NEVER spicy enough for your loved one?
This Spice Lovers bundle will keep your tastebuds warm through the New Year. Rely on our Rick’s Rub™ Heat to provide a fiery punch on chicken wings or in a chip dip. Master the bold flavour of Rick’s Rub™ Moroccan in some cold-weather favourites, like chilis or stews. Dare to try our Rick’s Rub™ Azteca in a mug of hot cocoa for a fiery and sweet tango on your tastebuds.
Recommended- Rick’s Rub™ Heat, Rick’s Rub™ Moroccan, Rick’s Rub™ Azteca

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Press release: Rick's Rub™ is Certified gluten free

1/19/2015

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The following article is the press release that was posted on the Gluten Free Certification Program website today, announcing Rick's Rub™ as part of their approved products. For a downloadable PDF version, click the link at the bottom of the article.
Picture“Every product in the Rick's Real™ Foods collection is Certified Gluten-Free, low in sodium, has no MSG or extra fillers, so you can feel good about feeding your family our premium products” says Chef Rick (PRWEB) January 19, 2015
Need Rub?™ Chef Rick’s Rub™ Seasoning Line is Now Certified Gluten-Free! 

Rick's Real™ Foods exciting collection of gourmet products now carry the GFCP trademark ensuring to consumers that their brand of products are gluten-free .

The Gluten-Free Certification Program (GFCP)  in partnership with the Canadian Celiac Association is proud to announce Rick’s Real™ Foods exciting collection of gourmet products including Rick’s Rub™ Seasoning Line has met all GFCP assurance requirements to use the GFCP trademark on their product line.

Rick's Rub™ is a collection of dry rub blends consisting of 8 different varieties: Tuscan, Azteca, Original, Moroccan, Heat, Asian, Lamb, and Fish & Seafood. Created by Red Seal Chef Rick to bring flavour back to your kitchen, the Rick’s Rub dry spice blends will give your premium ingredients what they deserve, awesome flavours and aromas residing on your taste buds adding pleasurable memories to your meal time! These seasoning blends have been specially formulated to bring out the best in your meat, fish, vegetables or tofu all year round.

“Every product in the Rick's Real™ Foods collection is Certified Gluten-Free, low in sodium, has no MSG or extra fillers, so you can feel good about feeding your family our premium products” says Chef Rick. Paul Valder, president of the Allergen Control Group Inc. (ACG), the corporation that manages the GFCP states that “by displaying the GFCP trademark, Rick’s Real™ Foods provide consumers with a trusted and easily identifiable source of gluten-free products without sacrificing taste, to aid consumers that have celiac disease, gluten sensitivity or are avoiding gluten for other reasons”.

The Gluten-Free Certification Program is a voluntary program designed for manufacturers and brand owners committed to producing safe, reliable gluten-free products. The program combines stringent, risk based gluten-free requirements with globally recognized food safety management systems which exceed government requirements in both Canada and the United States. It is verified by an annual robust, third-party facility audit process which ensures continued compliance. Consumers can now shop with confidence across North American and know that the products they are purchasing meet the industry’s strictest gluten-free requirements when they see the GFCP trademark.

“The Canadian Celiac Association believes that all Canadians have the right to safe food, and have designed the Gluten-Free Certification Program to meet these special needs” states Sue Newell, Operations Manager of the Canadian Celiac Association. “The CCA advocates on behalf of approximately 2,000,000 Canadians suffering from celiac disease and gluten sensitivity, who are frustrated by the uncertainty of identifying the gluten-free products that are essential to their well-being.”

Rick's Rub™ can be found across BC and Alberta in Save on Foods, Coopers Foods, Urban Fare, PriceSmart Foods, Marketplace IGA, Nester's Market, and gourmet food, butcher, and fish shops. New stores are always being added to the family, so check out Rick’s Real™ Foods locations map to find the nearest location.

About the Allergen Control Group Inc. (ACG)
The Allergen Control Group Inc. is a privately held corporation which owns and operates the Gluten-Free Certification Program on a global basis and is endorsed exclusively by the CCA in Canada and the NFCA in the USA. http://www.glutenfreecert.com

About the Canadian Celiac Association (CCA)
The Canadian Celiac Association is the national voice for people who are adversely affected by gluten, and is dedicated to improving diagnosis and quality of life. Based in Mississauga, Ontario with 28 Chapters across the country, its mission includes advocacy, education, research and community support. http://www.celiac.ca

About Rick’s Real™ Foods
Rick's Real™ Foods is an exciting collection of gourmet products created by Red Seal Chef Rick Forde, to tempt your tastebuds and your imagination. Whether you are 2 or 102, Rick's Real™ Foods will help you create restaurant quality meals for your whole family. http://www.ricksrealfoods.ca

Contact
  • Heather Nelson
    Allergen Control Group
    +1 866 817 0952 Ext: 231
  • Samantha Daskis
    Rick's Real Foods
    604-460-0811

press_release_rrf_is_gfc.pdf
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HAPPY NEW YEAR!

1/1/2015

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As 2014 comes to an end, our team at Rick's Real Foods would like to thank everyone for their support this year: friends, family, Rick's Rub fans sending us their recipes and getting inspired by others, store managers and team members, our distributor, and everyone who has tried our products this year. This year has provided us with great memories and adventures as we traveled around BC and Alberta and we are so excited to see what 2015 has in store! Our Rick's Real Foods team is planning exciting events, tours, and even new products for the coming year and we can't wait to share these with you! We wish you a very Happy and Healthy New Year and remember to include Rick's Rub in your New Year's Eve appetizers! Check out our recipes for some ideas and inspiration! See you next year!

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localize: 5 festive recipes to localize your holidays

12/19/2014

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It's only 6 days until Christmas 2014 and we got a bit of an early Christmas present!

Way back in September, Localize, made a call out to local vendors for their favourite festive holiday recipes using their products. Well, of course we have an abundance of inspiration for any holiday meal using Rick's Rub, but we decided to send a unique recipe that was sent to us by a Facebook friend of ours. Today, 95 days later, I received an email saying that our recipe was picked for their Top 5! Yippee! I won't lie, I did throw my hands in the air 'cause I just didn't care. Publicity is good, free publicity is even better!

Our Category is "A Sugar Plum Fairy's Pick" and you can find the blog post here.

Or find the recipe here:

Rick’s Rub was created by Red Seal Chef Rick, to add flavour back into the kitchen using premium herbs and spices that are blended in Maple Ridge, British Columbia. Rick’s products are low in sodium, have no MSG, and no extra fillers so you know exactly what is going into your food with Rick’s Rub. It all started because “Chef Rick wants everyone to feel good about what is going into your body, getting back to Real Food!” Find out more about Rick’s Real Food.

Makes: 6 dozen cookies
(Note: to make Gluten Free, use Quinoa flour)

  • 1 cup butter & 1 cup margarine
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 4 cups cake flour or 3 cups all purpose flour
  • (Gluten Free: 4 cups Quinoa flour)
  • 1 tbsp vanilla
  • 1 1/4 tsp Rick’s Rub Original
  • 3/4 tsp Rick’s Rub Heat
 
Directions:

  1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees F (Gluten Free: 340 degrees F).
  2. Blend butter and margarine well. Add vanilla.
  3. Add sugar and blend well.
  4. Combine flour, Rick’s Rub Heat, & Rick’s Rub Original.
  5. Add flour mixture to butter mixture gradually until dough is quite stiff.
  6. Form dough into balls with your hands, place on greased cookie sheet and press down with a fork.
  7. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown (Gluten Free: 10 minutes).
Enjoy! Share with your friends and family and Merry Christmas!

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Save on Foods Fresh Ideas Segment with Rick's Rub

8/27/2014

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Did you spot the Rick's Rub tins in the newest Save on Foods Fresh Ideas segment? Our friend Carolyn saw the tins while watching the Global morning news and gave us the heads up! You can catch the segment on Global TV Morning News in BC on Sundays and Wednesdays, and in Edmonton Saturdays and Wednesdays to get you inspired! Thanks Save on Foods!
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yucatecan inspiration

8/18/2014

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PictureTres Amigos
Recently, the Rick's Rub team traveled to Izamal, in the Mexican state of Yucatan, for a family wedding. Unbeknownst to us, this trip would not only be our first meeting with our new Mexican family, but also prove to be a culinary adventure and inspiration for new meal ideas!

When Canadians imagine mexican food, it is usually the Tex-Mex version from the southern U.S., consisting of hard tacos, chilis, and massive burritos. What we had encountered was fresh, made with love, and perfected through generations of Mayan traditions. Izamal is a quaint town about 3 hours from Cancun, but not filled with tourists so we got to see REAL Mexico, where everyone goes to work, visits with friends and family, and celebrates everything. We were greeted with the beautiful aromatics of the many street food vendors offering tacos, tortas, fresh fruit, and cola in glass bottles! One of the many surprising quirks about small-town Mexico is that no one eats supper until at least 8pm when the temperature is a tad more accommodating. There were many late-night meals to be had in Izamal, including amazing street tacos served 4 or 5 to a plate, using freshly made corn tortillas, shredded pork, and onions, with plenty of lime juice and hot sauce to customize these delicious little morsels. I know there were a few nights where I had more than my fair share of tacos in our group.

PictureStreet tacos
One of the dishes that has definitely made an impression on our family was homemade Cochinita Pibil by a new family member. This is a traditional Mayan dish using pork covered in spices, wrapped in banana leaves, and cooked in a pit until the pork can be shredded with a fork. We ate this fabulous meal on tortillas with a purple onion relish on top. This will definitely be one meal we will try to recreate at home (minus the pit, of course).

During the tour of a local home, we were able to spy fresh fruits in the garden that we only see in their under-ripened state in our local Canadian grocery store. Unfortunately, nothing was quite ready for sampling, but maybe for our next visit. See the gallery below to spot the fingerling bananas, papayas, and young coconuts.

Now, what is a trip to Mexico without sampling some of the national drink? Not a fun trip!
Our group "sampled" many brands of tequila during our stay in Mexico and the overwhelming consensus is that it is much better drinking it in Mexico than in Canada! Like beer or wine, tequila has different flavour profiles from the various regions and the aging process. Instead of throwing back a shot accompanied by salt and a slice of lime, this tequila can be sipped without all the burn, or mixed into a whole variety of different drinks; a much more civilized experience. Don't worry, the only bottles with the worm (or scorpion) are found in the tourist shops, seen in Cancun, to take home to unsuspecting family members as souvenirs.

We are always working on new varieties of Rick's Rub for the many delicious dishes in the world, so try Rick's Rub Heat, which can easily be added to enhance the spice in your favourite Mexican dishes. We have heard from many ex-pats in Mexico that they stock Rick's Rub in their pantry for easy meals when the temperature spikes!

Keep checking back as we are about to launch two new very exciting Rick's Rub flavours in the coming weeks!

Cochinita Pibil tacos
Fresh tortillas being made street-side
Enchiladas!
How nachos should look!
Street nachos
Another version of nachos. This time at Chichen Itza, accompanied by a much needed lime margarita
Cory, the Rick's Rub demo cook, enjoying a frozen strawberry margarita
Fingerling Bananas
Fresh Papayas
Fresh young coconuts

    What is your favourite Mexican dish?

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Rick's Rub Alberta Adventures!

6/29/2014

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Whew! What a trip!
For those who don't already know, the Rick's Rub team went on the road for the month of June to introduce our awesome product line to our new friends in Alberta! What a great reception!
We started by revisiting our friends in beautiful Nelson, BC at Save on Foods to let everyone know about our Gluten Free status. Next, we spent a lovely evening in Banff, AB to restock the Nester's Market in the village. We will definitely be visiting again after experiencing those gorgeous mountain views!

Once we arrived in Alberta, it was a whirlwind! We met new friends in Red Deer, Calgary, Lethbridge, Edmonton, and Grande Prairie over the next 3 weeks. Our team even got a rare chance to catch up with some family in Calgary and Red Deer. We were very fortunate during this trip since we managed to catch the short period in the Alberta summer that the weather was warm and the bugs had not come out yet!

We crossed back into BC to visit the northern communities of Fort St. John and Prince George, where our team has never traveled before. Coming from the coast, it was amazing to experience how long the northern summer sun actually stays up, even until 12:30am some nights! During our demo in Fort St. John, we ran into a woman who went to school with Chef Rick in Kamloops! We always manage to run into someone who knows Chef Rick, even in Northern BC. Such a small world. While in Prince George, we got some great ideas for new recipes from the Save on Foods employees and customers, including some great new fish ideas from a customer originally from Prince Rupert.

After our stop in Prince George, we had been on the road for almost a month so we were ready to get back to our beloved coast. We stopped at the Save on Foods in Quesnel, Williams Lake and 100 Mile House, and the Buy Low Foods in Lillooet before making the windy drive through the Fraser Canyon back home.

12 new stores, 121 total stores, 245 tins sold during demos, and 5300 kms on the new Rick's Rub-mobile and our first, but not last, road trip to Alberta is complete.

Check out some of the photos that were taken from our adventures!
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what our customers have to say

I bought your Original Rick's Rub™ seasoning this weekend and it's fantastic! Can't wait to try the other flavours!
Catherine A.
You have to try the Rick's Rub™ Fish & Seafood with good ole tuna and just a bit of mayo, it brings tuna to a whole new level! Delicious in a sandwich or with crackers
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