Watermelon, Cucumber, and Mint Salad: My Diary of Us

How was your holiday weekend? We had a great weekend celebrating our anniversary and enjoying an extra day together yesterday for Memorial Day. One thing is for sure, we had a cheat weekend, indulging in whatever we wanted in the food department. Did anyone else out there have a weekend filled with burgers and ice cream? Well we did, and today we are back to eating healthy, trying to make up for our glutenous past couple of days. If you are attempting to do the same, I have the perfect healthy salad to get you going in the right direction. My watermelon, cucumber, and mint salad is light, flavorful, and is super good for your body, especially coming off of a long weekend.

Memorial Day in my mind kick starts summer. I immediately start thinking about watermelons and ice cream cones on a hot day. And since I do not need to be eating ice cream cones every day, watermelon is my next favorite summertime treat.

PostedMay 26, 2015

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesSalads

Tagswatermelon, cucumber salad, watermelon salad, healthy snacks, watermelon cucumber and mint salad, gluten free, clean eating, light lunch ideas, summer salads, seasonal salads, watermelon recipes

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Summer is my favorite season. Yes, it's dreadfully hot, dry armpits aren't an option, and makeup runs off my face, but there is something about the time of year that makes me so happy. I love the flush in my cheeks, the sound of lawn mowers running, the nightly smells of grills around the neighborhood, and most of all, my favorite fruits come into season. One of my favorites since I was a little girl has always been the peach. When they are sweet I could eat them by the dozen. I put them in drinks, eat them alone for a snack, make marinades, and love throwing them into salads. And speaking of salads, my peach caprese salad is my current lunch obsession and I can guarantee you that it will keep your tummy happy all summer long.

I'm aware it's not officially summer and that peaches aren't actually in their prime just yet, but remember I'm pregnant and when I set my sites on something food related...well there is just no turning back. I took one sniff of a peach at the grocery and I was a goner. I have been eating them for three weeks now and can be spotted eating at least two a day.

PostedMay 13, 2015

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesSalads

Tagspeach caprese salad, caprese salad, salad recipes, summer salads, seasonal salads, peach recipes, tomatoes, gluten free, clean eating, healthy salads, light lunch recipes, light lunch ideas, peach caprese, salads

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Whole Wheat Pasta with Peas, Radishes, and Parmesan: My Diary of Us

I am finally cooking in my kitchen again and I gotta tell you, I felt a little rusty for a few days. I had to get my mojo back, including getting used to a new kitchen, remembering where I put everything, and figuring out the new cook times with this oven since it cooks completely differently than my last one. This week I'm getting my stride back it seems and I am so glad to be settled and feeling somewhat normal again. After spending two week eating out and surviving off of whatever Canean and I could find to eat (including fulfilling my pregnancy cravings), we decided this week we were both going to get back to our healthy lifestyles and that includes working out and eating right. My whole wheat pasta with peas and radishes is the perfect light lunch or dinner side that is healthy and full of flavor.

Prepping for the week is the only way to ensure you will be successful to stay on track..at least for me it's that way. And one of my most favorite tricks is to make a dish that I can eat on for a few days. It's ready to eat, so it doesn't give me time to choose a not so healthy option instead. This pasta salad is the perfect recipe to make in advance because it can be eaten at room temperature or right out of the fridge.

PostedApril 15, 2015

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesLunch, Salads

TagsPasta Salad Recipe, Salad Recipes, Lunch Recipes, Lunch Idea, Healthy Recipes, Light Lunches, Healthy, Clean Eating, Fresh Food, Spring Salads, Pea Recipes, Radish Recipes

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Strawberry, Avocado, and Walnut Salad: My Diary of Us

Salad has not been on my list of everyday foods right now. I have been craving lots of things, but vegetables just aren't one of them. I'm hoping my regular love of all things healthy comes back in the next couple of weeks, and in the mean time I have been tricking my brain by putting vegetables into sauces, smoothies, and sometimes forcing myself to eat them for the sake of the baby. However, my strawberry and avocado salad happens to be the one salad that I don't have to choke down and that actually taste amazing to me. This salad is so healthy and easy and the flavor combinations are just right.

You can top it with grilled chicken or salmon and even your picky eaters will approve of this healthy weeknight dinner. There is something about the savory and sweet when you get a bite of the strawberries with the tangy vinaigrette that just makes this salad so dang good until the last bite.

PostedMarch 23, 2015

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesSalads

TagsMeatless Monday, Salad, Strawberry Salads, Healthy Salads, Healthy Lunch Ideas, Light Dinners, Gluten Free meals, Gluten Free Salads, Pregnancy Superfoods, Clean Eating Recipes, Strawberries, Seasonal eating, Spring Salads, Spring Recipes, Easy Recipes, Fifteen Minute Meals, salads, meatless meals

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Apricot, Arugula, and Quinoa Salad with a Cumin Vinaigrette: My Diary of Us

It's still raining. Yeah, we are on week two of dreary weather and this gal is overrr it. The backyard is muddy, I have to force myself to be productive, and the only thing that sounds good is a nap and foods that I shouldn't be eating. So in an effort to brighten up this Tuesday I made a colorful and healthy salad that will hopefully turn my rainy day blues around and will keep me full of energy all week long! My apricot, arugula, and quinoa salad with a cumin vinaigrette is just the salad to do the trick! It's gorgeous, full of flavor, and so good for you too!

Quinoa has been around for a while now, and if you aren't using it yet, today is the day to start. It's packed with protein, minerals, and vitamins and is definitely a grain that should be added into your diet! Perfect as a side, or mixed into a salad, I love it just about any way I can get it!

PostedMarch 3, 2015

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesDinner, Lunch, Salads

Tagsquinoa salad, healthy lunch ideas, light lunches, light dinners, healthy meals, meal planning, meal prep, gluten free recipes, clean eating, salad recipes, healthy side dishes

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Who watched the Super Bowl last night? I will be honest...I watched a few commercials, the halftime show, and the last two minutes of the game while I was secretly just waiting on the Blacklist to come on. I'll tell you what I did do though, I ate a big bowl of chili piled high with all the fixings, drank a few beers, and then possibly ate some ice cream to top off the night. I'm thinking I should eat lots of salad and drink lots of water today to balance out my Sunday Funday...and I am guessing a few of you might be feeling the same way this morning. My winter Asian Kale Salad is a bowl full of amazing ingredients that are good for your body and the best part is, it tastes really great too!

Before I go into why you need to make this salad, what was your favorite commercial last night? I have three. My favorite funny commercial was the Dorito commercial with the guy on the airplane...because we've all been there on a plane right? My favorite inspiring commercial was the Always #likeagirl commercial. I had seen it before online, but I loved that so many girls and women are getting such a powerful message...girl power! And then my favorite "aww" commercial was obviously the Budweiser commercial...I mean how cute was that puppy?

Now that we have that covered, back to why you need to make this salad...

PostedFebruary 2, 2015

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesLunch, Salads

TagsAsian Salad, Winter Asian Salad, Healthy Salad Recipes, healthy Recipe, light lunches, dinner, weekday meals, clean eating, gluten free

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