Stay Cool this Summer with These 4 Healthy Tips

by guest blogger Bolu Ishola

Summer is officially here and with that comes hydration. How can you stay hydrated?

1. A great way to stay hydrated is to incorporate water into your day is to drink a glass when you wake up an before you go to bed.
2. Getting a fun water bottle usually helps to encourage water intake.
3. Another great way to increase intake is by infusing your water. Adding cucumbers and lemons into a water bottle with ice is very refreshing.
4. Eat a cool salad full of refreshing vegetables to help with these sweltering days.

Cool Caesar Salad

Feeds 2-3

This recipe has a lot of prep but once that is out the way, you are good for a quick fix hearty meal! This recipe also allows for creativity in the dressing department. A good rule of thumb to know when your dressing is done is:

1. Taste! Constantly taste your dressing and adjust to what YOU want more of. I like mine to be a bit tangier so I add a whole lime instead of half of one.
2. Consistency. Put your dressing in a container with a lid (like a mason jar) and shake it A LOT. After you unscrew the lid you’re able to get an idea of what you need to add: more yogurt if it’s too runny and more lemon juice/ olive oil if it’s too thick. Play around with tastes on his one and give it a try!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• Juice of half a lemon
• 1 tsp honey
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 4 bunches of kale
• 1 can 15 oz chickpeas
• 1 chicken breast or rotisserie chicken (optional)
• 1 cup edamame
• 1 cup corn
• Cumin
• Salt
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Smoked paprika

Directions:

• Wash kale thoroughly and chop into bite size pieces fit enough for a salad. Set aside to drain
• Make dressing by adding oil, salt, pepper, lemon, yogurt, and honey to a jar and shake, shake, shake!
• Drain and rinse the can of chickpeas and season to your preference with the spices listed (start with 1 tsp of everything and adjust as you go!)
• Add chickpeas on a baking sheet lined with  parchment paper and put in a 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes. Rotate and stir constantly.
• Prepare chicken breast by baking it with seasonings of your choice or use rotisserie chicken from the store.
• Prepare edamame by thawing it and cooking it in a microwave for 1 minute with 1 ½ cups of water. Drain and let cool.
• Assemble salad and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts (3 Servings): Amount Per Serving
Calories 446.3, Total Fat 8.9 g, Saturated Fat 1.1 g, Cholesterol 38.5 mg, Sodium 941.1 mg, Potassium 857.3 mg, Total Carbohydrate 61.9 g, Dietary Fiber 12.2 g, Sugars 13.5 g, Protein 34.4 g, Vitamin A 484.5 %, Vitamin C 140.3 %, Calcium 39.2 %

Calculated from Spark Recipes.Com