Tag: food

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Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #9

Hi everyone! 

Happy Friday! We made it through our first week of October! Woo Hoo! It’s really starting to feel like fall as we are consistently in the 50’s degrees. 

Hello F A L L

As always, I’m linking up with  Erika and Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites. Here’s some of my favorite things this week.

J.Crew Trench Coat

I got this coat for Christmas a few years back and it’s one of my favorite things to wear in the spring and fall. Not only is it professional for the office by wearing a dress, skirt or dress pants with it, but you can also wear it with jeans or leggings for a casual look. I know I have talked about this trench coat on my blog before, but I had to share it again since I’ve been wearing it a lot over the past few weeks. It keeps me warm; I love the cut and style and quality. Even if you don’t want to go with J.Crew, I highly recommend investing in a trench coat for the spring and fall and even cooler summer nights too. 

Trail Mix

I always keep my eyes open for fun, seasonal snacks when I am out and about, and I picked up this trail mix from Target. I have been munching on this sweet treat for lunch since it’s the perfect mix between sweet and salty. There are peanuts, peanut butter chips, raisins, pretzels and chocolate chips all mixed in. It satisfies the sweet and salty tooth and tastes like fall too. I’m excited to see what other fall treats will be hitting the shelves soon.

Pinterest Boards

Speaking of fall, I have been so inspired by Pinterest lately. I haven’t decorated my front door and porch yet for fall, but when I do, I have plenty of ideas saved from Pinterest. I’ve been so inspired by front doors set up with pumpkins, mums and fall vegetables. I also can’t wait until more leaves start to change for fall walks and drives. I have spent some time outdoors and just seeing some leaves fall got me excited for what’s to come. You can follow me on Pinterest here.

Apple Glaze Cinnamon Swirl Bread

I had some leftover apples and made this delicious and sweet apple bread. It was so tasty that it could be enjoyed as a dessert with a scoop of ice cream. I found the recipe on Pinterest and will be sharing with you in a few weeks. I love using the fall as a time to test out new recipes.

Fall TV is Back!

Some of my favorite weekly shows are back on tv this week. I’ve been catching an episode of the Masked Singer here and there. It’s always a good show to put on in the background and try and guess who’s under the mask. This year they are unmasking more people each week which has been an added twist. Grey’s Anatomy returned last night! There’s a new class of interns to meet this season and I’m looking forward to seeing how their storylines unfold. Ellen Pompeo won’t be in this season as much so I’m curious how the season will go/feel without her in every episode. I’m looking forward to seeing how it all unfolds.

That’s just a look into my life this week.

Tell me: what are some favorite things you are loving this week? Let me know below!

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Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #6

Hello All!

Happy Friday! 

I hope you have all had a great week and have something fun and maybe even fall-ish planned for this weekend.

I’m hopping on here to share some of my favorite things from this past week as I link up with I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea! 

To start things off, it’s launch day for Simplified planners for the 2023 year. I always love placing my order for my new planner for the upcoming year. Depending on when you read this, I’ve either already placed my order or will be placing it soon. Once I get my shipment in, I’ll be sure to share! If you are looking for a new planner or some accessories, be sure to check out Simplified. 

Here’s Five Things I’m Loving this Week:

–The Perfect Couple

I finished reading this book last week and loved it! It was my first Elin Hilderbrand novel and wow, I’m hooked. I love beach reads in the summer, but when I saw this one had a bit of mystery to it, I was even more intrigued. The book is about a young couple who, alongside their family and friends, are in Nantucket for the weekend to get married. But, on the morning of their wedding, the Maid of Honors is found dead. As you read, you will also find that there’s a lot of secrets in the midst of family members and wedding attendees. How did she end up dead and who wanted her gone? You will have to read to find out. 

 As I was reading, I also learned that there are plans to make this into a series and I’m so excited to see who they cast for the characters. If you have read this book before, what did you think? Also, let me know what book of Elin’s I should read next!

–Elizabeth Holmes

After the passing of Queen Elizabeth II last week, I have been reading and watching a lot about the late queen. If you have been following my blog for a while, then you may remember that I’m an avid Crown watcher and Royal family fan. In fact,  I read two books about the Royal family this summer. I’ve been following a lot of the traditional events that are taking place in the United Kingdom this week, but I’ve also been turning to Royal commentors to learn more too. Author Elizabeth Holmes is my go-to. I follow her on Instagram where she breaks down royal fashion and I get her weekly newsletters too. She even wrote a book on Royal fashion, you can check it out here. If you are looking for more insights or knowledge about the Royal Family, check her out on Instagram

–Crumbl

I got dinner with a friend this past week and we got Crumbl cookies for dessert. I’ve heard about these infamous, giant, gourmet cookies and couldn’t wait to try them for myself. Every week, locations puts out six different flavors for customers to choose from. I went with the classic sugar cookie with pink icing and loved it. The cookies are so large and flavorful that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to share them or sample them over a day or two. Although, I don’t have a location near me, I look forward to trying another flavor the next time I stop in for a cookie.

The sweetest treat!

–Disney Plus New Releases 

Disney Plus released several trailers for new movies and tv shows that will be out over the next few months. I don’t watch too many shows/movies on Disney Plus but a lot of the trailers that got released were for movies I grew up watching. I’m very excited to see the sequel to Hocus Pocus especially as we get closer to Halloween. After Halloween comes Christmas, which means it’s time for holiday movies like the Santa Clause, I’m intrigued to see how this series following the movies will play out. Last but not least, seeing the sequel to Enchanted come out made me happy. I’ve heard rumors about a sequel but to see it come to life is so fun! I’m curious to see how Disenchanted will play out. 

One of my favorite things about all these trailers is that many members of the original casts will be returning, cue the nostalgia.

–Sweet Magnolias

I started a new show on Netflix. I’ve heard a lot of great reviews about Sweet Magnolias and started it over the weekend. It’s the perfect light-hearted show with hints of drama. I love the music, the friendships and the storylines. After watching the first few episodes, it has me craving a simple life in a quaint town. 

That’s just a little recap of some of my favorite things from this week.

Let me know below, what are you loving this week?

Happy Friday and happy weekend!!

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Let's Get Cooking

Summer Pasta Salads and Appetizers

Hello all! Happy Wednesday! I hope you are all having a great week! I hate to say it but I have been slipping on making a new meal once a week. It’s definitely been harder to make it happen in the summer with more family time and a more relaxed family schedule. We sometimes eat later or go out more. I’m looking forward to getting back to cooking in the fall. 

I have still made a few recipes this summer, some of which are staples in my home.

We will start out with my Italian Pasta Salad. I think we got this recipe on a box years ago. We tried it and loved it and haven’t looked back.

My favorite summer pasta salad.

Here’s what you need and how to make it.

What you Need:

Rotini Pasta (or your favorite kind of pasta)

Italian Dressing

Cherry Tomatoes

Mozzarella Cheese Balls

Sliced Cucumber

Steps:

  1. In a pot, boil water to cook pasta. (I change the amount of pasta I use depending on who I’m cooking for and how many servings I need.)
  2. Drain water and then put pasta in large serving bowl.
  3. Slice cucumber and then add cherry tomatoes, and mozzarella, to pasta.
  4. Stir in all the ingredients and drizzle Italian dressing.
  5. Put in fridge to chill until ready to serve.

*If you plan on saving and serving again, make sure to add more Italian dressing

If pasta isn’t you choice, maybe you like to snack on chips and salsa.

When we went on vacation, we had a great shrimp cocktail sauce salsa. It was full of so much flavor. 

Appetizer night

Here’s an idea of how I’ve made this tasty dish.

What you Need:

Cocktail sauce

Salsa (I like a peach salsa or a medium hot salsa)

Baby Shrimp (can be frozen or in a can)

Steps:

  1. In a bowl mix half of the cocktail shrimp sauce and half of the salsa in a bowl
  2. Mix in the baby shrimp and then chill until you are ready to serve.
  3. Serve with tortilla chips or pita chips.

*If you aren’t a big fan of mixing half of each sauce you can change your parts to ¼ of one and ¾ of another. 

Also pictured is brie cheese with raspberry sauce. I like to cook the cheese and add the sauce at the end, it’s full of flavor and filling too.

I like to enjoy it with bread or crackers.

All of these recipes are super easy for entertaining in the summer and are easy to throw together. 

What are some of your favorite snacks to serve and share.

Drop them below!!

Categories
Fabulous living

Apple Recipes

Hello everyone! Happy Wednesday! There’s a lot going on in the world and nation right now, from the Election, the pandemic and the holidays approaching, so with that being said, today, we are talking about none of those things and instead we are talking about apple recipes!!! 

Something fun and something new and something you can do this weekend!

Last week I took a trip and went apple picking and for the past week I have been enjoying all the apples and I have been baking a lot too!

Fun day apple picking

Last week, I baked my apple turnovers. They are so easy and tasty, perfect for a dessert, snack or even a sweet breakfast! Here’s the recipe from when I made it in the past.

Apple Turnovers

I then made some oatmeal apple crisp! It was perfect with some cold vanilla ice cream! I love the warm apples, with the oats and crisp topping. 

You can find the recipe here for the one with an oats topping.

If oats is not your thing, you can find an alternative one here.

Apple crisp with Oats

Lastly, I made a new favorite for the fall! I saw this on Pinterest and I wanted to try it. I love the strong apple taste and the crumb cake like topping, plus they are perfect for a breakfast on the or something sweet after a meal. Here’s therecipe I used from Pinterest. 

Apple Muffins

I have loved all the recipes that I made this past week, but there is nothing that beats a fresh apple. Let me know what recipes you try!! Have a sweet week ahead!

Categories
Fabulous living

Fall Recipe-Apple Crisp

Hi everyone. I hope you all had a relaxing weekend and your week is off to a great start. Last week I shared my fall bucket list and one of the things on it was make a fall recipe. When I was home last week for fall break, I made one of my favorite recipes, homemade apple crisp. It is so flavorful and warm for fall. I am sharing how to make it today.

Before

What You Need:

6 large apples

1 and 1/4 cup of Sugar

1/2 teaspoon of Cinnamon

1 cup of Flour

1/4 teaspoon of Salt

2 Tablespoons of Butter

1 Egg

1 teaspoon of Baking Powder

The original recipe

First slice all your apples and place them in a pan or dish that has cooking spray on it.

Then mix your 1/4 cup of sugar and cinnamon and mix that with the apple mixture. 

The sliced apples with sugar and cinnamon

Combine your flour, salt, butter, eggs, and 1 cup of sugar and mix thoroughly. Then spread over apple mixture. 

The completed mixture

Once your mixture is complete place in the oven for 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees. 

After it’s done in the oven, take it out to cool.

I like to serve mine heated with caramel sauce and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. There is so much flavor and it’s a warm dessert for fall, plus you don’t feel as guilty since you are eating apples. Haha! This is an easy dessert to make for family or friends, it’s simple to put together and easy to serve. All things I am looking for when I am cooking or baking.

Coming out from the oven

I hope you enjoyed today’s recipe, I will have more recipes coming soon. Have a great week!

Ready to enjoy!

What are some of your favorite fall recipes to cook or bake? Do you prefer apple flavored things or pumpkin flavored things?

Categories
Fabulous living

Grilled Shrimp Tacos

Hey guys! Happy Tuesday! 

I don’t know about you but I LOVE a good recipe to kick off my week. Back by popular demand I will be having more of my favorite foods on the blog in the next coming months. This summer my go to order whenever I was out was seafood tacos, whether it was fish tacos, shrimp tacos, or even lobster tacos…I loved mixing my two favorite foods of seafood and tacos together! After I ate and tried A LOT of tacos this summer, I decided to make up my own version of shrimp tacos.

  • Lobster roll
  • Fish tacos
  • Shrimp Tacos
  • Lobster flatbread

This is a light and flavorful meal, that can be assembled in less than 15 minutes depending on the prep. It was perfect for summer but still could be enjoyed in the early fall or even late spring. Plus, making this recipe now reminds me of the carefree days of summer!

Here’s what you need:

White flour tortilla shells

Grilled shrimp (for extra flavor)

Salsa (I love the peach salsa for something extra fruity)

*Lettuce

*Tomato

*Cheese

*Sour cream

*Guacamole 

*all of these are optional for extra flavor

Homemade Shrimp Tacos

To Prepare:

To begin you need to prepare your shrimp. I typically buy a frozen bag of shrimp and use it when I need it for a recipe. I begin to thaw it the night before I need it, then in the morning I boil them in a pot full of water with sea salt until they turn a light pink, typically between 12-15 minutes, once they are cooked to my liking, I drain the water and rinse them with cold water before storing them in the fridge with a few fresh cut lemons for flavor. 

Now, if you prefer to just have shrimp that’s not grilled you can begin to assemble your tacos, but I personally like extra flavor, so I remove the shrimp from the fridge and season it with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and paprika. I mix in a bowl with shrimp and olive oil.  Then begin to grill them for a few minutes into the are golden brown.

Once they are done on the grill, it’s time to assemble the tacos. I personally like a few pieces of shrimp, peach salsa, and a pinch of cheese. 

Who doesn’t love a flavorful taco?!

If you want a healthier version, ditch the tortilla and make a shrimp salad with lettuce, tomato, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and shrimp. 

In retrospect, I should not have been writing this post when I am craving shrimp tacos and can’t make them at the moment. But, if you are a seafood lover or loves to try new tacos then this is the recipe for you!

What’s your favorite meal that’s fast and easy?

Categories
Fabulous living

Summer Recap 2019

I can’t believe I am writing my summer 2019 recap. This has been a wonderful and packed full summer. When I moved back home in May, I didn’t know what this summer had in store for me. Yes, I knew there would be work, fun, and friends but other than that, I was open to any opportunity that presented itself. I accomplished a lot these past few months, from working at home, working at school, lots of family time, seeing a lot of friends from high school and college, weekend getaways, and trying new things. Let’s take a look back at my summer to do list and see if I accomplished everything. 

Get license renewed

  • Yes, I got this done the first day I was home and was so happy to get it done. 

Work/Internship

  • Yes, I worked at the same job I have been working at since high school and I got a lot f projects accomplished while I was there. I also volunteered for a Campaign this summer and it was interesting to see all the behind the scenes that goes into it. 

Make College photo album 

  • Yes, this was such a fun project and I’m glad I have all my pictures in one spot for the future, plus it was cool to look back on all the memories made. 

Celebrate 21

  • Yes, One of the highlights of my summer was celebrating my birthday with all my friends in Pittsburgh, it was so fun to spend the weekend with my people. You can read all about it here.
Celebrating 21 with my girls

See friends from college and high school

  • Yes, I made a few trips to Pittsburgh for work or to visit friends and it was so good to connect with friends outside of school. I also managed to hang out a lot with my high school friends whether it was weekend trips or fro yo runs. 
  • High school buds
  • College besties

Portfolio (BLS)

  • Yes and No, I am still in the process of completing this project for school but it will be done this semester. 

Work Study

  • Yes, I worked a lot for my school and it was great to be kept up to date on what was going on at school and do something I enjoy. 

Read 12-15 books

  • Yes, this was one of my favorite ways to spend the summer. I read a lot and enjoyed unwinding with a good book. You can read my summer book review here!
One of my favorite ways to enjoy the summer

Download pictures to laptop

  • Yes, another task I wanted to accomplish and I finished it early on in the summer. 

Spend time with family 

  • Yes, I got a lot of family time in between family vacations, good meals, and weekend adventures. There is nothing better than quality family time. 

Day Trips

  • Yes, I got in a few day trips to visit friends and work at school for a few days in the summer, one day trips were perfect to do something fun and get work done. 

Start Healthier habits

  • Yes, this summer I snacked a lot less and tried to get outside as much as I could, whether it was for a walk, jog, or even hitting the gym when I could. I was not as consistent with working out as I am in the school year but still felt good about creating healthier habits.  You can read about my summer habits here.
I always love going on hikes in the morning or evening

Go to a concert

  • No, I didn’t get to a concert in the summer, but I have plans for one in September which I am very excited about. 

Beach days

  • Yes, I made it to the beach with my friend Bailey twice, and then spent an afternoon at the beach which was so fun. 
ALL the beach vibes!

Family Vacation

  • Yes, I finished off summer with a family road trip. So fun and many laughs and memories were made. 
Much needed getaway

Find a new show to Binge watch

  • YES, I was obsessed with Outlander this summer. It was such a good show to watch and I became invested in the show fast, I can’t wait for the new season in 2020!
I am still talking about this show

Take more walks outside

  • Yes, I took more walks in the summer, whether in the woods, the beach or my own backyard. It was so good to get fresh air after working inside all day.
Not only did I spend more time walking outside but I also tried kayaking and loved it

Weekly facetime calls with friends

  • Yes and no, I didn’t get in weekly facetime calls but my friends and I stayed close by visiting each other and texting every day, plus you know you have a solid relationship when weeks go by and you can pick up from where you left off. 

Try something new

  • Yes, I did a lot of solo traveling this summer so that was definitely a new and rewarding experience that I was so lucky I got to gain more independence in this area.

Try new recipes 

  • Yes, to see some of my favorite recipes you can find my salads here, pizzas here, and snacks here. 
  • From smores
  • Pizza
  • and salad

Entertain Friends/family

  • Yes, I love to help host and entertain, this summer I did quite a bit from having family, friends, or college friends over, whether it was for dinner, a weekend, or just snacks, it’s a lot of work but it pays off in the end. 
I love entertaining from the prep, event and satisfaction of a job well done

Do something spontaneous

  • Yes, although I don’t have an exact time I was spontaneous, there were many times this summer that I stepped out of my comfort zone to try something new. 

Be Present

  • This was huge for me. This summer, I was more present and intentional with what I was doing. Some of my favorite summer moments there are no pictures of because I was in the moment and not on my phone. This was huge for me. 
Focusing on the here and now.

Looking back this was a packed full summer filled with new experiences, memories, work and fun. I have grown by trying new things while being present and spending time with those who matter most to me. Although, the school year will be busy, I know I will always have these memories to look back on. Thank you summer 2019, senior year… here we GO!

Categories
Fabulous living

Smore’s Trail Mix

This summer I came out with a new blog series all about recipes.

 In June, I shared my favorite salads, an easy lunch or dinner option. You can read all about it here. 

In July, I shared my favorite pizza recipe, perfect for entertaining. You can find that here. 

Today, I’m sharing a wonderful snack or dessert option. This would go great for a snack by the pool, a road trip treat or something sweet for back to school. Plus, if you don’t have a bonfire to roast smores this is a fun and clean alternative. 

This treat takes less than five minutes to prepare and can be enjoyed by all. 

For starters, here is what you will need:

The supplies

Golden Grahams Cereal 

Mini Marshmallows

Chocolate Chips 

*amount needed will change based on portion sizes*

Directions:

Mix one cup of golden grahams with one cup of mini marshmallows and chocolate chips. 

Once everything is mixed, enjoy with friends and family. 

Up close of the trail mix

This is one of my favorite trail mix treats, although it’s not the healthiest, it is a fun alternative to messy smore’s. What are your favorite trail mixes to enjoy?

Perfect for on the go

Sorry, for the shorter post, I am on vacation with my family and doing my best to disconnect for a few days. See you on Thursday for a new look of the day!

Categories
Fabulous living

Slice of Summer-Pizza Edition

Happy Tuesday!

A while back, I shared some summer salads and I got so many positive responses back from YOU! 

I figured it was time for another recipe, today I’m sharing all about homemade pizza (well, kind of homemade pizza). 

In my family, we are big fans of Pizza Friday- a fun way to unwind after a long week and treat ourselves! Whether it’s ordering in or making our own, we all love Pizza Fridays!

I’m sharing our favorite types of pizzas-one that everyone will like and specialty pizza. Start taking notes, you will want to make these for yourselves!

Who doesn’t love pizza?!

We will start with the original cheese pizza.

What you Need:

-Pie Shell (Boboli pizza is my favorite-easy to use right away or freeze and save for later.)

-Pizza Sauce (whether you like to make your own or buy store bought-you need lots of sauce)

-Mozzarella Shredded Cheese (I typically don’t measure it out but rather sprinkler it on top of the sauce)

What you need

Directions:

After laying the shell out on a pizza tray, pour and spread pizza sauce on the pie shell, I prefer the more sauce the better on mine. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the sauce and spread evenly. Add basil or oregano for extra taste. Once your pizza is constructed, place in oven for 8-10 minutes at 450 degrees and Enjoy!

Before
After

Our next pizza will be a white pizza-which is personally my favorite!

What you Need:

Pie Shell (Boboli pizza is my favorite-easy to use right away or freeze and save for later.)

-Mozzarella Shredded Cheese (I typically don’t measure it out but rather sprinkler it on top of the crust)

-Cherry Tomatoes (They give so much flavor to your pizza)

-Olive Oil (for flavor)

-Basil Seasoning (for taste)

-Oregano Seasoning (for taste)

-Balsamic Vinegar (for taste) 

Add these spices to your plain pizza

Directions:

Start by sprinkling mozzarella cheese on top of pie crust evenly. Lightly drizzle olive oil on top on mozzarella cheese. Slice cherry tomatoes in half and lay on top of cheese. Sprinkle basil and oregano seasonings throughout the pizza evenly. Add a dash or balsamic vinegar for taste. The seasonings are optional, it’s mostly done for flavor. Once done with assembling the pizza, place in oven for 8-10 minutes at 450 degrees. Take out and enjoy! This is an easy meal for a family on a busy night, it takes less than 15 minutes to prepare and make. This would also make a great appetizer for an Italian night!

Before
After

What are your favorite pizza combinations?!

Share them in the comments below!!

Eat up!

Categories
Fabulous living

Summer Salads

Happy Tuesday Everyone! 

I hope your week’s are off to a great start! One thing you may or may not know about me is that I am a food lover! I love trying different things, whether it’s sweet or savory…although I prefer sweet! Haha! I hope to bring more recipes to the blog this year, whether it’s meals, sweet treats, or side dishes. I love to try new recipes and I would love to share them with you!

One of my goals for this summer is to start healthier habits, one of the ways I am working to achieve this is by making more healthier dishes.  I prefer to eat at home rather than going out, I like to know what I am putting in my body. Salads are a huge component of what I eat daily. Whether it’s pre-made salads from the grocery store for lunch or a large tossed salad for dinner, I try to eat a salad for a meal each day.

Today, I am going to share three easy salads to make for lunch or dinner. They are easy to make, nutritious, and filling. Let’s begin!

  1. Caprese Salad 

What You Need:

Spinach 

Sliced Tomatoes (1-3 depending on how much you want to make)

Mozzarella Cheese (1/2- 1 full ball depending on how much you want to make)

Olive Oil (for drizzling)

Balsamic Vinegar (for drizzling)

Oregano (for drizzling)

Basil (for drizzling)

Garlic (for drizzling)

Directions

  • Place Spinach on platter
  • Lay Sliced Tomato on top of Spinach
  • Put Mozzarella on top of Tomato
  • Drizzle your mixture of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, oregano, basil, and garlic on top of salad for taste.
  • Enjoy!
Caprese Salad

2. Apple and Almond Salad

All the food

What You Need:

Lettuce

Spinach

Sliced Apple ( ½-1 full apple depending on serving size)

Sliced Grapes (1 cup-each grape cut in half)

Sliced Colby Jack Cheese (1/2 bar- or shredded cheese works great too)

Sliced Almonds (or your favorite nut)

Dried Cranberries

Directions

  • Slice Lettuce, Apple, Grapes, and Colby Jack Cheese and put in large bowl
  • Add Spinach to mixture
  • Add Slice Almonds and Cranberries to Salad for extra taste
  • Mix all parts together
  • Add your favorite dressing for taste
  • Enjoy!
Apple and Almond Salad

3. Poppyseed Chicken Salad

What You Need:

Lettuce

Sliced Grilled Chicken Breast

Strawberries (1/2-1 full apple depending on serving size)

Pineapple (I like to get pre sliced pineapple to make it easier when preparing meals)

Poppyseed Dressing 

Directions

  • Cook Grilled Chicken Breast and add your favorite seasoning for taste
  • Cut up lettuce and add chicken when cooled to mixture 
  • Slice strawberries and pineapples and add to mixture
  • Drizzle Poppyseed dressing on top for taste
  • Enjoy!
Poppyseed Salad

All three of these salads are super easy to prepare and meal prep! You can make a big bowl of it for dinner as a side or make a large bowl for yourself and eat it for lunch for the whole week. You can easily adjust portions to what works best for you. Not only are these fun and light for summer but also healthy and filling.

What are your favorite meals to meal prep? What are your go-to summer salads? Share them below!