Fresh summer corn is one of my favorite vegetables to eat. I like it on the cob, grilled, sauteed, and every way in between. In the past couple of weeks the kernels have gotten so sweet and I've been finding myself buying at least a half dozen at the store every week. My pregnancy taste buds could eat it plain with salt, pepper, and butter just about everyday, but I know that Canean appreciates a little recipe switch up from time to time if I (and baby) insist on corn being a part of our weekly diet right now. My 15-minute corn confetti is the perfect side dish to take your corn to the next level! It's fast, easy, and each bite is full of tiny flavor explosions.

We all need those fast side dishes that can be made from scratch, but can be ready with little to no effort! Weeknight meals can be saved with side dishes just like this one! No need for canned or frozen corn here, we are all about using fresh corn that is at it's peak flavor right now!

PostedJune 3, 2015

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesSide Dishes

Tagsconfetti corn, 15 minute side dishes, quick meals, easy recipe, corn recipes, fresh summer corn, side dish, healthy, gluten free, clean eating

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Baked Pesto Risotto Balls: My Diary of Us

Last week I shared my new favorite risotto recipe where I added pesto to the mix. It's a great recipe if you missed it, but the point here is that you almost always have leftovers after you make risotto. Leftovers that are too delicious to get rid of, and one of my favorite ways to use up my risotto leftovers is to make risotto balls! Being that I could dip most things into marinara sauce (mozzarella sticks, pizza crust, crusty bread...okay so I could did anything carb loaded into marinara sauce), my baked pesto risotto balls are the perfect accompaniment to my love of dipping and marinara.

These little balls of flavor are perfect to serve as an appetizer or as a side dish in my opinion. And since the risotto is the real time consuming part and it's usually already made, you can whip up these risotto balls in a flash! Your guests will be impressed, your kids will love them, and you will look like a kitchen genius.

PostedMay 6, 2015

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesSide Dishes, Appetizers

Tagsbaked risotto balls, risotto balls, pesto risotto, homemade, appetizers, party food, marinara, Italian food, easy recipes, side dishes, leftovers

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Texture is everything to me when it comes to food. Some of my favorite textures to eat are crisp apples, al dente pasta, crunchy potato chips, ice cream with a little milk poured on top (don't ask)...and I'll stop there because the list goes on and on. Risotto is not excluded from my list of best textured food awards. It's super creamy and luxurious and makes you feel like you are eating something really special. I know it can be intimidating, but in all honesty it's really easy to make! Time is your only commitment. Since I love risotto so much, I combined another one of my favorite flavors of pesto to make the perfect springtime version of a classic risotto recipe! My pesto risotto is going to make your tummy really happy from the first bite.

PostedApril 28, 2015

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesSide Dishes

Tagspesto, pesto risotto, risotto recipes, dinner, meatless meals, rice, Springtime Recipes, pesto recipes, gluten free recipes, homemade meals, homemade risotto, Italian dishes

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Anytime Roasted Potatoes: My Diary of Us

Happy Hump Day! I kinda miss that camel commercial...I haven't seen it in a while. But it always made me laugh even though maybe it really wasn't that funny. There is just something about animals talking that always cracks me up. Maybe it's because I used to secretly wish my pets and my stuffed animals would talk back to me when I was little and used to tell them I would keep it a secret if they did??? Yeah, that's not weird at all. But anyway, the good news about hump day is that the weekend is in sight and maybe you have some big Valentine's Day plans...or maybe not and that's okay too because really the best part about Valentine's Day is having an excuse to eat as much chocolate as you want and no one can judge you! We will be staying in Saturday night to celebrate the big V-Day and will probably end up having my anytime roasted potatoes as part of our menu!

Poor potatoes. They get such a bad wrap. People are all like potatoes will make me fat. And yeah they will make you fat if you smother them with butter and sour cream and cheese or deep fry them in grease. But if you cook them right, they are quite healthy and have lots of nutritional value that your body needs like they can lower blood pressure, contain the vitamin B6 (which is good for all sorts of stuff), contain potassium, fiber...the list goes on. And I happen to be a potato fanatic.

PostedFebruary 11, 2015

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesSide Dishes

Tagspotatoes, side dishes, breakfast sides, roasted potatoes, dinner side dish ideas, gluten free, clean eating

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Happy Martin Luther King Day! I have a treat for y'all this week! I know we have all been back in healthy mode since the holidays officially came to a close, but if you are anything like me you might be already feeling a little uninspired and are in need of some new and delicious inspiration to keep yourself on board the healthy bandwagon. That's why this week is all about me sharing with you how I get inspired to stay healthy and I'm doing so with some of my favorite bloggers! These ladies always have gorgeous healthy recipes that are not only delicious, but totally doable for you at home! It's going to be healthy foodspiration at it's best!

I'm kick-starting the week with Claire Thomas from The Kitchy Kitchen. A Los Angeles native, Claire is a self-taught chef, a commercial director, food photographer, cookbook author, and a writer. On Claire's blog, you can find your soon to be favorite recipes, fashion must-haves, travel adventures, and amazing DIY tips for the home. This lady does it all! She also has a You Tube series called 10 Second Living, where she talks tips and secrets on all things in the kitchen!

PostedJanuary 19, 2015

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesDinner, Dessert, Side Dishes

TagsThe Kitchy Kitchen, Healthy Recipes, Lasagna, Brown Rice Recipes, Gluten Free Brownies, Vegan Brownies, Healthy Brownie Recipes, Healthy Food Inspiration, Food Bloggers

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Yesterday was my first day back on the health train. Over the holidays I completely abandoned any sense of trying to watch what I eat. I thought it was appropriate to eat sugar everyday sometimes even at breakfast and working out...what's that? I had a reality check yesterday and gave myself a little pep talk about how that kind of behavior cannot continue into 2015. After all, I'll be 31 next month and my metabolism isn't what it used to be! I planned out meals for the week, exercised (ouch), and drank tons of citrus detox water, which will be on the blog Thursday! This morning I woke up feeling ten times better from just one day of eating fresh! Spicy roasted broccoli is one of my favorite go to healthy side dishes because it's full of nutrients, so tasty, and it might be the easiest dish to make, maybe ever.

When dinner rolls around you've been to work, possibly starting working out again, and by now it's pitch dark and the last thing you want to do is prep a big meal. You need simple, you need fresh, it needs to taste good, and you need as few ingredients as possible.

PostedJanuary 6, 2015

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesSide Dishes

TagsVegetable Recipes, Seasonal Eating, Seasonal Recipes, Roasted Broccoli, Spicy Roasted Broccoli, Clean Eating Recipes, Side Dishes, Healthy Side Dishes, Healthy Recipes, Dinner, Fresh Ingredient Recipes

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