Meatless Monday: Mushroom-Spinach Lasagna with Squash Noodles

Hello Darlings!

I love lasagna in all its shapes and forms. You really can’t get better than cheese, noodles, a delicious tomato sauce, and veggies! My favorite recipes are those that you can chuck whatever looks good in a single dish, pop it in the oven to cook and be done with it! (I am currently laughing at my attempt at being ‘punny’ using ‘done’ aka cooked instead of ‘finished.’ English major jokes.) You have the option of creating a few more dishes to remove some of the excess liquid that is created by not pre-cooking the mushrooms, but I’m lazy and just used a slotted spoon to serve!

Etsy Spring Wishlist

Hello Darlings!

To say that I am obsessed with Etsy is a bit of an understatement. It is one of those sites, like Pinterest or StumbleUpon, that you can get completely lost in, only to come up for air hours later! So as spring comes upon us I’ve been doing a bit of Etsy browsing and have found some gorgeous items I know I would love as the weather warms up!

Getting Started: Balance is Key

Hello Darlings!

As a healthy living blogger I have the opportunity to stand behind companies that promote wellness as accessible and something to strive for. One of these companies is MARS. Yes, you know them from their chocolate, drinks, and the like, but I love that MARS is using their overarching influence to promote a healthier lifestyle that that isn’t based on deprivation, but rather knowledge of ways to live a healthier life in any way you see fit.

To that end, I was invited to be part of a series of healthy living bloggers that post on the MARS Healthy Living Blog to help impart a bit of that knowledge! My first post is now live and is all about getting started on your healthy living journey, and how balance is the key to success.

I would love for you to pop over and check it out here: Getting Started: Balance is Key

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

All Natural First Aid Kit for Pets

Hello Darlings!

When you look in the cabinet over your sink you’ll probably see lots of remedies for yourself, your kids, for everything under the sun. But if you have a furry little friend like my Tinkerbelle, you should have a first aid kit put together for them as well! So these few items are a great start for treating your pets naturally.

Disclaimer: I am not a veterinarian; consult your vet before administering holistic remedies.

Partner Yoga with Fairlife Milk and a Magic Bullet Giveaway (Closed)

Hello Darlings!

When it comes to milk I am incredibly particular about taste, about where it comes from, and about what is in it. Generally speaking I err on the side of almond milk or soy milk, but when I read about Fairlife Milk I was incredibly intrigued- especially after I read up on their Grass to Glass way of doing business and how incredibly well they treat their cows!

Meatless Monday Bloggers on Board: 12 Favorite Meatless Recipes

Hello Darlings!

Now normally my Monday post would be a fun vegan or vegetarian recipe but today I have exciting news! I am now an official Meatless Monday Blogger on Board- I have a cool button and everything!

Kiss Me Organics Matcha Green Tea: Two Ways

Hello Darlings!

I am a tea connoisseur. From loose leaf and DIY herbal tea, to tea bags and lattes I love it all, but am very picky about which kinds I choose to allow into my body! This Organic Matcha Green Tea by Kiss Me Organics is wonderfully versatile!

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

Spring To-Do List: 2014

Hello Darlings!

Happy Spring! I can’t believe that I have lived in Denver for almost a year already! When people ask where I’m from I still say that I’m an East Coast girl, but with how much I love Colorado I’m thinking that needs to change (and maybe update my about me!). As this is my first full spring season here in Denver I’ve come up with a list of things that I would love to see, accomplish, or experience, and there’s no better time to start than on the Spring Equinox!

What I Ate Wednesday: Saint Patrick’s Day

Hello Darlings!

I love holidays in general. Decorating the house, making plans, fun drinks, fun menus! But for some reason I don’t get incredibly excited about Saint Patrick’s Day anymore (in college it was another story!). However, I did celebrate the simultaneous Meatless Monday and Irish holiday with a very green vegetarian day of foods.

Healthy Chicken Salad (No Mayonnaise!)

Hello Darlings!

I love chicken salad. What I don’t love is that it is so often made with an incredible amount of mayonnaise, which while tasty because of its ability to slightly sweeten the salad, is not particularly healthy. Enter the tart deliciousness of Greek yogurt! You can counter the tartness with sweet spices and you have a wonderfully healthy chicken salad, that in my humble opinion, is much more tasty than your average mayo-laden chicken salad!

Meatless Monday: Spinach Pasta Dough

Hello Darlings!

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! I thought it would be fun to share something green and delicious- no pinching here! This spinach pasta dough is easy to make and super easy to save, it dries well and cooks in just minutes. Also, it is incredibly versatile, you can cut it in any way you please, it holds together well so is perfect for ravioli, lasagna and anything else you can dream up!

5 Ways To Go Green for Saint Patrick’s Day

Hello Darlings!

When it comes to St. Patrick’s Day most people think of four leaf clovers, wearing green, and a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. However fun those ideas might be they’re fleeting. Why not go green in a different way this Saint Patrick’s Day and help take care of the environment and save yourself some money to boot?! I’ve found that the easiest way to start going green is by starting in the kitchen!

What’s in My Workout Bag: Gym Edition

Hello Darlings!

As a yoga instructor I carry around a workout bag everywhere I go. As a yoga instructor with a penchant for heavy leg days, I have multiple workout bags that I take depending on where I’m headed! I love having everything on hand, because with my rather hectic schedule I need to pop places at the drop of a hat.

Simple Chicken Soup from Scratch

Hello Darlings!

Earlier this week you may have noticed I disappeared from the face of the blogosphere. I woke up feeling under the weather, and as the day wore on I started feeling worse and worse until all the sudden my temperature spiked to almost 104 degrees! I don’t know about you, but all I want when I’m ill is chicken soup. And when you don’t have roommates you want an easy, just about no work recipe. Well, voila: my delicious, go-to Simple Chicken Soup from Scratch! (Especially if you have already finished all the leftovers from your Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken!)

Yoga for Adventurers: Guest blog on Sierra Trading Post

Hello Darlings!

Exciting news! My ‘Yoga: An Adventurer’s Best Friend’ guest post went live this morning over on Sierra Trading Post’s blog! I talk about the benefits of Pranayama (intentional breathing) and Asana (physical postures) and how they can benefit your outdoor adventures! From backpacking and hiking to skiing and rock climbing, yoga can help you focus, grow stronger, more flexible, and become more body-aware-preventing injuries and improve your adventuring! 

Have you read the post and want to join in on the conversation? More exciting news: I am hosting the Sierra Trading Post’s live Twitter chat tomorrow, Thursday March 13^th at 4pm MST (6pm EST/ 3pm PST)! Join in on the fun by following ChickadeeSays, Sierra Trading Post, and using the hashtag #STPLive!

I hope to see you there! Make sure to invite your friends along!

Want to chat about how yoga can improve your outdoor adventuring?! Join me and @Sierratp for the #STPLive chat Thursday, March 13 at 4pmMST!
— Kait Welch (@ChickadeeSays) March 12, 2014

All Natural Headache Remedies

Hello Darlings!

Headaches are a pain (look at me being pun-ny) but there are plenty of all natural and holistic remedies that can give you relief without medicating with chemicals!  These remedies are simple like holding a pencil in your mouth, and easily obtained from either your kitchen or the health foods store down the street. Having these on hand can prevent liver damage down the road, and can provide great, sometimes instant relief!

Rico Roman & Citi Every Step of the Way Support Veteran’s Sled Hockey

Hello Darlings!

Now for many it seems like Olympic fever has come and gone, but this isn’t the case! Did you know that the Paralympic Winter Games start today!? From cross country skiing to ice sledge hockey, Paralympic athletes from across the globe have gathered in Sochi to bring home the gold.

This post was created in partnership with Citi®. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

One athlete in particular, Rico Roman, has paired with Citi's Every Step of the Way program to support Operation Comfort. Operation Comfort is an amazing program that gives wounded veterans the opportunity to participate in sled hockey by supplying equipment and financial support.

As the granddaughter of three Marines (yep, three- my maternal grandmother was a badass, excuse my French), a sister in law to a very bratty soldier, and part of a family in which hockey, in all of its forms, runs in our blood, I hold Operation Comfort close to my heart.

I think Olympic hockey player TJ Oshie said it best when being heralded as a hero after his wonderful performance during an Olympic ice hockey game “No. The real heroes wear camo. I’m not one of them.” Operation Comfort brings these two together. This year alone three Olympic sled hockey athletes who got their start through the Operation Comfort program will be competing for Team USA in Sochi!

Make sure to pop over to my in depth post about Citi’s Every Step of the Way program, to learn more about Citi’s $500,000 donation to the U.S. Olympic Committee to help the Every Step of the Way programs!

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY: Visit the Citi Every Step of the Way website and read about the programs each athlete is promoting- don’t forget to vote for your favorite program to help decide where the funds will go!

Retweet the tweet below to help spread the word!

Help @RicoSled23 & @OpComfort give wounded veterans the chance to play sled hockey! #everystep http://t.co/eB2Sjq69L4 #Citiptr

— Kait Welch (@ChickadeeSays) March 7, 2014

Do It Yourself: Herbal Sleepy Time Tea

Hello Darlings!

I am terrible about going to bed on time. I get lost on the Internet (oh, being a blogger), in a great book, working, or furiously cleaning everything including the dog hair trapped under the stove. I often stay up past when my body wants to so that I get over tired and thus incredibly hyper- odd how our bodies work that way! So to help myself calm down and ease into the “sleep mood” without rolling around all night I whip up a quick batch of what I call 'Sleepytime Tea' out of herbs I keep in my kitchen cabinets!

Lemon-Herb Roasted Chicken

Hello Darlings!

When I know it is going to be a super busy week I like to take the time to do a bit of meal prep so I don’t have to worry so much about eating healthily when I don’t want to take the time to cook! So this week I decided to make my apartment smell amazing and roasted a full chicken with lemon, herbs, onions, and mushrooms. Yum, if I do say so myself! Roasting a chicken is actually surprisingly easy- tuck the wings, rub it down, add onion and you’re good to go!

How To: Candy Ginger

Hello Darlings!

I am not one of the people who can chew on raw ginger root when they have a stomachache. It is entirely too spicy for me- I am such a baby when it comes to spicy foods! So I love to use candied ginger- so much so that I included it in my Basic Holistic First Aid Kit. However, candied ginger can get a bit expensive, so when you find ginger root is on sale at the health foods store- make your own!