RECIPE | WATERMELON CUCUMBER SALAD FOR CLEAR SKIN

Over the past year, I've been suffering from acne all over my forehead. You can read more about it here. I'm finally in a good state where the massive bumps are gone and the scarring is minimizing day by day! To fix this issue, I had to heal my skin from within by eating even more greens and fruits, whole grains and avoiding sugars and white carbs. For 2 months, I've also been eating watermelon daily. YES, daily and it has really helped my skin along with many other changes to my skin regime and diet. I figured this would be a delicious way to help anyone suffering from the same skin issues as me.

This salad contains amazing foods that help heal the skin like watermelon, cucumber, spinach and arugula with a Balsamic Vinaigrette Reduction that you can easily make at home. I'm going to break it down below as to why this salad is great for clear acne-prone skin.

WHY THIS SALAD HELPS ACNE PRONE SKIN?

• Cucumbers have loads of Vitamin C which is an anti-oxidant protecting your skin from toxins. It contains Vitamin B-5 that is wonderful at keeping skin moist. Cucumbers also possess Vitamin A battling against pigmentation in the skin, like brown spots, as it regulates the skin's creation of melanin. This vegetable is one heck of a wrinkle-beater too as they contain silica. Due to the cooling nature of this veggie, it's fantastic at calming the skin when agitated. (Facts sourced from Live Strong)Spinach contains Vitamin A and anti-oxidants. This veggie is great at fighting free radicals which destroy your skin cells, quickening the aging process.
• Spinach is rich in Vitamin C which helps to repair wounded skin cells and produces collagen. This will boost the elasticity of your skin. Iron is another nutrient and it carries oxygen to the skin. It's because of Iron that you get "that glow" to your skin. In addition, spinach is also good for healing dark under-eye circles because it contains Vitamin K. (Facts sourced from Live Strong)
• Watermelon contains Vitamin A & C. Vitamin A keeps your skin moist and that curbs the production of oil or sebum to your skin, which sometimes can mean less acne. Vitamin C also helps to produce new collagen and elastin cells. Vitamin C also guards the skin from free-radicals as well protecting the skin from toxins that may damage the skin cells. Watermelons are known to assist with inflammation. Inflammation can wound the cells and by eating watermelon, you can help prevent that. Tip: You can apply the watermelon rind to your skin as a facial mask to keep skin moist, cooled and clear. (Facts sourced from Authority Nutrition)
• Arugula contains Vitamin K, A and Folate. It has anti-inflammatory properties which fight against inflammation in the skin. The folate creates new cells, so that's important for the turnover of new skin cells. (Facts sourced from Dr. Axe)

For this recipe, I'm using the Super Spinach mix by Organic Girl, which contains fresh spinach and arugula leaves. You can buy their salads at Sobeys or Loblaws. For my balsamic vinaigrette, I'm using organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil by Terra Delyssa.

I hope you guys enjoy this recipe! If you make it, please take a picture of it and tag @christieathome on Instagram and it may be featured. If you're not on Instagram, please share it with your family and friends. Disclaimer: I am not sponsored by any companies listed in this post.

SERVES 2 AS A MAIN (4 AS A SIDE DISH) | PREP TIME 15-20 MINS

• 1/2 of 1 mini seedless watermelon, peeled and diced
• 1 box of spinach and arugula salad mix
• 1 cucumber, peeled and diced
• 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• mint to garnish (optional)

1. Prepare your ingredients as listed above. On a large plate, lay your spinach and arugula leaves down. Followed by some diced cucumbers and diced watermelon. Garnish with mint and top off with your balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

Balsamic Vinaigrette:

1. In a small pot set on medium heat pour in your vinegar.
2. Allow it to reach a boil and then lower heat for a rolling simmer until the vinegar reaches a thicker consistency. To test consistency, swirl it in the pot to see if it becomes thick. Once it becomes thicker, remove off heat.
3. In a small mason jar containing your olive oil, pour the reduced vinegar into it. Seal the jar and give it a good shake. Pour over your salad.

Enjoy!