Look what ripened while we were away!!! This is probably the only thing in the garden that will come up thanks to overgrown weeds and hungry deer.
I went to the gym around 11:30 this morning and planned a grocery store trip on my way home. That blended breakfast kept me full until 2PM! And I wasnβt even terribly hungry by the time lunch was ready. Itβs a winner!
At the Y I did 30 minutes on the elliptical and the C + K 10 Minute Challenge. I never take any valuables to the gym, but since I had my grocery trip in the mix, I had my iPhone with me and realized I could finally photograph the gym!! I may not care one bit when people see me photograph food, but this was embarrassing π³

Panoramic from the elliptical:
Itβs just a cruddy old Y with nice equipment. I think the second biggest Y in the country, actually!
I came home with $23.60 in groceries β weβre up in the $80s for the month. Mostly produce and a package of Smart Chicken tenders.
We grilled up a ton of veggies + the chicken to spread through the week and for dinner tonight:
=
Which was really just a means to serve these:
Jalapeno corn bread toasted croutons fresh from Great Harvest
My salad was a mix of everything. I got this beautiful head of endive for just $1.99 –
After tossing it in some RoseBerry dressing, I added on:
- Carrots
- Zucchini + squash
- Asparagus
- 1 chopped chicken tender
- 2 slices watermelon
- Handful blueberries
- 1 tbsp dried raspberries
- 1 tbsp slivered almonds
- The best croutons ever
Too filling!
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HUGE ANNOUCEMENT: For the first time in a MONTH the Eye-Fi wireless network configuration worked!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SO glad itβs back.
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Danica needs your help to win this fruity contest: Who Makes the Best Summer Dessert?
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A reader shared this cool site where you can swap books, DVDs, music and more with free shipping: SwapTree.
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Off to do things, then to some special entertainment tonight!!
Awesome site!
Also check out the http://www.Craigslist.org free section. Sometimes there’s good stuff! My roommates and I got a coffee table and chair from people moving who didn’t want to bother.
All your grilled veggies look amazing!!
SALAD looks fantastic!
Quick question: To keep your grilled veggies fresh for use throughout the week… Do you simply store in the fridge? or do you freeze?
I love croutons – I think they “make” a salad. http://www.FreeCycle.org is another cool place to pick up freebies!
That salad looks delicious! And it’s a winning combo of fiber, protein and healthy fats!
Colorful salad!
Jenn
i love swaptree!!! i’m all about the swap.
That”s so smart to grill up a ton of veggies at the beginning of the week! We always grill at the end of the week with whatever is leftover haha, but I think your method works better!
Kath – I have always been reading that croutons are a big no..no in a salad..is it alright to toss them?
Love the home-grown tomatoes! And especially love the abundance of grilled veggies. SOOOOOooooo delicious. Lunch loooks like my kind of meal =)
Have a great rest of the day!
All that grilling was a fantastic idea! The asparagus looks fab!
What a variety of veggies you’ve got on the grill!
Fresh croutons are amazing! My ex-bf’s dad was a chef and he used to make Cesar salad with the dressings and croutons from scratch…6 years later and I can still taste it π
I am so jealous that you have tomatoes in!! I don’t have any that are ripe yet.
Hi,
I love all the things you come up with to throw in salads. Summer is a wonderful time to enjoy a variety of foods bursting with flavor. I have a sweet tooth so adding fruit to savory courses is perfect.
I had a question. Would you buy the Amazing grass meal powder or bars again? I was thinking of trying it but they are expensive and wonder if it is worth the expense for someone who is getting all the fruits and veggies recommended in a day. What is your take on there product for nutrition and taste.
B
Yay for tomatoes! I’m waiting for mine to ripen – they’re still green little blubs π Ugh that salad looks incredible – what a great lunch!!
Special entertainment?….lightening bolts?…I have a feeling that you are going to see Harry Potter tonight??!! I’m a huge fan of the books and we saw it on Sunday!
oh my gosh – i want to eat everything on your grill!!!
i’m new to blogging, so taking pictures of anything right now is embarrassing! π
I wish my body didn’t seem so meat-based… I don’t do very well on just raw veggies, fruit, tofu… they upset my tummy… it would save me a TON in groceries! My biggest challenge!
That salad looks so fresh, summery, and delicious! I love how colorful it is π
I LOVE how you grilled up everything in advance to use in different ways this week – that is a fantastic idea!
I want your salad for lunch now with THOSE croutons!
Thanks for the Vote for Me Shoutout for my Nectarine Raspberry Sorbert over Fresh Fruit…..I need to keep my votes coming through tomorrow to win! π
Thanks for the pictures of your gym! For whatever reason, I really love to see the places where other people work out… but people are always too embarrassed to do it, I guess. TV’s that are eye-level at the elliptical! What a novelty.
Love your blog, btw. π So much yummy healthy food porn!
And thanks for sharing the SwapTree link. That reminds me of another website I used to love pre-Dot Com bust, years ago.
I used to belong to a Y. The huge benefit of it was that it had a pool, unlike most gyms around us. But there were more kids and seniors there than anything, haha! Your dressing sounds great…must give it a try.
Looks all so good!
http://www.alovefornewrecipes.blogspot.com
I’m so jealous that you have a grill! I wish I could squeeze a grill into my cramped NYC apartment haha;)
I thought your croutons were tofu at first! Haha!! They still sound delicious!
You’ve got nice equipment at your gym!
It amazes me how you are able to spend so little at the grocery store, yet come back with so much fresh produce. I just came back with a $50 bill and it’s only groceries for me and my boyfriend!
Shannon (The Daily Balance),
I store them in the fridge.
Sandhiya ,
Maybe refined croutons from a box wouldn’t add much nutrition to a salad, but there’s nothing wrong with toasted whole grain bread!
Brooke ,
No, I wouldn’t buy them. I think they have a placebo effect at best, and if you’re getting lots of fruits and veggies anyways, they probably aren’t worth the cost.
Kath
Wow! My gym definitely needs an upgrade on their machines!
I seriously don’t know how you do it – in the $80s for the month on groceries!! We (granted we are 2 adults and 3 kids) spend at least $175 a week on groceries and I don’t feel like we buy a bunch of junk we don’t need. If anything, I probably get too much “healthy” food which is why I spend so much.
I am in awe of your grocery prowess.
yum those eggplant slices grilled look tasty as does the other grilled stuff π
those crutons also look to die for! yummy looking salad.
-muffy
Those croutons must be heavenly! Can’t wait to grill the corn my husband picked up at the farmers market! Maybe we’ll attempt a spread like yours! Yum!
TVs attached to cardio machines is brilliant. I don’ tknow how many times I’ve almost run off the side of a treadmill (and by run, I mean fell) because I’ve been looking on an angle towards a TV!
At least on the iPhone you could be all secret agent with the pics lol
OMG thanks for the SwapTree link!!
Yay for tomatoes and a working eye-fi!
Wait…did you say you’re taking the rest of the week off to recharge after your vacation to Boston, so you can ready for your next vacation in a few days? That’s hilarious!
Those ellipticals look nice! Love the individual tvs.
The salad looks SO good. Plus it’s so colorful π
All the grilled veggies look super fresh and tasty.
The vegetables look so fantastic! Hope you’re having a great time tonight!
I’m jealous of the machines at your gym! My gym has three lousy TVs on the other side of the room that they keep on mute. I can’t see them anyways because I don’t wear my glasses when I workout. Did you get any dirty looks from people who didn’t want to be photographed sweaty? π
Oh MY! Your ellipticals are heaven on earth… they have TVs connected to them. I’m so jealous. I need to get a gym membership to your gym!
Wow, your Y definitely has some great equipment! I’m really impressed by the number of machines they have!
LOVING those grilled veggies. Perfect summer food! π
Loving all the veggies!
The veggies look AWESOME! And I love the blueberries in your salad! π
That salad is gorgeous! And grilling the veggies in advance is genius!
HOORAY for Eye-Fi!!! I’ve been debating getting one…
I will be making croutons tomorrow night. I adore homemade ones.
I think you are the one person I know that loves salad as much as I do. π
Glad you enjoyed the movie!
The biggest Y in the country is West Side, the one I work at in NYC! Whoo!! Tell Kate I say hi, I went to high school with her. Realized that when her husband did a guest post on your blog. Crazy world!
Yet another truly breathtaking salad!
I’m in the market for a salad spinner–can you recommend a good one?
The salad looks positively stunning! I love the colour combination (the blue in the blueberries really does it for me!).
that salad looks wonderful, especially the croutons!