I am so stuffed with salad!!!!
I did some shopping after my appointment this morning since it’s right next to huuuuuge brand new shopping center. I hit up Old Navy first and found a few things super on sale! Then I went to Banana and Ann Taylor and could hardly stand to look at the price tags. The exact same T-shirts they had a Old Navy for $8 were $25 at Banana!? And dresses at Ann Taylor were $130 when similar styles are $25-50 at Target + Marshalls. I may be one to spend $8 on a jar of almond butter, but I just can’t stand to pay full price at those stores – unless I find the perfect unique item. My clothes take such a beating, getting sweaty, riding my bike, etc, that I like stuff that I can wear and wash for a good price.
Shopping tired me out!! I came home around 12:30 and had a few chips with my new favorite salsa to tide me over while I made lunch. I used to like jarred salsa when I was in high school, but sometime during college it lost its appeal (perhaps everyone always had the cheap oniony brand?) So finding this Newman’s Own was like rekindling an old flame!
For lunch I made a salad with my new Gingerly dressing. I liked it, but I got sick of it by the end of the bowl. It’s got a little of that bottled taste. But I’ll use it again.
My salad had:
- Romaine
- Carrot
- Broccoli
- Pepper
- Snap peas
- Avocado
- Goat cheese from the farmer’s market, which although it smelled and looked OK, didn’t get eaten after all. I think it had a funny taste.
- Walnuts
Grapefruit
Oikos with blueberry preserves + wheatberries
Too much volume!! (And the seltzer fizz didn’t help).
That VeggieGirl is TOO KIND!!! Look what she sent me! I’m going to save these for a special time when I have used up some of our open nut butters. I bet they’d be great on veggies! 
Cannot WAIT to try ‘em! Thanks, Veg!
Still undecided but leaning towards the small print. Might go see if there are any other fabrics this afternoon…
See y’all for dinner!
Fancy says
I vote small print!
Leah @ Simply Fabulous Now says
Does Matt have a favourite?
Allison says
I prefer the small print.
lauren says
I vote small print too 🙂
JENNA says
What a stunning salad 🙂
Sarah (lovINmytummy) says
Your salad puts Whole Foods/Earthfare to shame!
I am blessed to have an Ann Taylor and Banana Republic Factory Store about 10 miles from my house. I NEVER pay full price!
Mara @ What's For Dinner? says
That salad looks fantastic!
I’m jealous that you can find almond butter for $8! I can only find it for $9.50 or more!!
Christine says
I agree with the small print too!!
Katie says
One more vote for the smaller print.
Holly says
That Veggie Girl…those nut butters look AH-MAY-ZING!
heidi says
I like them both but would go with the big – I think the tone of the green goes better with the walls. Plus, looks like you already have placemats with the small print so it would be redundant. too bad you can’t make covers for the seats and change them out seasonally!
Lori says
I definitely like the small print one.
Beadie says
I was hoping you would give us an update, can’t wait to see what you end up with. I am a sucker for home decorating! That reminds me, your dining room is the same color as my master bedroom. Not sure if I ever told you that.
Runeatrepeat says
I vote small print, unless you find something better 🙂
Ellen (Peace in Motion) says
Salsa and I have an unhealthy love affair. I could put it on EVERYTHING!
Kristin @ Iowa Girl Eats says
Too much volume?? I thought I’d never see the day 😉 LOVE big lunches!!
Shannon (The Daily Balance) says
GREAT looking salad!! love all those veggies 😉
greenbean says
i vote BIG print. it looks better with the walls. if you want something subtle, go small. but the larger print or even another if you find it would have more punch. funny thing, yesterday i thought small print.
Courtney (The Hungry Yogini) says
Gorgeous salad!! Nom nom.
Veggie Girl is just too darn sweet! Gotta love her.
Tough call with the fabrics. They are both gorgeous. I think I am leaning towards the smaller print too.
Kristin says
Hee, I’m the same way with spending. I can drop $175 at Whole Foods without blinking, but no way am I going to spend more than $25 on pants or a shirt! I guess that shows I care more about what goes IN my body than ON.
PS, another vote for the smaller print. I think the flowers may be too dated whereas the other pattern is more classic.
Mandy says
Trader Joe’s almond butter is only $4.99… and it’s truly all-natural, unlike Barney Butter which adds sugar and palm oil. TJs has raw, roasted, crunchy and smooth varieties. I don’t understand paying more than five bucks for it if you have a Trader Joe’s in town.
Briana says
I shop at Banana and Ann Taylor Loft ALL the time, but NEVER pay anywhere near full price. They both have GREAT sales if you go at the end of season.
Definitely love the small print. The big print is nice but doesn’t go as well with those fancy beautiful chairs.
amanda says
I swear something has happened to ON lately…the quality seems to have gone UP! I grabbed some shirts there a few weeks ago and am loving them…..especially for the price.
I also vote small print.
grammie2maddie says
I KNOW that you LOVE the large print right now – it looks just like you!!!! – but you might like to think about down the road a bit. The smaller print will blend with so many more things, and as you get a little older – your tastes might change. The smaller print is very classic and would go with so many other things. I think the large print might limit your selection of other things later. The smaller print is very blendable with many different fabrics and furniture styles. Just my two cents!
K says
Small print!!
Ahhh sales – good for my mood, bad for my wallet! I’ll bet you got a lot of cute buys!
kat says
small print!
Jessica says
I need to rekindle my love of wheatberries – today’s looked great in the yogurt! I vote small print too (like them both though, I can see where you’re having trouble deciding.)
Melissa @ For the Love of Health says
Shopping always tired me out as well! I don’t like to spend terrible amounts on clothing either and usually wait until things are on sale. I also love taking trips to the Outlet Malls in the US. 🙂
Great looking salad! Looks very good! I love walnuts!
I agree with the smaller print for your chairs 🙂
brandi says
i love wheatberries. i should make some more soon.
beautiful salad – avocado in salads are always great
Katie Bellinghausen says
I love your blog- it is a stupid comment, but I feel it has really inspired me in a much-needed way recently! My comment is about the chairs- Have you thought about doing one chair in each. It is kind of asymmetrical and I cant tell how close the colors are, but it might be interesting to have some contrast and distinct character within/between the two. Just a thought and thanks again!
Ana says
I’m more attracted to the big print, but think the small would work better long-term.
Tasty-looking salad btw. Love your blog
Kimberly says
Hi Kath!
I’ve been quietly reading your blog for a while now- and I LOVE it! Thanks so much for sharing with us 🙂 This post really resonated with me as I am definitely the type of person who buys cheap clothes (but cute!) and will spend WAY more money on food.
Also, a salsa note, are you close to a Trader Joe’s? They have a great Peach Salsa that is really tasty on fish tacos- it might be right up your alley (it’s smokey and sweet… yum!).
And lastly (wow- novel comment here), I vote for the small print. Another poster mentioned that it looked a bit dated and I have to agree- I think the small print looks a bit more modern.
Cheers! Kimberly
Amanda says
Changed my mind – like the big print! Seeing them next to the window and wall like that makes me think that one will fit better!!
Jennifer says
Mandy- amen sister.
Maggie says
I got that dressing recently too. I didn’t like it much, but I guess I have to finish it. It’s weird because I LOVE Newman’s Own low fat sesame ginger, and this sounded similar, but it was disappointing. The Annie’s Lite Honey Mustard though – that is fantastic.
I like the small print.
Jennifer says
Ann Taylor Loft has great stuff but I always wait for sales as well. I find most of Old Navy stuff ugly and it just doesn’t fit my body. It is a shame though as their flip-flops are cute and I wish my big ole’ wide feet could fit into them!
Spending $175 on Whole Foods is just crazy. It just…is.
I gotta go against the grain and vote for big print- the small is kinda boring.
Bec says
That salad looks amazing, so much goodness in one bowl!
Snake says
Ha Noops!
Try the Newman’s Pineapple Salsa — I like it even better than the Peach.
I vote for small print — it fits with the wedding paisley theme better.
Also, I tried two brands of Greek yogurt this past week: Oikos and Fage and I thought both were terrible. I guess Greek yogurt is not for me.
Love,
Snake (not Gilbert)
AshleyH says
well I like the big print but I think you should do a solid green on the top part and the big print on the bottom part where you sit. That way there wouldnt be too much print.
Rina says
Just for emphasis sake, CHOOSE THE SMALL PRINT! It matches with the chair better and looks more expensive. =)
Mae says
I vote small print!
anaM says
Definitely small print!
Natalie says
I love love love the smaller print and the colors in it!
Liz says
Have you tried Trader Joe’s Peach salsa? If you like Newman’s Own Peach (which I did) you will LOVE it. I buy a half dozen jars at a time – delicious.
Casey says
That salad looked delish! I want those nut butters!
I <3 Banana and Ann Taylor! But i do shop around the the sle racks there! 🙂
Danielle says
I definitely love the smaller print, it matches your placemat too!
Run Sarah says
I love buying on sale too – Target & Marshalls are my favourite stores in the US 🙂
meg says
Great salad! I vote for the small!
Lindsay says
I vote small print! And I looove Newman’s pineapple salsa. If I accidentally get plain salsa I just add crushed pineapple to the jar. Yum.
Adriana says
Hi kath.
I bought the Albero sparkling wine you had the other day since it looked so yummy. Do you think, though, that it would be good in orange juice like champagne is?
Thanks!
Hallie says
I am the same way! I’ll spend so much on quality food, or entertaining, but I almost NEVER go clothes shopping and as a result I wear really old clothes LOL. I’m hoping I get some gift cerfiticates for my birthday…because then I HAVE to go shopping 🙂
Ellen says
i say small print too 🙂 the large one is beautiful but i think the smaller one fits the scale of the chair better. your lunch looks great!!
klm says
small..
Michelle Hisae says
I need a jumbo salad right about now after the day I’ve had…
Beth P. says
I vote small print! Love the colors!
Jenny says
Re: the chairs
I would get one done in each fabric, I think the prints look great together, very eclectic – having everything matching is old-style!
Jennifer says
Is there a blog to follow that balances dressing fashionably (thank God for H & M) and eating healthy but not spending outrageously (uh $175 on Whole Foods)? Suggestions, readers?
Melissa P. says
Kath-
With as much entertaining as you seem to do (Karen, Kate and Nate, Kelsey, etc…), I would definitely go with the smaller print. Wear (as in a little red wine splashed here or there) will be much less apparent. I would worry about all of the white in the larger print.
sue says
YAY for shopping 🙂 my vote is still for the small print!
Heather says
Wow, those are some crazy prices. I never sacrifice my healthy eating habits for saving money, but when it comes to clothes, I get pretty skeptical. Old Navy has SUCH good quality clothes at amazing prices! The quality vs cost doesn’t always seem to go hand-in-hand when it comes to clothes!
Mmmm… another wonderful salad. And I think it’s so cute how your placemats match the chair! I think I can tell which one you like 😉
Scoop says
I vote for the small print too!
I wish I read your post sooner. Banana Republic has a fairly good sale online today, or so I thought. I bought a few items this morning while I was surfing around. But for real bargains, I agree with you that nothing compares to a Target or Marshalls.
Jennifer says
For shoes though I can’t buy crappy brands like Target/Payless, as much as I’d like to. I won’t spend more than a $100 on a pair, but at least $60 or so for Nine West.
ANYWAYS your salad looks delish Kath!
Oh and I’m curious how fast ya’ll go through PB. I got a big ole 24 oz of Smuckers Natural that I go through in a week, maybe a week and a half if I’m stretching it.
Jennifer says
Oh Kath, any suggestions for what towns to go to on the Outer Banks? I’m trying to plan a long w/e but I have never been. Thanks. Or if anyone else has input that would be awesome. When I pull up a rental spot I see all this town names and I don’t know what to pick!
Anna says
I vote SMALL PRINT! It matches your placemats 🙂
Julia says
I LOVE the small print, it definitely gets my vote!
Mom says
Jennifer,
Not sure which town is best, but make sure you climb to the top of Jockey’s Ridge to watch the sun set.
Kristilyn (The Food Journey) says
I love the comment on how you’d spend $8 on a jar of Almond Butter but you draw the line at expensive clothes. I’m so like that! I buy all my clothes cheap, unless I’m looking for something unique or more sturdy. I change my mind so much and just don’t see the point in spending so much for a clothing item when there’s the chance I may spill something on it and ruin it.
Salad looks good! I’ll have to try the Newman’s Own salsa … I just recently (today!) bought his salad dressing and I’m eager to try it. 🙂
Lindsey (Mrs. LC) says
We have the same shopping strategy. I am always looking for good deals – why drop a small fortune when you can get something nearly identical for a fraction of a cost?
And I still vote small print. 🙂
Jennifer says
Thanks Kath’s Mom!
Christin S says
as much as i like floral patterns, I gotta go with the smaller print as well…it just fits better with the surroundings 🙂
Kailey (SnackFace) says
You’ve got me thinking I need to give fruit salsas another chance. Mmm!
I’m so cheap that I can’t even bring myself to spend $8 on one jar of almond butter, even though I’ve wanted to try it forever now. However, I will spend $8 and up on Blue Moon and magazines. Maybe I need to just got for the almond butter finally!
I like both prints, actually. If you want to be a bit kitschy, go for both. If you absolutely must choose one and only one, go for small 🙂
Jennifer says
Kailey- I don’t think it’s “so cheap” to not spend $8 for almond butter. It’s frugal.
Cindy says
The small print’s the best but keep looking. Neither are great (just being honest!).
Shelby says
Small print! I love it.
Wow, love the lunch. I hate it though when I get full too quickly and I still have so much left. Oh well…leftovers are amazing.
Kara says
Mmmm I bet the hazelnut will be really good!
Michele Bohbot says
What a wonderful looking salad! I love how you make healthy look so appetizing!
Melissa says
I vote for the small print, too. It matches your placemats. 🙂
Kath says
Kimberly ,
Thanks for your comment! I’ll be sure to check out TJ’s salsa 🙂
Snake ,
How DARE you send one of your kind into my territory!!
Sorry you didn’t like the greek 🙁 Do you like regular plain yogurt? Maybe you should try a flavored one?
Adriana ,
Absolutely!
Jennifer ,
Boy do you have multiple personalities these days!
We go through PB much slower than you might think, but having 2-3 jars open at once certainly slows things down. I’d say a jar every 3-4 weeks??
I second Jockey’s Ridge. We used to go to Nags Head every summer when I was little. Jockey’s Ridge is one of the most magical places on earth. I really like Corola and Duck to visit – they are a little nicer than the southern towns, but the OB are all very nice. Hatteras Lighthouse is also very cool to see!
K
kristieinseattle says
While I like both prints, I think definitely the small print. It works with your style of furniture better, and whoever mentioned the entertaining/spill factor made an excellent point.
kristieinseattle says
Also I wanted to add that $8 for almond butter isn’t that expensive when you think about how many uses you get out of it. Eight dollars can last you for weeks, while $3 potato chips last a day for most people.
Besides, whatever you spend on healthy, real food ends up saving you much more money in healthcare expenses down the road 🙂
Jennifer Smith says
Uh a jar of almond butter would last me a week. That extra $4 I would pay could buy me a bunch more produce. So yes it is expensive no matter how you cut it. There, I’m done.
RK says
I am the same way with clothes shopping. I absolutely refuse to pay more than I absolutely have to. Target and Old Navy are my fav clothing stores 🙂
Your lunch looks delicious but I can see where it would be VERY filling.
Patty M. says
I think one chair in each print would be most unique and more of what an interior decorator might choose – but both are lovely 😉 The problem with fabrics are that there are just too many beautiful ones to choose from!
Jennifer says
go with the small print. it’s more sophisticated.
Jess says
The small print is more elegant.
I am so lucky–I live right by an outlet mall with Banana and Ann Taylor. The prices are great!
Danica says
I agree with you on the gingerly lite. I use it as a marinade only pretty much. Hope that helps you use up your big bottle a little 🙂