Last summer Smoothie King sent me a giftcard after noticing that I’d enjoy a few of their smoothies.
And then it was Fall. Too cold for a smoothie!
A year later…it was time to use it up!! Karen’s house is right across the street so I had a great reason to walk over.
Matt and I got the Mangosteen (an old favorite!!) and a Pineapple Pleasure.
Mangosteen gets an A++. Pineapple Pleasure was a bit watery 🙁
Guess who makes SIABs!!!
We got a side of granola for enhancement! Nuts were the perfect accompaniment to a fruit snack. I try to stick with smoothies that are 100% fruit or fruit and milk or yogurt to be as ‘real food’ as possible.
Matt liked ’em
Later on a studied. Hard.
Stack A are cards I have yet to review.
Stack B are cards I got right on the first try.
Stack C are cards I got wrong, but probably know 50% of from exposure by now.
Pretty good progress!
And then we G-chat videoed with Matt’s brother Andrew from New Orleans!!! How fun!
Dinner tonight was a mish-mosh of great flavors:
Leftover polenta that had gelled into a hard block in our tupperware was sliced, topped with parmesan cheese and baked at 350* for about 25 minutes until just browned
Topped with made-from-scratch crockpot + veggie broth beans topped with steamed zucchini and greek yogurt and hot sauce.
Sun-dried tomato pesto on the polenta
Gorgeous heirlooms made a lovely caprese side salad
Rainbow!!
I was in charge!
Matt fed me beer, per usual
Dining spot
Extra special because JUSTIN was visiting from Las Vegas!!! We missed you Amanda 🙂
Matt taste-tested more beers during dinner….#10 was AMAZING!
I fed Justin okra because he misses it in the west. Good ole South!
After dinner I went to Caitlin‘s house to watch SYTYCD!!!!!!!!!
We ended up doing more talking than watching. I think I have to re-watch the first half tomorrow!
Diana joined us and brought some wine. I had to taste it.
I played dog a bit.
Woof!
Going to bed ASAP because I have plans to RUN early tomorrow morning with my legs!
Heather says
I LOVE smothie king, I had one today!
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is says
That tomato is really pretty! When veggies are prettier, I tend to eat them. 😉
Kerri @ Kerri Turns into a Zombie says
Your meal looks very delicious and Texan tonight. Maybe its the beans.
Sarena (The Non-Dairy Queen) says
I love left over polenta! I like to make it ahead of time anyway! Dinner looks delicious! Sleep well!
Bethany @ More Fruit Please says
I love the way the tomatoes looked in the salad! Oh, and it looks like your internet connection must be super awesome or else you have amazing webcams for the GChat video to come through that well. Mine is always so grainy and freezes a lot. 🙁 So excited for SYTCD (I’m on west coast time).
Cynthia (It All Changes) says
Smoothies are great!
Lisa @bakebikeblog says
What an evening you have had! Love your dinner – and thos placemats are gorgeous!
Allie (Live Laugh Eat) says
Charlotte is gonna miss you when you leave next week!! I’ve never had an heirloom tomata before. I see them quite a bit but then my wallet starts barking at me. Wah. One of these days…
Deva (Voracious Vorilee) says
I love heirloom tomatoes – they’re so full of flavor.
[email protected]://stacey-healthylife.blogspot.com/ says
It turned out to be a beautiful dinner. Great idea for all the leftovers, quick and easy is the best.
Emily says
Looks like you have a great system for studying! I did the same thing, and it was such a relief to shove half of those cards to the side. Good luck!
Dorry says
We used to go to Smoothie King all the time in high school – fun memories. I think I’d order the Light N Fluffy. 🙂
Amanda @ The Hungry Wanderers says
Wished I could’ve been there! Cant’ wait to visit you once you’re settled in C-ville 🙂
Laura @ youngDCliving says
Oh my gosh! Matt’s brother looks just like him.
lynn (The Actors Diet) says
cutie dog! looks like mine!
Diana says
So fun watching SYTYCD with you guys! We should have started doing that sooner!! lol 🙂
Hannah says
I made polenta last night too, but I ate it all up so have none to bake with cheese today. What a stupid girl I am 🙂
Jackie (Peaces of Earth) says
Heirloom tomatoes are soooo good. I love when they’re all big and crazy looking. You’ll never find two alike and that’s why I love them so.
Charlotte is such the bloggie town now! Looks like you guys had such a fun night. 🙂
Michelle @ Give Me the Almond Butter says
I have no idea why, but this was one of my favorite posts. Haha.
Laura @ youngDCliving says
Just saw this on taste spotting, thought you might be excited!
http://www.cupcakeproject.com/2010/07/biscoff-cookies-from-scratch-recipe.html
Home-Made Biscoff Cookies!! AH 🙂
Kath says
Saw those!
Katie @ peacebeme says
Kath,
Matt kind of reminds me of my boyfriend always trying to feed me beer even though I’m not a big drinker (love the taste, just the world’s biggest lightweight and it messes with some of my health issues). It’s always funny because he never stops tryin’! 😉
Have a good night!
Marie says
Delicious dinner! I need to make polenta. Love that last picture of Caitlin, so cute. I’d go to Smoothie King more often but it’s a little $$ for me!
Lele says
Your dinner is SO BEAUTIFUL! A big, colorful, varied plate full of vegetables like that is definitely my favorite dinner. And now I’m remembering how much I like polenta… and want to make some!
Run Sarah says
Everything about your dinner looks SO fresh and tasty, yum! I love heirloom tomatoes – they make a salad look so much more gourmet.
Michelle @ Turning Over a New Leaf says
I’ve never had heirloom tomatoes. I wish I could get them here!
TaraElektra says
Wow, Kath, that dinner looks so delicious! How exactly do you make the beans in the crockpot? do you soak them before cooking, how much broth to beans, high or low, how long do you cook? thanks so much!!! I’ve been reading for a couple of weeks now and really enjoying your blog; this is the first time I’ve posted though.
P.S.–do you know what kind of dog Caitlin has? My dog looks so similar. She’s a mutt; we did DNA testing on her (a gift from a friend), and they said, beagle, bloodhound, and Irish terrier. Vet said it’s tough to argue with DNA but she’s not sure she agrees! Our dog even has the same white patch on her chest.
Kath says
Soak beans overnight in enough water to cover. Drain + rinse. Put in crockpot and cover wtih broth. High for 4-5 hours until they are edible, meaning they don’t crunch.
Kath says
PS I don’t know what kind of doggies they are specifically
TaraElektra says
Thank you so much, Kath! I’m going to try this this weekend!!
haha, okay re: the dogs.
I LOVE your blog…I’ve integrated many of your meal ideas, and thanks to you (and to my mother’s great joy! and I’m 41 yo), I’m consistently eating a good, healthful b-fast (I used to skip). It’s amazing how much better I feel!
[email protected] says
Kath, you are the smoothie Queen <3 mmmm looks so refreshing!!
Heather (Heather's Dish) says
what a fun night! i love the polenta idea…a lot of times i’ll pan sear it but baking sounds easier 🙂
Wei-Wei says
Smooooooooothies! Yay 🙂 Those heirloom tomatoes all sliced up look so beautiful. I wish I could get them somewhere 🙁 Got any other photos?
Wei-Wei
Freya @ Brit Chick Runs says
You can buy SIAB? I thought that was something you invented! Wow, England is SO behind on this stuff!!
Kath says
I DID invent it!! But now other companies are taking note!
ms says
hi! i was wondering as an RD to be, if you had any thoughts on Acrylamides? the thing about acrylamides is that it seems to be in a lot of everyday foods. i know everything in moderation, but would still like to know your thoughts!
Kath says
I have never heard of them!
Julia @ Brit Bride says
What are you studying for Kath? I thought you were done? xxx
Kath says
Gotta take the RD exam!
Exercise and Eat says
You have beautiful skin!! Eating real food undoubtedly has somethin’ to do with that, I bet!
Kath says
Thanks!
Simply Life says
Looks like you’re making progress studying!
Jessica says
Just curious about what size crock-pot you use when cooking for 2. And what kind of beans are those? Looks really delicious.
Kath says
A 5 quart. I don’t remember what kind of beans – they were Karen’s dried
Diana @ frontyardfoodie says
Nothing like heirloom tomatoes. Last year was the first year I grew them and they literally melt in your mouth. So wonderful. The colors are incredible too! One of ours was called the Green Zebra and it was yellow with green stripes and a pink center!
Nicole, RD says
I love that you guys watched SYTYCD together – I love that show! 🙂
The heirloom salad looks great! My heirlooms are growing like CRAZY so we’ve enjoyed a lot of them this summer!
Justin says
Thanks so much for hosting me, guys! The food, as expected, was wonderful (particularly the tomatoes and okra), and it was great catching up with you guys! Can’t wait to see you again!
Jessica says
Seems like I’m always reading that granola has a lot of fat and is not as good for you as it seems, but you put it in everything, so there must be health benefits! So what’s the deal with granola?
Kath says
Not everything I eat has a “health benefit!!”
Granola is real food and made with foods that are good for you. So long as you don’t overdo it for your energy needs, there’s no problem with it.
Sarah (Running to Slow Things Down) says
I love heirlooms. Aren’t they so much better than any other variety of tomato?
So fun that you were able to chat and watch tv with Caitlin. It feels a little like two celebrities meeting up…haha. 😀
Daniel says
Such an amazing spread for dinner as always! I love how you always have something creative and a wide variety to choose from in each meal.
Do you know ahead of time (like, early in the week or day) what you’re going to make for dinner or do you just pull something out of the air and go with it each night? I find myself always trying to figure out how to use up stuff in the fridge a few hours before dinner and sometimes it gets hectic. 😡
Kath says
We do make a meal plan and pick recipe, but that often gets changed!
Holly @ couchpotatoathlete.wordpress.com says
Those tomatoes are absolutely gorgeous! They look like a watercolor painting!
Stacey @ Tipping the (Kitchen!) Scales says
Your food pictures are always so amazing! Is it good photography skills or a good camera that makes the difference?! Clearly I have neither!
Melissa @ HerGreenLife says
Mmmm, heirloom tomatoes. I made no-cook tomato sauce with three different types of heirloom tomatoes for dinner last night and it was so good.
Megan @ The Oatmeal Diaries says
Would this happen to be the Smoothie King/Chipotle/etc on Providence Rd?! If so, I work directly across the street from there!!
Kath says
Yup!!! Where do you work!?
Megan @ The Oatmeal Diaries says
That’s crazy! I work at a summer camp/program called the Speech Garden, and it’s being held at St. Gabriel’s church. I go to that Chipotle a lot after work! 🙂