Salad summers

There's just something about summer that says salad to me.  Maybe it's the opportunity to eat something light and crisp when it's so stinking hot and heavy outside.  Maybe it's all the fresh produce.  Or maybe it's any excuse to use the grill.  I love grilling.  But I don't really enjoy running back and forth to the grill when there's snow on the ground.

Whatever the reason, I love salads in the summertime.  I don't like dressings, so I do get a bit generous with the croutons.  I regret nothing.

So when Payless/Kroger and MyMagazineSharing sent me some coupons for free samples of some of their delicious produce, I was excited to try something a little different.  I am a big fan of romaine lettuce, but am not the most adventurous eater when it comes to new foods (and I've only been eating salads at all for about 3 or 4 years...).  I really liked the Living Lettuce (it really did stay fresher longer with the roots attached) and the Artisan Lettuce.  I added some tender, grilled steak, croutons, and a little shredded cheese.  It was delicious!

I highly recommend the produce section of Payless/Kroger and will definitely buy these items again.  I also love their baby potatoes.  If you get the chance to grill out, I heartily endorse the good, old-fashioned foil packet meals.  I first made these in scouts, but now I use steak instead.  Some thinly sliced steak, baby potatoes and carrots, a bit of light margarine, and seasonings wrapped up in a little foil package, grilled to tender perfection...

I really do love summer foods.

The price of beauty

Anyone who sees me regularly knows that my look is perhaps best described as "low maintenance."  It's rare for me to wear makeup.  And it's also been sadly rare for me to devote any time at all to skin care regimens.  But Kroger/Payless and MyMagazineSharing sent me some free samples to try to change all that.

Behold:

I definitely hope you can tell I'm wearing a mask in this picture.  It was a Neutrogena® Deep Clean® Purifying 100% Hydrogel Mask, and it was glorious.  It was cool and slippery, but then it felt lovely just letting it all soak in as I watched a movie (which may or may not have involved Harry Potter).

I also received some other free samples.  The TRESemmé® Compressed Micro Mist Hair Spray has been a nice way to add some control to my hair without the usual tangling that hairspary causes on the ends of my hair.  The Love Beauty and Planet® Lavender Shampoo and Conditioner Tandem Sachets smelled wonderful and made my hair very soft, while the Aveeno® Absolutely Ageless™ Daily Moisturizer and Restorative Night Cream has helped develop a new habit of moisturizing my skin and thinking about sun protection.  

Some of these products, while lovely, are a bit to pricey for my budget.  So while I might pick up another Hydrogel Mask as a treat, I'll have to pass on the shampoo and skin creams while I look for more affordable alternatives.  I have seen improvements in the fine lines around my eyes, but the truth is that these lines don't really bother me.  I'm happy to say that most of my wrinkles seem to match what forms when I smile, and I don't regret smile lines.

Finally a good use for peas...

If we've ever shared a meal, it will likely come as no surprise that I'm no fan of peas.  They don't taste good and tend to smell like feet.  These are proven facts.  Proven by me, over the span of my entire life.  But then Payless Grocery sent me a coupon for a free sample of Ripple.  Ripple is a non-dairy milk made from peas.

Whenever I'm given the chance to try a new kind of "milk" I tend to go for chocolate. It feels like a lower risk to me, because I looooove milk.  I love regular milk, so chocolate seems like an easier route to try.

I do have to say that this isn't my favorite non-dairy chocolate milk.  That would probably be dark chocolate almond milk.  But this is certainly an option.  My oldest daughter has become lactose-intolerant so we're always on the lookout for other options.  This is definitely a possibility for her.  It's the best use of peas EVER, but it doesn't sound appetizing to offer someone "pea milk."  The regular price of Ripple is a bit concerning to me as well, but when you need options this is still a good candidate.